083. Division of Labor, Advancing Step by Step

Upon returning home, Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen immediately divided the work and busied themselves with their respective tasks.

Jing Qingxin transplanted the flower branches from her basket into the soil beneath the courtyard wall. While she was at it, she brought out a few more flower seedlings. Since they had already passed the main road on their way back, and most people’s attention was drawn to the wild game they carried, no one would notice a few extra blossoms. After all, she used the largest basket, and to any casual observer, it was packed full of flowers. With everyone’s eyes fixed on the wild meat, who would bother to count the exact number of flowers? This made things even more convenient for her.

She worked quickly, transplanting roses, peonies, camellias, and wild roses—choosing only four common varieties so as not to arouse suspicion. She selected two or three seedlings of each kind, knowing that after some time, they would thrive and bloom more abundantly.

Jing Qingxin even built a wooden trellis for the wild roses, so they could climb up along the courtyard wall. Once the wall was covered in roses, it would be truly beautiful.

After finishing the transplanting, she summoned spring water with her hand, watering each flower in turn, encouraging them to grow better in the outside world.

She brushed the soil from her hands and looked with satisfaction at the little patch of flowers in the corner of the courtyard. Though small in number, the blossoms were vivid and lovely.

Bathed in the slanting rays of sunset, the courtyard was awash in soft golden light. The multicolored flowers swayed gently in the breeze, instantly transforming the once dull and desolate yard. The simple farmer’s courtyard now gleamed with a bright splash of color.

Next, Jing Qingxin planted the common medicinal herbs she had dug up in the mountains in the empty patch beside the flowers. She had no shortage of herbs in her space, but planting some in the yard would provide a suitable explanation in the future.

As for the fruit trees, Jing Qingxin had no intention of transplanting them into the courtyard. They were too conspicuous, and the wild saplings she’d dug up in the mountains were already sizable, with some even bearing fruit. She decided to plant them in her space instead, where they would flourish and yield sweeter, tastier fruit. In this era, fruit was a rare delicacy, and she had no plans to share it openly—she would keep it for herself and Gao Shen to enjoy in private.

With the transplanting in the courtyard complete, Gao Shen had already finished cleaning the roe deer and wild pheasants by the kitchen door and had neatly butchered the meat into chunks.

Noticing Jing Qingxin approaching, Gao Shen, while tidying the pelts, said, “Qingxin, bring out another pheasant. I’ll deliver one to Captain Li’s family later.”

Jing Qingxin instantly understood his intention and cheerfully replied, “Alright.”

Immediately, a drowsy pheasant appeared on the ground. Jing Qingxin couldn’t help but marvel at the potency of her medicine—a mere trace had kept the animals asleep for so long.

“I’ve finished preparing the meat. You handle the cooking; I’ll take the chicken and rabbit to Uncle Li and Captain Li’s family,” Gao Shen said as he stood up, straightening his clothes.

“Go ahead, I’m good in the kitchen!” Jing Qingxin smiled and waved him off.

The roe deer yielded a large basin of meat, chopped into small pieces—Gao Shen must have anticipated that much of it would be shared that evening and worried it might not be enough.

Jing Qingxin hefted the heavy basin—at least thirty catties, plenty to go around. She then carried the bowl of pheasant meat into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Looking at the two basins of meat, Jing Qingxin pondered the menu. She planned to make chicken soup, adding mushrooms for flavor, along with some medicinal herbs from her space. As for the roe deer, she would stew it. But she suddenly realized that the mountain goods she’d harvested today weren’t suitable, and there weren’t enough mushrooms either. For a hearty meat stew, potatoes were the best accompaniment. However...

As she frowned in thought, Li Xiaomei’s voice rang out in the courtyard.

“I’m in the kitchen, come on in!” Jing Qingxin called out.

She soon saw Li Xiaomei bustling in, both hands gripping a large iron pot.

Li Xiaomei smiled and said, “Sister Jing, Brother Gao asked me to bring over our big iron pot.”

Jing Qingxin couldn’t help but smile. She had just been worrying about this—her own pot was too small, and with such a large basin of meat, she would have to cook it in several batches. She hadn’t expected Gao Shen to think of this first—clearly, he was more thoughtful and thorough.

“Thank you, Xiaomei. I was just fretting about my small pot,” Jing Qingxin replied with a smile.

She then explained to Li Xiaomei what she’d promised the children that afternoon, and that she would need the big pot to help fulfill her promise.

Li Xiaomei was deeply moved. She sighed at how kind-hearted Sister Jing and Brother Gao were. Despite all the gossip in the village, they were still willing to give the children meat, which in the end was really giving it to those villagers who had been talking behind their backs. Wasn’t this a true act of repaying evil with good?

Li Xiaomei suddenly questioned herself—was she too narrow-minded? At this moment, the figures of Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen became supremely noble and radiant in her eyes.

If Jing Qingxin had known what Li Xiaomei was thinking, she would have been exasperated and wanted to cry out, “Child, you’re overthinking it!”

Of course, Jing Qingxin did have her own motives for doing this, though not as lofty as Li Xiaomei imagined. When she agreed to the children’s request, she did feel some compassion and wanted them to have a taste of meat.

But she also considered that once the children knew they could eat meat, how could they resist telling their elders at home? Jing Qingxin was well aware that she and Gao Shen were outsiders in the village, with no roots or backing. In a society like this, being a loner was not seen as a virtue.

As the saying goes: It’s hard to refuse someone’s favor, and it’s hard to speak ill of those who feed you.

She didn’t believe that, with the lure of meat, the six children wouldn’t spread the word to their friends. And when they told their parents, wouldn’t the adults pass it on as well?

The roe deer Gao Shen brought back weighed thirty catties. With enough vegetables and broth added, there would be plenty for small portions—a half bowl per person at least. She had offered the entire roe deer, so no one could fault her for not sharing.

By distributing the meat, Jing Qingxin hoped to express goodwill and earn the villagers’ favor. If something happened in the future, perhaps people would think twice before acting against them.

She had no illusions about winning everyone’s acceptance overnight. Building relationships would take time—a gradual process of integration.

—End of Chapter—

Qingqing just wants to shout: Where are the votes?! Hurry and come to my bowl!

This book is first published on Xiaoxiang Academy. Please do not repost!