Chapter 99: Preparing Gifts and Setting Out

Jing Qingxin looked over the selected gifts once more, still feeling they were a bit too meager. They would be suitable for acquaintances, but the recipients were the teacher and his wife who had shown Deep Gao such care and affection. Jing Qingxin could sense the depth of feeling Deep Gao had for them. The two of them would soon be husband and wife, so naturally, she hoped to make a good impression on their first meeting. Prudence was only fitting.

The collection in "Liuguang Brocade" was mostly grains and foodstuffs, but she couldn’t just return those as gifts. Glancing up, Jing Qingxin noticed the orchard and vegetable patch in the field. Her eyes lit up as she strode quickly to the fruit trees. The trees were laden with fruit—rosy apples, glossy green pecans, and plump, pink peaches. Nourished by the spiritual energy of the space, the fruits looked especially tempting, making one want to eat them at first glance.

Thinking it over, she realized that this era was not like the post-modern times with advanced agricultural techniques and fruit available year-round. Now it was April; among the fruits in season, only peaches were ripe for eating. Beside the orchard, grapes and strawberries grew. A glance revealed bright red strawberries, petite and charming, clearly ripe. This was the season for strawberries, but they were still rare, so she decided to keep them for herself and Deep Gao to enjoy privately.

As for the grapes, though clusters had already formed, they were still tinged with green and purple, not yet fully ripe—perhaps needing another day. Jing Qingxin picked over a dozen peaches to give to Elder Zhang and his wife, saying they were gathered from the mountains. With Deep Gao’s skills, foraged wild fruits would be an easy explanation.

On the other side of the field, the vegetables were also ready for harvest, but Jing Qingxin decided against taking them; fresh vegetables did not seem suitable. Instead, she chose some red dates, goji berries, and medicinal herbs for nourishing the body, all carefully wrapped in oiled paper.

Once she had everything packed, Jing Qingxin slipped out of "Liuguang Brocade" and entered the kitchen. Deep Gao had already prepared the flour, so she handed him the fresh vegetables and eggs, planning to make noodles for lunch.

Though Deep Gao was not a skilled cook, he could easily handle simple noodles. Meanwhile, Jing Qingxin busied herself with another task: she planned to make some "Peach Blossom Cakes." They could eat them on the road, and they would also make thoughtful gifts—no one ever minds receiving a bit extra.

By the time Deep Gao finished the noodles, Jing Qingxin had already steamed two baskets of peach blossom cakes. The fire in the stove was still burning, so lunch would not be delayed.

The noodles, mixed with eggs and fresh vegetables, became much more flavorful, especially since the vegetables had been grown in the spatial field. Touched even slightly by spiritual energy, they tasted all the more delicious.

Both of them knew time was short. They ate the noodles quickly, after which Jing Qingxin continued steaming more cakes. Deep Gao wanted to help, but Jing Qingxin handed him a wild chicken to prepare, explaining her plan.

"Qingxin, bring out another wild chicken," Deep Gao said directly.

Without hesitation, Jing Qingxin produced another wild chicken. Since Deep Gao requested it, he must have his reasons; she didn’t ask further. It was only a wild chicken—if needed, they could easily get more.

In the courtyard, Deep Gao deftly cleaned the chickens. Since the trip wasn’t far, but he worried the meat might spoil in the weather, he salted and marinated them, then wrapped them in oiled paper.

Meanwhile, Jing Qingxin hurried to steam more cakes. Storing them in "Liuguang Brocade" would keep them fresh. Once Deep Gao finished, he joined the cake-making, the two working in perfect harmony.

By one in the afternoon, everything was ready. Jing Qingxin changed into a white blouse and blue trousers—her most down-to-earth outfit. She tied her long hair into a ponytail to better blend in with the women of this era.

Since they were heading into town, Jing Qingxin thought it best to remain low-key. Even though the "Wen G" incident wouldn’t end for another two years, caution was still necessary. This was not her home city of C, where the powerful Jing family background offered protection. Now, she and Deep Gao were just ordinary citizens.

Deep Gao, too, changed into his military uniform, which immediately made him look even more upright and imposing, lending him a noble air of righteousness.

"What is it?" Deep Gao asked, noticing Jing Qingxin staring at him.

She smiled and praised him openly, "Very handsome! That uniform suits you perfectly."

Suddenly, Deep Gao felt a sweetness in his heart, as if he had drunk a bowl of sugar water. The joy filled him completely. Though he was a little unfamiliar with the word "handsome," it did not prevent him from understanding her meaning.

After a final check, Jing Qingxin locked the door and together they visited the neighboring Li family. Li Xiaomei was home, so they explained their trip and asked the Lis to keep an eye on their house before heading towards the village entrance.

There was nothing of great value at home, but as it was their place of residence, it was polite to inform the neighbors to avoid any misunderstandings.

In this era, whether for travel or marriage, one normally needed proof from the village, but Jing Qingxin was not a native of Dajing Village, and Deep Gao belonged to the army, so they didn’t need to report to the production team leader.

They set out lightly; only Deep Gao carried a military bag, while everything else was stored in "Liuguang Brocade." It wouldn’t do to be seen carrying so much. Once they arrived, she could retrieve the items—no one would know.

They walked quickly, and as soon as they left the village, caught a ride with a passing ox cart from the neighboring village, reaching the town in good time. From there, they hurried to the bus station, making it onto the last minibus to the county seat.

Everything about this era was novel to Jing Qingxin. She was thrilled to leave Dajing Village and see the outside world.

But her good mood didn’t last. The slow, jolting minibus quickly wore her down. Not only was it unbearably slow, the cramped interior was crowded with baskets and bags overflowing into the aisle, and the hard seats were uncomfortable. The bumpy ride over potholes made her aches even worse.

The road was unpaved, so dust billowed as the bus moved. Most of the windows were shut, making the air inside stale and thick with various unpleasant odors.

Jing Qingxin felt her chest tighten, a nameless discomfort welling up in her throat. She felt utterly unwell—this was the first time she realized she could get carsick.

——End of Chapter——

Dear readers, remember to vote for the story! Kisses!
This book is exclusively published by Xiaoxiang Academy, please do not repost!