Chapter 42 Her Dedication

After dinner, Ji Hefeng didn't leave; he wanted to stay there for the night.

"Grandpa, let me see your legs." Ji Hefeng helped the old man lie down, and then went to lift up the old man's trouser leg.

"Oh, it's alright, it's all better now." The old man said, but he obediently lay down. "Grandpa's leg has recovered very well, it's very agile, and it doesn't affect my life at all."

"Your wife is exceptionally skilled at setting bones. It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, and we were prepared for your grandfather to be bedridden for three months. But he was able to slowly get out of bed with crutches after just one month," Ji Liangyou sighed, still feeling a lingering fear. "Your grandfather was unconscious for three or four days, his mind was unclear, and the doctors said he wouldn't make it. Otherwise, Xiao Xu wouldn't have gone to ask your wife to come. At the time, we just wanted your grandfather to see your wife one last time—"

Ji Liangyou choked up, paused for a moment before continuing, "Your wife and Xiao Xu brought three large sacks and a large hand bag, all filled with things for us. That night, she examined your grandfather's leg and dared to set his bones without saying a word. We were all scared at the time, afraid that your grandfather would suffer, so we didn't agree. But your wife said the situation wouldn't get any worse, and then she started setting the bones."

"Your grandfather woke up once in the middle of the night, and was able to eat the next day."

Ji Hefeng looked at his father, whose eyes were red, and could tell how critical the situation had been. However, his father was not there; it was his young wife who was supporting the family.

"Your wife is a benefactor to our whole family. You'd better treat her well in the future, or the whole family will never let you off the hook," Ji Liangyou threatened.

Ji Hefeng nodded and earnestly promised, "I will."

That is, if he survives.

“Look at this quilt. Your wife went to the mountains and hunted two black bears. She bought us three new quilts.” Ji Liangyou was very fond of the quilt. “It’s a new cotton quilt. It’s soft and warm. We can sleep soundly until dawn without having to light a fire at night.”

There were two quilts on the bed. One was new, fluffy and soft, while the other was slightly yellowed, shriveled and stiff.

“Burning a brazier produces a lot of smoke, it’s very smoky.” The old man had a bad throat and was afraid of smoke. “If we don’t burn a brazier, your father won’t have to get up at night to add firewood, he can get a full night’s sleep, and he’ll be more energetic during the day.”

As Ji Hefeng touched the soft quilt, his heart softened as well. Molly and her brother were still using old quilts, and each of them only had one, yet he had brought three thick new quilts for her family.

She went to such lengths, yet she didn't mention it to him.

What is she thinking?

Ji Liangyou then showed his son the suede shoes Molly had brought, the clothes made from the fabric Molly had brought, and told him how many rabbits and pheasants Molly had hunted, and how delicious the chestnuts Molly brought back from the mountain were...

The father Ji Hefeng remembered as a man of few words was now talking non-stop, in high spirits. Finally, his face hardened, and he said in an extremely serious tone, "Don't look down on Molly just because she never went to school. She's steady, beautiful, good at managing a household, and loyal. You should live a good life with her. With her by your side, your mother, your grandparents, and I can rest easy."

Ji Hefeng pursed his lips, seeing how much his family liked Molly, and ultimately didn't mention the truth about his marriage to Molly.

"I'm going to the border next, and my return date is uncertain. Don't worry if you can't contact me."

"What are you going to the border for? Is there going to be a war?" Ji Liangyou asked anxiously.

Old Master Ji also sat up straight abruptly, staring intently at Ji Hefeng. "You applied to go yourself?"

“There’s no war yet, just constant border skirmishes and people stirring in the shadows. I’m going to guard the border.” Ji Hefeng said lightly. “It’ll be a few months, or a year or two, and I’ll come back to see you. If you need anything, go to Xu Xia’an. If he can’t make up his mind, go to Molly.”

He had a premonition that he owed Molly more and more.

Molly planned to plant some corn in the vegetable garden, so she went to borrow corn seeds from Mohe. Mohe glared at her and said, "I always knew you were silly. I thought you'd finally come to your senses after these past six months, but it turns out you're still completely out of touch with the seasons. Everyone's still wearing their thick winter coats, is it time to plant corn?"

Molly remained unmoved. "I want to give it a try."

She looked up at the few ears of corn hanging under the eaves of the Zhao family's house. "Just lend me two. I'll return four to you once I've planted them."

"Who cares about your four ears of corn!" Mo He rolled her eyes. "I never knew you were so stubborn. Once you've made up your mind, not even ten oxen could pull you back!"

Mo He was furious. She climbed the ladder, took two ears of corn from Molly, and shoved them into Molly's arms. "Go ahead and do whatever you want. I can't control you anymore."

Molly chuckled, "Thank you, sister."

Molly happily took the corn home, but Mohe was so angry that her chest heaved.

"If your sister wants to plant it, just let her plant it," Zhao Shangxun comforted Mo He.

“She’s being ridiculous,” Mo He gritted her teeth. “This girl is too outrageous.”

"That's because you're willing to spoil her." Li Xiaoju pouted. If her daughter did that, she would have already hit her with a stick.

Mohe scoffed, "You didn't say you disagreed just now."

Li Xiaoju choked. It wasn't like she was beholden to someone who had taken her money or eaten her food; her family had taken and eaten plenty of things from Molly, so how could she refuse?

Mo An also felt that planting corn at this time was unreliable, but his sister's melons, which she planted in winter, had survived and even started climbing, so he was no longer sure. Maybe they really could be grown.

Since there aren't many vegetables that can be planted this season, it's not a bad idea to use half of the vegetable plot to plant corn.

"I'm planning to intercrop sweet potatoes in the cornfield," Molly suddenly suggested.

Mo An: "?"

"Once the corn grows to your waist, I'll plant the sweet potato vines, one sweet potato vine between every two corn plants." The vegetable garden area is limited, and corn normally takes three months to harvest. With such a long time, the remaining half of the garden will be used for both vegetables and sweet potatoes, which won't be enough.

Mo An gave up struggling; he would do whatever his sister told him to do.

After Molly finished planting the corn and sowing the vegetable seeds, a light drizzle began to fall. The rain stopped and started again, continuing for four or five days. Yesterday, the sun finally came out, and Zhao Xiaoyong came to Mo An in the evening to invite him to go to the mountains early the next morning to find wild vegetables and mushrooms.

Mo An naturally wanted to go, so he first asked Molly for her opinion. Molly agreed without hesitation and asked Mo An, "Will you be back for lunch?"

"No, I'm not going back. Brother Xiaoyong said we'll bring some potatoes and sweet potatoes, just like a picnic outside." Mo An had never participated in such an activity before, and his tone was filled with excitement.

Seeing her little brother so healthy and alive, Molly was happy for him. "Pick some sweet potatoes about the size of a fist, they'll cook faster."

“I know, sister.” Mo An thought for a moment. “Can I bring some of your chili powder? Potatoes dipped in chili powder are delicious.”

His sister roasted chilies, crushed them in a stone mortar, added some spices like Sichuan peppercorns, and salt. They were spicy, fragrant, and delicious.

"Of course you can. Take whatever you want from the house without asking me." Mo An is a well-behaved and obedient child, but he is often too well-behaved and obedient, and his sensitivity and overthinking can actually restrict him.

But it's not his fault. He was abandoned by his father and lived under someone else's roof, so it's inevitable that he would have more worries.

The next morning, after having breakfast, Mo An packed his things and waited under the eaves with his basket on his back. He hadn't been waiting long when Zhao Xiaoyong's voice came from outside the gate, "Mo An, let's go."

"Okay, I'm coming right now." Mo An ran out with his basket on his back.

Molly looked towards the door and saw that not only Zhao Xiaoyong had come, but also several other children from the same village.

In fact, it wasn't just the children; adults went into the mountains too, some even with their whole families, planning to store up some food for their homes before the busy farming season.

"Molly, aren't you going to the mountains to pick mushrooms?" Aunt Guihua asked curiously when she saw Molly standing at the door.

Molly shook her head. "Someone has to stay home to look after the house."

"There are mushrooms, wild vegetables, and wood ear fungus in the mountains. It would be a shame if you didn't go," Aunt Guihua said regretfully.

Molly smiled without saying a word. There would always be food; she was more concerned about whether Mo An was having fun and whether he could integrate into the Xiaonan Village brigade. Mo An would be going to school in a few days, and she hoped that Mo An would make more friends and not be so withdrawn.

Mo An was gone for a whole day and didn't get home until dark.

The mountain air was damp, and Mo An was covered in mud, with several bright red cuts on his hands. But he didn't care at all; he was in high spirits, and the first thing he did when he got home was to take the things out of his basket.

It contains wood ear fungus, mushrooms, wild vegetables, and a bunch of wild scallions.

The amount was just right, enough for the two of them to have one meal.

"Brother Xiaoyong said we shouldn't eat the fresh wood ear mushrooms yet; they can be dried and stored for a long time," Mo An said.

Molly nodded. "Okay, I'll hang them out to dry tomorrow."

"Brother Xiaoyong also said that mushroom soup is delicious and very flavorful."

"Okay, we'll have mushroom soup tonight."

"Wild vegetables can be served cold. After blanching, add a little oil and salt, then add some chili peppers and stir. It's appetizing and refreshing."

"Then let's try some cold dishes tonight."

Molly told Moan to take a shower while she cooked dinner herself. Moan had brought back more than half a basket of mushrooms, so she added some cured meat to them and cooked them together, eventually filling an enamel pot to the brim.

Blanch the wild vegetables, then chop them finely. Add some crushed garlic, chili powder, and finally a spoonful of heated lard.

"The mushrooms are really fresh." Molly couldn't stop after the first bite.

Mo An chuckled sheepishly, "Brother Xiao Yong said we're going again tomorrow."

"Are you tired?" Molly asked, worried that Mo Anming's legs would be sore when he woke up in the morning.

Mo An shook his head, "Not tired."

Molly just smiled and said it was too early to say whether she was tired or not.

"Sister, everyone really likes the chili powder I brought," Mo An said proudly.

"You can bring more tomorrow. There are still a lot of dried chilies at home; I'll cook more when we run out."

As Molly had predicted, when Mo An woke up in the morning, his calves were sore and trembling, and his ankles were also very painful. He couldn't help but gasp for breath after taking a step.

Molly smiled enigmatically, "Still able to go into the mountains?"

Mo An wanted to cry, "I can't leave."

“It’s normal to feel sore after walking so much, especially climbing mountains, for the first time. You’ll get used to it after a few more trips.” Molly comforted him.

"I'll go again in a couple of days when I'm better." Mo An secretly decided to make more trips to the mountains in the future to improve his physical condition.

“Even though we’re not going into the mountains today, we can’t just sit still. We need to get up, move around, and stretch,” Molly reminded him.

Mo An gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, I'll walk around and stretch."

Mo An didn't go to the mountains, and Molly didn't plan to either. There were many things to do at home, and Mo An's legs were aching. Molly was worried that Mo An wouldn't be able to handle everything.

"Sis, I can do it. You go to the mountains, it's so lively there." Mo An licked her lips. "I want to eat mushrooms."

Molly chuckled upon hearing this, "Alright, I'll go."