In the end, Chen Shuning did not let Chen Jiandang go up the mountain to fetch firewood again. Qin Yalan's specialty, chicken and potato stew with vermicelli, also appeared on Gu Xinyi's dinner table. Although Gu Xinyi repeatedly declined, she could not forget Qin Yalan's enthusiasm.

The following days were uneventful. Chen Shuning showed Chen Jiandang her woodshed, successfully letting the boy know that his sister really didn't lack firewood.

In the following days, Chen Jiandang still went into the mountains every day, but he no longer went with the educated youth to collect firewood.

Instead, Chen Shuning asked Grandpa Yang to let Chen Jiandang go into the mountains with Yang Xingguo and his two brothers' hunting team. This made the boy very excited every day, and every day when he came back, he would pull her and his mother to tell them about the fun things that happened while hunting.

Chen Shuning, who stayed at home, would take Qin Yalan to visit other villagers every day.

Within a few days, Qin Yalan became friends with Grandpa Yang's second daughter-in-law. Eventually, she no longer needed Chen Shuning to accompany her and would visit other people in the village on her own.

Of course, Qin Yalan spends most of her time with her daughter at the educated youth settlement every day.

Happy times always pass quickly, and in the blink of an eye, Qin Yalan and Chen Jiandang had been staying in Qingshan Brigade for five or six days.

Just as Qin Yalan was about to leave, and Chen Shuning was about to ask Old Yang to go to the county to buy tickets for Chen's mother, He Chaoyang arrived.

Since she had already decided to leave, Qin Yalan didn't go out to visit anyone these past two days. So when He Chaoyang, carrying large bags and small packages, knocked on Chen Shuning's door, Qin Yalan was in the kitchen teaching Chen Shuning how to make pear soup.

This pear soup was Chen Shuning's—no, the original owner's—favorite drink, so many of the ingredients that were hard to find in this era, such as white fungus and dried longan, were brought from the capital by Qin Yalan.

Upon seeing who it was through the glass window, Chen Shuning couldn't hide the joy on his face, and casually tossed the half-picked silver ear fungus into the pot.

In Qin Yalan's memory, the speed at which she opened the door was something that had never happened to her daughter, who was always a bit slow on the uptake.

Seeing the little girl's eyes full of surprise, He Chaoyang felt a sweet warmth in his heart. It seemed that not only did he miss the little girl, but she must miss him too.

"You're wearing so little outside, you'll catch a cold. Hurry up and go back inside."

As they were talking, He Chaoyang saw Qin Yalan walking over and quickly greeted her with a smile, "Hello, Auntie."

Qin Yalan was still a little regretful that she hadn't been able to see He Chaoyang again before leaving. Although she had already seen that He Chaoyang was a good kid during their last time together, the time they spent together was too short, and there were still many things she hadn't been able to ask him clearly.

So Qin Yalan was genuinely happy that He Chaoyang could come today, and hurriedly ushered him into the house: "Alright, come in quickly, it must be cold outside today, come in and warm up."

Then, noticing what He Chaoyang was carrying, she said with disapproval, "Look at you, kid, you're just coming, why did you buy so much stuff? You haven't even finished all that stuff you bought last time."

Facing Qin Yalan, He Chaoyang no longer displayed the coldness he usually showed in public. Instead, he wore a gentle smile and said, "I was in a bit of a rush last time and didn't buy much."

As He Chaoyang spoke, he handed the items in his hand to Chen Shuning and explained with a smile, "I heard that your uncle likes to drink baijiu (Chinese liquor). I happen to have two wild ginseng roots and a tiger bone that are suitable for making liquor. Please take them back and make liquor for your uncle."

A friend also gave me some dried toad oil. I heard it's good for beauty and skin. You should try it when you get home. If you like it, I'll send you more.

Qin Yalan was originally from Jilin Province, so she naturally knew that what He Chaoyang was talking about were all good things, especially wild ginseng and tiger bone, which were things that money couldn't buy.

Therefore, although Qin Yalan was happy with the gift He Chaoyang prepared, she could not accept such an expensive gift.

So she quickly declined, saying, "Chaoyang, I appreciate your kind gesture, but this is too precious for me to accept."

As she spoke, Qin Yalan hurriedly nudged Chen Shuning, who was examining the brocade box inside the pocket, and said, "What are you looking at, girl? Hurry up and return the things to Chaoyang."

Chen Shuning knew that He Chaoyang's gift was too valuable to accept at home, and she only looked at it out of curiosity.

She has ginseng in her space, and the reason she was so serious just now was because she was studying the difference between the genuine old mountain ginseng and the one she grew.

Upon hearing Qin Yalan's words, she hurriedly tried to return the things in her hands to He Chaoyang.

He Chaoyang did not reach out to take the bag that Chen Shuning handed back, but instead explained with a smile: "Auntie, I got these wild ginseng and tiger bones myself, they're not worth much."

Besides, now that I'm dating Shuning, you and Uncle are both my elders. This gift represents my sentiments, as well as my respect and gratitude to you and Uncle.

Thank you for raising such a wonderful daughter as Shuning and for agreeing to let her date me, so please keep this.

He Chaoyang's words made Qin Yalan smile, not because of the gift, but because she also felt that her daughter was good. Hearing affirmation of Shu Ning from her daughter's boyfriend made her happier than receiving any expensive gift.

Qin Yalan nodded, so Chen Shuning stopped worrying. Anyway, she had a lot of things in her space, especially medicinal herbs, which she had specially set aside a plot of land in her space to grow quite a few.

When I have the chance to find some of the elders of the He family, I will give them to them. After all, the medicinal herbs that grow in the space and are watered with spiritual spring water from time to time are just as effective as those that grow wild in the mountains.

Because of He Chaoyang's arrival, Chen Shuning's plan to learn how to make pear soup was directly cancelled.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!