“Yuan girl, what are you thinking about? Last time I told you there was ginseng in the mountains, and you immediately wanted to go. That time it was already dark. I told you there were wolves in the mountains, and I would take you with me when it got light the next day to go and collect the nets. But you didn’t wait for me, afraid that someone would dig up your ginseng. Chu Yuning doesn’t have money to pay her tuition. Why aren’t you worried about it today?” Zhao Dayong teased.
Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan's expression instantly froze.
She remembered this incident. It was Zhao Dayong who had given her the news. She had heard that there might be ginseng in the back mountain. Although she wasn't very sure, she ignored Liu Mama's objections, carried her medicine basket into the mountain, and was determined to dig up that ginseng.
As a result, she fell into a cave and landed in a snake pit, where she was bitten several times on the leg by venomous snakes.
If she hadn't risked her life to crawl out of the snake's den and hadn't been lucky enough to find antidotes nearby, she might have died in the valley long ago.
Later, she limped to town to sell the ginseng, and after selling it for ten taels of silver, she rushed to Ziyun Academy.
All she got in return was a simple, "Yuanyuan, you've gone through all this trouble."
Chu Yuning didn't even give her a single coin so she could find an inn in the city to stay overnight.
She slept alone under the city wall, freezing in the night wind all night. When dawn broke, she limped back to the village and even developed a high fever.
Thinking back to the past, Shen Yuan really wanted to slap herself twice!
"Yuan girl, what are you thinking about? Are you coming or not? We can keep each other company if we go into the mountains together!" Zhao Dayong patted Shen Yuan again.
Shen Yuan pushed Zhao Dayong's hand away, wanting to refuse, but then suddenly remembered something and quickly picked up her medicine basket, "Okay, I'll go into the mountains with you!"
"Great! Let's get going!" Zhao Dayong happily helped her open the courtyard gate.
The two left the fenced courtyard and walked along the country road into the mountains. When they were almost at the west end of the village, Shen Yuan suddenly stopped.
She slapped her forehead in frustration and said, "Oh dear, I forgot to bring my shovel! I can't dig without tools. Brother Zhao, wait here for me, I'll go back and get a shovel and come right back!"
Zhao Dayong was a little annoyed, but he still waved his hand at Shen Yuan, "Go and come back quickly!"
Shen Yuan agreed and turned to run back.
The sun set, and it gradually got dark.
Shen Yuan did not go home, but instead secretly slipped away to the Chu family under the cover of night.
Zhao Dayong was being overly attentive today, as if he insisted on taking her to the mountains tonight. Moreover, the stems and leaves he gave her didn't seem to have been picked today. There must be something going on.
Furthermore, since Zhao Dayong was also a cousin of the Zhao family, Shen Yuan had to be on guard.
After all, she had just caused a scene at the Chu family during the day, and Zhao would definitely not let it go.
Shen Yuan sneaked to the Chu family's house. She lay on the courtyard wall, trying to climb over into the yard under the cover of night, but unexpectedly saw the village head.
It was already night, and according to custom, a man like the village head should not be at the Zhao family's house. After all, Zhao had lost her husband, and as her brother-in-law, he should avoid any suspicion from his sister-in-law.
But not only did he stay, he also became overly intimate with Zhao.
Shen Yuan immediately pulled her head back and lay comfortably behind the courtyard wall.
"Did you see clearly? That brat really went into the mountains with Da Yong?"
"Don't worry! I've already given him all the instructions. Once she goes into the mountains, she's guaranteed not to come back. After this is done, all that old woman's land will be his!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao laughed and threw herself into the arms of the village head.
"Alright, you should go back now! Chunhua and Qiuyue should be back soon, and I need to cook dinner for them. Once it's done, have Yueyue bring you a bowl."
The two left the courtyard after exchanging only a few words.
Shen Yuan didn't linger and went home in the dark.
Granny Liu found it strange that she had returned so soon after leaving, so Shen Yuan made up an excuse to get rid of her.
She sat down in the courtyard, recalling how the village head had indeed taken good care of Zhao Shi in her previous life. Originally, the Chu family only had one male member, Chu Yuning, who was educated but unable to carry heavy loads or do any farm work. The village head had to find people to help cultivate the ten acres of land belonging to the Chu family.
Moreover, he exempted the Zhao family from land taxes.
She used to think that the village head was taking care of his sister-in-law on behalf of his older brother who had died young, but she never expected that he had long harbored feelings for this sister-in-law.
No wonder the village head has been speaking up for Zhao all day, both openly and secretly. The annulment letter was written only after Zhao gave her her approval.
As Shen Yuan pondered, her gaze fell upon the drying rack for herbs in the courtyard. She suddenly remembered that during this time in her previous life, the village head had asked her to collect a considerable amount of herbs that could enhance male virility.
At the time, she thought it was just due to his old age and kidney deficiency, and didn't think much of it. Now that she thinks about it, the village head's wife's mother had been sick for several months, and the village head's wife often went back to her parents' home during this time, staying for ten days or half a month at a time. What was the village head going to do with so much medicine?
It's for the Zhao family!
Shen Yuan suddenly had an idea.
The next day, Zhao Dayong arrived at the Shen family early in the morning. He pushed open the gate of Shen Yuan's courtyard and shouted, "Yuan girl, didn't you say last night that you were going into the mountains to dig for ginseng? Why didn't you go? I waited for you at the village entrance until midnight."
Shen Yuan, who was drying medicinal herbs in the courtyard, turned around and coldly observed Zhao Dayong's indignant expression.
"I sprained my ankle and can't go into the mountains."
"What? You sprained your ankle?" Zhao Dayong looked at Shen Yuan's leg with disbelief, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Then let's go into the mountains together in a couple of days. I just don't know if we can raise enough money for Yu Ning's living expenses next month!"
Zhao Dayong's face was scrunched up like a bitter gourd, as if he was truly worried about Chu Yuning.
Shen Yuan smiled and said, "Since you're so worried, why don't you raise some money for your cousin?"
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