Chapter 59: Herbal Medicine Delivery + Market
"Hiss, why do I smell a fragrance?" Lin Dashan said suddenly, sniffed twice, and followed the scent directly to the table.
Lin Shu took two pancakes from the pancakes already spread out by the stove, scooped a small spoonful of chicken mushroom sauce onto the pancakes, and spread it evenly with the back of the spoon. She rolled up the two pancakes and handed one to Lin Dashan and Zhou Ye. "Dad and Ye, have one first to fill your stomach. Once Mom is done, we'll eat."
Lin Dashan took it with a grin. He and Zhou Ye had washed their hands with the river water before coming back. He took a big bite as soon as he took it, and his taste buds were stimulated. Even the numbing taste in it, which he usually disliked, did not attract his attention. He only knew that it was delicious.
Zhou Ye didn't go to pick it up immediately. He asked Lin Shu to put it on the table first, then went to Zhuguanzi to wash his hands before coming back.
With this bamboo tube to draw water, it is indeed much more convenient.
He didn't eat as fast as Lin Dashan, but in one bite, half the wrap was gone. He ate a lot at a time, but once it got into his mouth, he chewed it carefully, his mouth full of delicious flavor, and he was reluctant to swallow it.
Seeing Lin Shu looking at him, he swallowed what he had in his mouth. Without waiting for her to ask, he nodded and replied, "It smells good."
Lin Shu burst into laughter. "Of course it smells good! I spent over half an hour simmering this chicken mushroom sauce over the stove. It's delicious whether you add it to rice or noodles, or wrap it in a pancake or flatbread."
Even if her cooking skills are average, there is so much oil and water in this chicken mushroom sauce. How can something with oil and water be bad?
While the two were talking, Lin Dashan was led by Lin Xiaopu to see the bamboo water pipe. Seeing the mountain spring water coming out of the thin bamboo pipe, he was surprised again.
Lin Xiaopu was already praising how smart his sister was and how capable Zhou Ye was, which made Lin Dashan laugh foolishly.
After He Guixiang had spread out a thick stack of pancakes, she scooped a ladle of mountain spring water and poured it into the iron pot. All the oil and water on the wall of the pot were absorbed into the water. She simply threw a few wild vegetables in and it became a wild vegetable soup.
There was a plate of stir-fried chicken mushrooms and a plate of stir-fried dried radish on the table. The pancakes could be eaten wrapped with the dried radish or dipped in the chicken mushroom sauce. A bowl of warm porridge was then added to the meal, and everyone was very satisfied.
After using the water, Lin Dashan took a cold shower in the courtyard, using the mountain spring water flowing from the bamboo pipe. The bamboo pipe was a bit short, and the water only reached his stomach, so he took a ladle to collect it, filled it up, and poured it over his shoulders. The coolness made him howl from time to time.
Zhou Ye didn't take advantage of this convenience and continued to wash in the river. He was so tall and strong that it would be a bit unfair for him to use the bamboo pipe to bathe in the courtyard.
As for He Guixiang and her mother, they were still used to fetching water and washing inside. He Guixiang and Lin Xiaopu preferred to wash in the kitchen, while Lin Shu took the trouble to carry the basin into the inner room, remove most of her clothes, and then wash. This way, she could wash more thoroughly and be more careful so as not to spill any water.
He Guixiang knew that she was too delicate to use cold water, so every time she finished cooking and washed up, she didn't rush to put out the fire. She scooped three large ladles of water into the pot and kept it on low heat. By the time she finished dinner, the water in the pot was almost boiling.
Three ladles of boiling water mixed with cold water were just enough to fill a large basin, enough for Lin Shu to have a nice bath.
In Tianshui Village, being able to take a bath with warm water every night is a troublesome and luxurious thing in itself, but He Guixiang is willing to indulge her.
Lin Shu was not polite about this. With Zhou Ye, a strong man, at home, she could not lack firewood. If there was no bathtub available at home, she would like to take a hot bath every now and then. Taking a bath is more comfortable than scrubbing.
But Lin Shu is a person who is easily satisfied. The conditions in the end times are worse than this, but she still managed to get through it.
Of course she wanted a better life, but if she couldn't afford it, she would accept it. Because compared to having a full stomach, everything else became secondary.
When He Guixiang and Lin Dashan went to bed, and Lin Shu and Lin Xiaopu had also tidied themselves up and were ready to rest, Zhou Ye's voice suddenly rang out from the room just across the curtain.
"Ashu, come here for a moment."
Rural families weren't so particular. Lin Shu's room was newly built next to Zhou Ye's. It had only a window facing the courtyard, and a door dug into the side wall, so they entered from Zhou Ye's side. The doorway was covered by a bamboo curtain, which was rolled up during the day to allow for better ventilation, and lowered at night when they rested.
The bamboo strips woven on the bamboo curtain are fine enough, but the bamboo curtain is old, and several bamboo strips are broken and missing, so the gaps in those places are a little bigger. If you look closely, you can see the scene in the house clearly through the gaps, so Zhou Ye never gets close to the bamboo curtain on weekdays.
The sound coming from behind the bamboo curtain surprised the two sisters in the room for a moment.
Lin Shu had just untied her hair and was combing it through with a wooden comb. If it weren't for the saying, "The hair on your body is inherited from your parents," she would have preferred to have her hair cut off with a pair of scissors. It wouldn't have to be too short, just to shoulder level, which would have been much more convenient, instead of the inconvenience of having her hair down to her waist and hips.
If you don't cut it for the rest of your life, won't you end up mopping the floor?
Because her hair was too long, it would easily get tangled if she wasn't careful, so Lin Shu would comb it with a wooden comb every night before going to bed. Only after her long hair was smooth would she go to bed to rest.
Lin Shu walked closer to the bamboo curtain holding a wooden comb, and through the gap saw Zhou Ye standing behind the curtain with his body facing sideways.
"Aye, what do you want from me?" Lin Shu asked.
"I picked a handful of herbs to stop bleeding and reduce swelling. I've crushed them. Apply them to the wound before you go to bed."
Lin Shu was stunned for a moment, then she scolded him, "Aye, you sent the herbs too late!"
Noticing that the person behind the bamboo curtain seemed to be stunned for a moment, Lin Shu suppressed a laugh and finished the second half of the sentence, "If you come any later, the wound on my foot will be healed!"
There was an eerie silence behind the bamboo curtain.
Lin Shu laughed enough, lifted a corner of the bamboo curtain, spread her hands towards him, and said with a smile, "I will use it. Thanks, Aye."
Zhou Ye didn't say anything, but silently handed in a small bamboo tube.
The bamboo tube contained a small amount of herbal paste, not much, but more than enough to apply to the small wound on her foot. The herbs inside had been pounded very hard, the juice had been squeezed out, and there was a faint bitter smell, but it was impossible to tell what kind of herb it was.
So Lin Shu asked curiously, "Aye, you know herbs? What kind of herb is this?"
Zhou Ye replied, "It's called crucian carp gallbladder. I learned it from a barefoot doctor in the village." After a pause, he added, "The village where I used to live."
"It's actually crucian carp gallbladder?" Lin Shu was surprised at first, then asked him subtly, "Then tell me, what else can this crucian carp gallbladder be used for?"
Zhou Ye was silent for a moment, then replied, "At least it can stop the bleeding and reduce the swelling."
When Lin Shu heard this, she knew he knew the name, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Compared to the name crucian carp gallbladder, more people call it bone-setting grass. Especially in these mountainous areas, if the cattle, sheep, and other livestock break their legs, the experienced villagers will crush the crucian carp gallbladder and apply it externally to the cattle and sheep to set the bones. Ah Ye, you're using bone-setting herbs to reduce my swelling and stop the bleeding. Aren't you exaggerating?"
Zhou Ye: "...as long as it's useful."
Lin Shu's smile widened. "Of course it's useful. It can set bones, reduce swelling, regenerate flesh, and remove decay. It can heal all kinds of injuries, even knife wounds. What's more, it can heal a small cut on my foot. Don't worry, when I get up tomorrow, I'll be able to walk briskly."
Zhou Ye: "Well...you should go to bed early."
Lin Shu muttered, "You idiot! You can't even chat."
"Ashu, I'm going to sleep too. I'll call you tomorrow morning."
Lin Shu's pouty lips suddenly curled up again, "You should go to bed early. You've been tired all day."
"Not bad, not tired."
After that, the two of them said nothing more and tacitly moved away from the bamboo curtain.
Lin Shu continued to comb her long hair which she had not finished combing just now, and then she crawled over Lin Xiaopu on the outside to the inside of the bed.
Lin Shu rarely gets up at night and usually sleeps until the next morning. Plus, she likes to sleep in, so Lin Xiaopu insisted that she sleep on the outside.
At this time, Lin Xiaopu was lying flat on her back, looking like she was asleep, but Lin Shu could tell at a glance that she was pretending to be asleep.
She snorted softly, "Come on, did you overhear the conversation between me and Aye just now?"
Lin Xiaopu quietly opened half of her eyes and said innocently, "Sister, you guys were talking so quietly, how could I possibly hear you clearly? I just knew that Brother Aye brought you some herbs, hehe. Sister, is this medicine easy to apply? Do you want me to help you?"
Lin Shu: "...My foot was injured, not my hand."
After saying that, she used the moonlight coming in through the window to apply the herbal medicine Zhou Ye had sent to the wound, and then wrapped her feet twice with a clean handkerchief. After she got on the bed and adjusted her sleeping position, she didn't move much.
She had a good sleeping posture. Because she slept soundly, she could often stay in the same position until dawn, turning over at most once, and her movements were light. Even if the handkerchief wrapped around her feet was wrapped loosely, it would not fall apart, and the herbal paste on her feet would naturally not get all over the bed.
"Ashu, it's time to get up." Lin Shu felt that she had just closed her eyes when she seemed to hear Zhou Ye's slightly dull voice.
She frowned and opened her eyes, only to find that dawn was already breaking outside the window.
Ahhh, didn’t we agree that we don’t have to wake up early?
Isn't this early enough?
Lin Xiaopu, who had already woken up, covered her mouth and laughed secretly, "Sister, on market day, it's rare for people to get up this late. Many families in the village have already set out with baskets on their backs and baskets on their shoulders, and you, sister, have to wash your face, clean your teeth, comb your hair, and - oh my!"
Before Lin Xiaopu could finish her words, Lin Shu had already hit her on the forehead with a bullet.
"Got it. Stop trying to rush me. I'm going to get up right away. I promise I won't make Zhou Ye wait for more than a quarter of an hour!"
Lin Shu did what she said and got herself ready in less than a quarter of an hour. Zhou Ye was already waiting in the yard, carrying a full basket of mushrooms.
Lin Shu was not empty-handed either. She was carrying a small vegetable basket. In the basket was her small bamboo tube of chicken mushroom sauce and the flatbread that He Guixiang had made early in the morning, covered with a piece of floral cloth.
She carried the things and trotted towards Zhou Ye.
Zhou Ye frowned and looked at her, "Take it easy, there's no rush."
Lin Shu: "I'm just worried that you'll get impatient."
He jumped twice on the spot and said with a smile, "Thanks to the bone-setting medicine you sent me last night, not only does my foot no longer hurt, but I also feel like I'm walking with divine help. I won't hold you back today, don't worry."
It was only sixteen miles away, and she didn't even wear the straw sandals that her third aunt had given her today. She changed into the pair of embroidered shoes she had worn when she came.
Although the embroidered shoes were not as breathable and cool as straw sandals, their soles were thick and soft, making them definitely the most comfortable pair of shoes she had.
Zhou Ye also noticed the pair of embroidered shoes she had changed into. She was wearing a coarse linen dress, but on her feet were such exquisitely embroidered shoes, which actually didn't match. But because of her fair and delicate face, which looked like a rich lady, it seemed as if nothing mattered to her because no one would notice what she was wearing.
Zhou Ye was distracted for a moment, and said to her, "Let's go. It's better not to keep us waiting."
Lin Shu didn't understand what he meant at first. They were just the two of them going to the market. Could it be that Zhou Ye had made an appointment with other acquaintances?
Although he said he didn't want to keep her waiting, his pace had quietly slowed down, so she didn't need to speed up to catch up with him. On the contrary, he himself, after slowing down, seemed to have a more leisurely feeling than usual.
"What's in the basket? Mushrooms? Didn't you tell mom that you need to dry them for two or three days?" Lin Shu asked.
"Just charge a few coppers less."
Lin Shu laughed immediately, "Mother is going to be suspicious, and you can decide everything."
"Aunt He won't ask too many questions." The two of them were walking from the end of the village to the beginning. At the beginning, there were not many people on the road, and the two could still chat and laugh easily. As they walked, more and more villagers appeared on the road.
Lin Shu discovered that Zhou Ye, who in her opinion was a dull man who could do nothing, was actually quite popular among the villagers.
When many villagers saw Zhou Ye, they greeted him in a familiar manner without waiting for him to speak.
"Aye boy, are you going to the market?"
Zhou Ye walked with his head down and replied casually: "Yes, uncle..."
"Aye, what good stuff are you carrying in this backpack?"
"Grandpa, I picked some mushrooms in the mountains last time. They are almost dried. I'm going to the town to sell these dried mushrooms."
He was just talking about dried mushrooms, but smart people knew that they were not ordinary dried mushrooms, but rather very valuable shiitake mushrooms, but no one said anything about it.
Everyone knows that this little boy named A Ye, bought by Lin Laoer's family, is very capable. He can always go into the mountains and bring out a lot of mountain products.
After he said this, those who had good sense stopped asking about the dried mushrooms in the basket.
"Aye, after you sell these dried mushrooms, if you have time, bring back some needles and thread for your aunt. Ask for black thread and white thread. Your aunt will give you the money later. Don't make a mistake." This was an aunt who was not going to the market today. Her tone was familiar, as if this was not the first time she asked Zhou Ye to bring something.
"Okay, auntie." Zhou Ye replied.
Lin Shu listened the whole time without saying a word.
Before, when she took Lin Xiaopu out, all the social interactions depended on her. But now, she just needs to be a silent lady and follow Zhou Ye obediently.
Lin Shu felt that this feeling was not bad.
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The author has something to say: Ahhh, I'm sorry, my dears, I'm late today because of something...
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