Chapter 65 Going Up the Mountain
Wang went to the Chen family's old house before dawn. By the time Wan Qiqi and the others got up, Wang had already returned from the old house.
It was late autumn, and a chill was in the air. When Wang returned home, her forehead was covered with a thin layer of sweat.
Wan Qiqi kneaded the dough and set it aside to ferment. When she saw Wang Shi return, she couldn't help but sigh.
Her mother-in-law had a heart full of worry and wanted to do everything herself. She couldn't stay idle. It was fine if she just told them to go to the old house later, but she insisted on going early and coming back early to make breakfast for them.
Looking at the dough on the wooden basin, Wang said, "Qiqi, what do you want to eat while you're kneading the dough? I'll do it, you go and rest first."
Wan Qiqi stared at Wang Shi for a while, then grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face the main room. "Mother, go and rest, I'll take care of it."
Wang looked at it several times before reluctantly entering the main room.
Wan Qiqi only started making the filling for the pancakes after she saw people go inside.
Yesterday, she saw the dried vegetables that Wang had been drying and remembered the preserved vegetable cakes. When she woke up today, she was craving them and decided to make some herself, thinking she could take them with her on the road.
However, without meat, it probably won't taste as good, but it'll still fill you up.
As the sun gradually rose, everyone got up one after another.
As soon as Li Chongniang stepped out, she was drawn by the aroma wafting from the kitchen. She couldn't help but glance at Wan Qiqi, who was busy with her sleeves rolled up.
Although she didn't believe that falling into the water could drastically change a person's mood, everything that had happened recently told her that this was indeed Wan Qiqi, and she had really changed!
Instead of dwelling on someone's changes, it's better to enjoy the changes in the present. At least Wan Qiqi is good to her and everyone else now.
Wan Qiqi took a piece of burnt pancake from the pan, which burned her so much that she jumped up and down on the spot, and kept scratching her earlobe, trying to relieve the burning sensation on her fingers.
Turning around, he saw Li Chongniang and immediately took two steps back, afraid that he might accidentally bump into the pregnant woman.
Seeing her expression, Li Chongniang couldn't help but laugh out loud.
When Wan Qiqi saw her laughing at her, she rolled her eyes twice and continued grabbing the pancakes in the pan.
She accidentally used too much force, and the pancake broke, revealing the filling inside. It was so hot that Wan Qiqi jumped high and quickly put her hand in the water next to her.
Wang happened to come out and saw this scene. She immediately chased away the two people in the kitchen and took over herself.
Wan Qiqi felt like a child who had done something wrong, and was kicked out feeling a little wronged. Then she saw Wang Shi skillfully taking out the pancakes without feeling that they were even slightly hot, and she felt like she was both weak and incompetent.
The two little ones smelled the aroma and ran out, their eyes fixed on the pancakes on the stove.
"It smells so good!" Chen Yongliang came back from outside, threw down his basket, grabbed a pancake without washing his hands and put it in his mouth, while his mouth watered as he looked at his two little ones.
As he ate, he kept praising, "Delicious! The pancakes my sister-in-law makes are especially fragrant."
Wan Qiqi rolled her eyes, thinking to herself: Of course it tastes good! I bought spices at the mall and put them in, it's bound to smell delicious!
She noticed that the flatbreads everyone was eating were all soft and soggy, tasting like dough and not tasty at all. She made them according to the modern style of flatbread, adding fillings, which made them much tastier.
Over this period of time, she discovered that many things actually existed in ancient times, but people didn't know they were edible or how to prepare them. However, as a modern person with a system at her disposal, she could naturally turn anything into a delicious dish.
Although she could take the things from the mountain to the mall to sell, she lacked a legitimate reason to take out the money, and this was not a long-term solution.
The resources on the mountain are not inexhaustible. She needs a legitimate business to truly make money in this world; the marketplace can only serve as a supplementary tool.
Pingping ran to Wan Qiqi's feet and tugged at her clothes: "Mother, I want to eat too!"
"Mother, I want to eat too." An'an imitated her brother, and didn't forget to open her big eyes and blink twice at Wan Qiqi.
Wan Qiqi couldn't resist the two little ones' adorable pleading, so she immediately picked out a piece that wasn't too hot to handle, broke it in half, and gave it to the two of them.
In no time, the pancakes were gone, and the two kids had their mouths covered in dried vegetables.
Wan Qiqi couldn't help but facepalm, suppressing the urge to scold someone, and took the two little ones to wash up.
She only felt comfortable when she saw her two little ones were clean and tidy.
After Chen Yongnian returned from his trip, the family sat down for breakfast and discussed the personnel arrangements for the next step.
Chen Yongxing and Chen Yongnian went up the mountain to cut down trees, Chen Yongliang went to the medicine shop to help out as usual, Wang Shi did some odd jobs at home, and Li Chongniang stayed at home to rest and take care of the two little ones.
Wan Qiqi's plan was to go up the mountain with the two brothers, change the scenery, and see what new things were there.
People have become accustomed to Wan Qiqi's behavior and don't find anything wrong with it.
As soon as the sun peeked over the horizon, the three set off for the mountain where the Chen family lived.
After just over a hillside and climbing halfway up the mountain, Wan Qiqi was already panting heavily. She didn't know if she had overestimated her physical strength or underestimated how far the mountain was from her.
Chen Yongxing collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, and said, "Brother, brother... let's rest for a while, okay... I really, really can't walk anymore!"
He felt that this kind of physical work was really not suitable for him, and that his third brother was more reliable than him. However, his sister-in-law felt that his third brother was still young and growing, and not suitable for heavy work.
Chen Yongnian leaned on a tree branch, looked back at Chen Yongxing on the ground, then at the sun that had already risen halfway in the sky, and said, "Hurry up, we can rest when we get there, otherwise we won't be able to cut down many trees before we have to rush home."
"No... I can't go on! I can't walk anymore!" Chen Yongxing collapsed on the ground, unwilling to get up. Seeing that Chen Yongnian was about to speak again, he hurriedly pointed and said, "Brother, sister-in-law is tired too, let's rest for a while!"
Chen Yongnian looked in the direction he was pointing.
Wan Qiqi sat on a large rock, her forehead covered in sweat, her expression slightly ferocious, fanning herself with an unknown leaf in her hand.
Those words of urging caught in his throat for a moment, and finally turned into: "Rest for a while, then continue on our way."
Chen Yongxing breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, we'll leave once my sister-in-law has rested enough." He had taken advantage of his brother's affection for his sister-in-law.
He lay on the ground, casually picked a leaf, covered his face, and prepared to take a short rest.
"..." Wan Qiqi wasn't deaf; she heard every word the two brothers said.
She hadn't expected that Chen Yongxing would be so perceptive, understanding his brother's thoughts and knowing that he could get a break by offering himself.
After resting for only a short while, Wan Qiqi stood up and gently kicked Chen Yongxing's shoe. "Second brother, let's go!"
Chen Yongxing had just fallen asleep when he was woken up.
He removed the leaves, looking reluctant, "Sister-in-law, why don't you rest a little longer?"
Wan Qiqi smiled and said, "When we get to the mountains, you can cut down trees while I have some rest time."
After a string of complaints, Chen Yongxing reluctantly got up from the ground, carried his tools, and followed Wan Qiqi forward.
He had a clear understanding of Chen Yongxing's thoughts, but he failed to see through Wan Qiqi.
Wan Qiqi should rest now, as she would rather walk home at night. She'd rather be tired now than risk encountering snakes, insects, or rodents in the mountains at night.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
