The Lucky Farm Girl

Chapter 6 - 6 Going Up the Mountain_1

Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Going Up the Mountain_1

Yang Mengchen blinked away the tears in her eyes and carried the food to the table, placing two peeled eggs in her grandparents' bowls. Everyone else got a portion of plain white buns and the stir-fried green vegetables were divided among two plates of pickled vegetables. Then, she poured the thick rice porridge into the basins of sorghum rice for both tables, ladled herself a bowl of the mixed clear porridge, and sat down next to Grandma.

Madam Yang Zhou hurriedly moved the eggs from her bowl to Yang Mengchen's, "Jiujiu, these are for you to nourish your body. We won't eat them."

"Yes, you're still not well, you need to eat more," Old Master Yang also passed the eggs to his granddaughter.

None of the others wanted any.

Yang Mengchen covered her bowl, "I'm already completely recovered. Didn't I just teach you all Tai Chi? And after eating, I want to go up the mountain with my brothers."

As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Qiulan immediately objected, "No!" Spring had arrived, and there were many wild animals in the mountains. She wouldn't feel at ease.

"Mom, I'll definitely be careful, and my brothers will protect me too. I won't have any problems." Seeing her mother still not agreeing, Yang Mengchen's little face instantly fell.

Unable to bear seeing his granddaughter's forlorn expression, Old Master Yang decided, "Let Jiujiu go. She has been stifled these days. It would do her good to get out and clear her mind. Today, Chengyou won't go to the fields. Also, you boys, take good care of Jiujiu, you hear?" The last part was addressed to his four little grandsons.

"Grandpa, rest assured, I will protect Jiujiu well," Yang Chengyou promised, and the four boys also repeatedly assured him.

With the head of the family having spoken, even though Shen Qiulan was still worried, she had to comply. She resolved, however, to have a word with Chengyou later.

And Yang Mengchen, all smiles, pecked Old Master Yang's face, "Grandpa is so nice!" This made Old Master Yang's face turn red with embarrassment, but inside, his heart was bursting with joy.

"Only Grandpa is nice? Grandmother isn't?" Madam Yang Zhou said playfully with a hint of sourness.

Yang Mengchen picked up on the hint and kissed Madam Yang Zhou's face, "Of course, Grandma is nice too!" Madam Yang Zhou's face immediately bloomed with a smile.

"What about us?"

The eight boys looked at their sister with hopeful eyes, while the adults smiled quietly, also eagerly anticipating.

"Everyone is nice! Grandpa and Grandma, uncles and aunts, Mom and Dad, and my brothers are all lovely!" Yang Mengchen beamed as she spoke, "To be a part of this family is a blessing I've cultivated over several lifetimes!"

"And me! Once I have the money, I want to buy Jiujiu lots and lots of tasty treats and fun things!" Yang Chengbin chimed in, not wanting to be outdone.

Boys around the age of ten are all about eating and playing, but years later, the world-renowned scholar Yang Chengbin always held true to this promise. Of course, the rest of the Yang family's seven sons adored their sister just as deeply, causing envy, jealousy, and resentment towards Yang Mengchen among women everywhere.

"All you think about is eating and playing!" Yang Chengyu slapped the back of Yang Chengbin's head, "No more nonsense, all the wild vegetables at the foot of the mountain have been picked clean, let's go up the mountain and see. If we can, let's chop some firewood to take back, and it would be best if we could catch a pheasant to help Jiujiu recuperate."

Yang Chengbin pouted, Is this really my own brother? Always slapping the back of my head, doesn't he know that he might make the clever me dumb?

Watching her loving and harmonious brothers, Yang Mengchen smiled, moved, and grateful.

Meanwhile, Yang Chengyou looked at the vast green mountains with a furrowed brow, seemingly deep in thought.

Halfway up the mountainside, Yang Chengyu went off to chop firewood, while Yang Chenghong and the other two young ones dug for wild vegetables.

Seeing his sister looking around and staying close to her, Yang Chengyou asked suspiciously, "Jiujiu, what are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for medicinal herbs." Yang Mengchen said as she continued to look around.

To help her become more familiar with medicinal herbs, Grandpa Liang often took her quietly to the village mountains to pick herbs and taught her how to prepare them. Later, she learned a lot from a master of traditional Chinese medicine. Before starting her Traditional Chinese Medicine Company, she also spent a few months studying with pharmaceutical chemists. With her innate intelligence, her skills in medicine-making even surpassed those of the chemists.

These ancient, untouched mountains must contain numerous herbs. Although she couldn't make medicines now, gathering and sorting them to sell to the town's pharmacy should earn some money, which could improve her family's living conditions.

"I found some." Suddenly spotting plants with light purple flowers nearby, Yang Mengchen excitedly ran over.

Yang Chengyou followed closely, "Jiujiu, is this a medicinal herb?"

"Yes, this is Purple Chrysanthemum, also known as Arrow Grass. It clears heat, detoxifies, cools blood, reduces swelling, and can be used to treat dysentery, red and swollen eyes, injuries from falls, and snake bites. Fourth brother, hand me the knife."

Although Yang Chengyou didn't understand the meaning of his sister's words, he still started to dig and harvest with her, "Fourth brother, remember to take the entire root."

There were quite a few in the area, and they quickly filled up a basket.