The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 354 Dangerous

Chapter 354: Chapter 354 Dangerous

The Liu Family siblings could discuss the Wang Family all they wanted, but the Wangs wouldn’t hear it.

It was not easy sending off all the neighbors who had come to visit Wang Yongping.

It was already midday, and after a night’s rest and taking the medicine prescribed by Doctor Liu, Wang Yongping felt much better. He could even sit up and eat on his own, leaning against the wall.

After the meal, Wang Yongzhu saw that Wang Yongping was in good spirits and finally began to ask what exactly had happened. How had he been trapped by the landslide?

"Xiatian Chongzi Gully is full of hunters, and their mountain goods are plentiful and high-quality, which is well-known. But the village always kept to itself and rarely came down from the mountain. They would have others deliver their goods to sell. So I thought, our family couldn’t just collect the cheap mountain goods; we definitely needed to get some of the better stuff. Otherwise, if those big bosses thought we weren’t capable, that we couldn’t even get high-quality goods, what would happen if they decided to stop doing business with us?"

"I figured I should go there in person to suss things out, and if I could secure that route it would be great. So that day, I had Jinhoo bring back all the mountain goods I had previously collected and I sneaked into Xiatian Chongzi Gully following the mountain paths."

"And indeed, they had many good things. After visiting just two or three households, I had already acquired several fine furs, half a liang of Yellow Pine Mushrooms, as well as several jins of large pine seeds, dried bamboo shoots, and the like."

"I had planned to collect more, but I didn’t bring enough silver with me. So, I thought I would take back what I had collected to let Big Brother check over, and then we would make another trip to Chongzi Gully. The day before coming back, Chongzi Gully had a heavy rain. I was so anxious that as soon as the sky cleared, I hurriedly set off. I didn’t expect to encounter a landslide, but luckily, I was quick and managed to climb up on a large rock. It’s just a shame that all those mountain goods got buried underneath..."

As Wang Yongping spoke about it now, he made light of it, but Wang Yongzhu who listened beside him could imagine just how dangerous it must have been at that moment.

That Wang Yongping had kept his life was already a blessing from the heavens.

Hearing him actually feeling sorry for the lost mountain goods was both amusing and saddening, "Fourth Brother, it’s more important that you return safely than anything else. We can collect more mountain goods, earn more silver. But a lost life cannot be recovered! In the future, you must be careful when you go out; safety comes first!"

Wang Yongping himself was still shaken, and he touched the back of his head with a laugh, "I understand, you think your Fourth Brother isn’t scared? Thinking back on it now, my heart is still racing. I haven’t even married yet, nor have I seen my younger sister wed and have children. If something really happened, I wouldn’t be content."

Old Granny Zhang surprisingly found herself looking at her youngest son with more favor, "You were lucky to get your life back this time, all thanks to the Liu Family siblings. After you’ve recovered, you must definitely bring them something as a token of thanks. According to the old customs, if the Liu Family agrees, you’ll have to recognize their parents as your godparents, and in the future, you will owe them the duty of paying respects as if they were family, you understand?"

At first, Old Granny Zhang was opposed to the idea proposed by Wang Laozhu to follow the old ways and have Laosi recognize the Liu Family as godparents.

But after hearing about the abundance and quality of the goods from Xiatian Chongzi Gully, she couldn’t help but change her mind.

If Laosi acknowledged the Liu Family as his godparents, the two families would become relatives, and with more frequent visits, how could the Liu Family not give their family a good deal on the mountain goods?

With the Liu Family bridging the gap, if the mountain goods from Chongzi Gully wouldn’t be sold to their family, then to whom?

Therefore, that reluctance instantly vanished, and instead, it urged you to get up.

Wang Yongping had no idea his own mother had such a plan in mind and agreed with a foolish grin, "Ma, don’t worry, I’ll go as soon as my injury heals."

At the same time, he imitated the scene at the time with Wang Yongzhu, "Oh, little sis, you don’t know, but when I was trapped by that landslide, I could hardly breathe and my chest felt so stuffed, I thought for sure I wasn’t going to make it through the day. Then, as my vision started to blur, suddenly I heard someone’s voice. I desperately grasped around and finally got hold of a thigh. When I looked up, I saw it was a young lady, and I thought the Bodhisattva had manifested to save me. I cried as I clung to her leg, begging, ’Bodhisattva, celestial maiden, please save me, I am Wang Laosi from Qilidun’s Old Wang Family...’"

Wang Laosi even mimicked the actions he had taken at the time...

His comical appearance made both Wang Yongzhu and Old Granny Zhang unable to help bursting into laughter.

Wang Laozhu had just come back inside to drink tea and almost spat it out when he heard this.

Old Granny Zhang scolded him with a laugh, "Now I believe what Doctor Liu said; you’re as lively as a monkey, you really must be fine. And that mouth of yours, did you learn that from Laosan, why are you so sharp-tongued? Your little sister and I worried over you for nothing. Go on, get out and work, don’t mind him anymore, let him lie on the kang by himself."

Seeing that Wang Yongping still had the mood to joke and did not seem to show signs of pain in his movements, Wang Yongzhu finally felt relieved.

After pondering for a while, she said, "Well, Fourth Brother, just rest well during this period. Your health is the most important, hear me? And don’t worry about our family’s business. The autumn harvest is coming up, and these past few days, there have been fewer and fewer people coming to sell mountain goods; it’s time for our family to start preparing."

Speaking of the autumn harvest, Wang Yongping was worried, "Now that our Wang Family has acquired five more acres of land and I’m injured and can’t work the fields, won’t this delay the harvest?"

Wang Yongzhu smiled, "What are you afraid of? Isn’t Third Brother back? Every year he misses this time, and every year he comes back regretting that he couldn’t help the family with the harvest. Let’s indulge him this year."

Meanwhile, Wang Yongping, hiding outside in Lady Sun’s little house, couldn’t help but sneeze.

Then she said to Old Granny Zhang, "Ma, make something delicious these next few days to help Fourth Brother regain his strength. Tomorrow I’ll go to town and buy back a few pig’s trotters and bones. I heard these are good for the legs and feet."

Before Old Granny Zhang or Wang Laozhu could reply, Wang Yongping waved his hands in refusal, "No need, no need. It’s just a sprained ankle. Lying here like this, unable to work, how can I afford to spend more money? Besides, the mountain goods I gathered in Xiatian Chongzi Gully are all buried now, I’ve already lost quite a bit of silver, and I also had to pay Doctor Liu and buy medicine. I’ll just lie here at home, which is enough. A big man doesn’t need to be so delicate! Don’t waste money on me."

Wang Yongzhu insisted, "How can it be a waste? The most important thing for a family is to be safe and healthy. Wealth is just an external possession. Isn’t Fourth Brother’s health more important than material things? Besides, the autumn harvest is coming. Everyone will be worn to the bone with work. When I buy the food, everybody can eat it and build up their strength to avoid breaking down during the harvest."

Wang Yongzhu has never been stingy about these things. Eating well and keeping everyone in the family healthy is better than scrimping and saving a little silver.

"Alright, alright, I know you care about your Fourth Brother and the family. Laosi, look how much your sister cares about you; in the future, you should listen more to her and not be ungrateful like some thankless wretches..." Old Granny Zhang, knowing that money wasn’t currently an issue for the family, did not object.