22 Returning home, Achuan is very obedient.

Meng Yun thought to herself that if he didn't offer to deliver them, she would just give him a couple of copper coins.

"I'll deliver them." The shop assistant went to the back, pushed out a wooden cart, loaded the bags of rice onto it, and secured them with rope.

The couple followed behind.

At the city gate, Jin Shan and the others had already returned. They had made over a hundred copper coins today. Thanks to the vegetable preservation method Meng Yun had taught them, by the time noon arrived, customers saw that their vegetables were still fresh and crisp, so they didn't have to lower their prices.

After making the money, Jin Shan bought five catties of white rice and twenty catties of brown rice before returning to the city gate. Qiao'er had sold her handkerchiefs for thirty copper coins. It had been a highly profitable day, and the family waited happily at the gate.

"I wonder if Big Sister-in-law's medicinal herbs will sell for any silver?" Qiao'er mumbled.

"If Big Sister-in-law says they will, then they definitely will," Jin Yanzhe replied.

"You have a lot of faith in her, don't you?" Jin Yan'an remarked.

"Hmm, it's just a gut feeling," Jin Yanzhe said.

Jin Shan took out some flatbreads, and the family ate them with cold water for lunch.

They waited and waited. As the sun began to tilt toward the west, and Jin Yanchuan and Meng Yun still hadn't returned, the family grew restless—especially Jin Shan, who held a deep, unspoken affection for the couple.

As others returned one by one, Jin Shan became even more anxious.

"Father, should I go look for them?" Jin Yan'an suggested.

"The town is so big, and there are so many pharmacies. I have no idea which one they went to." Jin Shan was so worried that blisters had formed on his lips.

The anxiety had hit him hard.

By the time it was the hour of Shen (3:00 PM to 5:00 PM), Zhou Chunxiang started complaining again, "Are we still leaving, Uncle Changhe? It's sweltering; what are we waiting for?"

"We agreed on the hour of Shen, and the time hasn't passed yet. If you're that hot, you can go back on someone else's donkey cart." Zhou Changhe had no patience for Zhou Chunxiang's behavior; the girl was just as unpleasant as her parents.

Just as Jin Shan and the others were at their wits' end, they saw two shop assistants pushing a cart filled with grain heading their way.

"Customer, is this the place?" one of the assistants asked, looking back.

"Yes, please put it on the cart. Thank you." Meng Yun pulled Jin Yanchuan around from behind the cart.

"Big Brother! Big Sister-in-law!" Jin Qiao'er ran over.

"Uncle Changhe, we bought quite a few things, sorry to keep everyone waiting," Meng Yun said apologetically.

"It's fine, as long as you're back. Let's load it onto the cart." Zhou Changhe helped secure the grain. Jin Shan then carefully arranged the fabric from Jin Yanchuan's basket onto the cart.

"Yun'er, you and Chuan'er go back first. Qiao'er, don't sit on the cart; let's save some space for the goods." Jin Shan was worried about what others might say.

"Alright, Father!" Jin Qiao'er said sensibly.

Meng Yun had intended to say she would hold Qiao'er to save space, but seeing how much they had bought, she held her tongue.

"A-Chuan, hold me so we can save a bit of space," Meng Yun said to Jin Yanchuan with a smile.

"Okay, I'll hold my wife." Jin Yanchuan smiled and took Meng Yun into his arms.

Seeing the couple being affectionate, Zhou Chunxiang was so jealous that she spat out sour remarks, "How shameless. Carrying on like that in public—what a little vixen."

"I'll take that as a compliment. After all, some people don't even have the qualifications to be a vixen. Besides, what business is it of yours if I'm affectionate with my husband? We are a legal married couple. If you're so bothered by it, go find a man of your own to be affectionate with!" Meng Yun didn't mince words, leaving Zhou Chunxiang with no dignity.

"You—you little slut, just you wait!" Zhou Chunxiang turned her head away.

Meng Yun caught the flash of jealousy and hatred in Zhou Chunxiang's eyes.

"What a nuisance. You're just spoiled," Meng Yun muttered, sitting down. Zhou Changhe flicked the reins, and the donkey cart creaked away.

It was late in the hour of Shen when they arrived home. Zhou Changhe pulled the cart straight to Jin Shan's front door.

"Sister-in-law, the children are back," Zhou Changhe called out.

"Coming!" Zhou Yaru, who had been preparing dinner in the kitchen, ran out. Seeing her eldest son, her daughter-in-law, and a cart full of goods, she froze for a moment but asked no questions.

The goods were unloaded in the courtyard, and Zhou Changhe left after exchanging a few words.

"Where are your father and the others? Why did you buy so much rice and flour?" Zhou Yaru had been about to ask where they got the silver.

"Mother, my wife is amazing! She saved someone, and that gentleman gave us silver banknotes!" Jin Yanchuan knew that his wife didn't want him to mention the gambling den, so he only spoke of saving the person.

"Saved someone? Who did you save? Yun'er, were you hurt?" Zhou Yaru hurried over to check on Meng Yun.

"Mother, I'm fine. A child was choking on food, and I happened to know how to save him. The family runs a shop in town and just handed over a hundred-tael banknote. Also, the medicinal herbs sold for over seven taels!" Meng Yun told the truth; the shopkeeper might visit someday, so the family needed to know.

"That much?" Zhou Yaru was stunned. She hadn't seen a silver banknote in sixteen years.

"Yes, Mother. Let's put these away. Keep one bag of rice and one of flour in the kitchen, and put the rest in our room. These fabrics are for making clothes for everyone. I'll need your and Qiao'er's help with that. Here is twenty taels of silver for you. I know the money for my dowry was borrowed, so please have Father pay it back tonight. Also, give some rice and flour to each household; it's more practical than pastries or candy." Meng Yun rattled off her plan.

Zhou Yaru's eyes grew red as she smiled. Her daughter-in-law was so sensible that it made her heart ache. She had arranged everything perfectly, and the money from the herbs probably wasn't even enough to cover it all.

"Alright, we'll do as you say, Yun'er." The three of them packed everything away.

Zhou Yaru went to the vegetable patch to harvest some greens.

"Mother, why are you picking these?" Meng Yun asked, coming to help.

"I hadn't been able to bring myself to eat these, thinking we could sell them for a few copper coins at the market. But thanks to you, Yun'er, our debts are paid, so we can finally eat them ourselves," Zhou Yaru said with a smile.

"That's good, Mother. Things will only get better from here." Meng Yun didn't mention that she could heal the family—her wood-elemental power hadn't awakened yet, and it was too early to speak of it.

Zhou Yaru steamed a large pot of white rice, and the fragrant aroma made her feel even hungrier.

There were three eggs left, which she used to stir-fry with chives, and the morning glory was simply stir-fried with oil.

Watching Zhou Yaru work, Meng Yun realized that in their rush to buy rice, flour, and fabric, she had forgotten to buy meat.

"Mother, I forgot to buy meat," Meng Yun said, leaning against the window.

"We have oil left; the big rabbit from yesterday provided plenty," Zhou Yaru said with a smile.

"Yes, Mother, but now that we have some money, we should improve our diet. Everyone is too thin. If we get sick, the cost of medicine will be far greater than just buying meat now!" Meng Yun reasoned.

"Yun'er is right," Zhou Yaru replied happily.

"Has Chuan'er been obedient today?" Zhou Yaru asked.

"A-Chuan has been very good. I held his hand the whole time, don't worry, Mother." Meng Yun looked at her husband, who was still clinging to her side.

"Wife is amazing," Jin Yanchuan suddenly blurted out.

"Yes, your wife is amazing," Zhou Yaru laughed.

Seeing her son happy was all she needed.