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!"
Madam Yang Zhou hugged her dear granddaughter tightly, "Silly child."
"Jiujiu is not silly! Jiujiu is the most beautiful and intelligent girl in the world!" Yang Chengrong declared solemnly, and the other seven boys echoed in unison.
Madam Yang Zhou readily admitted her mistake, "Yes, yes, yes, Grandma was wrong. Our Jiujiu is indeed the most beautiful and intelligent girl in the world!"
"Grandma, brothers, who praises themselves like that!" Yang Mengchen playfully chastised, squirming away.
Everyone laughed heartily, basking in the harmony.
In the next room, propped up on the kang bed, Yang Chaowen listened to the joyous laughter coming from the main room, a mix of relief and bitterness spread across his pale and thin face.
He couldn't remember how long it had been since laughter had filled their home. Was it since he broke his leg and refused to go out anymore? Or since his second brother returned from the battlefield with his left arm severed?
After the meal, Old Master Yang, his two sons and daughters-in-law, along with the three older grandsons, took their farming tools and went to the fields, while Madam Yang Zhou and Liu Xiuyun stayed to clean up and look after Yang Chaowen. Yang Chengyou then led his younger brothers and sister up the mountain, each with a basket on their back as requested by Yang Mengchen, containing ropes and knives.
On the way, Yang Mengchen greeted the villagers with a smile. Although the original host was intellectually disabled, she had a remarkable memory, almost photographic, and now, Mengchen inherited those memories. If there were anyone she didn't recognize, her brothers would subtly remind her.
The villagers knew that Jiujiu had regained her senses and become even more well-behaved and adorable, so they grew even fonder of her, kindly reciprocating her greetings and repeatedly admonished them to be careful when they mentioned going up the mountain.
Standing at the foot of the mountain, Yang Mengchen looked up.
Several green mountains soared into the clouds, seemingly majestic and independent, yet connected in an unbroken chain. The mountains were densely forested with lush trees, and bursts of mountain breeze brought with it a variety of refreshing floral and fruity scents, accompanied by the cheerful chirping of birds.
"Fourth brother, do these mountains belong to the village? Can they be bought and sold?" Yang Mengchen asked Yang Chengyou, who was by her side.
"Buying a mountain costs a lot of money, which ordinary people can't afford. If someone wants to buy, they can go to the village head and the Lizheng to handle the transfer. These mountains all belong to the village."
"Does Jiujiu want to buy a mountain?" Yang Chengyu asked with a troubled face, "Our family doesn't have the money to afford it."
The twin brothers, who doted on their sister absolutely, Yang Chenghong and Yang Cheng'an, said in unison, "We will work hard to earn money, so in the future Jiujiu can buy as many mountains as she wants!"
"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.