Chapter 18

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

There were wild fruits of every kind. The pheasant had been left behind. It was also in a bowl and wrapped in leaves.

The leaves were the large ones picked on her return.

“Sister Fu’er.”

Second Li received the item from Sister Fu and took a look. Was this wild fruit and meat?

It smelled like chicken?’

But why would Sister Fu have chicken to give to him?

He looked up to ask for clarification.

Afraid that someone would hear if he spoke too loudly, he suppressed his voice.

“This is for Father. You don’t eat much at home either. Keep this and eat when you’re hungry,” Li Fu’er said.

She pushed it to him again.

“Sister Fu, where did you get these things? How did you get them?”

Second Li started to panic.

“Someone gave it to me.” Li Fu’er wanted to say that someone had given food to her like the last time, but she thought about it before she said, “Father, someone pitied me and gave me too much. I picked the wild fruits myself. I never told Father but I met someone a long time ago. This person is really good and like a god. He took me in as a disciple and taught me a lot. It’s just that I wasn’t in good health before. Now that I’m older and better, I won’t lack for any of this in the future.”

“What did you say, Sister Fu?”

Second Li looked at Sister Fu in a daze. “Are you feeling better? Who took you in as a disciple? Why didn’t I know?” He was worried that something had happened to Sister Fu.

“Don’t worry, Father. It’s a good thing. Don’t worry. I’ve been fine for so long.”

Li Fu’er spoke again.

“Sister Fu, you said you met someone.” Second Li couldn’t help but speak again. He wouldn’t be at ease if he didn’t figure it out.

“Father, didn’t you notice that I’ve recovered? That I’ve changed? Several people in the family noticed it, right? Master said that my body was an illness brought about by my mother. It’s not easy to treat and needs time, so it took me so long to recover.” Li Fu’er let her father take a look at her.

“You.” Second Li looked at her. The more he looked at her, the more he realized that Sister Blessing was different. Different. Well, he couldn’t quite believe it. It felt like a dream.

“Are you really better?” He asked.

“Father, you’ve seen it with your own eyes. How can it be fake? Master is very powerful.” Li Fu’er mentioned how powerful her so-called master was. “He taught me medicine.”

“Medicine?” Li was even more incredulous.

“Father, didn’t I tell you before not to think too much?” Li Fu’er opened her mouth.

“Even so, I have to meet him. I have to meet your master and thank him properly. He must be a god. Why didn’t you say so before? I didn’t even notice.” Second Li thought, “Her Master is equivalent to…”

“Father, Master won’t let me tell anyone and won’t see anyone,” Li Fu’er said faintly.

“Well…”

Second Li was afraid that he would offend Sister Fu’s master if he continued talking.

“If there’s a chance in the future, I’ll let Father meet him,” Li Fu’er comforted him, knowing what her father was thinking.

Second Li had to listen. “Okay, Dad is still worried.”

“Father, I’ve been learning for a long time,” Li Fu’er comforted her father again.

“That was probably it,” Second Li thought.

Li Fu’er smiled again. “Look at me! I’m not just a jinx!”

“Sister Fu, don’t say that. I never thought so. I never thought so. Your grandmother is overthinking,” Second Li said immediately.

“I see.”

Li Fu’er smiled noncommittally.

“Sister Fu.” Second Li didn’t know what to say after calling her. He felt something in his hand and looked down before pushing it back. “Even so, you can keep these for yourself. I don’t lack them. I don’t need them.” He grabbed Sister Fu.

“I’ll give it to you, Father. I’ve eaten. I don’t need it anymore. I said I wouldn’t be short of it in the future.”

Li Fu’er repeated that he wouldn’t accept it. “Don’t make me worry.”

She told him to take it. “I’m leaving.”

After a while, someone noticed that she’d been out for a while.

“Sister Fu.” Second Li wanted to say not to worry him.

He grabbed Sister Fu’s hand again.

“Father.” Li Fu’er firmly stuffed the wild fruit and chicken meat back into her father’s hand and pulled it away. She turned around and left.

“Sister Fu, how can I not worry when you’re like this? Everyone’s here tonight. We’ll have dinner tonight.” Second Li knew that he couldn’t persuade Sister Fu anymore. He thought for a moment and said something else.

Of course, Second Li knew how happy the family was at dinner. Even if she had upset them, and there was gossip about her, she was already sleeping.

He just felt that it was noisy.

“Sister Fu,” Second Li said again.

“Father, I might go out from time to time after that. As I said, I still have to learn. It’s different from when I wasn’t well. I didn’t need much time then. Now that I’m better, Master says I have to learn more. I can’t just stay at home when I’m better.” Li Fu’er turned her head and reassured him. “If you see that I’m not around, don’t worry. It’ll be just like today.”

“Sister Fu’er.”

Second Li spoke.

“Dad, that’s enough.” Li Fu’er felt there was no need to continue.

Second Li shut up.

“Father, Eldest Cousin is back? Today doesn’t seem to be his day off.” Li Fu’er took two steps and suddenly thought of something.

“Sister Fu, your big brother.”

Second Li saw her turn around. “Your brother is fine. He just wants to participate in the village examination.”

“Oh.” Li Fu’er didn’t ask any more questions. Even her dad had participated in the village examinations.

“Doesn’t Father want to as well?” She almost asked.

Second Li looked at her and relaxed.

“One more thing. What do you think of what I told you, Father? I want us to live separately from the family.” Li Fu’er thought about it and asked again.

“Sister Fu, you.”

Second Li did not expect Sister Fu to ask and even remember about splitting the family assets. “What you said…”

“Father, you don’t want to at all?” Li Fu’er asked, looking up.

Second Li said, “Sister Fu, if your family knows that you’ve recovered and that your master has taught you medicine, your grandmother and the others will know that you’re not a jinx.” It would not be like before!

“Are you going to tell them, Father?” Li Fu’er asked.

Second Li said, “For your own good.”

“They know they won’t believe it, Father. They won’t let me go.” Li Fu’er didn’t want to join them.

“Sister Fu, trust your father,” Second Li said.

“Father, think again.”

Li Fu’er left.

When she returned to the room, there was no one there. She and her father were talking in low voices. No one noticed. She blocked the door to rest. She wouldn’t get up until it was bright.

After checking the house, she prepared to go out and walk out the door.

Someone pushed open the door and came out.

“Big Brother.” Li Fu’er looked up to see her eldest cousin standing in the light from the kerosene lamp, his hands behind his back.

Her eldest cousin had studied hard since he was a child. She knew that.

But she hadn’t expected him to be up this early. Her cousin had been up even earlier than she was. She remembered that her cousin hadn’t been up this early before.

She really wanted to get up and leave before her cousin’s morning reading.

They bumped into each other now.

Li Fu only came out to take a look when he heard the commotion outside. Seeing that his eldest cousin looked like she was going out, he asked, “Eldest Sister, where are you going so early in the morning?”

“Go ahead and study, Big Brother. I have something to do.”

Li Fu’er didn’t want to say anything. She wanted to leave.

“It’s dangerous for you to go out so early before dawn. No matter what, we’re family,” Li Fu said.

“Big Brother thinks I’m family?”

Li Fu’er said something.

Li Fu wanted to say more.

Li Fu’er said, “Big Brother.” She called, very seriously, and left.

Li Fu saw leave.

Li Fu’er looked at him. “I’m going to pick some wild fruits and find some wild vegetables. I want to live.”

Li Fu stopped, his expression troubled.

Second Li did not sleep either. He could not sleep. He got up at dawn. He wanted to call Sister Fu, afraid that she would not be around.

He went over and knocked. Sure enough, no one opened the door. When he pushed it again, the door opened. Sister Blessing was not there.

He said, “Sister Fu.” Sister Fu went out again. He waited. Soon, the family got up.

Madam Li looked at her family members. “Where’s that brat?”

Li Fu looked at his second uncle.

On the mountain.

Li Fu’er was the same as yesterday.

It was the same for the next two days. The fruits and vegetables that she plucked and found were placed in the space and brought to the county city to be sold.