Making A Fortune Through Hunting To Support My Wife - Chapter 26.1

“Mother is doing alright. After she saw the doctor in the county and took some better medicine, her health improved a bit.” Song Silang glanced at Xu Jing again and added, “When are you coming back for a visit? Mother misses you terribly. Your marriage… sigh, Mother…”

He trailed off. His mother’s health was better, but she constantly worried about Xiao Yu. On the day of the return visit, the Xu “boy’s” behavior had been anything but reassuring. Moreover, Xiao Yu’s marriage had paid for his mother’s medicine, it ate at him that his sister’s dowry money was the reason his mother could see a doctor.

“Ah Jing and I discussed it, we’ll come back during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Tell Mother not to worry.”

“Really?!” The gloom on Song Silang’s face lifted considerably.

Song Yu nodded, then remembered something. “Brother, wait. Fourth Aunt is weak after the miscarriage and needs nourishment. Let me send some things back for her and Mother.”

Without waiting for a response, she walked over to Xu Jing.

“Finished talking? Is everything alright at home?” Xu Jing asked, pretending she hadn’t overheard their conversation despite her keen hearing.

Song Yu licked her dry lips, her clear eyes searching Xu Jing’s face as she spoke softly. “I’ve used up most of the money I brought. Could I borrow one tael of silver from you? Fourth Aunt is ill, and I want to buy some things for her. I’ll pay you back once we get home.”

“Of course. Since we’ve run into your brother, we also have the pastries we bought in the cart. Give some to him.” Xu Jing smiled. “I recall your brothers both have children, and your younger sister must like sweets too.”

She saw the girl’s face light up, her almond eyes shining as she offered a slightly awkward “thank you.”

Xu Jing gave a gentle smile, feeling an increasing urge to pat the girl’s head. “By the way, ask your brother if he’s in a hurry to get back. If not, he should join us for lunch.”

Song Yu nodded, though she didn’t hold much hope that her brother would stay.

After explaining she wanted to buy brown sugar and an old hen for their aunt, Song Silang looked at Xu Jing in shock. “Xiao Yu, brown sugar and chicken are expensive. Third Aunt and Mother won’t want to take your things, and would the Xu boy even agree?”

“Don’t worry, Brother. I’ve spoken with Ah Jing, and she agrees.”

Since they needed to go to the general store for sugar and the market for the hen, the three walked together. Song Silang had been eyeing the donkey cart for a while. “Why are you pulling a donkey cart?”

“We just bought it. We have rice and flour to carry, so instead of leaving it at a rental shed, we brought it along.”

“Just bought it? For someone else?”

“For ourselves. Why would we buy a cart for others?”

Song Silang looked at the sturdy black donkey and the brand-new wooden cart. This setup couldn’t have cost less than thirteen or fourteen taels. Since when did the Xu kid have that kind of money?

Watching the brother-in-law question his entire reality, Xu Jing couldn’t help but chuckle.

Under Song Silang’s stunned gaze, the two finished buying the “heavy gifts” of brown sugar and the hen. In a farming community, these were prestigious gifts. Song Silang ultimately declined the meal, eager to get the medicine and supplies home.

After buying the remaining rice, flour, and medicinal seeds, Xu Jing took Song Yu to the famous Jishen Hall. The doctor there examined her and prescribed some nourishing pills. The consensus was that her health required long term care rather than aggressive medicine, as her issues were deep rooted.

Xu Jing hadn’t expected a quick fix, but seeing the girl’s health improve even slightly was enough.

The two finished their day with bowls of wontons at a small eatery before Xu Jing drove the new cart home.

Back in the village, the new donkey cart immediately drew envious eyes.

“How does the Xu family have money for a donkey cart? That’s strange.”

“Who knows? Maybe they’re up to something shady. Where else would the money come from?”

“Wait, Old Liu said Wang the Hunter and his group caught a tiger. He saw some pelts when they were moving their cart…”

“Hiss! So that means the Xu kid struck it rich following Wang the Hunter?”

“I saw Wang’s family making sun dried bricks this morning. He said his boys are getting older and need their own rooms so they can get married soon.”

“I bet that money came from the tiger too.”

“Man, Old Wang struck gold. If hunting pays that well, maybe I should send my boy.”

“Forget it. Didn’t you hear? Two of the five were injured. The smell of medicine from the Qian house is overwhelming, and Sun the Second broke a leg, he won’t be walking for months…”

In a small village, news traveled as if it had legs. While the cart caused a stir, several wealthier families already owned carts, so the villagers weren’t exactly green with rage, just prone to sour remarks behind their backs.

Naturally, Xu Jing didn’t escape a lecture from Grandma Xu about the purchase. Xu Jing let it go in one ear and out the other, which annoyed the old woman enough to send her off to complain to her friend, Grandma Shuisheng.

“Jing’er is capable now. Just relax,” the friend comforted her. “As long as the money isn’t being gambled away and is used for the right things, let the young ones do their thing.”

“Hmph, I just think her heart is getting too big. Spending money like water,” Grandma Xu grumbled. But having known her for years, Grandma Shuisheng knew she was just being stubborn and simply smiled without arguing.