A Good Country Wife

When Jiang Ziqi planned to collaborate with their family in business, Lin Yue thought of this. However, simply talking about it seemed too bland, and at that time, Zhao Erhu wouldn’t allow her to overexert herself, so she didn’t speak up. Anyway, Jiang Ziqi didn’t plan to leave anytime soon, so it might be more convincing to let people taste the food instead. Sweet potatoes were easy to grow and yielded a high production, and in years of famine, they could even serve as emergency sustenance. Moreover, they could be turned into more than just vermicelli and strips; the benefits were numerous. Lin Yue planned to expand the cultivation area next year.

Lin Yue was quick with her hands and feet, bustling in the kitchen for quite some time, and by noon, she had prepared a large table full of dishes.

Lin Qing saw the feast Lin Yue had prepared and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but considering Jiang Ziqi and his servant would be dining with them, he thought better of it and remained silent. It wasn’t a big deal for him, but he had only just learned that this Mr. Jiang was the famed Divine Doctor of Dazhou Country.

The most famous Divine Doctor of Dazhou Country was this young man; it was hard to believe. However, seeing that he was refined in speech and manners and had saved Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue, Lin Qing couldn’t help but believe it. To think such a person would deign to associate with Zhao Erhu made Lin Qing finally regard him with new respect. Seeing Zhao Erhu’s generous behaviour and his children’s sensible obedience, perhaps his sister might truly have a good life ahead of her.

"Brother, what are you daydreaming about? Go wash your hands, it’s time to eat. Today you’ll get to taste my cooking skills," Lin Yue said with a smile upon seeing Lin Qing lost in thought while looking at the table full of dishes. Spending more time together, she realized that her brother could sometimes be quite an absent-minded scholar.

Lin Qing smiled when he heard Lin Yue calling him, "I’m well aware of my sister’s cooking skills; they’re excellent. Back when we were home, you were the one who always cooked, and you were more skilled and made tastier meals than mother did."

Lin Yue had no recollection of their thrifty mother who had sold her, and she responded non-committally to Lin Qing’s mention, "Well, brother, today you should taste it and see if my skills have improved. My cooking has even been praised by Big Brother Jiang."

"Hehe, little sister’s skills must have improved for sure. Just by looking and smelling, it’s clear they’re great, but such a big table full of dishes, with fish and meat, must have cost quite a bit of silver, right?"

Lin Qing had seen Jiang Ziqi and his servant go out to fetch water and wash hands, so he pulled Lin Yue aside, "Little Yueyue, I’ve heard before that Zhao Erhu’s family was so poor that their poverty clanged like bells. Although they don’t seem that poor now, they are still just a hunter’s family and can’t be that well-off. With several children to support, after this meal, your family will probably have to cut back on expenses. Here, I have six taels of silver that I earned from writing and painting for others. I was saving them to buy back your freedom, but since you’ve decided to stay with Zhao Erhu’s family, I won’t need them. Consider it your dowry from your brother."