Not wanting to prolong the awkwardness, Zhao Tiezhu walked his widowed sister-in-law home before returning to his own small house next door. Nobody had lived there since his grandfather passed away. The rooms weren't dirty; his sister-in-law would occasionally come over to help clean and tend to the gardens in the front and back. The three-mu plot in the back was planted with corn, while the half-mu plot in front held a variety of vegetables—plenty for his needs. Aside from some simple furniture, there were no electrical appliances. Most of the money he had earned during his two years of working in the city had been spent on his grandfather’s medical bills.
He was filled with conflicting emotions, but ultimately, he had to face his first challenge: survival. He couldn't just die in poverty during his final days, could he?
As he thought about the Shennong Cauldron that had suddenly appeared in his mind while he was unconscious in the small woods, he tried to establish a mental connection with it. In an instant, a bronze cauldron, no larger than a palm and looking exceptionally archaic, appeared in his right hand. A breath of ages, as if originating from ancient times, began to permeate the room. Inside, a jade-green liquid, shimmering like a precious jewel, held his gaze completely.
"Is this the Shennong Cauldron? It's awfully small."
He muttered to himself and grabbed a teacup from nearby to pour some out. The liquid was like jelly, trickling out one drop at a time. Each drop looked like a bead of jade, uniquely captivating.
"Is this the Shennong Hundred Herb Liquid? Let me try it."
Based on experience, something this viscous must be the essence. After pouring out two drops, he went outside, drew a large bucket of water, and mixed the liquid into it. The water turned a pale green, yet the concentration remained remarkably high. He used a cup to water the clivia in his room and waited quietly for the results. His sister-in-law was quite fond of the clivia, and he hoped it would bloom proudly.
He then brought out a laundry basin and a large water basin, divided the bucket of water between them, and added more water until they were both a diluted pale green. Carrying the bucket, he walked over to the vegetable patch in the front garden. Every household in Sanhe Village grew vegetables in the summer: cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, beans, scallions, carrots, and the like. The cucumber vines were covered in small cucumber nubs, the green peppers were sprouting tiny green tips, and the eggplants were showing their purple buds—none of them were ripe yet.
Zhao Tiezhu decided to start with the cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers, pouring the diluted Shennong Hundred Herb Liquid into the soil. Once he finished watering, he wiped the sweat from his brow and settled in to wait for the results.
Just as he prepared to go back inside, he heard Wang Cuilian’s voice at the gate.
"Tiezhu, are you watering the garden? Here are your clothes back. And while I'm at it, is there anything else you're missing?"
She had changed into a white T-shirt and jeans, which made her figure appear even more graceful. Her pretty face was flushed, like a ripened apple, making her look truly endearing. The mature charm she exuded as she moved was captivating. Zhao Tiezhu’s eyes went straight; his ex-girlfriend didn't even compare to her. A weight in his heart vanished, and his heart began to pound wildly.
Seeing him stare, Wang Cuilian blushed even more. She handed him the clothes and said, "What are you staring at? How do the vegetables I planted look?"
She wasn't a native of Sanhe Village; rumor had it she came from the city and rarely worked the fields. Zhao Tiezhu said instinctively, "Good, your garden is perfect... Um, let’s go inside to talk!"
He realized it sounded wrong as soon as he said it and quickly invited her into the room. He took his clothes and placed them on the back of a chair. Just as Wang Cuilian was about to ask him why he had come home, a boisterous voice shouted from the front gate:
"Oh, Wang Cuilian, so this is where you are! Don't you go anywhere. Isn't it time you paid back the money you owe me?"
Zhao Tiezhu turned to look and saw Bai Guang, the spendthrift son of the village chief. Behind his back, everyone called him "the fortune-waster." Bai Guang strode into the yard, flanked by his two lackeys, Wang Wei and Dou Bi, looking arrogant and puffed up. His eyes landed on Wang Cuilian, practically trying to bore through her clothes, and a lecherous grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, as if he were about to drool.
Wang Cuilian hid behind Zhao Tiezhu in disgust and said, "I will definitely pay you back, but isn't the deadline still a week away?"
Only when her figure was shielded by Zhao Tiezhu’s large frame did Bai Guang’s gaze shift to him.
"Oh, if it isn't our village's top student! Couldn't make it in the city and had to come back to be a peasant? You haven't exactly made much of yourself, have you? Dressed so shabbily?"
Bai Guang walked up aggressively and tugged at Zhao Tiezhu’s clothes, full of disdain. Then, he grabbed him by the collar and barked coldly, "Get lost! I'm in a good mood today, so I don't feel like bullying a weakling!"
He shoved with both hands, intending to push Zhao Tiezhu aside. Instead, Zhao Tiezhu stood as firm as an iron pillar, unmoved.
A cold voice rang out: "Bai Guang, what do you think you're doing?"
He raised his hand and shoved back. Bai Guang, unable to withstand the strength behind the push, stumbled back five steps, only stopping when Wang Wei and Dou Bi caught him. He couldn't save face—Zhao Tiezhu, who had always let him bully him, was actually fighting back?
He stood up, brought his two lackeys forward, and snapped coldly, "You’ve got guts, top student. You dare to push me, damn it?"
"I'll settle things with you later. Wang Cuilian, pay up! If you can't, I'm sending you to Honglangman today!"
He decided to leave the tough nut for later and squeeze the soft one first. Seeing Zhao Tiezhu’s assertiveness, Wang Cuilian felt much more settled and said loudly, "Bai Guang, there’s still a week left before the date. What do you think you're doing?"
She secretly felt that a household really needed a man; otherwise, people would bully you right at your own doorstep. Subconsciously, she grabbed Zhao Tiezhu’s arm, feeling an instant sense of security. With her arm held and her soft body pressed against him, Zhao Tiezhu felt invigorated, a peculiar sensation brewing in his heart. He didn't have time to ponder why his physical strength had suddenly increased so much.
Bai Guang said coldly, "Hmph, you’ve sold everything in your house that could be sold. What other options do you have? What if you take the money and run? Where am I supposed to find you?"
Dou Bi chimed in, "Hand over the money!"
Wang Wei added, "Paying your debts is only natural!"
Their eyes lingered on Wang Cuilian, becoming increasingly unbridled. Wang Cuilian gritted her teeth and said coldly, "At worst, I'll sell my house to pay you back!"
Her heart was bleeding; the house was her last place to live, yet she had no choice but to sell it. Zhao Tiezhu was stunned at these words and asked, "Sister-in-law, how much are you short?"
"Five thousand," Wang Cuilian whispered.
Houses in the village weren't worth much; selling one for ten or twenty thousand was already pushing it, mainly because there was no demand. Zhao Tiezhu checked his Alipay; he could borrow seventy-five thousand. Since he was going to die anyway, he might as well help his sister-in-law get through this crisis.
He asked immediately, "How much do you owe him in total?"
Bai Guang had never expected Zhao Tiezhu to jump in to help. He immediately declared, "Wang Cuilian borrowed twenty thousand in total. Two years have passed; with interest, she needs to pay me forty-five thousand! I'm only charging this much as a favor to you, being a woman! If you don't pay me today, then I'm sorry, the debt increases by eight thousand in seven days! Hahaha..."
His unbridled laughter spread through the yard. Because of the commotion, passing villagers stopped at the gate of Zhao Tiezhu’s house one after another, pointing and whispering incessantly.