Jin Zijin was such a killjoy, sleeping with her as if nothing had happened; after all, it had occurred both times without her knowledge.
But this kiss—she was entirely lucid for it! Are you trying to deceive me, or yourself?
If it was about pretending, nobody could probably beat Jin Zijin!
After he returned, he really didn’t say anything and just honestly went to cook!
The entire evening passed without a word between them, and even when it came to sleep at night, they turned in opposite directions!
Gu Youyou sorted the herbs that could survive planting, with the majority being Atractylodes and Rehmannia; both of these herbs bloomed with small purple flowers, which would look very pretty!
Fearing their medicinal properties might conflict, Gu Youyou allocated two separate plots to plant them!
She had fewer of the other herbs and was too lazy to plant them, so she processed them all, waiting to sell them in the market.
When Jin Zijin came back in the evening, Gu Youyou discussed with him whether they should make a few bamboo winnowing baskets, which could be useful for drying mushrooms, herbs, and making pickled vegetables!
Jin Zijin agreed readily, and the next day, he didn’t go into the mountains but fetched Shunzi instead; the two went to cut some bamboo and also a tree.
Jin Zijin left the task of making winnowing baskets to Shunzi, while he himself crafted a drying rack out of wood.
Gu Youyou watched in amazement—could it be that he was also skilled in carpentry?
How could there be such a man in the world, with all life skills leveled up?
She just didn’t know whether he could embroider!
As evening approached, the sound of footsteps and hushed voices traveled up from the foot of the mountain, and Gu Youyou’s cheerful mood from the day instantly soured.
It was Grandma Huangshi leading her Huang Family’s second aunt here!
These two unbearable relatives hadn’t bothered her in quite a while, and she wondered why they were here again.
Whenever they came, it was never with good intentions.
Wang Shun was weaving the fourth winnowing basket when he saw the Huang women arriving—one old and one young—busily he smiled and greeted them, "Gu Family’s Grandma, Gu’s second aunt! Have you come to visit Brother Jin’s home?"
Wang Shun was rather naive, always greeting everyone with a smile.
Unfortunately, his warm greeting met with a cold response!
Grandma Huangshi glanced at him coldly and then huffed at Gu Youyou and Jin Zijin, "Even an outsider knows how to greet people, yet you two say nothing. Gu Youyou, with your mother dying early and no one teaching you, is it that you’re waiting for this old lady to teach you?"
Gu Youyou, who had been collecting the dried mushrooms, heard Grandma Huangshi scold her for having no manners, and her face fell instantly as she retorted with a sneer, "Right, everyone in the village knows my mother died early, so I can only learn from Grandma here! What do you think of how I’m doing?"
Well, you’ve come spouting sarcasm and insults, so I might as well learn right now!
Grandma Huangshi’s face fell in shock, and behind her, Huang Xiangwen, eager to show off, scolded Gu Youyou, "Youyou, how can you speak to your grandma like that? Is this how you talk? So disrespectful. Your grandma is teaching you, you must greet people when you see them!"
Gu Youyou responded with a faint smile, "Alright then, Huang Xiangwen, what brings you here?"
"You... how can you call me by my name?"
Huang Xiangwen was so agitated that she stamped her foot; she had never expected Gu Youyou to address her by her full name directly, and she looked at her in surprise and anger!
The others hadn’t anticipated Gu Youyou addressing Huang Xiangwen by her name either and were equally taken aback for a moment.
Jin Zijin merely glanced at Gu Youyou indifferently before lowering his head once more, continuing to thump away at the wood.
Wang Shun put down his work, hesitating to speak.
But upon receiving a meaningful look from Jin Zijin, he bowed his head in complexity and continued weaving the winnowing basket!