Jinyi Spring

Chapter 108 The Antibiotic Family

As soon as Feng Buji got off the car, he and Aunt Wang took several bags of brown sugar and pastries to Feng Changfu's house and Zhao Lizheng's house.

Having lived in Beijing for so long, Feng Chuchen still prefers the countryside.

She put her things away and then walked around the yard.

An imposing archway, with snow-capped mountains in the distance, and vast fields and wastelands stretching out in a white expanse, even the wind is much stronger than in the city.

Aunt Wang returned before lunch and said with a smile, "Young Master was asked to stay for lunch by Brother Feng."

The food was laid out on the table. There weren't many people; apart from Uncle Wu's family eating at the back seat, everyone else ate at a table in the main room.

Peony said, "Yesterday, two people came to our house, saying they were Banxia's parents. They said Banxia has become successful, making a lot of money at a big clinic and even becoming a doctor, which makes them proud..."

“I didn’t let them in, saying that Banxia was a servant of the Feng family, and that if she became successful, it would be the master’s glory and had nothing to do with them. They brought Banxia a package, but I didn’t take it.”

Aunt Wang sneered, "Peony did the right thing, that family just can't be acknowledged..."

Just then, Aunt Wu came in and said, "Sister Wang, someone is looking for you. I asked him to come in, but he's standing outside the door and won't come in." She added, "It's a man, not very tall."

Aunt Wang guessed who it was. She didn't want to go, but she was afraid that the person would stay and cause a bad impression, so she went out with a sullen face.

Half an hour later, Aunt Wang returned, but instead of coming upstairs for dinner, she went back to her own room and slammed the door shut.

She was angry, and quite angry.

Aunt Wu came in and whispered, "That man looks like Sister Wang's ex-husband. He was kneeling and begging Sister Wang to go home with him. Oh my, he was crying and pleading. It was shameful..."

She had also heard about Aunt Wang's past.

Feng Chuchen scoffed inwardly. It seemed that they had heard that Aunt Wang had become the famous Doctor Wang in the capital and was making a lot of money, so they wanted to beg her to come home.

She also said, "What a stinky man, he thinks of all the good things."

She put some meat and vegetables in Aunt Wang's bowl and said to Du Ruo, "Take Aunt Wang's food to her room and tell her not to be angry."

Aunt Wang has been searching for a good boy—young, healthy, good-looking, and clever—but hasn't found the right one yet.

As soon as she finished eating, Aunt Wang went back into the main room, and she had returned to normal.

"What the girl said is true, it's not worth getting angry with strangers. I'm not only not angry, I'm happy. I just want to make more money, I want to live well, and I want to have a good son in the future, so that those shameless people will be furious."

"And then there are my good brothers. The other day they came to the clinic and begged me for money, but I ignored them completely. Back then, when I couldn't go on living, they watched me drown myself. If it weren't for my eldest sister, I would have been dead for almost twenty years..."

Feng Chuchen smiled and said, "That's the right way to think about it."

In the afternoon, the house was tidied up again, and paper-cut window decorations and couplets were pasted up. Red lanterns were hung outside the courtyard gate and under the eaves, and the house was filled with the atmosphere of the New Year.

The next day, at the end of the morning, Feng Chuchen and her siblings, Aunt Wang, and Uncle Wu led Datou to Jiupoling to pay respects at their aunt's grave.

This was Feng Buji's first time going to Jiupoling in the dead of winter. The path up the mountain was difficult, so Uncle Wu had to carry him.

There were also burnt incense, candles, and paper money in front of the grave.

Aunt Wang sighed again, "The only one who still has outsiders coming to pay their respects even after so long is my eldest sister."

Feng Chuchen wondered to himself if Shangguan Yunqi was among those who were offering sacrifices.

Feng Buji kowtowed sincerely, rambling on about the changes in his family: the clinic was getting better and better, he had grown up and would find a good marriage for his sister so that his aunt and uncle could rest assured, and so on.

After paying respects to my aunt, we went to the Feng family ancestral graves to pay respects to my great-grandfather and Mr. and Mrs. Feng Qiuen.

Unlike previous years, this year all three graves had incense, candles, and paper money burned in front of them, indicating that members of the Feng family must have paid their respects.

That's just how realistic people are.

The land at Jiupoling has already been purchased; we'll wait until Feng Buji is a little older before relocating the remains.

Feng Chuchen and Aunt Wang took Datou to the reed marshes again, while the rest of the people went home.

The old plum tree was now covered in red blossoms, obscuring its dark, gnarled branches, adding not only color to this barren land but also a vibrant, upward-striving life force.

Feng Chuchen stood under the tree, reaching out to catch a few falling plum blossoms; the slightly cool petals carried a faint fragrance.

She scattered the flower petals on the small mound of earth and began to silently clear away the withered branches and fallen leaves. After she finished, she took out three incense sticks, lit them, and as the smoke rose in wisps, she closed her eyes and softly recited the "Rebirth Sutra".

It was already late noon when I got home.

Wearing new clothes, Yi Fengbuji was setting off firecrackers outside the door with Xiao Mozi, attracting many village children.

The once quiet courtyard was now bustling with noise and laughter.

Accustomed to peace and quiet, Feng Chuchen was somewhat pleased and asked Du Ruo to take some peanut candies out to share with the children.

With the added treats and fireworks, the children gathered in ever-growing crowd, making the area outside increasingly lively.

The New Year's Eve dinner begins in the early afternoon, around 3 PM, with the whole family eating in the main room.

Uncle Wu's family had a small table, Da Tou had a large basin, and the others had a large table.

Before the meal, the three men, both young and old, went outside to light firecrackers, which crackled and popped for about fifteen minutes.

The New Year's Eve dinner lasted until the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), and the last dish was dumplings.

Before going to sleep, Feng Chuchen gave Feng Buji a "sleep-resting money" containing twenty taels of silver.

Feng Chuchen thought she would dream of her past life, but she slept soundly all night.

I woke up at dawn.

She didn't sleep in; she woke Feng Buji up to practice boxing.

Peony and Du Ruo were already up and helping Aunt Wu make breakfast in the kitchen. Seeing their master start practicing boxing, they came out and joined him.

Afterwards, everyone changed into new clothes. Except for Feng Chuchen, Shaoyao, and Du Ruo, everyone else wore silk garments bestowed by the imperial palace.

After breakfast, dressed smartly, Feng Buji took Xiao Mozi to the village to pay New Year's visits.

In his early years, Feng Qiuen was in poor health, and later Feng Buji also became in poor health. This was the first time that the men in the family had gone out to pay New Year's visits to others.

Feng Buji was still excited.

At each house he visited, whenever someone complimented his good looks, he would tug at his clothes and say, "My sister cured the Fifth Prince with her miraculous acupuncture, and this was a reward from the palace..."

When the villagers heard that Feng Chuchen had saved the prince and that this fabric was a gift from the palace, they were filled with envy and hurriedly invited him to take a seat.

This year, many more people came to the Feng family to pay their respects for the New Year than in previous years.

Familiar and unfamiliar villagers, Yao's cousin from the neighboring village, the steward of the Hu family, and members of the Feng family, including Feng Qi's son.

Apart from Feng Changfu's son, the other clansmen still did not allow them to enter the house.

They will never forgive the grudge they held against Xiao Yuanzhu and Feng Buji for bullying them back then.

After lunch, Uncle Wu drove the mule cart to take Aunt Wang to the clinic, and then took Banxia home.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Uncle Wu drove the carriage, and Feng Chuchen and her siblings took Shaoyao to Yao's house for a day of fun, not returning home until early afternoon.

While we were having dinner, a few familiar bird calls suddenly came from outside, followed by a loud, rough bark from Big Head.

"Ah Xuan is here."

Feng Buji excitedly ran out of the house, only to see a small bird flying further and further away. He was certain it wasn't Ah Xuan; if it were, it would definitely come to visit.

He slapped Da's head and scolded him, "What are you yelling about? You made me happy for nothing."

Big Head lowered his head and whimpered a few times. It really was Ah Xuan; the dog family hadn't lied...

In the dead of night, all was quiet, and the sky was filled with cold stars.

The distant mountains were a deep, dark blue, and the lonely village seemed to be asleep.

Suddenly, a small bird flew out from the woods at the foot of the mountain. Then, three wolves—two large and one small—darted out.

The wolf cub looked up at the sky, about to howl, when the male wolf slapped it. The cub shut its mouth and let out two weak whimpers. The three wolves and one bird continued their journey towards the village.

They came to the yard closest to the mountain. The bird flew directly over the yard wall, and the three wolves crawled in through a hole in the back wall.

Big Head, who was sleeping in the woodshed, suddenly stood up, pushed the door open with his head, and barked a few times, which were particularly jarring in the quiet night.

Upon recognizing the little bird as Ah Xuan, Da Tou's booming voice instantly choked in his throat. Then, seeing the two wolves, and remembering his master's close relationship with them, he hesitated, unsure whether to bark or not, looking at these uninvited guests with a conflicted expression.

It's really tough on the dog family.

The barking had woken Feng Chuchen, Shaoyao, and Uncle Wu, but when they heard that the barking stopped, Shaoyao went back to sleep reassured.

Uncle Wu, the gatekeeper, couldn't sleep, so he went to the window, opened it, and looked outside.

Under the moonlight, three gray wolves stood prominently in front of the main house, with Ah Xuan perched on one of them.

Uncle Wu was terrified and was about to scream when he saw the main door open and Feng Chuchen, wrapped in a cotton-padded jacket, walk out.

She smiled radiantly, squatted down, and greeted Ah Xuan and the three wolves.

"Ah Xuan, you brought them as guests? Welcome, welcome."

Ah Xuan chirped, "Awoo~~ Miss, Little Feng Feng..."

Feng Chuchen's legs went a little weak at first, but when she saw the tenderness in the eyes of the two big wolves and the curiosity in the eyes of the little wolf, her fear disappeared.

Feng Chuchen smiled at the little wolf and said, "You've grown so much, you're quite a handsome young man."

The mother wolf seemed to understand her meaning and was overjoyed, letting out a soft howl.

The male wolf standing at the back walked to the front, opened its mouth, and a strange thing rolled to the ground.

It looked at Feng Chuchen expectantly, its face pleading for praise.

Feng Chuchen picked it up. Under the starlight, the object was about ten centimeters long, entirely black, and had a peculiar shape, resembling both a crouching tiger and a scorpion...

"Tiger Scorpion?"

Feng Chuchen's eyes suddenly widened.

The tiger scorpion is a unique creature in this world, a rare and precious venomous scorpion that resembles a tiger.

Its dried form can be used in medicine to cure male yang deficiency and sexual dysfunction, making it a holy product for strengthening yang and consolidating the body's foundation.

Don't underestimate these small scorpions; they're only used as a medicinal ingredient, so just a little bit at a time is enough.

Feng Chuchen was overjoyed; with this medicine, he could be considered a master in the field of andrology…

They're really cunning! How did they know this stuff could cure diseases? Perhaps the tigers and scorpions would benefit from eating it, which is why they brought it as a gift?
Feng Chuchen felt relieved and laughed out loud, her curved eyebrows and eyes particularly charming under the starlight.

"It's too kind of you to bring such an expensive gift when you come to visit. The ginseng you gave us last time was excellent, thank you so much."

He then said to Ah Xuan, "If you know I'm going back to the old house, bring them over to play with me."

Seeing Uncle Wu staring at them in astonishment, Feng Chuchen instructed again, "Uncle Wu, cut half a basin of pork to serve our distinguished guests."

Uncle Wu suppressed a laugh and said, "Okay."

Feng Chuchen opened the door wide and invited them in; Da Tou followed them in as well.

Feng Chuchen went into the bedroom and put on her clothes. Uncle Wu had already cut half a basin of raw pork and brought it in, placing it on the floor.

He was still a little scared, and his hands were trembling as he held the basin.

Seeing the delicious food, the little wolf let out an excited yelp and started eating first, followed by the two adult wolves.

Feng Chuchen grabbed a handful of melon seeds, peeled them herself, and fed them to Ah Xuan.

Big Head craved meat, but dared not eat it with the wolf.

Uncle Wu scooped up another half bowl of leftover meat from last night and mixed it with rice to feed Da Tou.

Aunt Wu also got up and forced herself to come in.

The couple dared not leave their master alone with the three wolves.

The little wolf was the first to finish eating, and after it finished, it went to Feng Chuchen's legs and bit her trouser leg.

Feng Chuchen smiled and squatted down, stroking the fur on its back.

The little guy's fur is so soft and smooth, it feels so good to touch.

Seeing that the little wolf liked it, he would occasionally gently pinch its black nose.

The two wolves had finished eating and squatted down at Feng Chuchen's feet, looking at her tenderly.

Seeing this, Big Head also lay down next to the little wolf and looked at it tenderly.

Looking at the three wolves nestled at her feet, Feng Chuchen had an idea and said softly, "How about I give you names? You'll be called Cephalosporin, you'll be called Green Plum, and you'll be called Amo."

Haha, antibiotics are all in the same family.

Only she knew the deeper meaning behind it.

Consider this a silent tribute to those Western medicines that saved lives in the past.

She stroked their heads one by one, clearly repeating their names several times, "Cephalexin... Qingmei... Amo..."

Aside from Xiao Amo, who was still somewhat confused, Cephalosporin and Qingmei seemed to understand, their eyes sparkling with lively intelligence.

They like the name.

Feng Chuchen chuckled. These were truly the most intelligent wolves. Perhaps they were time travelers too.

Time passed quietly as they spent time together in pleasant harmony, and the sound of roosters crowing came from the distant village.

Feng Chuchen stood up and said reluctantly, "It's almost dawn, you should go."

Toubao and Qingmei knew it was time to leave and stood up. Only Amo was unwilling, biting Feng Chuchen's trouser leg and letting out a spoiled whimper.

"Come again next time."

Feng Chuchen smiled and picked it up.

The group and Da Tou saw them off at the door and walked to the backyard.

I watched as three agile figures disappeared into the deepest darkness before dawn.

In the low sky, Ah Xuan's figure was like a light ink line, accompanying him as he gradually moved further and further away, finally disappearing completely into the vast darkness of the night.

Once they could no longer see it, the group of people and their dog returned home, feeling dejected.

Aunt Wu belatedly said, "Good heavens, we've been with three wolves for most of the night, and they haven't eaten us yet."

Uncle Wu laughed out loud, extremely proud of himself, "That's a wolf spirit. It knows how to find girls to deliver babies, how to give gifts, and how to be a guest. Why would it eat us?"

Feng Chuchen remained excited, examining the tiger scorpion again and again.

Thinking about it, not only is Master Ming the Third disabled, but he's also impotent...

Upon hearing this, Feng Buji and Shaoyao stamped their feet and beat their chests in frustration.

Feng Buji was in tears. "Why didn't you wake me up when such a good thing happened?"

Feng Chuchen said, "I don't know if they bite or not, but we tried it today and they seem very intelligent. Next time they come, I'll invite you all over to play together."

Upon hearing the name of the three wolves, Feng Buji added, "Qingmei sounds nice, Amo is acceptable, but Cephalosporin doesn't sound good. A bump on the head, what kind of name is that?"

Feng Chuchen laughed, "There are also names like Donkey Dan'er and Dog Leftovers. Cephalosporin sounds much better than those names."

(End of this chapter)