Transmigrated into a fat wife, farming, raising children, and picking up husbands

Lin Xiuer pointed to the pile of wild vegetables: "Mom, let's keep some of these wild vegetables for today, and blanch and dry the rest so we can store them."

"I'll also dry some wild onions. Plantain and honeysuckle are the most valuable; I'll take them to the town's pharmacy another day to see if they'll buy them."

Madam Wang nodded repeatedly, "Alright, Mother will listen to you! Mother will go boil water and blanch the vegetables right away!"

A smile finally appeared on the old man's face, his steps became lighter, and he turned and headed towards the stove.

Lin Xiuer sat on the stone bench in the courtyard, rubbing her ankle. "There are still a lot of wild mint and wild wood ear mushrooms on the mountain. I'll go pick them all tomorrow."

"Okay, no rush. Your foot injury hasn't healed yet. You can go after a few more days of rest." Wang looked at her daughter with heartache.

In the courtyard, the three generations of the family were busy around a pile of mountain produce.

As darkness fell, wisps of smoke rose from the dilapidated rooftops.

Lin Xiuer picked out three of the five wild eggs she found today and cooked them with fresh matsutake mushrooms to make a matsutake mushroom and egg soup.

Wild chicken eggs are smaller than domestic chicken eggs, but their golden color makes them more fragrant. The pine mushrooms have small, grayish-brown caps with thick, fleshy flesh; it would be even better if they had meat on them, as they would taste even better.

She boiled the water in the pot, first putting in the shredded matsutake mushrooms to cook. Once the mushrooms released their umami flavor, she slowly poured in the beaten wild egg liquid.

The egg flowers bloom into golden clouds in the boiling soup, and finally, chopped green onions and a pinch of salt are sprinkled on top.

Lin Xiuer tried it and dripped another drop of spiritual spring water into the pot. She was satisfied then. This drop of spiritual spring water should be able to gradually improve the physique of the elderly and children.

Only after doing all this did she serve the steaming, fragrant matsutake mushroom and egg drop soup to the table.

Wang and Xiaobao stared at the soup bowl, their eyes shining.

"Xiuer, this soup...smells so good," Wang murmured.

Lin Xiuer served each of them a large bowl, and then scooped some more egg drop soup into Xiao Bao's bowl.

"This is just the beginning, Mother. Don't worry, our lives will definitely get better."

"Yes, my Xiuer is so capable, I believe our family will get better and better."

Holding the soup bowl, Wang smiled, but tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. She had finally waited for this day; her Xiuer had truly changed for the better.

Xiao Bao held the bowl, sipping his drink slowly, his big eyes occasionally glancing at Lin Xiuer.

His mother had been all smiles these past two days, speaking gently and kindly, and even cooked for him today. The aroma of wild eggs and the freshness of matsutake mushrooms blended in his mouth, and the hot soup slid down his throat, warming his entire body.

This was the best and most enjoyable meal they had had in the past few days.

While eating, Lin Xiuer chattered away, planning for tomorrow.

"Mom, I'll go up the mountain early tomorrow and dig up a lot of mint. I heard that the pharmacies and tea shops in town buy it, so the price should be good. There are also wild wood ear mushrooms on the mountain; I'll collect enough to sell together."

Wang nodded with a smile: "Okay, okay. Just be careful, and don't go too deep."

"I know, Mother."

The next morning, Lin Xiuer left home even earlier.

The morning mist in the mountains was thicker than yesterday, and dewdrops clung to the blades of grass. Leaning on her cane, she walked along the familiar path toward the sunny slope from yesterday.

Her ankle pain had mostly subsided, thanks to the few drops of spiritual spring water she drank every night. She discovered that the water not only relieved the pain but also seemed to speed up wound healing, which in turn improved her overall well-being.

Although she was still overweight, she could feel her body becoming lighter.

Upon reaching the sunny hillside covered with mint, Lin Xiuer put down her basket and began to work.

The wild mint was growing very well, and the golden sunlight made the dewdrops on its green leaves look crystal clear.

A breeze carries the refreshing scent of mint, instantly invigorating the senses.

She selected branches with thick, fragrant leaves and cut them close to the base, trying not to damage the roots so they could grow back.

In no time, the basket was half full.

She straightened up, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and looked deeper into the mountain.

The trees there are denser, and few people usually go there.

In the original owner's memories, valuable medicinal herbs, such as wild ginseng and lingzhi, could occasionally be found deep in the back mountains. However, there were also wild beasts roaming there, and villagers generally dared not go unless they were hunting.

But the less frequented a place is, the more likely it is to have good things.

The debt of ten taels of silver weighed heavily on his heart. Selling these ordinary mountain products was enough to make ends meet, but saving up ten taels a month was impossible.

If we could find a wild ginseng...

Lin Xiuer hesitated for a moment. Danger often comes with opportunity. She gritted her teeth and decided to explore the dense forest higher up.

Leaning on her cane, she carefully pushed aside the bushes and walked deeper into the woods.

The further you go in, the dimmer it gets. Towering trees block out the sun, and the ground is covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, making no sound when you step on them.

The air was filled with the damp smell of decaying leaves, and occasionally the calls of unknown birds drifted through the air, ethereal and distant.

Lin Xiuer walked slowly, her eyes carefully scanning every tree root and crack in the rocks.

On the shady side of an old oak tree, she discovered a large patch of wild wood ear mushrooms and quickly put down her basket to pick them one by one.

We dug up several more wild ginger plants with thick roots and a very spicy flavor.

But they didn't find any valuable medicinal herbs.

The surroundings were eerily quiet, and Lin Xiuer couldn't help but stop in her tracks.

She remembered the ancient scriptures her grandmother would tell her on summer nights when she was little, fanning herself with a palm leaf fan.

"Deep in the mountains and forests, there live old cats and monkeys who have become cunning. They have red eyes, green noses, and four hairy hooves. They walk with a thud and eat live children."

Those childhood legends, which are half fear and half novelty, are mostly tricks used by adults to scare children.

But now, standing in this ancient, dense forest, she felt as if something was hidden in every corner of the thick, impenetrable shadows.

Just as she felt a little guilty and was about to turn back, she tripped over something.

"Ouch!"

She stumbled, but luckily she grabbed a tree to keep from falling. A cold sweat broke out on her back.

Looking down, I realized it was a protruding tree root.

But something flickered in the sunlight in the grass beside the tree roots.

Lin Xiuer frowned and pushed aside the weeds.

It is a knife.

The blade was mostly buried in the fallen leaves, with only the hilt and a section of the dark scabbard visible. The hilt was made of a dark wood she couldn't recognize, its surface polished smooth and devoid of any ornamentation, plain to the point of being crude.

She picked it up curiously; it felt heavy in her hand, more substantial than she had imagined.

She drew her sword from its sheath—the blade was a dark, iron-black color, its edge gleaming coldly, sharp enough to reflect her blurry image.

There were no markings or patterns on the blade.

"This material..." Lin Xiuer gently touched the blade with her finger, a chill quickly spreading throughout her body from her fingertip. "It seems anything but ordinary. Could it be the legendary meteorite iron?"

For a moment, greed overcame fear, and she began to think: this knife may look plain, but it is well-made and made of special materials. She thought she could get some money by taking it to a pawn shop.

Even if it's not much, it's still a windfall for her, who's currently heavily in debt.

Just as she sheathed her knife and prepared to shoulder her basket and leave quickly, suddenly—

A cold, sticky hand, covered in blood, suddenly grabbed her ankle!