Volume One, Chapter Two: A Fortunate Beginning with Great Blessings
Song Qiuran did not open her eyes immediately.
But her eyelids twitched so violently that Shen Lingshuang found it impossible not to notice.
“Qiuran? Qiuran? You’ve been lying here so long—wake up already…”
Shen Lingshuang deliberately called out several more times.
Only then did Song Qiuran slowly open her eyes.
They were red, as if she hadn’t slept for days on end.
Shen Lingshuang could tell at once—she was deeply wronged!
She quickly poured out all the words she had prepared on the way over.
“Qiuran, my brother didn’t send anyone to propose because our family is too poor!”
“You’re so beautiful, well-educated, and from the city. Marrying into a family like ours might bring you hardship.”
Song Qiuran sat up, murmuring softly, “I was never afraid of those things…”
Shen Lingshuang grasped her arm, more excited than anyone, and said loudly, “Qiuran! Hearing you say that is enough for me!”
“Our whole family likes you very much. If you marry my brother, we will give you the best of everything! We will never let you suffer!”
“You don’t know—my brother dreams of having you as his sister-in-law!”
Song Qiuran blushed, unsure where to look.
Just then, Wang Dongfang cleared his throat to take charge.
“Comrade Song Qiuran, Shen Aodong and his sister have come specifically to bring you back.”
“If you are willing to marry Shen Aodong, you can go with them to the Shen family now!”
“With the hard times we’re facing, and deep winter upon us, everyone is urging simplicity for weddings and funerals—no trumpets or drums.”
“When spring comes, on an auspicious day, the team will hold a proper wedding ceremony for you. Does that sound good?”
Seven or eight people in the room all looked at Song Qiuran.
Shen Lingshuang was the most nervous.
Yet just as she was about to say more…
Song Qiuran nodded!
“I am willing to marry Brother Aodong.”
It was settled!
Shen Lingshuang’s eyes shimmered with tears of joy.
At that very moment, a childish, cutesy voice echoed in her mind.
“Congratulations, master! Congratulations!”
“Master has gained 1,000 blessing points! Store exchange service activated!”
“Would master like to browse the store now?”
Shen Lingshuang’s hand was still gripping Song Qiuran’s wrist.
Hearing the strange voice, her heart tightened, and her grasp unconsciously tightened as well.
“Sister, you’re hurting me…” Song Qiuran pleaded, looking at Shen Lingshuang.
“Sorry, sorry!” Shen Lingshuang snapped back to reality and hastily withdrew her hand.
She smiled awkwardly, rubbing her hands as she stood up. “Well… Qiuran, you get ready. My brother and I will wait for you outside!”
With that, she darted out just as she had when she came in.
Shen Aodong was already standing at the door and stepped out with a single stride.
The siblings stood beneath the eaves, silently facing each other.
Shen Aodong, who had never been very talkative, was burdened with heavy thoughts and at a loss for words.
Shen Lingshuang, meanwhile, was still lost in the strange event that had just happened, unable to respond.
Afufu?
“I’m here! Afufu is always ready for the master’s call!”
“Afufu is part of the blessing system, the master’s helpful assistant!”
“Because the master just saved Song Qiuran’s life, they have gained 1,000 blessing points!”
“Blessing points can be exchanged for supplies!”
“Would the master like to browse the store now?”
Shen Lingshuang immediately responded in her heart: Browse!
What happened next was even stranger.
Before her eyes, three and a half faint, translucent images flickered.
“Mountain pheasant, 4 jin, exchange value: 8 blessing points”
“Wild rabbit, 7 jin, exchange value: 15 blessing points”
“Masked palm civet, 14 jin, exchange value: 30 blessing points”
Below the three types of meat, small characters listed several vegetables and fresh fruits.
Their exchange values were lower, and the selection was quite rich!
Shen Lingshuang’s eyes darted about in amazement.
“Would the master like to exchange now?”
“Instant airdrop, no waiting!”
Instant exchange?
No!
Don’t want it!
“Lingshuang, what’s wrong?”
Shen Aodong gripped Shen Lingshuang’s arm, afraid she might collapse at any moment.
“Your gaze is so blank… Are you feeling unwell?”
Shen Lingshuang patted his arm comfortingly. “Brother, I’m fine. I just suddenly remembered—years ago, didn’t you go hunting in the mountains with Father and Grandfather?”
Shen Aodong nodded.
Shen Lingshuang continued, “It’s cold in the mountains in winter, so fewer people go, but there’s more game! It’s a great time for hunting! If we’re lucky and get rabbits or civets, we’ll have meat to eat and good pelts. We can make Qiuran a fluffy scarf as a wedding gift!”
Shen Aodong’s face flushed red then paled. “Let’s talk about this later…”
“I know guns are hard to come by, and Grandfather’s house is far away, but… Brother, why don’t we take slingshots and firewood knives to scout tonight?”
While Shen Lingshuang was urging her brother, Song Qiuran appeared shyly, carrying an enamel basin and a large army green sling bag on her back.
Shen Dongfang followed close behind.
Shen Lingshuang quickly dropped the topic, handed Song Qiuran’s luggage over to Shen Aodong, then affectionately linked arms with Song Qiuran and led her home.
…
When they returned, Li Lanfang and Shen Yingxue were sitting on the kang bed.
Both their faces, one older and one younger, were full of worry.
“Mother! Little sister! Brother has brought home a bride!”
Seizing the moment, Shen Lingshuang embraced her mother and sister and cried with them.
Her feelings were genuine and heartfelt, but Li Lanfang’s expression was one of bitter awkwardness.
“Girl, please sit…” Li Lanfang glanced at Song Qiuran, uneasy. “I’ll go cook.”
She rubbed her hands nervously and headed to the woodshed.
Shen Yingxue followed her mother, frowning.
Shen Lingshuang trailed behind.
No sooner had she stepped into the woodshed than Shen Yingxue slammed the door shut.
“Sister! Are you crazy? Mother and I only managed to borrow one jin of grain! There’s barely enough to eat, and you’ve brought home a bride for big brother? That’s one more mouth to feed! How are we supposed to survive?”
Shen Lingshuang’s mindset was different from theirs.
She knew her mother was too ashamed to plead with the Shen family relatives, so she and her sister had only asked two nearby households from her maternal family.
This year’s autumn harvest had been dismal, and the shares of grain were small.
The nearby Li family relatives were all part of the same team, and their situations were similar. Naturally, no one had extra grain to lend.
But the main Shen family house had done well this harvest.
Shen Lingshuang remembered that in her previous life, her second uncle had secretly sent ten jin of white flour, helping their family of four get through the year safely.
However, because of this, her third uncle had been scolded for years by his wife, who kept bringing up old grievances and accusing him of coveting Li Lanfang, their widowed sister-in-law…
It had been quite unpleasant.
Shen Lingshuang thought, since they had to borrow anyway, she might as well do it openly, not forcing her third uncle to smuggle supplies.
She would borrow formally, with a written note!
After this year’s New Year, she had plenty of ways to repay it.
“Mother, little sister, don’t worry. I’ll go out for a bit and be back soon!”
Leaving the Shen house and avoiding others, Shen Lingshuang slipped into the forest and quietly called out several times, “Afufu.”