When Jiang Xia heard An Ning shout, he knew what she meant. He just gave her a disdainful look and said, "You need this young master just to dig up some grass?"

"Hurry up."

An Ning only said those two words, and Jiang Xia reluctantly went over.

"When are you going to fix that bleeding-heart flaw of yours? Aren’t you afraid someone’s going to sell you out?"

"And when are you going to fix that smart mouth of yours? Or you’ll end up dead fast."

Their eyes met, clashing in a silent, mutual show of disdain.

Then, they both looked away at the same time, their gazes falling to the ginseng under the withered tree.

"There are a few of them."

Jiang Xia crouched down, his interest piqued. He started clearing away some dirt with his hands and pulled a red string from his waistband.

"What’s that for?"

An Ning didn’t understand.

Jiang Xia held up the red string. "This is called respecting the wisdom of our ancestors."

"Just like how you fear ghosts."

Having his weakness exposed, Jiang Xia wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. He even said with a straight face, "You should revere ghosts and spirits."

An Ning didn’t ask any more questions. She crouched down and copied Jiang Xia’s movements, helping him dig away the soil.

Jiang Xia didn’t let it show on his face, but he knew he was very relaxed around An Ning. ’After all, things like ghosts and spirits aren’t something one can talk about so easily. Though that era had passed, the caution ingrained in people’s bones hadn’t faded.’

Together, they dug up three ginseng roots. One was very large, and the other two were smaller and about the same size.

"I’ll take one, the rest are yours."

Jiang Xia said, pointing to one of the smaller ones. An Ning had no objection; that was how she would have divided them too.

The two of them tied the fresh ginseng with the red string, wrapped them in leaves, and then added another layer of cloth before they were satisfied.

They continued deeper into the mountains. They hadn’t hunted anything on their way in; if they couldn’t find the deer herd, they could just hunt on their way down.

Jiang Xia was very familiar with everything in the mountains, and he wasn’t stingy with his knowledge, teaching An Ning as they went.

An Ning was genuinely interested. One taught quickly and the other learned quickly, and both of them enjoyed the process.

This teaching experience even gave An Ning a strange thought: ’I guess this is what it’s like to teach someone.’

Partway through their journey, they found a spot to rest. Jiang Xia took out a few large flatbreads, toasted them briefly over a fire, and the two ate them with a can of luncheon meat.

After their meal, Jiang Xia extinguished the fire, checked it several times, and covered it with dirt before they continued on their way.

Soon, they found tracks from the deer herd and picked up their pace.

That evening, they found the herd.

"Now, or wait until tomorrow?"

Jiang Xia glanced at the situation. "Tomorrow. It’s too dark. Humans are no match for animals at night."

"Okay."

An Ning had no objection. ’Although my spiritual power would make this a piece of cake, there’s no need to reveal it. Especially not to Jiang Xia. That guy is too clever.’

They found a spot sheltered from the wind where they could observe the herd without getting too cold.

That night, An Ning rested first while Jiang Xia kept watch. In the latter half of the night, Jiang Xia slept for a while as An Ning took over.

After midnight, before the sky lightened, the deer herd began to move.

An Ning and Jiang Xia moved as well.

They followed behind the herd. When the deer entered a narrow path, the two of them sped up. An Ning was in the lead, launching an attack on the last deer in the line.

A single strike was fatal, giving it no chance to struggle.

Repeating the same maneuver, they took down four deer before stopping and quietly slipping away.

"I want the deer antlers."

"No problem."

Jiang Xia guessed they were for An Ning’s sister-in-law and readily agreed.

"You can take an extra deer."

An Ning was fair and didn’t want to take advantage of him.

They were partners, not enemies.

"No need. We’ll split the money from the meat fifty-fifty. Besides, these two don’t have any external wounds, so their blood will sell for a good price."

The two fashioned a simple rig and carried the four deer down the mountain.

This time, when they came down the mountain, they weren’t far from Sanhe Town.

"Fatty’s place again?"

"I’m fine with that."

Working together, the two of them brought the four deer to Fatty’s place.

When Fatty saw the four deer, he smiled so broadly his eyes vanished into slits.

"I was wondering why I saw a magpie this morning! Turns out it was because you two were on your way."

Fatty had realized that his most profitable business always came from these two.

He even wondered if he should swap out the face on his God of Wealth statue for theirs. ’The two of them would be a perfect fit.’

An Ning and Jiang Xia barely said a word, both wearing the same cold expression.

One was calmly cold, the other arrogantly so.

Fatty looked at the two of them, standing there like a pair of Door Gods, and griped internally: ’You two look way too much like a married couple.’

Of course, he only dared to think it.

He didn’t know much else about these two big shots, but he knew that with their combined strength, they could kill him as easily as swatting a fly.

The two of them sold the four deer for 2,980 yuan.

Deer were very expensive because every part of them was valuable.

They took the money, An Ning kept one of the deer antlers, and they left Fatty’s territory together.

"Hey, do you want to get that deer antler processed?"

"You know how?"

Jiang Xia immediately shot back, "I don’t."

"But I know someone who does."

An Ning looked at Jiang Xia’s expression and felt an urge to laugh.

"Your expression tells me you’re more confident than the person who actually knows how to do it."

At that, Jiang Xia put on his arrogant "young master" air again, snapping impatiently, "So, do you want it done or not?"

"Do it."

An Ning handed the deer antler straight to Jiang Xia and said coolly, "Bring it to me when it’s ready."

"Hey, hey, hey! Is that any way to ask someone for a favor?"

An Ning, who had her back to him, turned around and said, "I didn’t ask you."

An Ning turned away again, a faint, triumphant smile on her face, and started walking toward the hospital.

Left standing there, Jiang Xia placed the deer antler into a basket, secured it, and scratched his head with one hand.

’Wait, I was the one who offered, wasn’t I? Dammit.’

In the end, Jiang Xia still took the deer antler to have it professionally prepared, repeatedly reminding the person to do a good job.

Meanwhile, An Ning arrived at the town hospital. After speaking with the doctor, she checked in with her sister-in-law and Lin Cuihua. Lin Cuihua immediately decided she wanted to go home.

"We were just waiting for you to get back. We wanted to head home yesterday."

Lin Cuihua started packing their things, while An Ning went out with a smile to find a vehicle to take her sister-in-law home.

In the end, the three of them went back in an ox-cart. It was slow, but relatively steady.

After getting home, An Ning put away her money from the hunt, gave the smaller ginseng root to her older brother An Guoqing, and explained how to use it.

She had asked the doctor about it at the hospital earlier.

"Little sister—"

An Guoqing was deeply moved.

’His little sister had gone into the mountains for them. She’d gone to find ginseng for them.’

"As long as you’re all healthy, that’s what matters. I’m waiting to hold my nephew or niece, you know."

An Ning then gave the larger ginseng root to An Sancheng, letting him decide whether to sell it or keep it for the family.

"We’ll keep it. This stuff is more precious than money."

"Oh, right. I’ve finished distributing the money. Your big brother’s family got their share, and even your little brother got some. This portion is yours. Put it away safely."

An Ning looked at the money An Sancheng pushed toward her and didn’t refuse.

She returned to her room and put all the money away in her cabinet.

For a time, things were quiet at the An family’s home. Her sister-in-law rested and focused on her pregnancy, and Lin Cuihua was anything but stingy, preparing a different variety of meals for her every day.

Their peaceful life continued until the college entrance exam scores were released.