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As night deepened, the village was enveloped in tranquility, with only the occasional sounds of barking dogs and chirping insects breaking the silence.
Su Wan'er sat under the oil lamp, meticulously sorting through the herbs she had gathered that day, her nimble fingers deftly cleaning the mugwort leaves.
Suddenly, a hurried sound of footsteps echoed from outside the courtyard, followed by Old Chen's cough.
Wan'er quickly set down her bundle of herbs and hurried out to greet him.
She saw Old Chen with a serious expression, beads of sweat on his forehead, followed closely by her father and younger brother, all wearing worried looks.
"Father, you're back! What happened?" Wan'er asked with concern.
Old Chen sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. His voice was low and heavy: "The village head just returned from town. He said this year's harvest might be poor. The recent rains didn't fall where they were needed, and the crops are wilting. Many families in the village have run out of grain; all that's left at home are some coarse grains and husks. Even the children are too weak from hunger."
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Her mother anxiously rubbed her apron, her younger brother bowed his head in silence, and her father stared blankly ahead.
Such hardships were not new to Wan'er; she had experienced them countless times in her past life, each instance sending a chill through her heart.
Gathering her spirits, Wan'er stepped forward to Old Chen and said earnestly, "Father, although our family isn't wealthy, we still have a few bags of coarse grains. We can manage for a while. But what about the elderly and children in the village? If we don't find a solution soon, someone might die."
Old Chen sighed again. "Your mother is right. Today at the village entrance, I saw two children from Wang Ersao's family by the river gathering wild vegetables; their eyes were so hollow from hunger."
Wan'er pondered for a moment before suddenly looking up with a glimmer of determination in her eyes. "Father, we can't rely solely on our meager harvest. Isn't there a market in town? I remember that Sister Cuihua's family sells fabric quite well there. Why don't we collaborate with Sister Cuihua to make some fabric handkerchiefs, insoles, and pouches to sell at the market? I can do some embroidery too; if we work together, we might earn some silver."
Her mother’s eyes lit up with a flicker of hope. "Wan'er, do you really think this will work? Sister Cuihua is skilled, and you can embroider. If we can sell them, our family might have an easier time."
Wan'er nodded confidently. "As long as we're willing to put in the effort and aren't afraid of not having buyers, I remember there's a Shopkeeper Li in town who is fair-minded and willing to buy fabric. If we make our items exquisite enough, we might fetch a good price."
Old Chen furrowed his brow slightly and pondered aloud, "But where will we get the fabric and thread? The little we have at home won't last long."
Wan'er had anticipated this question. She retrieved a bundle of straw rope from the bamboo basket and pulled out several pieces of old fabric. "We can start by using these old pieces to make samples. Once we earn some money, we can buy new fabric and thread. Sister Cuihua has a weaving machine; let’s begin with small items and take it step by step."
Her mother nodded in agreement, and her father also showed a look of approval. "Wan Er is right. Farming is tough; we must find another way."
Just as they were speaking, Zhang Cuihua hurried in under the moonlight, carrying a basket of freshly woven cloth.
As soon as she entered, she said, "Wan Er, I heard your family is struggling to make ends meet. I thought about the collaboration you mentioned yesterday, and if you don't mind, let's work together!"
Wan Er immediately shared her ideas with Cuihua in detail. Cuihua's eyes sparkled as she listened, nodding continuously. "You really have a plan! My weaving machine is just sitting idle; as long as we can exchange it for some food or money, I'm not afraid of working late!"
The two quickly hit it off and agreed to start working together the next morning.
While Cuihua went home to prepare the fabric, Wan Er had already sketched out several designs for various fabrics in her mind.
Old Chen saw how capable his daughter was and felt both gratified and emotional. He walked over to Wan Er and said earnestly, "Wan Er, you've grown up and become sensible. I used to think of you as just a little girl, but now you can contribute ideas for the family. In the future, you should keep an eye on our business and fields."
Wan Er nodded seriously. "Father, don't worry; I will do my best."
The next morning, Wan Er and Cuihua gathered in the kitchen to spread out the fabric, cutting and sewing. Wan Er was skilled at embroidery while Cuihua was quick at weaving; the two worked seamlessly together.
Her mother helped by twisting threads while her younger brother occasionally ran errands to fetch water. In the small kitchen, needles flew through fabric amidst laughter.
As the sun rose higher, a commotion suddenly erupted outside. Chen Jun entered with several young men, a faint look of concern on his face.
"Brother Chen Jun, what brings you here?" Wan Er set down her needlework and approached him.
Chen Jun clasped his hands together and replied, "I heard from the village head yesterday that this year's grain harvest is poor and the atmosphere in the village isn't great. Plus, there have been rumors of bandits in the mountains recently. I thought we can't just sit back and do nothing. Today I gathered a few young men from the village to teach everyone some self-defense techniques in the open space by the village entrance. Wan Er, would your family like to send a few people?"
Wan Er's eyes brightened as she smiled. "That's wonderful! Even though my brother is young, he should learn some self-defense skills too. Brother Chen Jun, thank you for your hard work."
Chen Jun waved his hand dismissively with a gentle gaze. "We're all neighbors; it's only right that we help each other. Wan Er, if you have time, you could come by too; perhaps you can teach everyone about identifying herbs and detoxifying."
Wan Er nodded enthusiastically. "I was just thinking of that."
At the village entrance, Chen Jun swung a wooden sword, instructing the villagers on how to defend themselves.
A few young men followed along, their movements clumsy but the atmosphere lively.
Wan Er stood nearby, teaching everyone to identify common herbs, explaining how to use them to dress wounds and how mugwort could repel mosquitoes and prevent illness.
The village children gathered around Wan Er, chattering excitedly. "Sister Wan Er, can this herb stop bleeding?" "Can that flower cure a cough?" Wan Er patiently answered each question, occasionally picking a few herbs to demonstrate.
At noon, Wang Ersao's youngest son suddenly clutched his stomach and cried out.
Wan Er rushed over to check on him. After assessing the situation, she determined it was due to cold and dampness in his belly.
She instructed his mother to fetch mugwort and ginger slices from home, carefully simmering them into a medicinal broth. Then she used a mugwort stick to gently moxibust the child's abdomen.
In less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the child's complexion began to improve, and he was able to stand and speak.
Wang Ersao was overwhelmed with gratitude. "Wan Er, you truly are our village's savior!"
That day, many villagers came and went in front of the Su Family's home. Some brought wild vegetables, while others delivered firewood, all expressing their appreciation for Wan Er's kindness.
Wan Er humbly declined any praise, simply smiling as she reminded everyone how to prevent illness and maintain health with herbs.
As night fell, Old Chen leaned against the doorframe, watching the warm glow of lights in the courtyard. His mother and Wan Er were chatting softly while his younger brother practiced his newly learned sword techniques. Even his usually taciturn father was discussing fabric matters with Cuihua.
He felt a wave of emotion wash over him and sighed, "That girl is becoming more capable by the day. With her at home, I can finally rest easy."
He called Wan Er over and said earnestly, "Wan Er, your mother isn't well, and your brother is still young. From now on, I need you to manage our finances, fabric business, and herbal trade. I'm getting old and my mind isn't as sharp anymore; the family needs you to hold things together."
Wan Er felt a lump in her throat and replied solemnly, "Father, don't worry. I will make sure our family never goes hungry or suffers."
Old Chen patted her shoulder, his eyes filled with pride. "With a good daughter like you, your mother is truly blessed."
In the night, the house was brightly lit, filled with laughter and joy.
Wan Er looked at her family, her heart brimming with hope.
Though the road ahead might be difficult, as long as the family worked together, they could endure even the toughest days.
The next day, Wan Er and Cuihua finished their first batch of Fabric cloths and pouches. The delicate stitching and vibrant patterns drew praise from their mother.
They took the finished products to Shopkeeper Li's store in town. Upon seeing the unique goods, Shopkeeper Li readily accepted them and even placed an order for the next batch.
With the silver and grain they earned, the two returned to the village, filled with joy.
Chen Jun's self-defense classes were also gaining traction; young men and boys in the village had learned a few moves, and even the women were practicing self-defense with wooden sticks. The atmosphere in the village was much more united than before.
Wan Er's herbal remedies and acupuncture techniques gradually gained recognition among the villagers. Whenever someone suffered from headaches, fevers, or injuries, they would come to her first.
She never turned anyone away. In addition to treating ailments, she taught everyone how to forage for herbs and identify plants in the wild.
Gradually, the Su Family's status in the village became increasingly solidified, and Wan Er's reputation spread far and wide.
Old Chen watched as his family thrived, his worries dissipating. What remained was a sense of confidence about the future and pride in his daughter.
In the courtyard, a cool night breeze blew, and moonlight fell upon the newly dried Fabric, illuminating the warm and harmonious smiles of the family.
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