Volume 1, Chapter 16: Physique Upgrade
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“Auntie Three?”
Shen Ling frost’s call brought Bai Meihua back to her senses.
Bai Meihua gave a somewhat flustered smile. “What is it, Ling frost?”
“Didn’t you hear what I just asked?” Shen Ling frost said, half amused and half exasperated. “I asked who brought you the sweet potatoes.”
“Oh, a few half-grown boys.” Bai Meihua thought back. “I heard Xiangdong say they were from Willow Ridge next door.”
Something suddenly occurred to Shen Ling frost, and she turned her intent gaze toward the kitchen.
Seeing that her expression had soured, Bai Meihua decided not to linger.
She took Shen Ling frost’s hand and gave her a few reminders. “I know your mother is too proud to ask for help casually, even when she’s in trouble. She’d rather return to her parents’ family to seek assistance than discuss matters with your father’s brothers…”
“But if she keeps doing that, it won’t sound good once word gets out.”
“People will think the Shen brothers aren’t on good terms!”
At this, Bai Meihua glanced sharply toward the courtyard gate. “Your eldest aunt’s way of conducting herself is her own business. I wouldn’t dare make promises on her behalf. But your Uncle Three and your father are the closest of brothers. You know that, don’t you?”
Shen Ling frost nodded along obediently.
Bai Meihua smiled. “Now that your family has another mouth to feed, the shortfall has grown a little larger… Fortunately, your brother can hunt in the mountains. He brings home meat and work points. Once you get through this stretch, life will surely keep getting better.”
Shen Ling frost pretended to be puzzled, putting on a look of confusion.
Only then did Bai Meihua stop rambling and return to the point. “From now on, if your family runs into any difficulties, come to your Uncle Three! No matter how poorly off we are, we’ll certainly face the hard times together with your family!”
Shen Ling frost looked so moved that she seemed about to cry. “Auntie Three, you’re such a good person! Thank you!”
“Silly child, we’re family. What are you talking about?” Having achieved her purpose, Bai Meihua was perfectly satisfied. “You’ve only just recovered. Don’t stand outside in the wind! Hurry back inside with your sister-in-law!”
“It’s all right, it’s all right. I’ll see you out!” Shen Ling frost insisted politely.
After seeing her off, Shen Ling frost closed the courtyard gate. The moment she turned around, the smile on her face changed into something else entirely.
In her previous life, her brother had been beaten to death. Her family had had no money to buy a coffin, so Uncle Three had lent them some.
What they received in return was Auntie Three making a scene day after day and night after night. Whenever she thought of it, she would pick a fight with Uncle Three and even hurl such vicious insults as, “Was Shen Aodong your second brother’s son, or yours?”
Later, when Mother fell gravely ill and passed away, Uncle Three came to pay his respects, and Auntie Three caused another uproar in the mourning hall.
At the time, however, Shen Ling frost had been in such poor health that she was dizzy and unconscious all day long. She had no idea how bad Auntie Three’s behavior had been.
In any case, afterward, whenever she walked through the village, people were always saying that the sisters took after their mother in appearance and had been born as seductive little vixens.
Her younger sister had always been strong-willed. Unwilling to endure such mockery at school, she quit her studies.
So, when all was said and done, her Auntie Three, Bai Meihua, was no innocent either.
In her previous life, Shen Ling frost had had no relatives to rely on, which was why she had especially cherished the elders who were still alive. She had hoped they might carry the filial devotion she had no way to send to her own parents.
But after living her life over again, standing in the mud and looking at these people anew, all she could see were threats.
“Are you feeling unwell again?” Song Qiuran came over to support her. “Why did your complexion suddenly turn so bad?”
Shen Ling frost lifted her eyes and smiled faintly, shaking her head. “I’m fine! I just find it… refreshing.”
Song Qiuran blinked. “You mean Auntie Three?”
“Mm.” Shen Ling frost looked thoughtful. “She’s being so warm-hearted that it’s almost unsettling.”
“It must be because your brother can now bring meat home for the whole village,” Song Qiuran said. A flicker of pride passed through her eyes, vanishing in an instant.
Lost in thought, Shen Ling frost failed to notice it.
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But Afu did not miss it.
Afu: “Congratulations, Master! Master has received Song Qiuran’s happiness and gained three hundred merit points!”
Shen Ling frost: “…”
She stared at Song Qiuran in astonishment.
What had made her so happy?
Was it the civet-fur scarf, which made her feel deeply valued?
Was it the warmth in her heart when Little Sister changed the way she addressed her?
Or was she pleased that Shen Ling frost had married a capable man?
Afu: “Master’s current merit total: seven hundred points!”
“Would you like to upgrade your constitution now?”
Shen Ling frost was overjoyed.
Upgrade!
Right now, immediately, this very instant!
Afu: “Okay!”
“Reporting to Master: Upgrade complete!”
Shen Ling frost: “?”
That was it?
Was it just trying to placate her?
She had assumed that upgrading her constitution would be a major event.
At the very least, shouldn’t a wave of heat flow through her body?
If not, even a gentle warmth would have been acceptable.
Yet without pain, without sensation, it had simply been completed, light as a feather?
…
Lunch was later than usual that day.
But because everyone was in such good spirits, every person ate until their lips gleamed with grease.
There were four chicken legs on the table, and merely looking at them made Shen Yingxue’s heart sing.
Shen Aodong placed the first leg in Li Lanfang’s bowl.
The second went to Gu Xianglin.
The remaining two went to Shen Ling frost and Song Qiuran.
Song Qiuran quickly picked hers up and transferred it to Shen Yingxue’s bowl. “I’ll eat a wing. Little Sister should have the drumstick!”
Her modesty only made Shen Yingxue feel embarrassed.
“Brother and Sister-in-law can share one, and Mother and I can share one!” Shen Yingxue redistributed the chicken legs. “Brother Xiaolin must eat his own leg by himself! Otherwise, we won’t take you along to play next time!”
Gu Xianglin’s chopsticks stopped midair.
As expected of sisters from the same family!
Even their threats sounded exactly alike!
No one else raised any objections. Clearly, everyone approved of the arrangement.
Li Lanfang filled everyone’s bowls with generous servings of shredded-chicken and pumpkin porridge, its surface dotted with tempting beads of oil.
No one said another word. They simply bowed their heads and happily ate.
…
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That evening, Shen Aodong and Gu Xianglin took the newly made animal traps and prepared to patrol the mountains.
But tonight, they flatly refused to let Shen Ling frost come along.
Shen Ling frost had no objections.
She had fully recovered, but after upgrading her constitution, she had only one hundred merit points left.
She could no longer afford the trip.
Besides, the family still had more than ten pounds of wild boar, eight or nine pounds of civet meat, and roughly two pounds of pheasant. They had enough grain as well, and in addition, more than twenty pounds of sweet potatoes.
There was certainly enough to last until the New Year!
Speaking of sweet potatoes, Shen Ling frost still had something to ask Gu Xianglin.
“The bag of sweet potatoes at my Auntie Three’s house was delivered by you, wasn’t it?”
Gu Xianglin looked away. “I spent the whole day running back and forth between your house and mine. When would I have had time to dig up sweet potatoes? Maybe one of your other friends helped repay the debt for you.”
“What are the odds of that?” Shen Ling frost exposed him at once. “I only told you last night where the sweet potatoes were buried, and then my Auntie Three received a bag of them today? And they even said they were being given to repay what I owed her family… How did you know I owed her family sweet potatoes?”
Gu Xianglin twisted his head even farther away. “Your cousin couldn’t take much of a beating. One little scare and he told us everything.”
Shen Ling frost: “…You beat Shen Xiangdong?!”
“We didn’t actually hit him. We were just getting revenge for Bighead.” Gu Xianglin finally turned his face back, looking as though he had suddenly remembered an old grievance. “Come to think of it, you were the one who hit Bighead that time!”
Shen Ling frost was perfectly frank. “Yes, I hit him. I hit him until his nose bled. What? Was it that serious?”
Gu Xianglin: “…What kind of girl are you?”
Shen Aodong emerged from the house carrying his hunting rifle. “My sister is exactly that kind of girl. What of it?”
Gu Xianglin: “…”
Forget it.
Let her be fierce.
He had grabbed Shen Xiangdong and taught him a lesson, after all. That made them even.
Gu Xianglin had only just reached that conclusion when Shen Ling frost suddenly complained.
“Brother, this man has no sense of right and wrong!” she said indignantly.
Gu Xianglin: “?”
Shen Ling frost glared at him furiously. “Those sweet potatoes were for you, not Auntie Three! You gave them to Auntie Three, which means you repaid my debt for me, doesn’t it? That makes me sad!”
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