Chapter 25: No Comparison, No Harm

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: No Comparison, No Harm

How could all that gleaming silver end up with that wretched bunch?

Doctor Shen was the happiest of all, as he could acquire a large quantity of medicinal herbs. They skipped processing them altogether, directly having horse-drawn carts transport the herbs.

What they didn’t know was that this timely shipment of herbs enabled the injured and chilled soldiers at the border to receive effective treatment. This ultimately led to a great victory, crushing the Xichu Kingdom.

At the Xiao Family home, Ms. Jiang’s expression softened day by day, and she even spoke more gently to Gu Qingli.

On the eighth day, a heavy snowfall finally began, covering the herbs on the mountain overnight.

Although it was only for eight days, the villagers had never earned so much silver before.

With their winter financial worries eased, the villagers happily went to town to purchase supplies for the season, their days of misery finally behind them.

The Village Chief was so overjoyed that he beamed all day, insisting he wouldn’t accept the silver Gu Qingli offered for her later share.

Gu Qingli had no choice but to relent.

“Li’er, shall we go to meet Father and Mother today?” Xiao Yunjing asked Gu Qingli after breakfast.

Gu Qingli looked at the heavily falling snow and nodded. “Yes, let’s go now. Any later and the ox cart won’t be able to move on the road.”

“Alright, I’ll get the cart ready,” Xiao Yunjing said.

“Third Son’s wife, let your Eldest Brother and Second Brother go instead. You shouldn’t go,” Ms. Jiang hurriedly came out to stop Gu Qingli. She worried that if a woman stayed out in the freezing weather for too long, it would harm her body and make it difficult to conceive later.

Ms. Jiang felt uneasy just looking at Gu Qingli’s delicate and frail physique.

“Mother, it’s so cold,” Gu Qingli said. “It wouldn’t be right to let Eldest Brother and Second Brother go, would it?”

“So you know it’s cold too? They’re men; they’re not afraid of this,” Ms. Jiang retorted, shooting her a sidelong glance.

“Sister-in-law, we’ll go. You just stay home and don’t follow us,” Eldest Brother Xiao said, emerging from his room.

“Alright then,” Gu Qingli conceded.

She’d go over to the other house to wait and get the heated brick bed warmed up first. She wouldn’t even need to give Doctor Shen any money; there might even be some left over. All the necessities for that house were already bought, so it didn’t really matter if she went to pick them up or not.

When Xiao Yunjing led the ox cart out, Eldest Brother Xiao and Second Brother Xiao consciously followed without needing to be called.

This gesture, it had to be said, deeply moved Gu Qingli.

It’s the comparison that makes the difference so stark!

Once they had departed, Gu Qingli informed Ms. Jiang and then took the two boys back to her parents’ newly prepared house.

The three of them—Gu Qingli and the two boys—brushed the snow off themselves, opened the door, and went inside.

The main room had been cleaned thoroughly. In the main position of the hall was a square table with four long benches, all new. Above it, against the wall, stood a small wooden table for placing small items and for burning incense during New Year or other festivals.

On the east and west sides of the main room were two bamboo chairs with backrests. Beside the chair on the east side, there was a brazier.

The rooms to the east and west of the main hall were bedrooms. The east room was for Gu Dalin and his wife. The three of them entered the eastern bedroom first to get the heated brick bed going.

The heated brick bed in this room was built against the south wall; the quilts and mattresses on it were brand new. As for the room’s cabinets, chests, and small tables—all the furniture—Xiao Yunjing had bought them. Each day, after selling herbs in town, he used the ox cart to bring them back and install them.

It had to be said that Xiao Yunjing was very conscientious.

For such a burly, rough-looking man to possess such thoughtfulness, it was clear he was rugged on the outside but meticulous within.

And towards her, he was even more so; one could say he was meticulously attentive.

It was enough to thaw a sliver of her heart, which had been frozen for what felt like an eternity.

The two boys carried firewood in from outside, and the three of them started lighting the fire to heat the brick bed.

Being poor farming folk, they couldn’t afford charcoal and always chopped their own firewood from the mountains.

The heated brick bed was designed with smoke vents, so little smoke would enter the room, and it wouldn’t suffocate those inside.

The two boys looked at the warming brick bed, their eyes crinkling with joy.

This winter, they finally wouldn’t have to endure hunger and cold. The two boys snuggled tightly against her.

The three of them thus sat on the warm brick bed, waiting for Gu Dalin and the others to return.

“You’re so good to us, Sister,” Dashuang murmured, leaning his head in her lap.

Gu Qingli ruffled the boys’ hair and kissed their heads, saying, “My Dashuang and Xiaoshuang are good too.”

Silly little brothers, this is what your own kindness has earned you.

The two boys looked up, smiling sweetly.

Gu Qingli looked into their sparkling eyes and said, “You must understand that in this world, there is no hatred without reason, nor is there affection without reason. Kindness begets kindness; it’s always mutual.”

The two boys nodded. Although they felt they didn’t quite understand their sister’s words, they committed them to memory.

Gu Qingli was only teaching them one principle: if you want others to be good to you, you must also be good to others.

This was the most fundamental principle of interacting with people, and she hoped the two boys would understand it.

More profound principles would have to wait until they grasped the basics. Those they would gradually discover on their own after they started school.

At the same time, she also told them that her being good to them was because they were good to her; it was reciprocal.

She couldn’t be the only one always giving. If one day she stopped, or could no longer give, they might then feel she was no longer good to them.

She and the two boys were not related by blood. No one could say for sure what the future held.

After all, everyone walks a different path in life.

After a while, Xiaoshuang said, “Sister, don’t worry. You’ll always be our sister, and we’ll always be your younger brothers. When we grow up, we won’t forget your kindness, and we won’t be ungrateful scoundrels.”

“Hehe, our Xiaoshuang is a smart child. Sister believes in you. Let’s work hard together!” Gu Qingli laughed; this little one was truly smart and could understand her meaning.

Dashuang, finally catching on, chimed in, “Sister, I won’t be an ungrateful scoundrel either! Our whole family won’t!”

“Hahaha!” This time, Dashuang genuinely made Gu Qingli laugh. She pinched his cheek, planted a resounding kiss on it, and said, “Sister is very reassured. But we must set a good example ourselves.”

The two boys nodded vigorously.

Just then, a sound came from outside. Dashuang was the first to jump down, exclaiming, “Dad and Mom are back!”

With that, he pattered out quickly.

Gu Qingli and Xiaoshuang also went out.

Sure enough, it was them. Xiao Yunjing was at the front, carrying Gu Dalin.

Following them were Ms. Wu, Eldest Brother Xiao, and Second Brother Xiao, all carrying various items. Gu Qingli and the two boys immediately went out to help them with their load.

“Mother, is that everything?” Gu Qingli asked.

“That’s all. There wasn’t much stuff anyway,” Ms. Wu said, catching her breath.

The group hurried inside. Eldest Brother Xiao and Second Brother Xiao set down their things and departed, as the ox cart was still parked on the road at the village entrance.

After settling Gu Dalin on the heated brick bed, Xiao Yunjing came out, looked at Gu Qingli, and said, “Li’er, you stay here. I’ll go back and bring our meal over, so you won’t have to cook lunch.”

Gu Qingli nodded. “Alright.”

Xiao Yunjing turned and left the room.

Ms. Wu said, “Li’er, we’re not really hungry. Once we’re tidied up, I can just cook something.”

Gu Qingli, while organizing things, said, “It’s alright, Mother. Dashuang and Xiaoshuang are growing boys; they need to eat too.”

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