Chapter 4: The Spirit Spring Emerges, and the Crippled Uncle Stands Up

The bones had barely begun to simmer when their fragrance slipped through the crack in the door.

Su Yaoyao stood on tiptoe by the stove, her little nose twitching nonstop, eyes fixed on the steaming pot, her lips shining with saliva. Lu Yuxuan crouched before the firebox, a stick of firewood clenched in his hand and forgotten, too busy staring into the pot to add it. “Hurry and put in more wood, or the meat won’t cook,” Su Yaoyao said with a smile, patting his head.

Lu Yuxuan gave an “oh” and quickly stuffed the wood inside. Flames leapt up at once, tinting his face a rosy red. Lu Xingchen sat by the kang bed sharpening a rusty cleaver, though his ears kept drifting toward the stove despite himself.

Su Yaoyao sprinkled in a handful of salt, cut up some dried sweet potato left over from yesterday, and tossed it in. While pretending to wipe the edge of the pot, she let her fingertips brush the rim—last night she had tried it, and the spirit spring water could now be summoned by thought, one tiny drop at a time.

The clear bead fell into the boiling broth and dissolved instantly, not even raising a ripple.

“All right. Let it simmer a bit longer and then we can eat.” She covered the pot and added a few hard chunks of firewood, letting the fire burn slowly.

The scent of meat mingled with the sweetness of the dried sweet potato and filled the room. The stomachs of the three children growled loudly, and anticipation shone from their eyes.

Suddenly, a dull thud came from outside the courtyard gate, as if someone were tapping the ground with an object. Su Yaoyao opened the door and saw Old Wang from next door leaning on a cane, shuffling over step by step.

He was in his sixties, had been lame in the right leg for nearly ten years, and was said to have been run over by an ox cart long ago. For years he had relied on a cane to walk, and seldom left the house. He wore an old cotton jacket that had faded white, his face lined with wrinkles. When he saw Su Yaoyao, his clouded eyes brightened.

“Xiaosu, you’re stewing meat?” He peered into the house and sniffed hard. “Smells wonderful. I haven’t smelled this in years.”

Su Yaoyao felt sorry for him. She turned back inside, ladled out a bowl of broth, and deliberately scooped in a bone with meat on it.

“Uncle, have a taste.” She handed him the bowl. “It was just cooked. Still hot.”

Old Wang froze, then hurriedly waved his hands. “No, no, that won’t do. You’ve got three children with you. Meat is precious.”

“It’s fine, there’s more.” Su Yaoyao pushed the bowl into his hands. “Just try it, sir. This broth of mine might even help with leg pain.”

She had only said it casually, hoping to put him at ease and make him accept it.

Old Wang laughed, the wrinkles on his face bunching together. “You little girl sure know how to joke.” He cradled the bowl and blew on it before taking a sip. His eyes went round. “Well, I’ll be damned, this broth is really fresh!”

Not minding the heat, he drank in small mouthfuls and gnawed on the bone too, eating with an expression of complete satisfaction. The three children watched from the house, and Lu Shihan’s swallowing sound was rather loud.

“Good, isn’t it?” Su Yaoyao asked.

“Good, extremely good.” After finishing the last mouthful of broth, Old Wang handed the bowl back. “Thank you, Xiaosu. I’ve never tasted broth this fresh in my life.” Leaning on his cane, he shuffled home, still muttering, “So fresh… truly fresh.”

Su Yaoyao shut the door. When she looked back, the three children were staring at her eagerly, and she could not help laughing. “Stop looking. We’re eating too.”

She brought the stewed meat and broth to the table, and the three children immediately crowded around. Lu Shihan scooped up some soup with a small spoon, blew on it, took a sip, and her face bloomed with a smile. “It’s delicious!”

Lu Yuxuan and Lu Xingchen were not polite either. They picked up chunks of meat and stuffed them into their mouths, eating until their lips were greasy. Watching them gobble it down, Su Yaoyao also ladled herself a bowl of broth.

With the spirit spring water added, the broth tasted even richer. Drinking it left a warm feeling in her stomach. She did not know what other effects this water might have, but it already made the broth taste better, which was enough for her.

“Eat slowly. No one’s going to snatch it.” Su Yaoyao gave each child a piece of meat. “If it’s not enough, there’s more.”

With his mouth still full, Lu Xingchen mumbled, “Mama, you eat too.”

Su Yaoyao felt warmth in her heart and nodded. “I am eating.”

By the end of the meal, the four of them were all sweating, and not a drop of broth remained; even the last of it had been soaked up with cornmeal cakes. Lu Shihan touched her round little belly and leaned against Su Yaoyao, her eyes narrowing into slits.

“The food Sister makes is the best,” she whispered.

“I’ll cook for you often from now on,” Su Yaoyao said with a smile.

That night, after coaxing the three children to sleep, Su Yaoyao sat by the kang bed and pulled up the system panel. The “not activated” mark beside the spirit spring icon was gone, replaced by a tiny water drop symbol. She tried to summon it with her mind, and sure enough, another drop of spirit spring water appeared at her fingertips.

What exactly was this water? Could it really cure illness? She thought of Old Wang’s satisfied expression as he drank the broth and felt a little anticipation.

The next morning, Su Yaoyao was woken by the sound of chopping wood.

It was already daylight, but the three children were still asleep, and Lu Xingchen was holding his younger brother and sister tightly. Su Yaoyao got up quietly and went to the door, pushing it open a crack to look outside.

In Old Wang’s courtyard next door, a figure was chopping firewood. He wore an old cotton jacket, and though his movements were clumsy, they were strong. A small pile of split wood had already formed.

The important thing was that he was not using a cane, and both his legs looked the same length.

Su Yaoyao rubbed her eyes. No mistake—it really was Old Wang!

Hadn’t he been lame for ten years? How could he suddenly be chopping firewood? Could it be because of the bowl of broth from yesterday?

Old Wang seemed tired. He straightened and pounded his lower back. Looking down at his right leg, he tried to walk forward two steps. Though still a little awkward, he truly no longer needed a cane.

First came disbelief on his face, then immense delight. He even tried hopping twice; the movement was clumsy, but it was clear he could really walk.

“Old lady! Come look!” he shouted into the house, his voice trembling.

Old Madam Wang ran out. When she saw the firewood in the yard and then her husband standing there without a cane, her eyes reddened. “Old man, your leg… it’s healed?”

“Healed! Healed!” Old Wang said excitedly. “Yesterday I drank a bowl of meat broth from Xiaosu’s house, and this morning my leg didn’t hurt anymore. I tried standing up, and I actually could walk!”

“Really?” someone exclaimed in astonishment. “A bowl of soup cured a lame leg that had been bad for ten years?”

“What would I lie to you for?” Old Wang pointed toward Su Yaoyao’s house. “It was that little girl Xiaosu. Yesterday she ladled me a bowl of meat broth and even said it might help my leg. I didn’t believe it then…”

As soon as he said that, all eyes turned toward Su Yaoyao’s house. Su Yaoyao hurriedly pulled the door crack shut, her heart racing.

She had never imagined the spirit spring water would be so powerful that it would truly heal Old Wang’s leg. If people found out, would they treat her like a monster?

The crowd began talking among themselves.

“Isn’t that eerie?”

“I think that girl Su is no ordinary person. She just arrived from the city and already had ration tickets to exchange for meat, and now she can even cure a lame leg…”

“Could she be some kind of fox spirit? Using sorcery or something…”

Hearing that, Su Yaoyao’s heart sank. In this era, being branded as a fox spirit or a practitioner of dark arts was no joke.

Lu Xingchen somehow had woken up. He stood beside Su Yaoyao, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly. “Sister, they’re saying bad things again,” he said softly.

Su Yaoyao patted his head. Outside the courtyard gate, someone knocked and called, “Comrade Su, are you home?”

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. Several villagers stood there, all looking at her eagerly.

“Comrade Su,” a middle-aged woman said as she leaned forward, rubbing her hands together, “I heard your broth can cure illness? My old man’s waist is bad. Could you maybe…”

Before she could finish, another woman squeezed over. “My child keeps coughing. Could Comrade Su take a look too?”

In an instant, everyone crowded around, all talking at once and begging her to cure them.

“Everyone, don’t push!” Su Yaoyao said quickly, waving her hands. “I’m not a doctor. I can’t treat illness. Old Wang’s leg getting better was probably just a coincidence…”

“How could it be a coincidence?” Old Wang pushed through the crowd and said, “Xiaosu, don’t be modest. Your broth must have something special.” He looked at Su Yaoyao, his eyes full of gratitude. “If not for you, I’d be leaning on a cane for the rest of my life.”

Su Yaoyao was at a loss for words. She couldn’t exactly say she had spirit spring water, could she?

“I really can’t cure illness,” she said, forcing herself to continue. “That broth was just ordinary meat broth. Maybe Old Wang just happened to recover…”

“Comrade Su, please help us.”

“Just take a look.”

The crowd kept pushing, and someone even tried to squeeze into the house. Lu Xingchen hurriedly shielded Lu Yuxuan and Lu Shihan behind him, watching the others warily like a bristling little beast.

Just as Su Yaoyao was struggling to think of an excuse to send them away, she saw Brigade Secretary Li Jianguo walking over from behind the crowd.

“What are you all doing gathered here?” Secretary Li frowned. Though his voice was not loud, it carried authority.

The villagers fell silent at once and stepped back to make way.

“Secretary Li.” Su Yaoyao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Secretary Li looked at Su Yaoyao, then at Old Wang, and finally fixed his gaze on Old Wang’s leg. In surprise, he asked, “Old Wang, your leg… it’s healed?”

“Healed! Thanks to Comrade Su’s broth!” Old Wang said excitedly.

Secretary Li’s brow furrowed more deeply, and he looked at Su Yaoyao. “Comrade Su, what exactly is going on here?”

Su Yaoyao hurriedly explained, “Secretary Li, I just ladled Old Wang a bowl of meat broth. I really didn’t know his leg would get better…”

Secretary Li studied her for a long while, his gaze full of scrutiny. Su Yaoyao’s palms began to sweat.

After quite some time, Secretary Li finally spoke. “I know about Old Wang’s leg. It’s been ten years, and even the county hospital couldn’t fix it. Comrade Su, if you truly have this ability, don’t hide it.” He paused, his tone softening a little. “Of course, if you don’t have that ability, don’t say things carelessly either, so people won’t misunderstand.”

Su Yaoyao nodded hurriedly. “I really don’t have such ability. It was just a coincidence.”

Secretary Li said nothing more, but he turned to the gathered villagers. “All of you, disperse. Don’t crowd around here. Comrade Su has only just arrived at the production team and still has three children to care for. Don’t disturb her.”

Though the villagers were reluctant, since the secretary had spoken, they had no choice but to slowly disperse. Even as they left, some kept looking back at Su Yaoyao with pleading eyes, hoping she would change her mind.

After everyone had gone, Secretary Li spoke to Su Yaoyao for a while—nothing more than to work hard, and if she had difficulties, to seek help from the commune—then left.

Su Yaoyao shut the door, her back drenched with sweat. That scene just now had been far too frightening.

“Sister, will they come again?” Lu Shihan asked softly, fear all over her little face.

“They probably won’t,” Su Yaoyao said, patting her head. “Secretary Li’s here.” Though she said that, she felt uncertain inside.

Lu Xingchen suddenly said, “Mama, if they come again, I’ll use my slingshot on them.”

Lu Yuxuan nodded as well. “I’ll carry stones.”

Looking at these two children acting like little adults, Su Yaoyao felt both warmth and sorrow. She pulled the three of them into her arms. “No need. With Mama here, I won’t let anyone bully you.”

She knew that after this incident, she had become the focus of the village. From now on, life would probably never be as peaceful as before.

She pulled up the system panel again and looked at the small water drop icon, her feelings tangled and complex. The spirit spring water was a good thing—it made the broth taste better and could even cure illness—but it had also brought trouble.

From now on, she could no longer use the spirit spring water carelessly.

Just then, the system’s voice suddenly sounded: Hidden task triggered: cure Old Wang’s leg ailment. Reward: one cubic meter of space expansion, and ten jin of plain flour.

Su Yaoyao froze. There was a reward too?

She checked the panel, and sure enough, there was now a “space” icon, showing one cubic meter, with ten jin of flour listed beside it.

Trying to summon it with her mind, she felt a small space appear in her head, with the ten jin of flour securely stored inside.

This space… could it hold things?

Su Yaoyao was overjoyed, and much of her earlier unease faded. With this space, she would not need to hide things so furtively anymore, and with ten jin of flour, she could make steamed buns for the children.

“Come on,” she said, standing up with a smile for the three children. “Today we’re having steamed buns.”

“Buns!” The children’s eyes lit up at once, and the fear from earlier vanished into the clouds.

Watching their happy faces, Su Yaoyao felt far more at ease. No matter what trouble came later, as long as she could keep these three children fed, clothed, and happy, it would all be worth it.

She went into the kitchen and took the flour from the system space to start kneading the dough. Sunlight streamed through the window and fell on the flour, giving it a soft glow.

Perhaps the spirit spring water brought not only trouble, but hope as well.