Chapter 114: Is This Your Family

She treats Ling'er like a granddaughter, not only being kind to Ling'er but also equally kind to Feng'er, Yun'er, and Chuan'er.

Outside, snow drifts and falls, and Qiao Mai keeps struggling in the space.

Two thousand mu of land had already become four thousand mu last night; the space shows no sign of movement.

Trading Platform can only sell, can only buy void items.

After upgrading to Level Three Space, the Spiritual Energy inside reached twenty percent; using a spiritual stone together with the space's Spiritual Energy, the promotion speed is still not slow.

From cultivation until now, she has reached Qi Refining Eighth Stage; two more Minor Realms and she can prepare Foundation Building.

Her internal force has also lasted a full sixty-year cycle, entirely thanks to the blessing of spiritual power.

She set her eyes on many things on the Platform, but unfortunately can only look, cannot buy, making her almost starve.

Inside, food, drink, supplies, and clothing are all Exquisite.

She farms while thinking about the items on the Platform, while swallowing saliva.

"Master, you have arrived."

She counted on her fingers; after the land doubles next time, she feels the space can level up again.

No need to be greedy; as long as it is harvested, it will be inexhaustible.

Tonight she will plan the land, no longer only growing medicinal herbs; the previous stock has been mostly consumed.

Each vegetable also plants ten mu; over fifty kinds of vegetables, including leafy and vine vegetables, each also ten mu, doubled becomes twenty mu.

Continuously planting and selling herbs, the number of people buying herbs gradually decreases.

Qiao Cuihua hurriedly waved her hand, "No, it was your parents who drove me out; I heard people in the village and wanted to come see you."

"What brings you to the Town?"

"Just rest assured."

"Eh, eh,"

The woman was shedding tears, peeling eggs, eating while drinking milk tea; although she was suppressing her hunger, Qiao Mai could still see she was very hungry.

"First eat until full, then we'll talk."

After planting these seeds, the last ones were medicinal herbs; this time she planted all medicinal herbs ten mu each, and still had many seeds left.

The sky is still raining, with no sign of stopping.

So the Original Host keeps thinking of this aunt in her heart.

"You are an aunt?"

"After packing, deliver directly to Jixiang Yuan, find Shopkeeper Niu to settle the bill."

She took her to the table outside Qiao Ji Snack Shop, "Sit, it's warm here, with charcoal fire roasting."

The old lady ordered a hot pot at noon, inviting everyone to eat at her place, knowing the later it gets the busier the household is.

At that time her space will play a big role; whether she is good or not she doesn't care, if something happens at least some people won't starve.

The old women added charcoal to the coal basin at midnight; the Poultry House and warm greenhouse are well cared for.

"By the way, from today until the end of the year, keep the Pig Trotters and pig intestines after slaughtering the pigs for me, deliver them home every three days, remember to clean up."

"It's been so long, thank you for still remembering aunt."

For example, Camphor Wood, Nanmu, Sandalwood, Red Wood, Agarwood and other precious trees, she also plants ten mu each.

When passing by Qiao Ji Snack Shop, seeing there were already customers early, Qiao Mai smiled and didn't stay.

Finally it's planting trees; the previous rubber trees remain, kept twenty mu, the rest she cut down and piled in a corner of the space.

Shopkeeper Lu and his daughter didn't go to the shop that early; they both came to join the fun.

"Full, full."

Qiao Mai watched her drink a large bowl of milk tea and eat six eggs, then let out a satisfied belch.

The woman looked at her in disbelief, "Is this run by your family?"

After everyone finished eating, they dispersed, and Qiao Mai went to the meat shop.

Taking care of the children is truly exhausting, so she never asked Yuehong and Yuexia to get up early.

"Follow me."

"Madam Qiao Niang, are you here to buy meat?"

Ling'er was still sleeping in the inner room, and there was no movement in the room where Yuehong and Yuexia were.

After all, her space is unbelievably powerful; after planting a plot of land, she can harvest infinitely, and no plane can block such shipments.

There, only one harvest season per year, life is hard; when Qiao Mai's grandparents were alive they would help her a bit, but since they passed away, Qiao Shicheng has cut off contact with this sister.

The elderly woman lowered her head shyly and stammered.

"Tell me the truth, who was the coward that got you here?"

Qiao Mai watched Piaohua wet her hair after a while, then said.

Qiao Mai looked at her, feeling conflicted; this woman was the one who had once given the Original Host the only warmth.

Now is a good time to make cured meat; she wants to stock up a bit, as the meat disappears quickly with so many family members.

It was rare that the old gentleman and old lady got up early; later, when they came back, everyone gathered together, chatting and laughing.

Nearly five thousand mu of land had been seeded by her.

The later the upgrade, the harder it gets; this is a war of attrition—how could one buy physical goods from the Platform without paying some price?

This woman is Qiao Shicheng's sister, Qiao Cuihua; she married far to the north, almost reaching the Beiguan frontier.

"Yes, it's very fresh."

"Yes, Master."

"Hmm, was this pig just slaughtered?"

The voice gave her a jolt; she turned gently and saw an elderly woman in patched cotton clothing, eyes watery, looking at her.

"Clean it up; I want both of these pigs. I don't need the offal, but clean the large intestine and small intestine for me; I want those two."

She stepped out of the house, looked at the thick layer of snow on the ground, and hurried to the back; at that moment Yuan Jiaqi was with the children, holding a broom, clearing the snow from the greenhouse.

What made her a bit regretful was that the space had no river or well, so she still had to water the plants with mineral water.

She currently has over sixty kinds of fruit seeds in hand: first she plants the fruit trees, then the seedlings, and then the vegetables.

"Since your grandparents passed away, I've rarely gone back. After this autumn harvest, I went to Lihua Village, heard about this, and decided to come to Town to cut some pork and bring it home to see you."

"Eat."

Food is the most important thing; when there's no need, stock up more, in case a drought or flood comes.

Soon, milk tea and tea eggs were brought over, and Qiao Mai pushed the tray toward her.

The two sat down, and a staff member from inside came over to greet her.

"What a good fellow."

The owner had just slaughtered two pigs and was cleaning the pork; seeing her, his mouth almost stretched to his ears.

Her own family was struggling and needed assistance; being able to share a portion of what her grandparents gave to Qiao Mai, this person was already considered kind.

The early breakfast was eaten in Qiao Mai's Main Courtyard; the kitchen brought hot lamb soup with soft stuffed buns, making this harsh winter no longer cold and constantly warming everyone's hearts.

When she stepped out of the space, the sky outside was already bright, just like the usual dawn, but the snow made it especially luminous.

So she sorted the seeds, planting fruit first—ten mu of each, which doubled to twenty mu.

"Still want to eat?"

"Go pour a bowl of milk tea and bring a few tea eggs."

Qiao Mai finished explaining, turned, and was about to go back when someone called her.

"This?"

Speaking of this tree, there are many varieties, but she only plants those that are valuable—or rather, useful to her.

She looked at the remaining hundred mu of land, saw the sky brightening, and with a single thought, planted wheat over the whole hundred mu.

When Qiao Mai was a child, her parents favored sons, and she often went hungry at home; each time this aunt visited, before leaving she would secretly slip her a few buns to hide and eat slowly.

"Mai Mai?"

"Is the family really too miserable?"

The woman lowered her head and nodded gently, "They said you're doing better; I was wondering if I could borrow some food from you."

The more she spoke, the less confidence she had, her voice grew softer, until the last sound faded away.

Qiao Mai stared at her and said, "Then why pretend, why buy meat? Just come straight to my house; are you saying that if you don't buy anything, I won't acknowledge you as my aunt?"

(End of chapter)