[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl":3,"chapter-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-43":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Great Jin's Most Iron Rice Bowl",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1896817,2531,"Chapter 43: Atavism","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-43",43,"\u003Cp>Hua Changxi had quite a few pills in her possession; selling them to an apothecary shop would not only risk being lowballed but might also invite unwanted attention. Since she knew no intermediaries, after much hesitation, she went to find Apothecary Xu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apothecary Xu also operated an apothecary shop; or rather, most alchemists and physicians of the Medical Bureau ran their own shops outside the bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On ordinary days, these alchemists and physicians served at the Medical Bureau, while their shops were managed either by family members or by hired hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The common people, valuing their reputations and medical skills, would go to their shops to purchase medicine and seek treatment, making these establishments busier than ordinary apothecaries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Hua Changxi arrived at Xu's Apothecary, she found Apothecary Xu absent, with only a shophand minding the store.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Happy New Year, Brother Wu Shuang. Is Uncle Xu here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When not on duty, Apothecary Xu usually attended to patients in the shop, so Hua Changxi was somewhat surprised not to see him there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shophand Wu Shuang smiled and said, \"Happy New Year, Ninth Lady. The Proprietor is in the rear courtyard.\" Then, lowering his voice, he added, \"A-Ling is ill, and the Proprietor is caring for her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Hua Changxi hurriedly asked, \"Is A-Ling's illness serious?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ling was Apothecary Xu's daughter. His wife had died of illness shortly after giving birth to Xu Ling, and for years, father and daughter had relied solely on each other. Hua Changxi knew just how much Apothecary Xu cherished his daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Shuang scratched his head. \"I don't know if it's serious. A-Ling has no other symptoms, just excessive sleepiness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi asked, \"What do you mean by excessive sleepiness?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing that Apothecary Xu treated Hua Changxi like a junior family member, Wu Shuang did not hide the truth. \"At first, A-Ling just woke up late in the morning. Later, she wouldn't wake until afternoon. But now, she only wakes for a short while at night; she sleeps all other times.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi frowned deeply. \"How long has this been going on?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Shuang thought for a moment. \"Since last October. After the snow began falling in Jingcheng, A-Ling became increasingly sleepy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Wu Shuang, I'll go to the rear courtyard to see A-Ling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On previous visits to Xu's Apothecary, Hua Changxi had entered the rear courtyard without needing announcement, so Wu Shuang did not stop her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uncle Xu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entering the rear courtyard, Hua Changxi did not see Apothecary Xu in the main hall and walked directly toward the east wing room where Xu Ling lived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The east wing of Apothecary Xu's home followed a layout of one bright room flanked by two dark rooms: the center served as a sitting room, while the ends were a study and a bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wing room door stood open. Calling out for Apothecary Xu, Hua Changxi stepped into the sitting room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apothecary Xu, sitting by Xu Ling's bedside, startled visibly at the sound. Then, to Hua Changxi's astonishment, he rushed out of the bedroom, quickly shoved Hua Changxi out of the sitting room, and swiftly shut the wing room door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi stared at Apothecary Xu in bewilderment, deeply puzzled by his sudden behavior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apothecary Xu's actions had been instinctive. Facing Hua Changxi's confused gaze, he realized he had overreacted but did not know how to explain himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After her initial shock, Hua Changxi tentatively asked, \"Uncle Xu, what exactly is wrong with A-Ling?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apothecary Xu's reaction could only mean one thing: he feared others seeing Xu Ling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Apothecary Xu remain silent, Hua Changxi continued, \"Uncle Xu, two heads are better than one. Even if I cannot help much, if you tell me about A-Ling's condition, perhaps I can offer some diagnostic insights.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apothecary Xu looked at Hua Changxi. Over the past few years, Ninth Lady had interacted frequently with him, and consequently, A-Ling had also become familiar with Ninth Lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apothecary Xu trusted Hua Changxi's character. After a moment's hesitation, he turned and opened the wing room door. \"Come inside with me to see A-Ling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi followed Apothecary Xu into Xu Ling's bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ling lay sleeping peacefully, her expression serene, except... her cheeks were covered in silvery-white patterns that glowed with a faint luster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's pupils trembled. She quickly stepped to the bedside and examined the patterns on Xu Ling's face closely. \"These patterns... they resemble snake scales. What do you think, Uncle Xu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her lean so close and analyze so seriously, Apothecary Xu was somewhat surprised. \"Aren't you afraid?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi paused. She indeed did not feel particularly afraid; instead, she felt a faint stir of excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the day she began cultivation, she had known this was a world of mystery and fantasy, yet she had always felt that the mystical aspect remained distant from ordinary people, requiring great effort to explore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had never expected to encounter such extraordinary and bizarre events so soon, and right within her own circle of life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She felt excited, thrilled to finally touch the mystical side of this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, such thoughts could not be shared with outsiders. Thus, Hua Changxi looked at Apothecary Xu seriously. \"Uncle Xu, the person lying there is A-Ling. What is there to fear?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally having someone with whom to discuss his daughter's condition, Apothecary Xu could not help but say, \"You don't know. Two days ago, when I saw snake scales appearing on A-Ling's face, I was nearly scared to death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi comforted him, \"Uncle Xu, do not be afraid. Even if A-Ling has turned into a snake, she is still your daughter, isn't she?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apothecary Xu: \"...\" He did not feel comforted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi took Xu Ling's hand and began checking her pulse; she was truly extremely curious about Xu Ling's condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could snake-scale patterns appear on a human face?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Observation, Listening, Questioning, and Pulse-Taking Technique (Entry Level): Diagnosis 1\u002F10]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi let out an \"Eh?\" as new data appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Apothecary Xu hurriedly asked, \"What is it? Did you discover something? I examined A-Ling's body before and found no issues whatsoever.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi quickly shook her head. The moment the data appeared, a warm current rushed straight to her eyes. After a wave of warmth, she discovered her eyes could now perceive even finer details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, right now, she could see that the glow of the snake scales on Xu Ling's face rose and fell in rhythm with her breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi stood up again and carefully examined Xu Ling's body, discovering that snake-scale patterns had also appeared on her hands and feet, with the light on these patterns also changing with her breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching this scene, Hua Changxi suddenly recalled the image of a small bird breathing and exhaling that had appeared in her mind during her cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she cultivated, she could clearly sense that every pore on her body was breathing and exhaling in sync with her own respiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How similar this was to Xu Ling's current situation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi suddenly felt a chill of fear. She had always cultivated alone and had never seen her own appearance while cultivating. Could it be that she, too, was growing bird feathers all over her body during cultivation, just like Xu Ling?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, no, no!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi immediately dismissed the thought. She cultivated in the dormitory of the Labor Hall; if there had truly been anything wrong with her, her roommates would have caused an uproar long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, her situation and Xu Ling's were different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Xu Ling again with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was Xu Ling cultivating?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling that her ability to cultivate was entirely due to the Daoist Priest, Hua Changxi hurriedly asked Apothecary Xu, \"Uncle Xu, before A-Ling became excessively sleepy, did she ever go out or come into contact with any unusual people?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apothecary Xu shook his head. \"A-Ling usually stays in the apothecary shop every day. The people she contacts are either patients seeking treatment or customers buying medicine. Where would there be any unusual people?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi could not make sense of it; Xu Ling had never left home nor encountered anyone unusual, so how could such a bizarre thing happen to her? Surely she hadn't triggered it herself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Triggered it herself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at the snake scales on Xu Ling's face, and a flash of inspiration struck her mind; she recalled a type of spiritual plant recorded in the \"Commentary on the Materia Medica\" called the Atavism Fruit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Atavism...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, Hua Changxi thought of that household-name story and looked curiously at Physician Xu: \"Uncle Xu, was Ah Ling's mother surnamed Bai?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu did not understand why Hua Changxi suddenly mentioned his late wife, but he replied nonetheless: \"Ah Ling's mother was surnamed Zhou, however, an ancestor of my Xu family was indeed surnamed Bai.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Hua Changxi immediately clapped her hands together and said excitedly: \"Uncle Xu, have you heard the story of the White Snake?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The White Snake? Of course Physician Xu had heard of it; he asked puzzledly: \"I have, so what?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi grew somewhat agitated: \"Uncle Xu, the person surnamed Xu whom the White Snake Lady Bai repaid for her kindness bears your very surname, Xu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu's face darkened: \"What exactly are you trying to say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's eyes sparkled: \"Uncle Xu, Ah Ling is excessively sleepy; do you not feel her condition resembles a snake hibernating?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu's face turned completely black: \"Hua Ninth Lady, if you continue spouting nonsense, do you believe I won't throw you out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Physician Xu angry, Hua Changxi had to suppress her excitement: \"Am I not providing you with a line of thought? Uncle Xu, think carefully; is my reasoning not quite reasonable?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reasonable my foot!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu was so angry he directly cursed: \"So your meaning is that my Xu family's ancestor was a snake, and we are all descendants of snakes, is that it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"Do not be angry; I say this based on sources.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu was so furious his chest heaved; this Hua Ninth Lady had effectively expelled his entire family from the human registry, yet expected him not to be angry; it was infuriating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hua Ninth Lady, make yourself clear; if you cannot explain yourself clearly, I will sever ties with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"Uncle Xu, have you heard of a fruit called the Atavism Fruit?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu snorted coldly: \"This physician has not heard of it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's expression turned serious: \"But I have heard of it; it is said that after consuming this Atavism Fruit, one's bloodline can revert to its ancestors; this is the spiritual fruit most dreamed of by the demonic races.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu laughed in anger: \"Now demonic races are involved? Hua Ninth Lady, have you read so many storybooks that your brain is ruined?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unaffected by Physician Xu's mood, Hua Changxi continued: \"Humans can also undergo atavism; it is said that in ancient times, humans were protected by deities, and people of that era possessed divine power within their bodies; after humans undergo atavism, they can once again possess divine power.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu grew too lazy to listen and directly pushed Hua Changxi out of the side room: \"Go back wherever you came from; you are not welcome here; go tell your stories elsewhere.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi had never expected Physician Xu to believe her; looking at him seriously, she said: \"Uncle Xu, Ah Ling should be fine; do not let others know about her condition; demonic monks and demonic Daoists are most interested in people like Ah Ling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu was extremely impatient: \"Hurry up and leave!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said no more; after urging Physician Xu a few more times, she departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she left, Physician Xu stood silently in the courtyard for a while, then returned to the side room, gazed at his daughter for a long time, and finally entered the hall dedicated to worshipping the Xu family ancestors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the Bai family spirit tablet placed at the very top of the offering table, Physician Xu's expression was extremely complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The story of the White Snake circulated widely throughout the Great Jin Dynasty; to avoid being mocked by others, Physician Xu had never voluntarily told anyone that his family truly possessed an ancestor surnamed Bai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's words had indeed stirred up waves in Physician Xu's heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason he was affected was not merely due to the story of the White Snake, but also because of certain events that had occurred within the Medical Bureau over the past two years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary commoners only knew the Medical Bureau was a government office, yet few knew it fell under the jurisdiction of the Heaven Department.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heaven Department held authority equal to the Six Ministries and reported directly to the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heaven Department comprised three major divisions; the Medical Bureau was one of them, another was the Martial Academy, and the third division, rarely known to people, was the mysterious Demon Suppression Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demon Suppression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What demons?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, demonic monsters!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past two years, the workload of the Medical Bureau had grown increasingly heavy; the alchemists and physicians of Nine Streets were required to submit more and more pills; where did all those submitted pills go?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small portion was distributed to the Martial Academy, but the majority was sent to the Demon Suppression Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging from the quantity of pills consumed, the number of casualties in the Demon Suppression Bureau had obviously increased significantly over these two years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he had never seen demonic monsters with his own eyes, he could perceive that the opponents of the Demon Suppression Bureau were quite formidable; otherwise, such a large quantity of medicine would not be required.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If demonic monsters truly exist in this world...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu thought of Xu Ling's condition; at this moment, he too felt uncertain whether he was truly human; could it be that the descendants of the Xu family were indeed offspring of snakes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving the Xu Family Pharmacy, Hua Changxi's mood was far from calm; she felt the excitement of a door to a new world opening before her, yet also the gravity of sensing an approaching crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People like Xu Ling had appeared within her circle of life; what about others?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If people like Xu Ling became more and more numerous, could this world remain peaceful in the long run?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sense of crisis surged within Hua Changxi's heart; she needed to hasten her pace to elevate her realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since she had obtained a cultivation opportunity, she did not wish to remain merely a wave passively drifting along when the tide of the times came surging forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to ask Physician Xu to sell the pills in her possession, Hua Changxi thought of Yu Gui; the share of pills allocated to Yu Gui was more than he could use himself, so the remainder would surely be sold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relying on the backing of Eunuch Yu, he should have channels for selling pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, she did not know where Yu Gui resided and could only seek him out upon returning to the Labor Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi did not loiter on the streets but returned directly to the Hua family residence; as soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw many gifts arranged there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ninth Lady has returned; come quickly and see if there is anything you like?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Changxi, Hua Dalang hurriedly smiled and waved for her to come over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Hua had originally been flipping through the gifts Hua Dalang brought back from outside with a face full of joy, but upon seeing him invite Hua Changxi over, the smile on her face faded, though she ultimately did not voice any objection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi walked over and asked: \"Big Brother, who gave all these?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Hua immediately boasted: \"The Earl's Prefecture and the Clan Elder value your big brother now that he is a sixth-rank martial artist; they specially bestowed so many things upon your big brother.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmph, you, his own biological sister, are not even as generous as an outsider.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi ignored Old Lady Hua, glanced at the bolts of cloth and jewelry in the courtyard with no interest, and said, \"I'm going back to my room to rest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of attitude is this!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Hua was furious; the Marquis's residence had shown favor to Dalang, and everyone in the family was delighted for him, yet this Ninth Lady had not offered a single word of congratulations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Dalang assumed Hua Changxi was still angry about the incident on New Year's Eve, so he casually picked out a few bolts of cloth and pieces of jewelry that young ladies liked and went to find her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Hua Changxi returned to her room and had just put away the unsold pills, Hua Dalang entered; she immediately said displeasedly, \"Eldest Brother, next time you enter my room, remember to knock.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Dalang smiled dismissively, \"What, are you really going to become distant from your own eldest brother?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi replied, \"It's not about becoming distant; it's about us having boundaries. I am a grown young lady now; I have my privacy. If you want to enter my room, you must ask for my permission beforehand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Dalang said, \"Fine, fine, fine, I'll knock next time, alright?\" Saying this, he set down the cloth and jewelry in his hands. \"Your eldest brother picked these out for you; see if you like them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Hua Dalang intended to repair their relationship, Hua Changxi did not reject his gesture; she glanced through the cloth and jewelry and said reluctantly, \"They're passable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Dalang chuckled, \"Since joining the Medical Bureau, your standards have certainly risen; our family could never have afforded such jewelry and fabrics before.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at him and said, \"Eldest Brother, my standards didn't rise because I joined the Medical Bureau; I simply believe I deserve better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing this younger sister had loved spouting fallacies since childhood, Hua Dalang did not wish to argue further with her and instead asked with a smile, \"Ninth Lady, was it very hard for you in the Labor Hall?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at Hua Dalang suspiciously as he suddenly showed concern for her. \"It was passable; I can handle it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Dalang, however, wore an expression of disagreement. \"Ninth Lady, come home. It won't be long before your eldest brother takes up his post; I cannot bear to watch my own sister working as a laborer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Hua Changxi could not be bothered to wonder if Hua Dalang meant well and stated directly, \"Eldest Brother, I will not be coming home.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Medical Bureau, although she was merely a laborer, she was at least participating in social production and had entered the social sphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What would returning home amount to? Coming back to become an appendage of the family?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Dalang frowned and said with patience, \"Eldest Brother knows you don't want to stay at home all day; I have already spoken with Grandmother. Once you leave the Medical Bureau, we will entrust the pill refining matters of our family's pharmacy to you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Hua Changxi completely understood what Hua Dalang was plotting; she sneered and said, \"Eldest Brother, you need say no more. No matter how bitter or tiring the Labor Hall is, I am willing to endure it; I will not return to work for the family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Labor Hall, everything she obtained belonged to her personally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she worked at the Hua family pharmacy, everything she did would belong to the Hua family; she would produce value yet have to wait for the Hua family to distribute it. Only a fool would return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Dalang became somewhat angry. \"Ninth Lady, your temperament is truly headache-inducing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi sneered, \"Indeed, I am not like Fifth Sister; young ladies like Fifth Sister are the ones you prefer. It is precisely because of your preference that she became someone else's concubine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Dalang glare at her, Hua Changxi stared directly back. \"Eldest Brother, now that I have walked out of this home, there is no reason for me to return.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Dalang shot to his feet with a swish and said coldly, \"Grandmother was right; you truly were born with rebellious bones and are beyond civilization.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi shrugged and spread her hands. \"This is just how I am.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",3430,"2026-06-12T02:51:22.172Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","1f0bf39e1a36ed29e0589919cc92db3f8caf35e3496a08484c6e50a3840df93c","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-44","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-42",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]