Chapter 21: The first bit of extra income
“Brother Yu, I’m here!”
Yu Hui had only finished lunch not long ago and was resting on a rocking chair behind the storeroom door. Seeing Hua Changxi arrive at this hour, he was surprised: “Sister Changxi, why have you come at this time?”
Hua Changxi smiled: “I was afraid of delaying Brother Yu’s work, so I came as soon as I finished my task.”
Yu Hui widened his eyes: “Your task is finished?” Cleaning 500 medicinal herbs was no easy feat.
Hua Changxi nodded: “Yes, it’s finished.”
Yu Hui was somewhat amazed by Hua Changxi’s capability. He looked at the sky and asked, “Have you had lunch yet?”
Hua Changxi smiled shyly and said nothing.
Seeing her like this, Yu Hui sighed. Considering her young age, he got up and went to the adjacent room. Soon, he came out with a paper package: “Here, take this to eat.”
Hua Changxi took the paper package: “What is this?” She opened the package to reveal a roasted chicken leg.
Yu Hui: “This is what I was saving for dinner. It’s only for you, Sister; I wouldn’t give it to anyone else.”
Hua Changxi swallowed and re-wrapped the chicken leg, handing it back to Yu Hui: “I can’t eat Brother Yu’s dinner. Brother Yu, you don’t need to worry about me; I can endure hunger.”
Yu Hui’s expression turned stern, and he pushed the paper package back: “Take it if I give it to you. Do you think your Brother Yu lacks chicken legs?”
Seeing him like this, Hua Changxi no longer stood on ceremony and happily opened the package to eat.
The food from the Labor Department was plentiful and filling, but there wasn’t much meat. They only ate meat once every ten days. She was truly craving meat.
While eating, Hua Changxi looked at the others busy in the storeroom: “Brother Yu, everyone else is working hard. Won’t they have any objections if you’re resting here?”
Yu Hui smiled proudly: “Sister, your Brother Yu is different from those people.”
Hua Changxi asked curiously: “How are you different?”
Yu Hui’s face showed pride: “The Storeroom Steward, Eunuch Yu, is your Brother Yu’s father.”
This was something Hua Changxi truly hadn’t expected, and her face showed surprise.
Yu Hui’s gaze was particularly serious at this moment, not missing any change in Hua Changxi’s expression. Seeing only surprise and no hint of disdain, he continued:
“Your Brother Yu is an orphan. Before entering the Labor Department, I was a beggar in the Capital City, and anyone could bully me.”
“From a young age, I knew that children without parents were the lowest. So, I found a father for myself.”
“With a father, I had a backer. With a backer, I could establish myself here in the storeroom.”
Yu Hui smiled at Hua Changxi: “Sister, the reason you can freely choose medicinal herbs in the storeroom is because your Brother Yu recognized a good father. Without this connection, you would have to deal with whatever medicinal herbs the storeroom assigned to you; you wouldn’t have the luxury of picking and choosing.”
Hua Changxi hadn’t expected Yu Hui to have such a background. After thinking for a moment, she said: “Brother Yu, you are very capable.”
Yu Hui smiled: “Don’t you think recognizing a eunuch as a father is a shameless thing to do?”
Hua Changxi knew that most of the time, only eunuchs would recognize older eunuchs as fathers. Yu Hui likely had reservations about this matter, so she immediately said: “Why would you say that? Eunuchs are people too, and people have the right to be fathers.”
This perspective was something Yu Hui had never considered before.
Although no one dared to provoke him in his domain within the storeroom, he knew that everyone looked down on him in their hearts and avoided him.
Even he himself felt some self-loathing.
He usually comforted himself with the benefits he gained from being under Eunuch Yu. Today, Sister Changxi’s words gave him a sense of sudden enlightenment.
Yes, what’s wrong with being a eunuch? Eunuchs are just men with a deficiency. As men, they have the right to be fathers. Being Eunuch Yu’s son was not a disgrace.
Yu Hui’s gaze towards Hua Changxi softened further. Just for her words, the care he had shown her during this time was worthwhile.
“Sister Changxi, no wonder I took a liking to you. Today, your brother will impart some life experience to you.”
“When getting by in the Labor Department, face is the least important thing. Don’t hesitate for a moment when you need to let it go.”
“Clinging to pride leads to suffering; this is the bloody lesson learned by countless laborers. I’m telling you, losing face but gaining practical benefits is the true victory.”
Hua Changxi was silent for a moment: “Can I have both face and practical benefits?”
Living was very important.
Living with dignity was also very important.
Yu Hui widened his eyes: “Sister, you’re a bit greedy.”
Hua Changxi chuckled and said no more.
Seeing that Hua Changxi had almost finished eating, Yu Hui got up and led her into the storeroom.
There were hundreds of carts of medicinal herbs that needed to be reclassified and arranged. In the storeroom, over a dozen laborers were sweating profusely as they worked.
Seeing Yu Hui lead in a young woman, several male laborers immediately burst into laughter. Their laughter then drew the attention of others.
“Go, go, go. This is my sister. What are you laughing at? Get back to work.”
“Brother Yu has a sister now. When will we find ourselves a sister!”
Hua Changxi could clearly feel everyone in the storeroom sizing her up with ambiguous gazes. For the sake of the Hundred Herbs Annotation, she could only suppress her discomfort and repeatedly tell herself to endure it.
Yu Hui didn’t pay much attention to the male laborers’ teasing. On the contrary, he felt quite proud that a young woman was so eager to help him.
Therefore, Yu Hui only lightly scolded them a few times and didn’t strictly stop them, though he was also subtly observing Hua Changxi’s expression.
He had only become Eunuch Yu’s son the year before last. In the past two years, his life in the storeroom had indeed improved significantly, but no young woman had actively sought him out before.
So, when Hua Changxi appeared before him and even tried to please him by calling him ‘Big Brother’ repeatedly, even knowing her intentions weren’t pure, he felt gratified.
He quite liked Sister Changxi’s personality, but she was too young.
Yu Hui looked at Hua Changxi again. She was beautiful and could talk to him. Perhaps he should wait a few years for her?
Lost in thought, Yu Hui led Hua Changxi to a pile of medicinal herbs.
After the laughter from the laborers in the storeroom, Yu Hui felt it necessary to display his masculine strength in front of Hua Changxi. He said, “Sister, why don’t you rest? Your Brother Yu has plenty of strength.”
Hua Changxi looked at the bundles of medicinal herbs and smiled: “Didn’t I come to help Brother Yu? It would be a waste of my trip if I didn’t work.”
Without waiting for Yu Hui’s response, she began to move the medicinal herbs according to their classification.
Each bundle of medicinal herbs weighed at least a hundred catties. Hua Changxi lifted one bundle at a time with ease and then swiftly carried them to the designated locations.
Watching this scene, the laughter in the storeroom gradually subsided.
Having grown up as a beggar, Yu Hui was very sensitive to changes in people’s emotions. Looking at Hua Changxi diligently working, he keenly sensed that the recent laughter had angered her.
Why was she angry?
Did Sister Changxi look down on him?
Thinking of this possibility, Yu Hui felt a bit angry. After a moment of silence, he didn’t say anything and joined in the work.
Once the gazes that had been on her shifted away, Hua Changxi continued to move medicinal herbs while secretly tasting the ones she could reach.
Hundred Herbs Annotation Perfection: Taste Hundred Herbs 1221/10000
Hundred Herbs Annotation Perfection: Taste Hundred Herbs 1222/10000
┊
Seeing the data change, Hua Changxi’s mood gradually brightened.
As everyone was moving medicinal herbs, more laborers arrived with more herbs to be stored.
Yu Hui and the male laborers in the storeroom had to receive them. Because the workload had increased, none of them were happy, and they were all grumbling.
“Sister Changxi, you should rest for a while. You can continue after we get back.”
After they left, Hua Changxi quickly weaved through the storeroom, tasting all the unexamined medicinal herbs as quickly as possible.
“Huh?”
Hua Changxi discovered a pile of dried medicinal herbs at the far end of the storeroom. As she approached, her pupils dilated in shock.
Among that pile of withered medicinal herbs was Spirit Grass!
Spirit Grass is a spiritual plant, and not just any ordinary one.
Spirit Grass is attribute-less and can be used by all cultivators. It is the main ingredient for refining Spirit Origin Pills. Depending on its age, Spirit Grass can have different grades, with the highest being a fourth-tier spiritual plant.
However, if Spirit Grass is not preserved properly, its spiritual energy will dissipate rapidly once it is removed from the soil, eventually turning into withered grass.
Hua Changxi picked up a stalk of Spirit Grass. Although it was withered, seeing how the people in the storeroom had piled it up like refuse, she felt a pang of heartache.
At this moment, Hua Changxi saw Yu Hui and his group returning to the storeroom, so she quickly returned to her original position and continued moving medicinal herbs.
With Hua Changxi’s help, Yu Hui, who would have normally worked through the night, finished his task shortly after dark.
Yu Hui saw that Hua Changxi was sweating profusely from exhaustion and felt a bit embarrassed. However, the thought that she looked down on him made him uncomfortable again.
“Sister Changxi, thank you for your help. Tell me, how do you want me to thank you?”
Yu Hui showed no emotion on his face and continued to smile.
Hua Changxi smiled: “I’m very happy to be able to help Brother Yu.”
Yu Hui remained noncommittal and asked with a smile again: “Do you really want nothing? This opportunity won’t come again.”
Hua Changxi hesitated for a moment before speaking: “Brother Yu, I saw a pile of withered medicinal herbs in the corner of the storeroom. Are those herbs no longer needed?”
A hint of disappointment flashed in Yu Hui’s eyes: “Those medicinal herbs were discarded due to improper storage. A special team will come to collect them regularly.”
Hua Changxi: “Brother Yu, I’ve never seen those medicinal herbs before. May I take some back to research?”
Yu Hui suddenly smiled: “Sister Changxi, you came to help me, but it wasn’t because you were after the medicinal herbs in the storeroom, was it?”
Hua Changxi’s expression changed, and she said angrily: “Brother Yu, how could you think that of me? If I were truly after medicinal herbs, why wouldn’t I want some good ones? What use is there in taking withered ones back?”
Yu Hui thought about it and felt she had a point. However, he still made a judgment about Hua Changxi in his heart, believing she had approached him with ulterior motives.
“Go ahead and choose. Consider it your reward for helping me today.”
“By the way, don’t blame me for not warning you. Laborers are not allowed to take any medicinal herbs out of the Medical Affairs Department, not even withered ones.”
After speaking, Yu Hui strode away.
Watching him leave, Hua Changxi frowned. She didn’t know what she had done to upset him, as they had been getting along fine before.
Not wanting to dwell on it, Hua Changxi quickly went to the corner of the storeroom and picked out all the Spirit Grass. There were over twenty stalks. Although they were all withered, there should still be some residual spiritual energy within them.
Hua Changxi took the Spirit Grass and left the storeroom. She didn’t see Yu Hui as she left.
“Brother Yu is really something. Sister Changxi left, and he didn’t even see her off.” The people in the storeroom watched Hua Changxi leave alone with smiles.
Holding the Spirit Grass, Hua Changxi glanced at the data: Hundred Herbs Annotation Perfection: Taste Hundred Herbs 2524/10000.
Her efforts today were not in vain; her gains were immense.
