Grandma Qin sliced the lush green sprouts from the garlic into thin strips.
She rendered the fat from the pork belly, creating a fragrant oil. First, she flash-fried the garlic shoot strips to release their aroma, then tossed in the sliced pork to stir-fry.
She sprinkled in fine salt and added two or three Sichuan peppercorns.
Wisps of smoke drifted from the chimney. The roaring fire produced a plate of incredibly fragrant stir-fried pork with garlic shoots!
Shen Ningning had been standing by the stove from the very beginning, craning her neck in anticipation. Her little pink tongue darted out to lick her lips several times.
'I'm starving!'
Just then, the pot of rice cooking nearby began BUBBLING.
When the lid was lifted, the white rice grains were perfectly distinct, releasing a pure, grainy aroma.
Shen Ningning could feel herself drooling.
The food was ready.
The vibrant green garlic shoots and the marbled strips of pork were ladled over the rice. A simple stir was all it took to create a delicious meal!
Grandma Qin and the little one sat on the doorstep, holding their bowls and savoring the food.
"Grandma, you eat more meat!" Shen Ningning noticed Grandma Qin had given all the meat to her, so the little girl quickly moved some back into her grandma's bowl.
Only then did she begin to enjoy her own meal.
But her hands were too small, and she wasn't very good with chopsticks.
By the end of the meal, she had two grains of white rice stuck to her little face, which Grandma Qin smilingly picked off.
This was the most delicious meal Shen Ningning had ever eaten; she finished a whole large bowl.
Grandma Qin said with a smile, "Good girl, eat slowly. Grandma has put the garlic cloves in water to grow. When the shoots sprout again, I'll make you stir-fried eggs with them!"
Shen Ningning's eyes instantly sparkled!
Having tasted the sweet rewards of her harvest, she spent the entire night planting in the Immortal Realm.
Although she didn't recognize the types of seeds, Shen Ningning picked out eight kinds of seedlings that looked appealing and planted them directly in the soil.
She used up sixteen square plots of land, leaving fourteen fertile plots, which Shen Ningning decided to save for later.
The next morning, she packed the Longevity Root into a bundle, preparing to go into the city to sell it.
Grandma Qin had already cooked her a bowl of delicious plain noodles.
The hand-pulled noodles were chewy. They were seasoned with a light touch of salt and pepper, topped with a fried egg, and sprinkled with a handful of wild scallions.
Shen Ningning ate with great satisfaction, her little face flushed and rosy.
The Black Wolf King stood nearby with his pack, his gaze escorting the little one as she left Wolf Mountain.
The pharmacy manager and the groom he had brought with him were already waiting at the foot of the mountain.
Seeing the little girl's figure, the manager hurriedly greeted her respectfully, "Little Miss, the sun is fierce today. This is a medicine bag to help ward off the heat. Please accept it."
His attitude was overly fawning; it was clear he had recognized Shen Ningning's capabilities.
The little girl accepted it generously. "Thank you, Grandpa Shopkeeper."
"Just call me Manager Fang, Little Miss." The manager's round face broke into a smile as he helped Shen Ningning into her carriage.
Inside the carriage.
The pharmacy manager took out some prepared snacks and placed them on a small table.
"Little Miss, I have some urgent business at my shop soon. Would it be alright if I take a look at the medicinal herbs right here in the carriage? If they're good, we can set a price, and when we get to the shop, I'll have someone bring you the silver," the manager asked in a sycophantic tone.
Shen Ningning was eating her red fruits and nodded lightly upon hearing his words.
She took the bundle off her back and unwrapped it. Inside were three dark-brown Longevity Roots.
They still had their stems and leaves attached, and were thick and sturdy—top quality!
The pharmacy manager couldn't take his eyes off them, stroking them back and forth several times.
'I'm going to make a fortune!'
The last time, he had resold the Purple Ganoderma Shen Ningning sold him for nine hundred taels!
He said, "How about this? I'll still give you eighty taels, Little Miss, but this time, we'll go by weight."
"These two weigh about three catties, and this bigger one, we'll call it four. Then I'll round it up for you, Little Miss, and give you six hundred taels. What do you think?"
Shen Ningning hesitated for a moment when she heard the number.
On her cheeks, flushed red by the heat, her large, bright black eyes shone with clarity.
The little girl expressed her confusion, "Grandpa Shopkeeper, last time you said that Longevity Root is one of the more expensive herbs in your shop. If it's so expensive, is it only eighty taels a catty? Then why did you pay for my Purple Ganoderma by the piece last time?"
Manager Fang's heart skipped a beat.
'This isn't good. This little girl is too smart!'
He forced a smile and said, "Times are tough right now. There are fewer buyers for expensive herbs. Even if I buy them, I have to worry about not being able to sell them."
After hearing this, Shen Ningning, in her kindness, nodded. "Oh, okay then. Six hundred taels it is."
Manager Fang beamed with joy. "Excellent, excellent! As soon as we get to the shop, I'll get the silver for you, Little Miss!"
The little girl was already calculating in her head.
She planned to give Granny Chen 200 taels, then buy a few things before visiting her brother. Since she had moved, she needed to tell him where her new home was.
Finally, she needed to buy some necessities for her new home.
'Hmm, I also have to check the Jade Shop. My Immortal Realm likes to eat Jade, so I need to see if there's anything good!'
'Six hundred taels... that should be enough, right?'
As they neared the gates of the Capital City, a foul stench drifted in on the wind.
Manager Fang was the first to cover his nose and mouth, reminding Shen Ningning, "Little Miss, that's the smell of dead bodies. It's awful. You should hold your breath, too."
The little girl covered her nose and mouth and lifted a corner of the curtain to look outside.
The last time she came, there were many refugees sitting by the roadside.
Now, most of the refugees were lying on the ground, their faces a deathly, ashen blue.
"Are they dead?" Shen Ningning was a little frightened.
Manager Fang sighed. "Yes. The drought has led to a food shortage. The rich and powerful nobles aren't afraid, but it's been hard on the common people."
"They've either starved to death or died of thirst. I heard even the small river in the city is about to dry up. Summer has only just begun. If it doesn't rain again..." He trailed off with a sigh.
He continued with a lament, "Four years ago, the State Preceptor even prophesied that the birth of a blessed girl would end the great drought! The only time we had a downpour was on the day that blessed girl was born—it nearly flooded the Capital City. Unfortunately, it hasn't really rained much since then."
"From what I can see, what the State Preceptor said wasn't entirely correct." After saying this, Manager Fang felt he had spoken too much and quickly changed the subject with a chuckle. "Little Miss, what are you planning to sell me next time?"
Shen Ningning pondered, "Hmm... It depends on my mood."
If she needed a lot of money, she'd sell expensive herbs. If she wasn't short on cash, she'd just sell something ordinary.
Just then, the carriage came to a sudden stop.
They had arrived at the city gates, and the surrounding refugees who were still alive heard the carriage and came running over like starving ghosts pouncing on food!
"Food! Food!"
Reeking horribly, they surrounded the carriage so tightly that it couldn't move.
The pharmacy manager lifted the curtain and cursed, "Get lost! Get lost, now!"
But the refugees, crazed with hunger, paid him no mind. Seeing that some were about to pull the groom down and try to force their way into the carriage...
Shen Ningning quickly grabbed the pastries from the table and threw them outside.
Instantly, all the refugees' attention was diverted, and they lunged for the food.
At that moment, a filthy but agile refugee snatched all the pastries in one go.
He was immediately surrounded by all the other refugees. They rained heavy blows on him, but the man just desperately stuffed the food into his mouth.
Seeing him fiercely protecting the food while being beaten relentlessly, Shen Ningning grew anxious.
"Stop hitting him! Here's some water!" She threw out the waterskin she had brought with her.
The refugees immediately let go of the man and started fighting over the waterskin instead.
The pharmacy manager thought these people were truly insane. He immediately urged the groom, "Hurry, go! Into the city!"
Shen Ningning leaned worriedly against the carriage window, her small head peeking back.
The man who had just been beaten was sitting on the ground, eating the pastries while watching her direction with bright, dark eyes.
It looked like he was okay.
Shen Ningning retracted her gaze, relieved.