Chapter 24: Exceptionally Valuable

Tong Chuxue looked over to see a plump, middle-aged woman she had never met before. Beside her stood a middle-aged man who appeared to be her husband, and following them was a teenage boy with a slovenly air, presumably their son.

Who were these people?

Luo Changhua, who had already taken his seat at the table, stood up abruptly upon seeing them, his expression awkward. "Sister, why are you here?"

Luo Hui'an also looked surprised. "Aunt, long time no see."

The newcomers were indeed the Luo family’s only daughter, Luo Changhui. Since her marriage, she had not been close to the Luo family, and their relationship remained distant. Her sudden appearance today was truly strange.

"Changhua, such a big event as moving into a new house, and you didn't even wait for us to come together. We are brother and sister, after all—blood is thicker than water. You’re being a bit heartless, aren't you?" Luo Changhui complained feignedly, completely ignoring the earlier questioning.

"Mother, there's braised pork!" Luo Changhui's son, Lei Haizheng, had already seated himself with the familiarity of a regular guest, pointing at the braised pork on the table with anticipation.

Seeing the generous portion of meat, Luo Changhui felt her mouth water. She and her husband, Lei Qianfu, sat down without a shred of hesitation.

Coming to this meal was definitely the right choice.

These were people who hadn't been invited, yet they sat down so naturally as if they belonged there. Tong Chuxue was stunned by the shamelessness of this family.

However, in the countryside, anyone who shows up is a guest. Since today was an important housewarming banquet, Tong Chuxue recalled Xu Jinniang’s repeated warnings not to cause any trouble, as it would be inauspicious. No matter how angry she was, she chose to endure it for now.

Luo Changhui’s actions made everyone from the Luo family’s third branch uncomfortable. Since she had addressed Luo Changhua immediately upon arrival, others might assume she had been invited by him, leading to awkward expressions among the third branch.

Luo Changhui, however, didn't care what others thought; it wasn't her who was feeling embarrassed.

"Aunt and Uncle, did you forget something? I believe you haven't given the gift money yet," Luo Hui'an suddenly spoke up.

Luo Changhui, whose eyes had been glued to the braised pork, was caught off guard by the reminder, and a flash of annoyance crossed her face. Generally, it was considered improper to attend a housewarming empty-handed; guests would usually bring eggs or provide a small amount of money to avoid eating for free.

But when Luo Changhui arrived, she had clearly brought nothing and sat down directly.

"I noticed you arrived empty-handed, Aunt. I assumed that since you didn't bring a gift, you must have intended to give money. May I ask how much you plan to give?" Luo Hui'an asked in a measured, polite tone, though every word poked at Luo Changhui's sore spot.

As the atmosphere grew tense, Lei Qianfu put on a facade of being on good terms with everyone, playing the family card. "We're all family here. Why talk about money? That’s too formal."

"Exactly. We are all one family with my younger brother; whatever Changhua gives can count for us too," Luo Changhui chimed in. When it came to having a thick skin, she was unmatched. As for making her pay, that was impossible.

"Aunt, you jest. Since you have married into the Lei family and are listed in the Lei family genealogy, how can you still claim we are the same family?" Luo Hui'an stated calmly before turning to Tong Shan. "Uncle Tong, the village head, could you please clarify whether a married woman is still considered part of her birth family?"

Tong Shan, who had been observing the situation, could no longer remain silent. With Luo Hui'an providing an opening, he spoke up naturally. "According to the laws of our dynasty, when a woman marries, she enters her husband's genealogy. In terms of blood relations, she is family to her brothers, but in terms of social customs and interactions, she belongs to her husband’s household."

Having received the village head's confirmation, Luo Hui'an looked at Luo Changhui. "Well, Aunt?"

Unable to openly defy the village head, Luo Changhui looked displeased and nudged Lei Qianfu with her elbow. Lei Qianfu, appearing to be the type who bullies the weak and fears the strong, felt the weight of many eyes upon him and gave a dry laugh. "Actually, we had prepared it. You see, I've been so busy lately that it simply slipped my mind. Here, girl, take this."

With that, Lei Qianfu fished two copper coins out of his pocket and handed them to Tong Chuxue.

Tong Chuxue gripped the two coins and laughed dryly. "Please, eat and drink well."

Two copper coins—it was pathetic that the Lei family could even bring themselves to offer that; most guests would give at least ten. But since they had given something, if Tong Chuxue were to complain, she would only appear small-minded as a host.

Tong Chuxue tucked the money away and turned to return to the kitchen to help Xu Jinniang serve the dishes.

As soon as she entered the kitchen, Xu Jinniang, busy at the stove, looked up anxiously. "What happened? Is something wrong out there? I thought I heard voices."

Tong Chuxue smiled and shook her head. "Nothing is wrong, just the village head and some of the Luo family arrived. Mother, let me take over the fire."

Tong Chuxue had no intention of telling Xu Jinniang about what happened outside; getting taken advantage of for a pittance wasn't worth worrying about.

As Tong Chuxue poked the fire with a branch, she heard Xu Jinniang ask, "I saw a pot of grass in your room. What is that?"

"Mother, that's not just grass," Tong Chuxue explained quickly, fearing that if Xu Jinniang accidentally threw it away, she would suffer a huge loss. "That is a Dendrobium officinale I dug up from the mountain. It’s very valuable."

Unfortunately, Xu Jinniang didn't quite believe her. "If there were such valuable things in the back mountain, they would have been dug up by others long ago. It wouldn't be your turn. I think you've been swindled."

"Mother, if people knew there were treasures in the back mountain, they wouldn't talk about it, even on their deathbed. After all, who doesn't want to keep a good thing for themselves?" Tong Chuxue reasoned.

"That's true," Xu Jinniang nodded after a moment. "But that thing must be hard to grow. If it were easy, someone would have grown it already."

*Oh,* Tong Chuxue thought, *Xu Jinniang is quite sharp sometimes.*

"Don't worry, Mother. It might not grow for others, but it will definitely grow for me," Tong Chuxue declared confidently.

"Alright, don't boast," Xu Jinniang chuckled at Tong Chuxue’s confidence. If it were truly precious, it wouldn't be easy to cultivate. "We don't even know if it can actually be sold."

"I've asked around. The old doctor at the Renzhan Hall in town told me it's worth at least a hundred taels," Tong Chuxue said mysteriously.

At this, Xu Jinniang was so startled she nearly dropped her spatula. Her voice trembled as she asked, "How much? A hundred taels?" She had never seen that much money in her entire life!

Tong Chuxue nodded firmly.

"A blade of grass is worth that much?" Xu Jinniang still found it hard to believe.

"Mother, it's not ordinary grass. It's traditional Chinese medicine, a very, very expensive medicinal herb, that's why it's so valuable," Tong Chuxue explained.

Little did they know, these words had been heard clearly by Lei Haizheng, who was standing just outside the door.