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Ruyi Cosmetic Shop
Seeing the grown-up Yin Yuan Shi, Xing Ruyi was momentarily stunned, then widened her eyes, which sparkled like peach blossoms, and smiled as she asked who he was. When she realized it was her son, she completely disregarded her identity as a mother and even ignored the fox's warning gaze, directly pouncing towards Yin Yuan.
Xing Ruyi first hugged Yin Yuan tightly, then unexpectedly planted a kiss on his beautiful cheek before releasing him and stepping back to the fox's side. With a slightly mournful tone, she said, "Oh dear, what should I do? Just as I finally raised my Jade Cabbage with great difficulty, it seems someone is about to pull it away from me. How can I not feel upset?"
"Consort Ruyi," Yin Yuan said, placing a hand on his forehead. "Do you really think raising me was difficult? I feel like I grew up all by myself."
"All by yourself?" Xing Ruyi narrowed her eyes.
Seeing this, Yin Yuan quickly changed his words: "Child just thought carefully and realized that it really isn't easy for Mother to raise Child. So Child has decided that this Jade Cabbage will take root in Mother's garden. Once Mother and Father Fox have grown new cabbages, Child will willingly be taken away. Mother, what do you think?"
Xing Ruyi could only picture a garden full of cabbages in her mind, with each cabbage sprouting facial features, then growing arms and legs while calling out "Mother" and pouncing towards her. She couldn't help but shiver and quickly pushed that image aside.
At that moment, as the image flashed in her mind, Xing Ruyi suddenly thought of a question: these foxes seemed to be born in litters; could it be true that Yin Yuan was joking about having several children at once? Thinking of this, she raised an eyebrow and glanced at the fox.
The fox merely patted her head and quietly said, "I am from the Azure Wind Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, not an ordinary fox."
Xing Ruyi rubbed her nose and turned her attention back to Yin Yuan.
"Did you encounter anything while you were out these past few days? Although Deer Lady told me you went out to look for Dodder, winter has just passed and the weather has only just begun to warm up. Where could you possibly find any Dodder in the wilderness? If it’s just to buy medicine, those pharmacies at the Yun Family Gathering have plenty; why go so far?"
"There are medicines in the pharmacies, but they aren't very fresh. Uncle Chang and I originally planned to go into the mountains to gather some. The Mountain Dwellers usually have some leftovers and don’t mix good herbs with bad ones like some pharmacy shopkeepers do; the medicinal effects would be better that way. As a result, we did encounter something in the mountains and ended up dealing with some side matters."
Yin Yuan leaned closer to Xing Ruyi and recounted everything that had happened in the mountain village while also explaining why he had suddenly grown into a young man. Although he explained it, the Fox Demon knew well that Yin Yuan's age was actually different from that of common people. It hadn't taken long for him to grow from an infant into a toddler; he had likely remained in that childlike form just for fun.
While there was some disparity in seeing the little one who had just reached his knees suddenly transform into a graceful young man, looking at Yin Yuan's stunning face smoothed over those feelings of disparity. At the sound of the fox's light cough, Xing Ruyi pulled her slightly dazed gaze away from Yin Yuan's face, smiled awkwardly at the fox, and then asked Yin Yuan, "So how did things in the village get resolved in the end?"
"The Village Chief is quite straightforward. After coming up with an idea, he quickly gathered the villagers involved in the case back then and they all went to the Yamen to confess. Mother Wang and Wang San Niang are already dead, so Guangmao and the Village Chief will naturally receive heavier sentences. As for the others, following Uncle Chang's method, they cannot escape imprisonment. The extent of their sentences will depend on how the Judge decides. Oh, and there was one person who originally intended to confess at the Government Office but I stopped him. The Village Chief and those villagers had no objections, considering my handsome appearance."
"Indeed, your looks are striking, but as a mother, I don't think those who are facing death have the leisure to admire your face. You must have used some enchanting Spell, right? Did Father Fox teach you that?"
"Mother, are you trying to frame me while dragging Father Fox down with me?" Yin Yuan said, shifting the topic as he moved closer to the fox. "I did consider it, but since the Village Chief spoke up, it saved me some effort. In fact, those villagers know that once they enter the Government Office, there's an 80% chance they won't come out again. Although the Village Chief isn't a good leader, he has been rooted in the village for many years and holds some authority. If he speaks up to protect someone, how could those villagers refuse?"
"Is it Wang San?"
"Mother is so clever!"
Yin Yuan clapped his hands in praise but received a big eye roll from Xing Ruyi.
Chang Tai had not spoken throughout; he simply held his sword and leaned against the doorpost quietly watching the Fox Demon.
"What does it matter whether he's a Village Chief or not? That's someone else's business. Come on, the porridge is ready; Fox Demon and Yin Ye each get a bowl."
Before she finished speaking, Deer Lady had already placed a tray on the table. On the tray were two Porcelain Bowls that looked similar but contained different contents.
"Aunt Sheng is so biased! Not only did she make porridge without A Niu and Beggar Uncle's share, but now even Uncle Chang and I don't have any."
"Who doesn't have any? Your porridge and Uncle Chang's are in the Kitchen; go get them yourself." Deer Lady replied, calling into the front shop, "A Niu's is also there; it's just separated in the Kitchen. Make sure you don't take the wrong bowl. As for that old Pixiu, of course, there's none for him."
Pixiu had been inside but upon hearing Deer Lady's words, he dashed out with his half-white beard blowing about.
"Why don’t I get any? Have you stopped loving me, Deer?"
With that, he pointed at the bowl of porridge in front of the fox.
"I want a bowl of porridge too! A big one; I want one bigger than his!"
Deer Lady glanced at Pixiu and tossed the tray to him. "Take it to the Kitchen, or else you won't just miss out on the porridge, but you won't even get a bun."
Pixiu pouted in grievance. "You... Deer, do you really not love me anymore? Fine, I think I'll just run away from home."
"Go ahead if you want. Your legs are your own; I’m not tying you up with ropes."
Hearing this, Pixiu unexpectedly broke into a smile, his eyes turning into slits.
"But you've tied my heart."
Deer Lady suddenly blushed. She looked down and stepped on Pixiu's foot, then reluctantly added, "There's some leftover white porridge from yesterday in the pot. Whether you want to eat it or not is up to you; after all, you're an old demon and won't starve to death."
"I'm a divine beast; it's written in the books."
Pixiu said as he hugged the tray tightly and trotted off to the Kitchen, leaving behind a group of people who were happily watching the scene unfold.
"Stop staring; it's not anything new. Haven't you seen old folks bickering before?" Deer Lady said, lowering her gaze to hide her embarrassment as she pushed the bowl of Dodder porridge toward Xing Ruyi. "Hurry up and drink it while it's hot."
"Dodder, green fruit, Japonica Rice, and sugar. It seems like this is a custom-made Dodder porridge from Deer Lady for me." Xing Ruyi identified the ingredients in the porridge and then looked outside the Kitchen. "Transforming last year's Dodder into something fresh must have taken quite a bit of effort from you, Aunt Sheng. And this green fruit clearly isn't ordinary; could it have been brought back from Qingqiu?"
"You talk too much." Deer Lady shot a glare at Xing Ruyi. "This Dodder and fresh green fruit were both retrieved by Yin Ye. The ones brought back by Yin Yuan and Lord Chang are still in the Kitchen. As for using these fresh ingredients for porridge, those aged ones are better suited for making pills, which you should take regularly. After all, you don't have much awareness about eating at regular times; I think making them into medicine is most suitable."
"Aunt Sheng—"
Fox Demon tugged at Deer Lady's hand playfully, but her eyes kept glancing at the fox. The fox smiled slightly and looked down at the bowl of porridge in front of her. As she stared, her elegant brows furrowed.
"This is... lock yang porridge?"
Lock yang is an herb that has been documented since ancient times and is highly valued by renowned doctors throughout history. It is mentioned in Li Shizhen's "Bencao Gangmu" from the Ming Dynasty, noted for its sweet taste, warmth, non-toxicity, great benefits to Yin Qi, nourishing essence and blood, aiding digestion, moisturizing dryness, and strengthening tendons, treating weakness.
In modern times, the "Compendium of Traditional Chinese Medicine" has added that it "supplements the kidneys, lubricates the intestines, strengthens the waist and knees, and is used to treat male impotence, female infertility, blood deficiency constipation, and weakness in the waist and knees."
Xing Ruyi still remembers that in her youth, she found joy in flipping through the medical books stored at home. The name "Suo Yang" was somewhat peculiar, and she had once asked about it, only to be brushed off with the excuse that it was not suitable for someone her age. It wasn't until she became an adult that she secretly searched for this herb again and was deeply impressed by its effects. At this moment, seeing the fox's slightly furrowed brows made her heart lighten.
While holding her own Dodder porridge, she pushed the bowl of Suo Yang porridge toward the fox and tried hard to suppress the laughter bubbling up inside her as she said, "Drink up while it's hot. The Deer Lady said to drink it hot for the best effect."
The fox grasped Xing Ruyi's wrist tightly, locking his gaze onto her mischievous eyes, and asked in a low voice, "Do you really think I should drink it?"
Xing Ruyi struggled a bit but couldn't break free. She hurriedly replied, "If you're sick, treat it; if you're not sick, strengthen your body. Look how obedient I am; I'm drinking this Dodder porridge too."
"You think the porridge made by the Deer Lady is just that simple—treating sickness or strengthening health?" The fox pulled Xing Ruyi and the porridge closer to himself. "Fox Demon, you seem to have forgotten that tomorrow is our wedding day. Wedding Night—can you handle it?"
At his last words, Xing Ruyi felt her cheeks flush warm, and soon her entire face turned red.
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