Little Miss Fortune: I Will Bring Prosperity to My Tang Family!-Chapter 66: Fell Sick

Chapter 60

Fell Sick

Xiaolin looked up from the food in her hand, observing the contrasting expressions on her father’s and Uncle Zhou Ming’s faces. However, the chubby little girl said nothing, simply raising the skewer of grilled intestines to continue eating with relish.

"Let’s do it this way. You go and buy the land, then inform me. I’ll handle the construction myself. Your shop seems almost done; it might get a bit hectic for a while," Zhou Ming said after laughing until tears streamed down his face. He glanced at the two shops across the street.

"Yes, just a few finishing touches and cleaning left. The carpenter has already made the tables and chairs,"

"I’ll come to taste the food at your shop on the opening day. Xiaolin, make sure to prepare some delicious dishes for your uncle," Zhou Ming said, turning to the chubby-cheeked girl who was busy chewing her rice.

"Yes, Uncle,"

Zhou Ming left after buying all of Xiaolin’s grilled fish, grilled foods, and sticky rice. Tianchen and Liu Hao hurried to pack everything up.

"I’ll go with you to buy the land. How about five mu?" Tianrong asked his daughter after everything was packed.

"That should be enough, Father," the chubby girl replied, raising her arms and looking at her father with a pleading expression. Tianrong, seeing this, crouched down to let his daughter climb on his back, as he couldn’t carry her for long. Xiaolin jumped on, wrapping her arms around his neck. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"You’re getting too big for me to carry. Huff!" Tianrong said as he carried his daughter’s butt to prevent her from falling and stood up. Xiaolin couldn’t help but laugh as she put her chin on her father’s shoulder.

"I’m not big yet, Father," Xiaolin mumbled into his ear.

Tianrong bought an additional five mus of land next to the market, while Liu Hao purchased one mu of land next to the Tang family’s shop. After completing their transactions, Xiaolin told her father she wanted to visit the blacksmith shop to place an order since the shop was almost ready.

At the blacksmith’s, the chubby girl immediately asked for paper and began drawing the items she wanted. She sketched a small iron stove, a deep wok suitable for the stove, a flat pan, and a round grill. Once she finished, she handed the drawings to Zheng Luan.

"These are...?"

"They’re for the restaurant I’m going to open,"

"Oh, you’re opening a restaurant, Xiaolin?" Zheng Luan asked, surprised.

"Yes, Uncle! Do you see the shops on the south side of town? One of them is mine!" Chubby Xiaolin said excitedly, eager to show off her new shop.

"Don’t tell me both of those shops are yours too," Zheng Luan said, feigning astonishment at the little girl’s antics.

"Yes, they are! The market across the street is mine too," Xiaolin replied proudly.

"Oh! You even own a market? My wife shops there too. With so many businesses, you must be a little millionaire by now," Zheng Luan teased.

"Hehe, I want to be even richer," Xiaolin laughed, her eyes nearly closing with joy.

"Don’t forget to order from my shop often if you get rich," Zheng Luan chuckled, watching the boastful little girl sitting with her chest puffed out.

"Of course!"

"How many do you want?" Zheng Luan asked, pointing to the stove and pan designs Xiaolin had drawn.

"Thirty stoves, and ten each of the pans and grills,"

"Got it. Are you in a hurry? I can push the craftsmen to finish quickly."

"Yes, I kind of am. My shop is almost done."

"Then come to pick them up in a week. Or you can come in three days to see if you want to test them first. Oh, and your stoves and grills will be ready in two days," Zheng Luan said, turning to Liu Hao after he finished speaking to the little girl.

"Noted."

The four of them left the city, loaded the goods onto the cart, and headed back to the village. Once home, the energetic Xiaolin invited her two uncles to go into the forest with her. They chatted along the way.

"Are you only going to sell grilled fish at your shop, Uncle?" The Chubby Xiaolin, leading the way, asked.

"Obviously. Aren’t you going to sell grilled intestines with me?" Liu Hao asked in return.

"I think if we’re only selling grilled fish and intestines, we don’t need to invest in buying land and building a shop. But if we want to open a proper restaurant, we need a variety of dishes so customers have more choices. Some might not want to eat the same thing every time,"

"But you’re already selling food at your restaurant. What should I sell? How about Khao Maan Gai? It’s really good," Liu Hao suggested, still fond of the dish and wanting to eat it often, though he felt guilty asking Zhang Ruo to make it repeatedly.

"Khao Maan Gai needs a lot of chickens. Are you willing to hunt chickens every day, Uncle? But if you can buy enough chickens from others daily, we might be able to sell it,"

"Do we have people raising chickens for sale in our town, Brother Hao? If we can sell Khao Maan Gai, people will surely love it,"

"I’m not sure. We’ll have to look into it," Liu Hao said, frowning in thought.

"Or we could sell larb and grilled pork neck. Larb with grilled intestines and sweet liver are delicious too. Or maybe we should focus on seafood," Tianchen suggested excitedly.

"I plan to sell spicy tom yum hot pot, grilled seafood, salads, and stir-fried dishes. Competing would be tough, but your ideas are interesting, Uncle,"

"See? Larb with hot sticky rice would be delicious," Tianchen said, already imagining the tasty dishes.

"But pork is quite expensive, Uncle,"

"If we buy in bulk, we might be able to bargain," Liu Hao suggested.

"Alright, we can try. It would be great to sell grilled chicken and bean sprout salad too, but we must be partners, Uncle Hao," Xiaolin said, narrowing her eyes mischievously. Tianchen laughed at her expression.

"What kind of face are you making?"

"Hmph! Uncle, really? What do you think, Uncle Hao? Are you interested?" Xiaolin pouted before turning to ask Liu Hao.

"Sure, I’m not normally good at selling things, but if I partner with you, Xiaolin, it’s bound to be successful," Liu Hao thought, realizing he’d rely on Xiaolin’s charm and business sense for years to come.

"Then let’s wait before making any decisions about the shop or ordering anything. Let’s sit down and discuss what we should sell. In the meantime, we can start planting vegetables. Fresh vegetables make these dishes even more delicious."

"What will you plant, Xiaolin? I have five mu of unused land because this year many villagers are interested in planting sweet potatoes, which might lower the selling price. I only planted enough for our consumption,"

"That’s great! I want to plant cabbage, lettuce, cilantro, and various other vegetables. Let’s go buy seeds tomorrow," Xiaolin said, her excitement showing in her energetic movements.

"And what about me? What should I do?" Tianchen asked, feeling left out of the conversation.

"You’ll be our labor force, Uncle. I’ll provide the initial investment, and once we make a profit, you’ll have to repay me," Xiaolin said with a mischievous grin.

Tianchen watched his chubby niece walk away, feeling a bit stunned. They hadn’t even started, and he was already in debt.

The three of them wandered through the forest for about two hours, collecting only a few bamboo shoots and some wild fruits.

The chubby girl sat down, looking at the bamboo shoots thoughtfully. She wanted to make steamed bamboo shoots, but without the necessary herbs, she could only dream about it. Being in a different time and place made it hard to satisfy her cravings.

"What’s wrong, Xiaolin, hm? If you need anything, just tell me and I’ll get it for you," Guo Lu, who had come to visit his niece, asked, hoping for another delicious meal.

"I wanted two types of vegetables for a dish, but we don’t have them. But it’s okay, I’ll make chicken soup with bamboo shoots instead,"

"How many chickens do you need? I’ll catch them for you," Guo Lu offered, eager to taste her cooking again.

"Two chickens from the coop will do. Or is there something you would like to eat, Uncle?"

"I heard you sold grilled chicken in the city, and it sold out quickly. It must be delicious. Can you make some for me?"

"Of course."

"I’ll go gather the others to help hunt chickens then. We eat a lot," Guo Lu said, quickly leaving to gather his friends, leaving Xiaolin looking after him in surprise.

Xiaolin supervised Liu Hao and Tianchen as they peeled and sliced the bamboo shoots, then boiled them to remove bitterness. She then lay down to rest, waiting for the hunters to return with chickens.

The group returned with twenty chickens. Xiaolin instructed them to slaughter twelve, grilling ten and making chicken soup with bamboo shoots from the remaining two. She also asked Zhang Ruo to help with the soup preparation.

"Why are we grilling so many chicken? Even though we’re gluttons, we won’t be able to finish it all," Wu Zhong asked.

"Uncle, you can take some home for Auntie and the kids. Don’t you want them to enjoy it too?" Xiaolin replied, looking up at her tall uncle.

"See, she’s already thought of everything. Stop standing around looking dumb and go grill the chicken!" Lei Shan laughed, pushing his friend towards the fire to start grilling.

After finishing their lunch in the early afternoon, the men who had hunted the wild chickens took some grilled chicken home to their families before returning to work. They also remembered to leave some grilled chicken for the new worker they had left alone at the beach.

Meanwhile, Xiaolin soaked several bowls of mung beans in water, planning to grind them into noodles the next day after selling her goods. She intended to dry the noodles for future use.

Once done, she walked to the large tree where Xiao Zhong, their long-haired cow, was lying contentedly, lazily chewing grass. Not far away, a young cow couple could be seen, with the female noticeably more pregnant than before.

"Xiao Zhong, I missed you," Xiaolin said as she lay down, hugging the now much larger cow. In a few months, it would be a young bull.

"You’re growing up, but I’m still just a kid," she said, stroking the cow’s soft fur.

Moo~

Xiao Zhong seemed to understand, turning to look at the little girl snuggling against its belly before lazily resuming its grazing.

"You lazy cow, you’ll become a cow with freakishly long spines from your laziness," Xiaolin teased, watching it nibble the grass.

HMPH!

"Hehe, just kidding,"

The chubby girl lay against the cow, talking to it for a while before falling asleep.

Tianrong, who had returned from helping his father-in-law with the vegetable garden, was sent to find his daughter. He found her comfortably asleep under the tree with Xiao Zhong.

Moo!

Xiao Zhong mooed loudly as Tianrong approached, as if to say, "Come and take your daughter away! She’s heavy!"

Tianrong, seeing his daughter sound asleep, gently picked her up and carried her back to their small house. He noticed she felt warmer than usual and called for Zhang Ruo to come and check on her in the back of the house.

"She’s a bit warm. It looks like this little troublemaker is not feeling well. You should take her to her room to rest. I’ll prepare some warm water and a cloth," Zhang Ruo instructed her son-in-law after feeling her granddaughter’s body.

"Yes, Mother," Tianrong replied, quickly carrying his daughter to her room.

Zhang Ruo came in with a basin of warm water and a small cloth. She carefully undressed the chubby little girl and wiped her down, paying special attention to her neck and the folds of her arms and legs. Once finished, she dressed her again and placed a damp cloth on her forehead.

"Go fetch the doctor. We need to get some medicine for her. I’ll prepare some rice porridge," Zhang Ruo told Tianrong as she left the room to head to the kitchen.

When Wu Zhong and his group had come earlier, they had brought half a small barrel of shrimp. Zhang Ruo used the shrimp to make porridge for her granddaughter. She brought a tray with the porridge and water into Xiaolin’s room to feed her while waiting for the doctor to arrive and prescribe medicine.

Xiaolin, hearing the door open frequently, began to wake up. She felt heat radiating from her body and felt sticky, with a headache and sore throat.

"HICCUP, Grandma, my head hurts," the little girl mumbled, eyes half-closed, seeing Zhang Ruo’s blurry figure.

Hearing her granddaughter’s sobs, Zhang Ruo quickly set the tray down on the small table beside the bed. She removed the cloth from Xiaolin’s forehead and felt her temperature.

"Your temperature is even hotter now. We’ll wait for the doctor. Your father is fetching him now."

"Wah, I’m hot. I want a bath," Xiaolin cried, feeling uncomfortable and unwell from the fever.

"You can’t bathe when you’re sick, dear," Zhang Ruo said, wiping the tears from her granddaughter’s cheeks. At that moment, the door opened, and Tianrong entered with the elderly doctor, who hurried to the crying child’s bedside.

"Please check her, doctor. She’s very distressed, and we don’t know how serious it is," Zhang Ruo said, stepping aside to let the doctor examine her.

The elderly doctor quickly took Xiaolin’s pulse and checked her body, mouth, and tongue before turning to the worried family members.

"It’s just a common fever. Have someone stay with her and give her the medicine every two hours. She’ll feel better by tomorrow. In the future, ensure she gets enough rest. She’s still a child and shouldn’t be overworked," the doctor advised, noticing the roughness of the little girl’s hands. The Tang family seemed to have enough money now, so there was no need for her to work like a poor village child. Surely, they weren’t making her work so hard that she fell ill.

"That’s right. She’s been going to the city to sell goods every day and hasn’t been taking her usual naps," Tianrong said, frowning.

"In that case, let her rest for several days. She can go back when the shop opens. Make sure she takes naps during the day," Zhang Ruo sighed, feeling guilty for not stopping her granddaughter from overworking herself.

The elderly doctor left, emphasizing the importance of waking Xiaolin to take her medicine every two hours, even if she protested. Both Zhang Ruo and Tianrong promised to follow his instructions. Tianrong accompanied the doctor back to his house to get the medicine, while Zhang Ruo stayed behind to soothe her granddaughter and feed her some porridge.

"I’m not hungry," Xiaolin pouted, turning away from the spoonful of shrimp porridge.

"Even if you’re not hungry, you need to eat a little so you can take your medicine. Don’t you want to get better?" Zhang Ruo coaxed.

"My mouth feels bitter, Grandma, COUGH!" Xiaolin complained, coughing a little.

"Here, drink some water first. Just eat four or five bites, okay?" Zhang Ruo held the cup for Xiaolin, who obediently took a few sips.

Zhang Ruo patiently fed her stubborn granddaughter, but after only six bites, Xiaolin turned her head away. When Zhang Ruo tried to coax her further, Xiaolin started to cry, so Zhang Ruo decided to stop and took the tray away.

Just as Tianrong returned with the medicine, Zhang Ruo went to the kitchen to prepare it. That night, she stayed by Xiaolin’s side, waking her up every two hours to give her medicine. Xiaolin was cranky every time she was woken up. In addition to administering the medicine, Zhang Ruo also frequently wiped her granddaughter’s body with a damp cloth to keep her fever down. It was almost dawn before Zhang Ruo finally got some sleep herself.

-----

Read ‘Little Miss Fortune: I Will Bring Prosperity to My Tang Family’ before anyone else with more Chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en