Rebooting 60, let's go on a rampage with the orange cat!

Setting up a grill in the mountains and forests, roasting freshly caught game, the aroma of corn, sweet potatoes, and chicken filling the air is mouthwatering. Enjoying a barbecue in nature like this is a unique and delightful experience.

The two people and the cat ate to their hearts' content on the mountain, and only when the sun was setting did they carry the three pheasants and hum a song as they rode their bikes down the mountain.

"The moon travels through clouds like white lotus flowers, and the evening breeze carries joyful songs. We sit beside the tall haystacks, listening to Mother tell stories of the past..."

Gu Jing'an pedaled his bicycle, intoxicated by Huai'an's singing, feeling as if he had fallen into the clouds amidst the bumpy ups and downs.

When they arrived at Master Liu's house, Huai'an put down one pheasant, asked Gu Jingxing to take another pheasant back to his mother to process, and asked Gu Jingxing to take the other pheasant back to his grandfather to eat.

In Master Liu's room, he was examining the ginseng Huai'an had given him, looking incredulous. He repeatedly asked Huai'an for confirmation: "You said this was found on the highest peak of Nanshan? How is that possible? Our ancestors have been gathering herbs there for generations. We've found things like kudzu root, but we've never heard of anyone finding ginseng. Why don't you take me to the ginseng digging area sometime? Maybe there'll still be some."

Huai'an touched his nose, calmed himself down, and said, "It was indeed on Nanshan Mountain, but it's a big place, and I don't remember which peak it was. Anyway, Duoduo peed there, and I accidentally saw it and dug it out. We even had a barbecue nearby. You can ask Gu Jingxing if you don't believe me. If Master is interested, let's go on an autumn outing together sometime."

Shi Huai'an decided to shift the blame to the orange cat, since there was no way to verify it anyway. If you're so capable, go ask the cat.

Duoduo was playing with 'Goji Berry' in the room when she heard this. She meowed and fled from this troublesome place with Goji Berry.

Mrs. Liu examined it for a long time and laughed, "I say Huai'an is a lucky star. He can pick up such a rare thing so easily. Isn't that just good luck?"

Master Liu wanted to scold her, saying, "That's such a woman's view!" But when he met his wife's smiling eyes, he swallowed his words and turned to Huai'an, saying, "These three ginseng roots are quite remarkable. These two are about twenty years old, and this larger one is about thirty years old. I didn't expect you to be so lucky. Your technique is also quite good; you didn't damage the ginseng roots. Not bad at all."

Huai'an felt a little ashamed. Why did he still feel guilty after telling so many lies? It seems he still needs to practice his Machiavellian tactics.

With a thick skin and feigned innocence, she asked, "Master, how much is this worth? My mother is so tired from working and sewing clothes after work. I'd like to sell a good quality ginseng root to buy her a sewing machine. Is that enough?"

Mrs. Liu nodded in praise, "What a filial child! Your mother has raised a wonderful daughter."

Master Liu nodded and said, "The value of ginseng mainly depends on its age, quality, size, and shape. Ginseng that is twenty or thirty years old, especially wild ginseng, is considered a relatively precious variety, and its price is naturally high. Specifically, the price of 20-year-old forest ginseng is roughly between several hundred and over a thousand yuan, depending on its quality, the integrity of its appearance, and its size. A 30-year-old ginseng is estimated to be between three and five thousand yuan; these are all in very good condition, so the price shouldn't be low."

Mrs. Liu laughed and said, "Don't even mention buying a sewing machine, it's enough to buy the four major appliances. Your parents will be laughing all the way to the bank!"

The total price of the "three turns and one sound" (a set of four essential items) in the 1960s was approximately between 400 and 600 yuan. Specific prices varied depending on the brand, model, and region.

Sewing machines: Prices range from 120 to 200 yuan, depending on the brand and model. For example, some brands of sewing machines may cost as much as 150-200 yuan.

Bicycles: The price is relatively high, with a Phoenix or Forever brand bicycle costing approximately 160 to 200 yuan.

Watches: Prices are relatively moderate, around tens of RMB, with specific prices varying depending on the brand.

Radios: They're not cheap either, costing at least fifty or sixty yuan, or even over a hundred yuan.

This price was a considerable expense for ordinary families at the time, equivalent to a year's or even several years' salary.

Shi Huai'an's eyes lit up. This was great! He could get everything done all at once. Having a bicycle to school would be very convenient. If all three family members had a watch, that would be wonderful. He wouldn't have to rack his brains for reasons to give his parents gifts every time, and it would also help him focus on his studies without worrying about these daily necessities.

She pondered for a moment, took a deep breath, and said earnestly, "Master, you are both professional and well-connected in the field of traditional Chinese medicine. Here's what I was thinking: my initial plan was to keep one of these three ginseng roots for you and your wife; my parents would eat one; and I would sell the remaining one to buy a sewing machine for the family. But I didn't expect this ginseng to be so valuable, so I'm thinking of using the money from selling the ginseng to buy a sewing machine for my mother; a radio; a small women's bicycle for myself; and three watches—one men's watch for my father, and two women's watches for my mother and me. Do you think this arrangement is good?"

Master Liu and his wife were taken aback and looked at each other in disbelief. They hadn't expected the people from Huai'an to have such big ideas. Master Liu said, "I can't take this ginseng. Your mother isn't well, so you can slice it and soak two slices in water to drink every day. As for selling the ginseng, I can help you find a buyer, but do you want to go back and discuss it with your parents? This is no small amount, and it might be very useful to your family in the future."

Huai'an laughed and said, "Master and Mistress, you must accept this ginseng. It is a token of my filial piety. I have been learning from you for so long, and you have never charged me tuition. How can a ginseng be enough to repay your kindness? Moreover, I need your help to get the sewing tickets, radio tickets, bicycle tickets, and watch tickets I need to buy these things. If you don't accept this ginseng, how can I live with myself? Master, I haven't been polite to you, so you can't be polite to your disciple."

Mrs. Liu shook her head with a smile: "Look at this mouth of hers, so eloquent, she doesn't seem like an eight or nine-year-old child at all. Old Liu, you should take her in. Take good care of Huai'an in the future, don't waste this good seedling. Wouldn't it be better to let her go to the province to study traditional Chinese medicine?"

"Hmph, it doesn't matter whether she gives me ginseng or not, I treat everyone the same. As for whether she can go to the province to study traditional Chinese medicine in the future, that depends on what kind of school she gets into. If she can study in the province, I can help arrange the internship at the provincial hospital; but if she only goes to a vocational school locally, then she can only intern at the city hospital." Master Liu said with a serious expression.

Hearing this, Huai'an smiled confidently and replied, "Master, Mistress, don't be in such a hurry. I'm determined to go to university, and maybe I'll even go to the capital to study!"

Upon hearing this, Master Liu and his wife exchanged a glance and nodded repeatedly. They truly hadn't expected that Huai'an, at such a young age, would have such lofty ambitions, which filled Master Liu with immense pride.

After all, if his little apprentice could really get into a medical university in Beijing, hehe, his junior brother, who had been practicing medicine in Beijing for many years and was always a bit arrogant, would probably no longer be able to act so arrogantly!

At this moment, Mrs. Liu said with concern, "However, Huai'an, we must do this quietly and try not to let too many people know about it. As the saying goes, 'Don't flaunt your wealth.' If word gets out, it might cause unnecessary trouble."

Huai'an nodded obediently, indicating that he understood his master's wife's meaning. Then, Master Liu selected one of the three ginseng roots, keeping the smaller one for himself and keeping the larger one to find a suitable buyer to sell. The other medium-sized ginseng root was given to Huai'an to take home for his mother.

Huai'an's spatial storage actually contained various tickets, such as those for sewing machines, but she thought that if she took them out, her master would question their origin. If she said they were left behind by spies in the cave, her master might think she was dishonest and hadn't handed them over to the state. These older generations were exceptionally sensible; it was better to avoid trouble. Anyway, her master had obtained a ginseng and was always thinking of helping her repay a favor. Rather than causing him sleepless nights, she'd rather let him use his connections; it would make her feel better.

Huai'an carried Duoduo home and pushed open the door. As soon as she entered, a rich aroma of chicken soup wafted through the air, instantly filling the entire house. She took a deep breath and called out happily, "Mom, I'm home!" Her voice was clear and loud, seemingly able to penetrate the whole room.

At this moment, Xiuzhi was busy cooking in the kitchen. Hearing her daughter's call, she skillfully stirred the dishes in the pan and replied with a smile, "You're back! Go wash your hands and get ready to eat!"

Huai'an strode into the kitchen and went to the washbasin to wash her hands. Inadvertently, she noticed a lively pheasant tied up on the floor, and was somewhat surprised. Curious, she asked, "Did Gu Jingxing give you two chickens?"

Xiuzhi turned her head, a look of doubt on her face, and replied strangely, "Didn't you ask him to bring it back?"

Huai'an shook his head and quickly explained, "I told him that we would keep one and they would keep one. Who knew that this guy would put both of them here."

Upon hearing the conversation between the mother and daughter, Shi Renmei, who was sitting in the living room, immediately stood up, grabbed the pheasant, and said, "Oh dear, this child is too honest! I have to take it to their house right away." With that, he hurriedly walked towards the door.

Watching her father's departing figure, Huai'an nodded gently, thinking to herself: Although she was reluctant to give the precious ginseng to Gu Jingxing, she should share this chicken with his family. After all, he had helped her so much, and everyone should have a share! Thinking of this, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, revealing a knowing smile.

As soon as Shi Renmei got home, a bowl of fragrant chicken, a plate of golden and crispy fried peanuts, a plate of vibrant green vegetables, and a small dish of bright red fermented bean curd were already laid out on the table. Shi Renmei happily poured herself a glass of local liquor, took a small sip with a "sizzle," and then popped a peanut into her mouth—it was so delicious!

Xiuzhi ladled a bowl of chicken soup for each of the three people and said with a smile, "The chicken was fresh today, so I made soup. I also marinated half a chicken, which I can use to braise chicken pieces with black fungus tomorrow."

She picked up a chicken leg from the bowl and gave it to Huai'an, saying, "Here, eating chicken legs will make you grow tall, and eating chicken wings will help you comb your hair."

Shi Renmei chuckled and placed a small, un-laid egg inside a hen's belly into her bowl. In her rural hometown, it was customary for children not to eat things that hadn't seen the light of day. Usually, before it was served, her parents would carefully pick out the eggs and put them in their own bowls.

With a broad smile, he gently picked up a peanut, put it in his mouth, and chewed slowly. As he chewed, he laughed and said, "Haha, this peanut is really fragrant! It's perfect as a snack with my drinks. The taste is simply wonderful. But you kids can't eat these 'forgetful eggs,' or they'll become forgetful and their grades won't be good in the future."

Sitting to the side, Huai'an nodded obediently, then used her chopsticks to put a plump chicken leg into her mother's bowl, and said in her childish voice, "Mom works so hard every day, she must take good care of herself. As for me, I'll eat the chicken wings, and you can have the chicken leg."

However, Xiuzhi quickly put the chicken leg back into Huai'an's bowl, saying with a face full of tenderness, "Silly child, you're at the age where you're growing, you need to eat more nutritious food to grow tall and strong. Hurry up and eat this chicken leg, or Mommy will be angry!" As she spoke, she gently patted Huai'an's little head. Huai'an's father was overjoyed to hear that his son had found ginseng.

Shi Renmei asked casually with a smile, "You guys had a good time in Nanshan today, didn't you? I didn't expect to catch a pheasant!"

With a bright smile on her face, Huai'an chewed her food and replied, "It's not just about catching chickens, we also dug up wild ginseng!" As soon as she finished speaking, she gently put down her bowl and chopsticks, got up, and quickly walked towards her schoolbag. A moment later, she carefully took a ginseng root out of her bag.

Huai'an said with great joy, "Mom, look! This is top-quality wild ginseng that Master Liu has personally appraised! Master Liu said that if you take this wild ginseng, it will be very good for your health! You only need to cut off two or three slices every day to soak in water or make soup. Mom, you must remember to take it every day, don't be stingy and reluctant to use it. Master Liu specifically instructed that if it is stored for too long or not properly stored and gets moldy, it would be such a waste!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Renmei looked at Huai'an in surprise, almost shouting, "What? Wild ginseng? How could there be wild ginseng in our area? You're not joking, are you?"

Huai'an shrugged and said, "Master Liu said the same thing, that he had only ever dug up kudzu roots on Nanshan Mountain, and had never dug up wild ginseng. But it's just that amazing, your daughter dug it up by accident." She calmly recounted the process of digging for ginseng on the mountain without blushing or skipping a beat.

Shi Renmei couldn't help but praise, "You're really amazing! This ginseng is a rare and precious thing. It would definitely be worth a lot of money if you took it to the market! But since it's good for your mother's health, let's keep it for ourselves."

Huai'an nodded and said, "Dad, that's what I meant too. I won't sell this ginseng; I'll keep it for Mom to use to nourish her body. I'll have Master Liu help me find a buyer for the other one. Don't worry, you can have all the money when it's sold; it shouldn't be a small amount."

The mother was moved to tears. She hugged Huai'an and said, "My Huai'an is so sensible. I'm so glad I raised you."

Huai'an breathed a sigh of relief, finally managing to smooth things over. Now he could just wait for Master Liu's good news.