Year: I planted trees in Saihanba

"Uncle Liu, shall we set off now?"

After dinner, Xia Tian took out her daily ration of brown sugar from the groceries gift pack.

The system was quite thoughtful; it packaged it in oil paper.

Xia Tian carried brown sugar in one hand and looked at Old Liu, who was cleaning up in the canteen kitchen.

"Let's go!"

Old Liu responded and came out from the kitchen.

"Hey, Xia, what are you carrying in your hand?"

"Uncle Liu, when you come to ask someone for a favor, you should always bring a small gift, shouldn't you?"

"I was just about to ask you for some advice."

"I brought a pound of brown sugar, but I don't know if this is enough to show courtesy?"

When Old Liu heard that Xia Tian was carrying a pound of brown sugar, he ate a whole pound of it.

"Xia, is this really brown sugar?"

"Yes, what's wrong, Uncle Liu?"

Is something wrong with the rules?

Xia Tian really didn't understand the customs of Chengde; he only knew that it was never wrong to be overly polite.

However, judging from Grandpa Liu's tone, something seemed amiss.

"Xia, it's not that this is a lack of etiquette, but rather that this gift is too extravagant!"

These days, brown sugar is a scarce commodity.

An average family might not be able to get even two ounces of brown sugar all year round.

This shows just how substantial this pound of brown sugar is.

"Xia, this brown sugar is too expensive. You should get something else!"

Back on Earth, nations were already highly developed.

Brown sugar and similar ingredients are quite common.

So, subconsciously, brown sugar is easier to prepare in the summer.

After transmigrating to this world, summer doesn't require much sugar.

Therefore, he had no idea what a pound of brown sugar meant in this day and age.

"Xia, quick, listen to me, put away this pound of brown sugar."

"Make sure no one sees this."

Old Liu, still feeling uneasy, gave another word of advice.

"Okay, Uncle Liu!"

Although Xia Tian didn't understand, she figured it was the right thing to do to listen to Grandpa Liu.

As the saying goes, "Those who do not heed the advice of their elders will suffer the consequences."

Besides, Grandpa Liu wouldn't go so far as to harm himself.

"Sir, what do you think would be suitable for me to bring when I deliver this?"

After putting the brown sugar in the closet in the dormitory in the summer, she earnestly asked Old Liu for advice.

This brown sugar can't be sent out; it'll probably be refreshed and lost.

Even if it's refreshed, there will be another pound tomorrow.

So I'm not worried at all about summer.

"Xia, wait a minute. We're coming to your home to give you acupuncture. Do you have the money ready?"

Old Liu didn't answer, but asked again, still not entirely convinced.

"Ready, ready."

In the summer, he opened the cupboard again and pretended to rummage through the bag of brown sugar.

In reality, he took out that ingot of official silver from his spatial storage.

Old Liu stared wide-eyed as Xia Tian pulled out a silver ingot the size of a fist.

"No, Xia, you're using this to give acupuncture?"

"Yes what's the matter?"

Old Liu took Xia Tian's silver ingot and looked at the words printed on it.

Silence fell again.

Xia, do you know what you're holding?

"Uncle Liu, you must be joking."

"Isn't this just a silver ingot from the previous dynasty?"

"Xia, this is no ordinary silver ingot!"

Looking at Xia Tian's nonchalant attitude, Old Liu said earnestly.

"This is official silver from the previous dynasty. If an ordinary person used it in the previous dynasty, they would be beheaded."

"Isn't it all new China now? Can't we still use it?"

Summer frowned slightly as she listened to Old Liu's words.

"This thing works, but using it to administer acupuncture is really a bit..."

Old Liu, whose education level was limited, didn't know how to describe summer for a moment.

Calling him a spendthrift doesn't seem quite right.

"But, Uncle Liu, I only have this one piece of silver. If I don't use this for acupuncture, what will I use?"

Xia Tian asked, somewhat puzzled.

He felt that exchanging a silver ingot for a set of silver needles was a very worthwhile deal.

After all, the silver ingot was of little use to him.

But once the silver needles are in your own hands, things are a completely different story.

"Xia, put this silver ingot away first, and come with me."

"Otherwise it'll get late!"

Upon hearing this, Xia Tian obediently put away the silver ingots and followed behind Old Liu.

After leaving the forestry bureau gate.

We followed Old Liu through the winding streets of Weichang County.

Soon they arrived at a detached house.

"Bang bang bang!"

That's the sound of Old Liu knocking on the door.

"Who?"

A moment later, a woman's voice came from the courtyard.

"It's me, Lao Liu from the Forestry Bureau, here to see Lao Fan."

Hearing the sounds coming from the courtyard, Old Liu responded.

Soon, the courtyard gate was opened from the inside.

"It's Brother Liu! Come in quickly!"

A beautiful woman, probably in her fifties, opened the door.

"Sister-in-law, is Lao Fan home?"

Old Liu looked at the beautiful woman and asked a question.

"Yes, yes!"

"This is Master Fan's wife!"

Old Liu looked at Xia Tian and gave her a brief introduction.

On the way here, Old Liu told Xia Tian about the silversmith's identity.

Summer already knew that the silversmith's surname was Fan.

"He's from our Forestry Bureau, his surname is Xia!"

Old Liu then introduced Madam Fan to her again.

"Hello, Auntie, my name is Xia Tian!"

"Hello, hello, please come in, please come in!"

Madam Fan glanced at Xia Tian and thought to herself.

"What a handsome young man!"

He then warmly invited Old Liu and Xia Tian into the house.

"Old Fan, Master Liu is here!"

Mrs. Fan led Old Liu and Xia Tian into the living room and greeted her husband.

Then he went outside.

"Old Fan!"

"Old Liu, what a rare guest! What brings you here today?"

Old Fan does have a bad temper, but that's only towards other people.

Because Old Liu works for a government agency.

Although Old Liu was only a member of the Forestry Bureau, a peripheral unit, it was still a public institution.

He is a powerful figure whom ordinary people cannot afford to offend.

Old Liu was clearly acquainted with Old Fan, and without any beating around the bush, he got straight to the point.

"I'm here today because I need your help, Lao Fan."

"what's up?"

Old Fan was really curious; he was a silversmith, and he had absolutely no connection with the Forestry Bureau.

However, he and Old Liu knew each other back then.

Although the two don't see each other often, they have a friendship spanning more than ten years.

"This is Xia from our Forestry Bureau!"

"Hello, Master Fan!"

Summer was very tactful; after Old Liu finished his introduction, she stepped forward to greet him.

Fan Wei looked at the young man in front of him.

He knew in his heart that what Old Liu was about to say was probably related to the young man in front of him.

"Hello there!"

Fan Wei thought to himself, but also greeted them aloud.

"That's right, our Xia wants to get a set of silver acupuncture treatments!"

"Let's get you, Lao Fan, some articles of association."

"Acupuncture?"

Fan Wei listened to Old Liu's words with a puzzled look in his heart, but he did not show it.

……