Disaster Apocalypse: Farming, Family, and My Hidden Secret Space-Chapter 55: What’s inside?

"Um... Sis, what’s inside?" Xiaosi pointed at the tightly wrapped bundle, covered with dry grass in the basket, and before he even reached out, his sister swatted him away.

Though he had thick skin, it really hurt!

"You’re small but have a lot of questions. Anyway, it’s something good. Got it?"

Facing his sister’s imposing presence, Xiaosi quickly nodded without any questions.

"Alright, let’s go home." Satisfied with her brother’s tact, Hua Jin’s eyes bent slightly.

"Sis... let me help you." Without needing to be told twice, Xiaosi quickly stood up and walked towards the bundle voluntarily.

Brothers, of course, are to be bossed around; the heavier one might be too much, but he could handle a dozen pounds. He’d just need some breaks along the way. Thinking of all the effort she, as an older sister, put in to make her brother more industrious, Hua Jin almost moved herself to tears and promptly nodded.

When the siblings, one carrying a basket and the other a bundle, reached home, it was exactly noon, and the village was deserted.

At noon, the sun is at its hottest. In high temperatures, accidents happen easily; the poor fear most they can’t afford illness, and avoiding danger becomes a natural habit. So, by this time, hardly anyone came out.

Of course, there’s another saying that noon is the time of the day when the yin energy is strongest. Whatever the reason, unless there is something special, people generally rest at home.

It suited Hua Jin just fine; otherwise, she and her brother, with both a bundle and basket, would attract too much attention.

"Jin’er..."

Just as they entered the village, before turning the corner, they saw their father approaching with a worried face.

"Where were you, why were you gone so long?" Relieved, Hua Chengtian hurriedly took the basket from his daughter’s back. Only upon touching it did he realize how heavy it was. Puzzled, he looked at his daughter but asked no more; this wasn’t a place to talk.

"Let’s go home quickly; your mother and grandmother are worried to death."

Reassured, Hua Chengtian didn’t even cast a glance at his son. Fortunately, Xiaosi was always carefree and used to it.

Hearing that grandmother and mother were worried, Hua Jin hurried home, shouting as soon as she reached the door: "Granny, Mom, I’m back with my brother."

She ran into the courtyard and straight into the arms of the two who had been anxiously waiting.

Seeing the three of them huddled together affectionately, Xiaosi shivered.

Isn’t this a bit much? It’s only been a little while since they last saw each other, right?

Women... Xiaosi shook his head, unable to understand.

"Didn’t you go out for a walk to clear your head? Why so long?" While relieved to find her granddaughter safe, Granny Hua playfully poked her granddaughter’s forehead.

The village was relatively safe, and after Hua Jin’s injury, she had become noticeably more mature and independent. Otherwise, her father would’ve gone searching long ago.

"Granny..." Hua Jin snuggled into Granny Hua’s arms coyly, "I just lost track of time. I’ll be more careful next time, don’t be mad at me."

Even with a hint of capriciousness, her endearing tone made Granny Hua helpless against her granddaughter.

"You little rascal!" She couldn’t help but poke her forehead again.

"Hehe..." Hua Jin chuckled and quickly grabbed her granny and mom’s hands: "Granny, Mom, come and see. I found something amazing. That’s why I took so long to come back."

Avoiding further lecturing, Hua Jin succeeded in directing everyone’s attention.

"What is it?"

Following her gaze, Granny Hua, Mrs. Qi, and Hua Old Master, who was working in the west of the yard, all looked over.

Having focused on the child earlier, they then noticed the basket and the large bulging bundle beside it.

Finding the bundle vaguely familiar, Mrs. Qi suddenly reached out and poked her daughter’s forehead, "Why did you take off your skirt? Aren’t you cold?"

"Hehe... Mom, I’m not cold. Feel for yourself," Hua Jin placed her hand back in her mother’s palm, feeling the warmth reassured Mrs. Qi.

"You’re about to be a big girl; you can’t do this anymore. If someone sees you, they’ll gossip," Mrs. Qi couldn’t help warning seeing her daughter’s disheveled clothes.

"I know, I know. It was a special case, so don’t worry about it now. Come and look." Hua Jin hurriedly shifted the conversation, then pulled apart the dry grass in the basket.

"Granny, Mom, look..."

Everyone looked, including Xiaosi, who had been incredibly curious.

What they saw were various little white clusters mixed with tiny black stars, but they felt very clean.

The few exchanged puzzled glances. They really didn’t know what this stuff was.

"Granny, Mom, feel it. Isn’t it soft and warm?"

Hua Jin placed a handful into both her granny and mom’s hands, letting them experience it firsthand.

This texture... The mother and daughter exchanged a glance.

It was indeed soft and comfortable. Holding it a bit longer even made it feel warm.

"Granny, do you think this could be used to replace the willow fluff in our cotton-padded clothes? It seems much warmer."

Hua Jin watched her granny proudly, as if asking to be praised for her cleverness.

"So you stayed late to collect these?"

Hua Jin quickly nodded, then feigned exhaustion, "Yeah, yeah, my back is killing me."

As expected... Granny Hua and Mrs. Qi both looked at her lovingly.

"Oh, my poor granddaughter, you exhausted yourself. Why pick them alone though? You should’ve called your dad! At the very least, Xiaosi was there too."

Xiaosi: "..."

"Granny, I just got excited and forgot. Besides... it was in a remote spot... I was afraid I wouldn’t remember the way and these would go to waste."

"Remote? You went up the mountain?" Concerned, Granny Hua’s face changed as she realized, glaring at her granddaughter.

"Yes," Hua Jin looked guilty at Granny, "I just accidentally wandered up the mountain" then quickly gave her granny, granddad, mom, and dad a pleading look, acting all innocent.

Then she quickly held Granny’s hand again, "Granny, it was an accident, but I really didn’t climb too high. I was just slightly above the foothills when I found these."

"Granny..." Hua Jin shook Granny Hua’s hand, acting spoiled. Her family couldn’t resist when she acted like this. As expected, Granny Hua, who had been stern, finally sighed and poked her forehead, "You!"

Finally, it all ended in these two words.

Mrs. Qi also gave her daughter a waiting look.

This child has such nerve, daring to stay on the mountain so long alone. She must have a good talking to later.

"Granny, do you think this can be used in our cotton clothes?" Pretending not to see her mom’s gaze, Hua Jin quickly shifted the focus back to the topic.

Granny Hua redirected her attention to the piece in her hand again.

The texture was soft, no doubt. Then she tugged at it a few times to test its resilience, and was pleasantly surprised.

Although it tore easily, it had some elasticity and was quite fibrous. Each cluster stayed well bundled together, not likely to scatter like willow fluff even when pressed firmly. Most importantly, it was genuinely warm to the touch.

If it felt this warm in the hand, wouldn’t it be even warmer sewn into clothing?

Granny Hua’s eyes sparkled as she exchanged a look with her daughter-in-law, clearly thinking the same thing.

As for whether it could be used or was safe, Granny Hua wasn’t concerned. Her granddaughter had already brought it back; wasn’t it obvious?

"Jin’er... is there more of this on the mountain?" Other than during the farming season and concerning her grandchildren, Granny Hua rarely felt this anxious.

"It seems I’ve picked most of it." After a moment of hesitation, Hua Jin replied.

Granny Hua immediately assumed that "most" meant there was still some, then turned to her son.

"I’ll go up and check later, Mom," Hua Chengtian quickly said.

Granny Hua felt satisfied.

"Granny..."