Jai Mei's Unforeseen Journey to Ancient China

Chapter Six: Jai Mei Comes Up With New Plans

Jai Mei walked into the room where Hao Zhang and Shu Wang were resting, carrying a tray with some herbal remedies and clean bandages.

"Good morning," she greeted them with a soft smile. "How are you both feeling today? Any pain or discomfort?"

Hao Zhang grunted, his face set in a scowl. "I'm fine," he replied curtly. "Just some scratches, nothing serious."

Shu Wang winced as he shifted on the bed, revealing the bandage covering the bite mark on his arm. "It hurts a little, but I think it's getting better," he said, looking up at Jai Mei with a small smile. "Thank you for taking care of me, W-wife."

Jai Mei walked over to Shu Wang's side and gently lifted the bandage to examine the wound. She nodded in satisfaction. "It looks like it's healing well," she said, before applying some herbal ointment and wrapping the bandage back up.

Hao Zhang watched silently as Jai Mei tended to Shu Wang, his eyes narrowing slightly. He had never been one for showing gratitude, but he couldn't deny that Jai Mei's care for them was impressive.

After finishing with the bandages, Jai Mei turned her attention to Hao Zhang's scratches, cleaning them carefully and applying some salve. "You should rest for a few more days," she advised him. "We don't want any infections."

Hao Zhang grunted again, but this time his scowl had softened a bit. "Thanks," he mumbled, before turning his head away to face the wall.

Jai Mei understood that his gruff exterior was just a defense mechanism, and she didn't take it personally. "If you guys don't want to continue with the hunting lessons, I understand," she said softly. "Your safety is my top priority."

Shu Wang shook his head vehemently. "No, we want to learn," he said, with a determined look on his face. "We want to be able to protect ourselves and our family."

Hao Zhang didn't say anything, but Jai Mei could see the determination in his eyes as well. She nodded, feeling a sense of pride and responsibility towards her husbands. "Alright then," she said, with a smile. "We'll continue with the lessons as soon as you guys are fully healed."

After giving them their medicine, she heads to the kitchen to help Liu Feng and Chun Wei prepare breakfast. "Today we're having eggs and porridge, hope you guys like it," she says, placing the bowls on the table.

Once they finish eating, Jai Mei gathers them all into the main room. "I think it's best if we don't go into the forest until we've all fully healed," she says, looking at both Hao Zhang and Shu Wang. "But we still have some produce to sell. We caught 4 chickens - 2 to breed and 2 to sell. And we're going to sell all 6 rabbits that we caught. Liu Feng, can you go to the market and sell them? Use the money to buy some seasonings for our meals."

Hao Zhang nods in agreement. "I'll start setting up the coop for the chickens now that we have them and tend to the animals," he says.

"Be careful," Jai Mei reminds him. "Me and Chun Wei are going to tend to the garden while you do that. Shu Wang, why don't you sit outside with us for a while?"Shu Wang nodded.

Jai Mei walked over to her garden and surveyed the rows of young vegetables sprouting from the ground. "These should be growing just fine in the next months," she murmured to herself, as she crouched down to inspect the tender green shoots of cabbage, radish, potatoes, and onions. "I'll be able to sell them at a good price, and we can replant for the next harvest."

She passed out a small hoe to Chun Wei and got one for herself and began to carefully weed the soil around the plants, taking care not to disturb their delicate roots. As they worked, she thought about the days ahead and all the tasks that still needed to be done. But for now, she was content to be in her garden, surrounded by the fragrant smells of earth and growing things.