The Young Widow and Her Child: Foraging in the Mountains to Build a Fortune

(Adorable child + farming + foraging in the mountains + comeback during famine + raising a child and building a fortune + satisfying face-slapping)

Su Nuonuo opens her eyes to find herself a poor widow driven out by her husband's family, with a three-year-old child in her arms.

Outside, a blizzard rages. At home, the cooking pot is empty. In the mountains lies a ravine full of corpses.

Everyone is waiting for her to starve or freeze to death.

Who could have guessed that as soon as she enters the mountains, she can hear the whole place talking?

Which tree has wild chicken eggs beneath it, which ravine has medicinal herbs buried in it, which rock hides a mineral vein, even when a spring will start flowing: she hears it all perfectly clearly.

Everyone calls her crazy. Only her three-year-old pats his hands and cries in a babyish voice, “Mom, that big fellow up ahead is nearly dead. Let's take him home to be my dad!”

Later, new houses rise in the poor mountain village, crops grow on barren slopes, irrigation channels are built through dry ravines, and wild mountain produce is sold in the county town. Even the county magistrate scrambles to come eat at her house.

Later still, the cold-faced man she brought home regains his identity: he is the long-missing commander of the Northern Garrison.

He corners her at the courtyard gate, his gaze fierce and dark. “Su Nuonuo, the child already calls me Dad. Are you still going to pretend this has nothing to do with you?”

Su Nuonuo holds the child and answers with complete conviction, “Just so we're clear, anyone who wants to marry into my family has to wait in line.”

Xiaoman raises a hand beside her. “I'm first in line! I'm the best at calling people Dad!”