Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Building a House

"The heck?"

An Ning looked at the uncomprehending Lin Cuihua and repeated herself.

"Let’s build a house. A big one, right from the start, that we can live in for a long time."

An Ning continued, and this time, Lin Cuihua understood.

It had to be said, the house An Ning described was genuinely tempting.

Who wouldn’t like a new house?

It was just... she couldn’t bear to spend the money.

"This house is still livable. Why build a new one?"

Distracted by An Ning, Lin Cuihua completely forgot about scolding her for the shopping.

"But we can afford it now. Isn’t it good to let everyone live a little better?"

An Ning’s views on spending were far too progressive; she liked to live well.

If you couldn’t afford it, you couldn’t force it. But if you could, why not make a change?

"Go discuss it with your father."

Lin Cuihua washed her hands of it. She couldn’t make such a big decision on her own.

"Okay."

An Ning didn’t press the issue and started taking things off the bicycle.

"Mom, where should I put the rice I bought? Mom, I also bought white flour, where does it go?"

An Ning, who had almost perfectly integrated into village life, was a natural when it came to calling for "Mom" whenever she needed something.

Lin Cuihua had just started to relax, but the sight of the bag of rice and the white flour made her head throb.

"You—you— Ai, just bring them inside!"

"Why did you buy all this? What if rats get into it?"

"This is all hard-earned money."

Lin Cuihua grumbled, but her hands didn’t stop moving.

"Rice tastes good. We don’t have to eat it every day, just once in a while is fine."

Lin Cuihua didn’t know whether to be angry or happy.

Her daughter was certainly good at making money, but she was also just as good at spending it.

However, Lin Cuihua didn’t say any more, efficiently putting away all the things An Ning had bought.

"Mom, I’m heading to the fields. Let’s have meat and white rice for lunch."

"I know!"

"Honestly! I must have owed you all in a past life."

Without even turning around, Lin Cuihua muttered to herself and started her preparations. It wasn’t long until noon.

An Ning left the courtyard with a smile, greeted her sister-in-law, and went off to work in the fields.

Along the way, everyone who saw An Ning greeted her warmly.

An Ning returned their greetings cheerfully.

Just as she was about to reach the fields, someone blocked her path.

An Ning glanced at him and stepped to the side. She didn’t know this person.

’He must not be from our village.’

"You’re An Ning, right?"

An Ning, who had already walked past, stopped and turned around.

"Who are you?"

The man across from her was dressed neatly and had rather fair skin. In the countryside, he would be considered a sharp young man.

"Hello, I’m from the next village over. My aunt lives here. I’ve seen you before."

An Ning nodded once, then turned to leave without a word.

The man hurried to catch up, walking beside An Ning.

"My name is Li Chenggong. I’m twenty years old."

An Ning still said nothing, quickening her pace.

She didn’t like the ambition in Li Chenggong’s eyes; he seemed to be sizing her up like a piece of merchandise.

"I just wanted to get to know you. We’re about the same age, so we could hang out together."

Li Chenggong’s words successfully made An Ning stop in her tracks.

"Comrade Li Chenggong, there’s an old saying that boys and girls should be separated after a certain age. Even though this isn’t ancient times, you are definitely too old to be asking a girl to just ’hang out,’ unless there’s something wrong with your head."

An Ning’s eyes, clear and bright, stared at Li Chenggong as she asked, "Is there something wrong with your head?"

Across from her, Li Chenggong was rendered speechless by An Ning’s question.

"I—I... I’m not... I—" 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"If you’re not, then please stay away from me."

An Ning turned and walked away, her pace getting faster and faster. Though she wasn’t running, she quickly disappeared from sight.

Li Chenggong, left behind, scoffed.

’She’s just as sharp-tongued as Auntie said.’

Li Chenggong stuck one hand in his pocket, pulled out a small mirror, and preened at his reflection.

One corner of his mouth lifted in a confident smirk.

’There’s no one who doesn’t love this face of mine.’

’An eighteen-year-old girl definitely won’t be able to resist my pursuit.’

His aunt had told him that among the An family, this An Ning was the most capable—she could find people jobs and make money.

Li Chenggong started walking toward his aunt’s house. Just as he turned, he came face-to-face with a fierce, large wolf-like dog.

"WOOF WOOF—"

Da Huang’s two barks sent Li Chenggong scrambling, shouting for help as he ran.

Far off in the distance, Jiang Xia, hiding behind a tree, grinned smugly.

’A guy like that dares to have ideas about An Ning? Isn’t he afraid of getting torn to shreds?’

Jiang Xia leaned against the tree trunk, standing on one leg with the other propped against the roots.

He pushed off the root with his foot, stood up straight, and gave a lazy stretch.

"I’m so magnanimous, worrying about my rival’s love life. What a good guy, a truly good guy."

Jiang Xia shook his head, a smug smile playing on his lips, not even realizing how brightly he was beaming.

’I finally found someone, An Ning, who can match me in every way. How can I let some low-life ruin her?’

As for anything else, he hadn’t thought that far ahead.

Jiang Xia walked toward Da Huang, his steps unhurried, but his voice carried a hint of feigned urgency as he shouted, "Da Huang, Da Huang, stop chasing the thief!"

Jiang Xia’s shouts and Da Huang’s chase brought many people out to see what was going on.

Da Huang was, after all, a good dog who had once helped the village catch a thief.

Having lost a shoe and tumbled three times, Li Chenggong was a mess of dirt and dust, whimpering as he lay sprawled on the ground. Da Huang had planted a paw right on his chest.

Steaming drool from Da Huang’s mouth dripped onto Li Chenggong’s face.

But Li Chenggong, pinned beneath him, didn’t dare move a muscle.

"Help— I... I-I’m not a thief."

The villagers who had come out heard Li Chenggong’s words. Several of them stared for a good while before finally recognizing him.

"Isn’t that Wang Dalan’s nephew? From Qilitun, I think."

Pinned by Da Huang, Li Chenggong blinked frantically and gave a weak nod. He didn’t dare speak, because Da Huang’s tongue was about to touch his face.

Those sharp canine teeth were just inches away.

Just then, Jiang Xia, who had been "chasing" them, finally arrived. Listening to the onlookers’ explanations, he slapped his forehead in a moment of "sudden realization."

"Oh, this is all a misunderstanding! Da Huang doesn’t know you, he must have thought you were a thief from another village."

"Heh heh, it’s fine. He is from another village. Our Da Huang is really something else."

"Exactly, exactly."

Jiang Xia struck up a conversation with the villagers, seemingly forgetting all about Li Chenggong, who was still pinned to the ground.

"Help me—"

"WOOF!"

Da Huang’s bark made Li Chenggong squeeze his eyes shut in fear.

Only then did Jiang Xia, who was busy chatting, call out.

"Da Huang, come back! It’s a misunderstanding."

"It’s fine, it’s fine. My Da Huang doesn’t bite people."

Jiang Xia pulled Da Huang away. The dog, being mischievous, gave Li Chenggong one last up-close WOOF.

’I only bite bad guys!’

’The awesome young lady is mine!’

"WOOF WOOF!"