Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Meeting Jiang Xia Again

"Ouch!"

An Guoming bent over and vigorously rubbed his toes. It hurt like hell.

"Oh... And here I thought it didn’t hurt, Second Brother."

An Ning’s tone was so natural that An Guoming, still rubbing his toes, grimaced and turned his head to look at his little sister.

"Little Sister, you’re definitely getting back at me!"

"No, I’m not!"

An Ning raised her voice slightly, but with a hint of a smile in her eyes, she said, "You don’t have any proof, so it doesn’t count."

With that, An Ning cheerfully picked up the dictionary and walked away.

’How could an honest, hardworking person like me be scary?’ she thought. ’Second Brother must have been mistaken.’

Behind her, An Guoming had stood up and was pointing a finger at An Ning’s retreating back, looking around for an ally. But An Guoping, who had been reading, quickly dodged and turned his back to him.

’I don’t know anything. I didn’t see anything.’

He knew he couldn’t take a slap from his dear sister.

As for An Sancheng, who had been weaving a basket all along, he simply went back to it after the excitement was over.

’Kids’ business is kids’ business. No need for adults to stick their noses in.’

An Ning took the dictionary and read for a while longer. The sky grew completely dark, and members of the An family gradually went inside, washed up in their rooms, and climbed onto the kang to sleep.

Lying on the kang, An Ning started thinking about bathing.

’I should build a bathhouse first.’

’But I should focus on making money first. The schoolbags are in production, but I still have to sell them. It’s not as profitable as getting a wild boar.’

’Tomorrow, I’ll work hard to restore my spiritual power, then find Jiang Xia to go hunt a wild boar.’

Her plans made, An Ning prepared to rest.

As for teleporting the seeds, she’d wait until her spiritual power recovered.

The next day, An Ning got up and, out of habit, went looking for her second brother, An Guoming. But when she entered his room, it was empty.

An Ning came out of the house to find An Guoping washing his face in the courtyard.

"Sis, Second Brother already went out for a run."

"Got it."

An Ning started walking toward the gate, but turned back after a few steps.

"Why are you following me?"

"COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO—"

The family’s large rooster stretched its neck and crowed.

"Whatever, I can’t understand you anyway. Come on, you can follow me."

And so, the girl and the rooster left the courtyard together.

It was a bit foggy this morning, making everything hazy, but the air smelled different—crisp and chilly, with the damp scent of soil.

The village was a world of brown, with its low earthen walls and, for the most part, wooden doors.

On either side of the main gates, there were always a few oddly shaped stones. An Ning now understood that they served as benches, giving people a place to sit and chat.

A stack of firewood was piled outside every gate. Early in the morning, many people would grab a net bag, gather a bundle of wood, and carry it inside to start a fire for cooking.

As An Ning walked along the narrow, uneven, stone-littered dirt road, people would call out to her from time to time.

"An Ning, have you eaten?"

"Not yet."

"An Ning, where are you off to?"

"I’m looking for my second brother."

Exchanging pleasantries as she went,

An Ning led the big rooster toward the usual running spot.

"WOOF WOOF WOOF!"

"CLUCK CLUCK CLUCK!"

Da Huang barked at the big rooster, but the rooster showed no fear. With a flutter of its wings, it flew up more than a meter and aimed its sharp beak right at Da Huang.

"Don’t!"

"Da Huang!"

An Ning quickly shot out her hands and caught the rooster mid-flight, pulling it into her arms.

Jiang Xia also came running out of the fog behind them, shouting for Da Huang.

Da Huang whimpered, giving An Ning an aggrieved look while completely ignoring Jiang Xia beside him.

Jiang Xia, for his part, was probably used to it.

’By now,’ he thought, ’I’ve finally realized my dog might be a little sexist—he clearly prefers women over men.’

Jiang Xia’s gaze finally landed on An Ning, and a second later, he couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

"That’s quite a unique look you’ve got there! It’s the first time I’ve ever seen someone go running with a chicken."

For some reason, Jiang Xia found the sight so hilarious that he couldn’t stop laughing.

Watching Jiang Xia bend over with laughter, An Ning felt that familiar, petty desire for revenge stir within her.

She nonchalantly extended her arms, using her spiritual power to soothe the big rooster. The rooster cooperated perfectly, remaining completely still and quiet.

Jiang Xia was laughing so hard he nearly collapsed. He was finally getting it under control and was about to stand up straight when...

"Holy shit!"

Jiang Xia leaped back, his heart nearly pounding out of his chest.

"You scared me to death!"

A rooster’s head had nearly smacked him right in the forehead.

An Ning watched Jiang Xia, feeling a little bit of glee.

"How are you going to hunt wild boars with a gut like that?"

Once his heart rate finally returned to normal, Jiang Xia squinted at An Ning. He could have sworn he saw a smug look on her face.

"Who said I was scared? I was just playing along, you know."

The stubborn Jiang Xia would never admit he was scared, especially not to An Ning.

An Ning put the rooster down, gave its head a meaningful pat, and said in a gentle voice, "So it turns out your beak isn’t the hardest thing around here."

An Ning smiled, stood up from her crouch, and got back to business.

"So, which day are we heading up the mountain?"

Jiang Xia rolled his eyes, speechless. She was still making digs at him. But that was a minor issue; the main business was more important.

"I’m going up the mountain today to scout. We’ll talk when I get back. But... are you fully recovered?"

Jiang Xia eyed An Ning doubtfully. "I’m telling you, I’m only teaming up with you because you’re capable. Don’t just pretend to be tough. I don’t want to have to save you later."

"And I might not, you know."

An Ning didn’t find anything wrong with his words. They weren’t family or close friends, so this kind of attitude was only normal.

In fact, she agreed completely. "Don’t worry. If we run into any danger on the mountain that you can’t handle, please save yourself. Don’t hold me back."

"We’ll see who’s holding who back!"

Jiang Xia snorted haughtily, called for Da Huang, and ran past An Ning, stirring up a faint breeze.

An Ning shrugged and motioned to the rooster that had been waiting patiently by her side.

"Come on, let’s go find Second Brother."

An Ning’s spiritual power had been soothing the rooster’s mind the whole time. She stared at it for a good while.

"You know, I’ve realized you’re very clever."

From the rooster’s perspective, An Ning had just squatted down and was staring intently at its body.

It tentatively took a small step back with one foot. Just as it was about to move the other, An Ning spoke.

"Don’t be scared. I’m not going to eat you."

"Tell me, do you think you could watch Second Brother while he runs for me?"

"Let’s give it a try."

An Ning’s eyes were filled with interest, as if she had just found a brand-new toy.

"How about you flap your wings?"

As she spoke, she flapped her own arms up and down to demonstrate.

The rooster opposite her seemed confused but mimicked her action. Then it saw An Ning smile.

’She smiled,’ the rooster thought. ’Does this mean I don’t have to go drink water from the steaming pot?’

’None of the others who went to drink from that pot ever came back,’ it thought.

An Ning beamed. She had found a little running buddy for her second brother.

When An Guoming came jogging back at a pace slower than a walk, he saw An Ning holding a big rooster and looking at him gleefully.

"Second Brother, I found you a partner!"