Worried over by Lin Cuihua, An Ning ultimately wasn’t allowed to help with the dumplings.

Her older brother beside her was even more worried than Lin Cuihua.

"Sis, let me, let me."

’It was just an accident,’ An Ning desperately wanted to say.

She had only just arrived and still wasn’t very familiar with things. But lately, she had been secretly observing everyone and had learned a lot.

After they finished the dumplings, Lin Cuihua and the others went back to their sewing machines, and An Guoqing’s group continued building the washroom.

An Ning, however, found a nail and started poking holes in the large iron barrel she had bought.

She poked so many holes in the perfectly good iron barrel that it looked like a colander.

Although An Sancheng’s heart ached a little for the barrel, he didn’t mind anymore after watching An Ning demonstrate how it worked with some cold water.

"Dad, we’ll just need to hang the barrel somewhere. With water inside, we can pour more in from the top to create a shower."

"Alright, you can handle it yourself."

After it was completely dark, An Guoping returned and happily ate a meal of dumplings.

That night, An Ning teleported seeds again. The consumption of her spiritual power was almost identical to the last time.

For the next few days, An Guoming went out during the day, while everyone else worked peacefully in the fields or at the sewing machines.

Jiang Xia, who was busy with a different kind of work, even went looking for An Ning.

From what he knew of her, An Ning loved to take on the most difficult jobs, yet he hadn’t seen her at all these past few days.

Jiang Xia didn’t know what possessed him, but during the midday break, he deliberately took a detour and saw An Ning walking out of the fields.

’What’s going on?’

Jiang Xia immediately noticed that An Ning was low on energy, just like last time.

’Does that sika deer have some kind of hidden illness?’

But then Jiang Xia remembered An Ning taking down wild boars with a single swing of her blade—one strike, one kill. She didn’t look like someone in poor health at all.

’If that’s considered poor health, then I’m practically useless.’

"Pah, pah, pah! I’m no weakling."

With a proud huff, Jiang Xia turned and headed home to eat.

The next morning, An Ning, feeling mostly recovered, went up the mountain again.

She found that ever since she’d had meat, she really missed it after just a few days without.

Besides, she was also quite enthusiastic about hunting to make money.

It felt like free money—very little effort for a huge reward. The feeling was amazing.

When An Ning reached the mountain, she headed toward the spot where she and her second brother had hunted pheasants for the first time.

’It’s been a while,’ she thought. ’There should be pheasants there again by now.’

The taste of chicken still lingered in her memory.

An Ning shook her head. ’Can’t think about it. I’m making myself hungry.’

When An Ning arrived at the spot, she didn’t see a single pheasant, but she did see chicken feathers all over the ground.

She didn’t know what kind of struggle had happened, but in any case, there were feathers everywhere.

WOOF WOOF.

From the distinctive bark, An Ning knew it was Da Huang and Jiang Xia.

She couldn’t help but laugh.

"What are you laughing at? That happy to see me?"

Hearing Jiang Xia’s unique, upward-lilting tone, An Ning nodded cooperatively.

"It’s certainly distinctive. As soon as I hear Da Huang bark, I know you’ve arrived."

"It’s like... your personal entrance music."

Across from her, Jiang Xia—with one pheasant in his hand, two more slung around his neck, and another two tucked into his belt—felt his chest tighten in annoyance again.

"Hmph, at least I have entrance music. Do you?"

An Ning had also noticed Jiang Xia’s unique getup. ’So that’s where all the pheasants went.’

"You’re right, I don’t. After all, I don’t need to be rescued."

Draped in pheasants, with a few feathers even stuck to the top of his head, Jiang Xia sauntered toward An Ning with a roguish swagger.

"You’re so right. I think my thank-you gift last time was too light. I should pay another visit today. I’m planning to tell Aunt Lin a story about a brown bear. What do you think?"

Jiang Xia looked at An Ning provocatively. His spirits were high; it was the first time he had gotten the upper hand. ’This feels amazing!’

"Oh? Can I listen to this story too? I love listening to stories."

As soon as An Ning spoke, Jiang Xia’s excitement instantly deflated. He stared at her, trying to discern if she was truly unafraid or just pretending.

But no matter how he looked, An Ning’s expression was completely placid. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

An Ning, being stared at, was naturally unwilling to back down. ’The teacher said that in a standoff, whoever flinches first, loses.’

Besides, she figured it was more likely that Jiang Xia was just bluffing.

Sure enough, Jiang Xia’s shoulders slumped. He looked at An Ning, a mix of reluctance and pride in his voice, and said, "You win!"

"You flatter me."

An Ning said with a smile, preparing to leave.

"Hold on!"

"I may not be telling the story, but I still have to give the gift. Take these four pheasants."

An Ning looked at the pheasants Jiang Xia was offering and said, confused, "I can hunt my own."

"Cut the crap. I’m giving them to you, so just take them."

Jiang Xia forcefully thrust the pheasants forward, his voice impatient. "When I give a gift, I don’t take it back. Don’t I have a reputation to uphold?"

"Just take them! I’m leaving."

Jiang Xia threw four pheasants on the ground with an impatient look and left.

An Ning looked quizzically at the pheasants, then at Jiang Xia’s retreating back. ’This person has a really strange way of giving gifts.’

’This must be what the captain meant by putting in effort and getting no appreciation.’

An Ning picked up the pheasants from the ground, thinking about the fountain pen she had bought. She had originally intended to give it to Jiang Xia, but since Uncle An and An Sancheng had already given him gifts, she hadn’t given hers.

’Jiang Xia has given a thank-you gift twice now. I can, too.’

An Ning carried the pheasants down the mountain and went straight to Uncle An’s house. She left two for his family and took the other two home with her.

The last time they brought a thank-you gift, Uncle An’s family had given them a lot of eggs in return.

An Ning returned to the An family home, gave the two pheasants to Lin Cuihua, and mentioned that she had already given some to Uncle An’s family.

"That was the right thing to do. Whenever our family needs anything, your uncle’s family is always there for us."

Lin Cuihua held up the two pheasants and sighed with emotion, "These past few days have been like a dream. We’re even eating meat every day."

"Things will get even better. Has Second Brother finished his negotiations?"

"I think so. I’m not sure yet. He said there’d be news today."

An Ning didn’t ask any more questions. She ate and then went to work in the fields.

When the An family members returned at noon, they noticed something was wrong in the house—the schoolbags were gone.

"Mom, is Second Brother back?"

Lin Cuihua came in through the back door, holding a few cucumbers.

"Yes, he came back around ten. He was in a huge hurry and took all the schoolbags. He said everything was settled and they paid him a deposit."

Lin Cuihua put the cucumbers down and said, "It’s made me a bundle of nerves. He just took them and left in such a rush. I didn’t even get to ask for any details."

"It’s fine, Mom. Second Brother isn’t stupid."

An Ning offered a word of comfort, and the others naturally echoed that it was fine. They all had great faith in An Guoming.

Everyone ate lunch, and that evening, Lin Cuihua specially stewed the chicken. The aroma wafted far and wide. The neighbors on either side looked at their own bowls of pickled vegetables and practically drooled with jealousy.

But as the sky grew darker and darker, An Guoming still hadn’t returned, and the An family started to worry.