Saving System: Calm Down, My Fleeing Host!-Chapter 35: Departure

The next day, before dawn, the system kept calling out in Cheng Xiaoxiao’s mind.

"Host, host, wake up, it’s time. Today is the last day."

The host is grumpy when waking up, and it’s always incredibly difficult at this time.

Indeed, for the past few days, Cheng Xiaoxiao would be rudely awakened by the system in the middle of her cozy sleep, feeling incredibly frustrated.

Anyone who gets their sleep interrupted every day would explode, Cheng Xiaoxiao thought. But every time she wanted to complain, the system would mischievously interject, "You instructed me to, not my fault!"

Fine, she opened her bleary eyes, encouraging herself, "Come on, it’s the last time."

Then Cheng Xiaoxiao, startled by a bad dream, woke Erya up again.

This time, Erya wasn’t frightened, only worried. Her sister had nightmares again.

This time Cheng Xiaoxiao’s commotion wasn’t too loud and didn’t wake the others.

It had been four or five days in a row, she was embarrassed even by herself.

The two sisters didn’t go back to sleep, they lit an oil lamp, and Cheng Xiaoxiao still had the mind to teach Erya how to read and write.

Erya’s resentful eyes would always gloomily hang whenever Cheng Xiaoxiao forced her to study, but that didn’t work on Cheng Xiaoxiao.

Cheng Xiaoxiao was stringent about learning, and everyone in the family, except for Mr. Cheng, received a study task that, if not completed, resulted in punishment. Erya would get a headache just thinking about the endless writing she would prefer going up in the mountains or down in the fields.

Of course, Cheng Xiaoxiao wouldn’t let Mr. Cheng go. Mr. Cheng was so busy every day, handling most of the fieldwork by himself, and it wasn’t the time yet. Once the heavy rains came, it would be her time to shine.

By the way, she had to borrow more books from Second Brother, for the whole family to stay home when the time comes, they should prepare some stock.

Unknowingly, daylight broke.

Mr. Cheng came to knock on the door. He actually fell asleep last night, maybe Xiaoxiao’s good performance yesterday put him at ease, and he didn’t hear his daughter’s screaming sound.

He came over to check just in case, only to learn from Erya that Xiaoxiao was still awakened by nightmares, so Mr. Cheng couldn’t hold on to wishful thinking and quickly made arrangements to go out.

Today they borrowed the village chief’s ox cart, fitted with a canopy. Inside, Mr. Cheng laid a layer of straw and then padded it with a thick cotton quilt, trying to make it as comfortable as possible for his daughter.

Dalan was busy in the kitchen early making pancakes, preparing extra dry food to eat on the road. After all, it was a day-long trip back and forth.

Through the days of rest, Cheng Chudong could barely get out of bed and walk a few steps by holding onto the wall. When free, she would make clothes and shoes for the family in bed.

Last night, she stayed up late to sew a pillow for Cheng Xiaoxiao. The pillow was designed by Cheng Xiaoxiao herself. She had one on her bed and felt much more comfortable leaning on it for support while taking her medicine.

"Xiaolan, Xiaolan," Cheng Chudong called out twice towards the door.

Xiaolan came in, "Mom, did you finish the pillow!"

She looked at the light blue pillow, with peonies embroidered on the four corners and a big character for ’Fortune’ in the middle.

"It’s really beautiful, Mom, your skills are getting better and better."

Xiaolan liked it more the longer she looked at it, "Sister Xiaoxiao will definitely love it. I’ll take it to her now." With that, she ran off.

Cheng Chudong watched her lively young daughter.

Her heart ached immensely.

She regretted it immensely.

Yet, she also felt comforted immensely.

Thinking back to the days when it was just the three of them, endless chores every day, not enough food, constant beatings, and her two daughters being scolded daily as burdens while unable to lift their heads because of it, their personalities becoming gloomier and more timid day by day.

They couldn’t compare to their current state at all. Had she awakened sooner, her daughters wouldn’t have suffered those years of hardship. Silent tears fell, and she wiped them away. Thankfully, it wasn’t too late.

Thank you to the brothers, to Xiaoxiao, and to the Bodhisattva for their blessings.

She must take good care of herself and recover soon because this family lacked manpower. She knew how hard the brothers worked, as did the children, and she needed to get better soon to help the family.

Cheng Xiaoxiao was about to get on the cart when Xiaolan ran over, handing her a pillow, "Sister Xiaoxiao, look, isn’t this pillow beautiful! My mom made it for you to use on the way."

"Hmm, Auntie’s skills are indeed improving. The peonies are so lifelike. Thank her for me; I love it." Cheng Xiaoxiao accepted it happily and didn’t hold back.

"You’re welcome; didn’t you say, Sister Xiaoxiao, that we’re family and shouldn’t stand on ceremony?" replied Xiaolan with a smile.

"You cheeky girl, using my words against me. Are you wanting to write more characters?" Cheng Xiaoxiao teased, although she knew the girl wasn’t scared. Among everyone, Xiaolan was the most eager to learn and improve the fastest.

"What, Sister Xiaoxiao, are we learning new characters now? I’ve already mastered all the previous ones, and I can recite the Three Character Classic by heart," Xiaolan boasted.

Cheng Xiaoxiao chuckled, "Alright, re-copy the words from the past two days ten times. You have to finish them before I get back, okay?"

Xiaolan puckered her lips, "Can’t you extend the deadline a bit? In a while, I need to manage the herbs and do the laundry. Isn’t ten times too much?"

"Then make it twenty times," Cheng Xiaoxiao showed no mercy.

Xiaolan waved her hand, "Fine, ten times it is; twenty is pushing it." With that, she dashed off.

Cheng Xiaoxiao shook her head, "Look at her, already getting arrogant with just a little achievement."

Meanwhile, Mr. Cheng had everything ready. Cheng Beiniu also arrived, and Cheng Xiaoxiao boarded the ox cart, which slowly moved forward.

Passing by the villagers’ houses, some watched for entertainment, some greeted them, some gossiped, and others even wished her a safe return.

At this moment, Cheng Xiaoxiao was communicating with the system while browsing the System Mall; there was nothing else to do on the long journey.

"Host, as expected, the Tree-man has followed us," the system reported.

"It’s okay, let him follow."

"By the way, the meat pie you had Erya put out yesterday was eaten by that guy."

"Hmm, just as expected. From now on, get Erya to give some food to the stray dogs and cats in the village when she has nothing to do. When you take from others, you owe them; leave such a high combat power lying around, what a waste," Cheng Xiaoxiao remarked.

Yes, Cheng Xiaoxiao was already eyeing Leng Qi.

Just as he leaped up to a big tree, Leng Qi suddenly shivered from the cold, wondering why he felt like a prey under watch. Looking around, he found nothing!

Strange.

Odd things were indeed plentiful, like this little village girl who had endless nightmares daily – who knew if she was truly possessed?

The message had already been sent back, who knew what instructions Boss Han would give?

In his thoughts, the ox cart had rolled far, and springing up into the air, he followed behind.

Meanwhile, Leng Qi’s message had just reached Yanlan.

Yanlan’s face showed no expression, fingers rhythmically tapping on the table.

The person reporting below kept their head down in a bow, not daring to look up without an instruction.

To the side, Han Yi felt puzzled!

Just a few words, though he dared not look at what it said more closely, it was just a few lines, did the master really need so much time to think?

Curious at heart, yet he dared not ask anything.

Yanlan was equally puzzled, what was that little girl doing?

Nightmares?

In order to clarify matters, Leng Qi had even eavesdropped on Cheng Xiaoxiao’s rooftop, recording her sleep talk.

Run, don’t, save them, drowned...