Chapter 9

Zhao Hu sighed and brought a pheasant he had just killed as a gift for the village chief to settle his nephew.

When Xiaoxiao woke up the next day, she discovered that Zhao Hu, who stayed not far away from her house, had found her long-lost nephew.

It was said that he had escaped to the wilderness. On the way, his family had either died or scattered. Because he knew that his hometown was in Fortune Village, he came to find relatives and wait for his lost relatives. However, when they heard this, they all sighed. The so-called loss was just a nice way of putting it. How could those separated on the way to the wilderness survive?

Xiaoxiao had only heard a little about this matter. In the past, they did not interact much with Zhao’s family. Moreover, pitying others was not their turn, according to her family’s current situation. Hence, out of etiquette, she sent a few steamed buns over according to her mom’s instructions.

Today was also a day of running around for her life. Xiaoxiao carried the small bamboo basket her dad had made in her arms and carried one on her back as she went out happily.

Madam Song sighed in relief when she saw Xiaoxiao bouncing back from the window.

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“She become more lively after splitting up. She’s also more capable.”

“This is good, but I wish she would always be so small.”

Ning Fengnian patted his wife’s hand.

“It’s a good thing that she’s grown up.”

Madam Song sighed. “But if she grows up, will she leave us?”

“After all, we can’t hide her background forever…”

Stopping her words, she forced a smile. “It’s time for you to take medicine. I’ll help you up.”

Xiaoxiao didn’t know what her parents were worried about, so she went to the river again.

However, just as she reached the river, she saw her uncle and aunt out for the first time in the morning and come to the river.

Glancing at the basin beside them and the fishing rod in their hand, Xiaoxiao instantly understood.

They knew she was fishing yesterday and wanted to try their luck today.

She didn’t want to stay with these two people, so she turned around and ran in another direction before they noticed her.

She went to find a place with shallow water, more sand, and grass. She put the bamboo basket and threw some bait from the space inside. Then, she wandered around.

Few people usually came to this part of the river bank, so the number of wild vegetables was still considerable.

Fortunately, spring was not over yet, and the ingredients were rich in mountain goods, so her family could barely fill their stomachs.

But this couldn’t go on forever.

Time passed in the blink of an eye. Not to mention summer, the weather would quickly turn cold in autumn. At that time, not to mention wild vegetables, even wild grass and fruits, would turn yellow and wither. In winter, there was no food at home and no carbon to burn. There was no way they could survive.

Even now, she couldn’t keep finding seafood in the river for her family.

Whether she could eat her fill or not and nutrients was one thing, but if she caught too many of them, it would inevitably attract attention. Why was she the only one who gained anything?

Moreover, the next time they return to the old residence would not be easy to give the reasons.

She did not want to spend so much time searching for it but to benefit someone else.

Other than food, the house also needed a lot of items.

The broken bowl could be used again, but they could not survive the winter with thin clothes.

At the very least, she had to think of a way to add a thick cotton coat each before the end of autumn. Yes, it would be best if they had a new blanket.

Now, they only had the tattered blanket the old residence did not want. It was heavy and hard, and she still felt that there was a smell.

She suspected the owner had swapped her soul because she couldn’t survive the cold of winter.

She thought that not only was the Ning family short of food, but they were also short of money.

Thinking about it, she used the small shovel to dig up the soil.

When she was distracted just now, she heard from the space that ingredients were nearby. She thought that it was just wild vegetables.

Using the shovel to remove the soil carefully, Xiaoxiao heard the notification.

[Ding! New ingredient discovered. It’s bamboo shoots.]

[Master, quickly pick them. We haven’t recorded bamboo shoots before!]

There were several bamboo forests around Fortune Village. The skilled villagers would go up the mountain to cut bamboo and weave bamboo baskets. Some would use them at home, and some would even bring them to the market to exchange for copper coins. Ning Fengnian was an expert at weaving bamboo. The things he made were exquisite, beautiful, and durable.

Because bamboo shoots were bitter, few people liked to eat them. Even the villagers who were not rich felt that only wild boars would eat them.

However, Xiaoxiao, who was once a chef, knew that the taste was astringent. Other than the fact that the season of the bamboo shoots was wrong, it was also because the cooking method was too crude.

She quite liked the dish of braised spring bamboo shoots.

However, at this time, farmers only cooked to fill their stomachs. They did not care about the details and could not bear to use oil.

Usually, it would only be a big pot of vegetables when it was time to eat.

Those with better conditions could eat very well by putting a few pieces of meat into the pot.

She thought of a few dishes about bamboo shoots, rolled up her sleeves, and began to dig.

Half a day had passed unknowingly by the time four or five bamboo shoots appeared.

Xiaoxiao despised the owner’s small body. She was sweating profusely just from doing some physical work.

But at the same time, she was helpless.

If she was hungry, where would she have enough strength to work?

Xiaoxiao patted off the soil at the roots of the bamboo shoots and placed them in the basket. Once again, Xiaoxiao was sure that the first step to becoming rich was to fill the hunger!

It was time to pull up the bamboo basket.

The gains this time were quite bountiful, but Xiaoxiao only kept a small portion, and most of it was exchanged for points.

It wasn’t that she was stingy, but she knew that the people from the old residence were staring at her. It wasn’t good to do things too out of line.

Walking out of the forest, Xiaoxiao wandered by the river until the angry Second Aunt Ning caught her.

She snatched Xiaoxiao’s baskets without saying anything. Seeing that there were only bamboo shoots that only wild boars could eat and a handful of small prawns, she curled her lips in disdain.

“Alright, I don’t mind. Give me the prawns.”

Xiaoxiao lowered her eyes and put down the two baskets. When she looked up again, her expression changed.

Second Aunt Ning couldn’t understand but felt her gaze was even scarier than Ning Erlang’s.

“What, what’s going on?”

“I’m your second aunt. What’s wrong with taking a few prawns from you?”

Xiaoxiao snorted. “Looks like you didn’t learn enough lessons yesterday.”

It would have been better if she hadn’t mentioned this. However, the moment she did, Second Aunt Ning was instantly furious.

“I haven’t settled that matter with you yet! Who asked you to talk nonsense and frame me?” Her butt was still hurting, slapped by the soles of her mother-in-law’s shoes!

Xiaoxiao looked at her calmly and her smile gradually disappeared.

“I don’t understand your words. I’m telling the truth.”

It was the truth that was hateful! She could not refute it even if she wanted to!

Xiaoxiao continued, “But I was so happy when grandma hit you.” As she spoke, she even grinned at Second Aunt Ning.

Second Aunt Ning could not take this provocation. She raised her hand and was about to hit her.

In the blink of an eye, Xiaoxiao screamed and fell diagonally backwards, knocking over the basket containing the prawns. The prawns instantly spilled all over the ground, and the bamboo shoots.

Xiaoxiao’s hair had also scattered and covered her face, making it impossible to see her expression.

However, looking at the fall and how she was trembling now, it was not difficult to guess how much strength Second Aunt Ning had used.

Second Aunt Ning was also stunned. She looked at her palm in confusion.

Did she… hit Xiaoxiao? Why didn’t she feel anything?