Chapter Seventeen Settling Down (Two)

  For half a month now, Zhi Xiao has been watching her father go down the mountain, and her thoughts have become active. She plans to go into town with her father today, anyway there's nothing to do on the mountain, she left home and still had three people.

  After breakfast, Lian Niang was busy with her needlework while her apprentice had some free time to make clothes for Zhi Xiao. Er Ni was working on the other side of the bed, occasionally chatting with her mother and making her laugh, which made Zhi Xiao feel very uncomfortable. This was her stepmother, who still treated her well as before, but she couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't be replaced by someone else in the future.

  Now Zhi Xiao is sitting at the gate, waiting for his father to finish digging wild vegetables so they can take them to town together to sell, no time to bother with them.

  "Sister, sister." Mu Tian returned early in the morning from shouting and yelling on the mountain, hastily rushing over. Seeing Zhi Xiao sitting stupidly by the door, he slowed down his pace and called out "Sister Zhi Xiao".

  It was as soft as a cat's cry, so light that no one could hear it. Zhi Xiao turned his head around, softly "hmm" and then ignored him.

  Mu Tian was like he had been granted amnesty, hastily stepping across the threshold and running into the house.

  He then went to report to his sister again, I don't know how many times this has happened, the first time he said he saw a colorful pheasant feather, and ran back to say so; the second time he saw a rabbit; the third time... he never caught one, just nonsense.

  Knowing in his heart, he couldn't help but mutter again.

  There was even a time when she listened to him and ran out to catch one, but when she arrived, there wasn't even a shadow to be seen. She was so angry at the time, don't mention it, she fiercely glared at his smiling face, turned around and went back into the house.

  "Sister, today I saw a large wild boar, it was this big! I hid behind the bushes and didn't let it discover me. It used its two front hooves to dig into the ground, then used its mouth to dig and eat the roots of the trees in the ground. The smell was quite fragrant, it was really interesting." Mu Tian excitedly described the scene to his sister with a lively expression.

  "Xiao Tian, you're as wild as a mountain pig, remember to never get close again." Er Ni pulled him aside and brushed off the dirt on his body. Seeing her brother's unbridled joy made her feel at ease, it was much better than before when she had to worry every day and watch people's faces.

  Erni is now very satisfied with her current life, able to live on the mountain, and every month give some living expenses to Dama, she can also put her mind at ease, do a few more embroidery works to earn some money, until Mutian grows up a bit and learns a skill, it will be even better.

  Knowing that at the door, I heard that this little guy saw a wild boar for the first time. She was salivating in her mouth and had not tasted pork for a long time. Except for the small piece of pickled pork found in the pot when she just arrived, she hadn't smelled the smell again.

  Her mother asked her where the meat went, and she said it was eaten. As a result, her mother stared at her with her eyes and told her that this cured meat was to be kept until New Year's Eve before eating. How regretful she was! She had worn herself out in such a poor household, and this family was really not ordinary.

  The fish caught in the river can occasionally improve, but just haven't seen a bit of fat, and the ascaris in her belly don't know how many times they've called.

  Now listen to Mù Tiān Xiǎo Zǐ discovering a wild boar, and seeing that it was as big as this, he thought to himself, if she were to eat it alone, how long would it take.

  He couldn't help but rush forward and ask, "Where did you see it? Quick, take me to see!" He also warned anxiously, "Don't deceive people again, or I'll beat you up!"

  Mù Tiān shrank his head, saying pitifully: "Last time I really didn't cheat you, it's just that the pheasant ran away when we went there. Today there really is a wild boar, digging in the ground to find food, and now maybe it hasn't left yet. I just saw it eating happily." As he spoke, he came to pull Zhī Xiǎo to verify that he wasn't lying.

  Zhixiao had just followed him out of the house for a few steps, and quickly returned. She came out with her usual chopping knife in hand, holding it as she ran towards the door. Behind her, Lanniang saw her hurry out of the house and shouted: "Zhixiao, what are you doing with a knife?"

  "In self-defense." He quickly followed Mu Tian in front of him.

  The girl behind Lan Niang was worried that her reckless personality would get her into trouble, and how could this little girl possibly defeat the wild boar, she also followed her direction of disappearance to chase after.

  Liu Jian was holding a few freshly caught fish and a basket of wild vegetables to take down the mountain to sell, when he saw Lanniang rushing over, after asking Erni about what had happened, he handed things over to Erni's hands and chased after Lanniang.

  Erni picked up the things in her hands and hastily kicked one foot. She had no choice but to go back to the house, put them down, lock the door, and follow after.

  Deng Mu Tian arrived at the place where the wild boar was discovered, but the wild boar had already disappeared. Zhi Xiao angrily held up her knife and moved forward, wanting to settle accounts with this mouthy person who didn't know how to shut up, she was furious.

  He looked up at the sky and became anxious, he was very wronged. The pig ran away and it wasn't his fault, the pig had feet on its legs. Suddenly, he saw the soil on the ground, and with a flash of inspiration, he quickly pointed to the pile of soil that had been dug up: "Zhi Xiao sister, look! The soil on the ground is what it just dug up." Afraid that Zhi Xiao still wouldn't believe him, he ran to the front of the soil pile, his small face frozen red and smiling, sniffling as he tried to clear his name.

  Knowing the gloomy mood, he looked down at the ground and saw that the soil was dug up in a mess, with some piles higher than others, and some holes deeper than others. It seemed like the wild boar was searching for something to eat. He used the knife in his hand to dig into the soil and pulled out a round thing with a pink outer layer, a large middle, and two small ends, along with its roots.

  Oh, isn't this a pumpkin?

  Haha, she burst out laughing, and it was worth the trip after all. This pumpkin is actually a pretty good food, at least it's a change of pace for her current dull and tasteless diet. It's better than her mother eating coarse grains every day and making her plain white buns separately. But in fact, those white buns can't compare to the deliciousness of this pumpkin, sweet and fragrant, warm and comforting in her hands, it's just too wonderful!

  Zhi Xiao Le quickly and carefully dug up the ground with his hands, and soon several roots came out, connected by fine hairs, very cohesive, a string of sweet potatoes.

  "Mu Tian, what are you still standing there for?" Zhi Xiao was unhappy, this kid just stood there stupidly watching her work, without any intention of coming forward to help, and in anger she grabbed a pumpkin and threw it at his head.

  He dodged the object with his quick reflexes and caught it, still looking at it in a daze.

  At this time, Lan Niang, Liu Jian and Er Nian rushed over.

  As soon as he saw Lan Niang, he quickly got up from the ground and ran to her with a string of five or six pumpkins.

  "Daughter, look at the pumpkin. How about we roast it for lunch?" Zhi Xiao's words brought back memories of the delicious taste of roasted pumpkin from her past life, which comforted her in this poor and barren home.

  Ling's daughter took it and looked at it in her hand, "What is this? I've never seen it before." She asked with a furrowed brow.

  Zhī xiǎo nearly fell to the ground, wondering if this place had never been discovered by anyone, just like wild vegetables? Zhī xiǎo was puzzled in her heart and looked at the four people in front of her who were all confused and came forward to take a closer look, which confirmed her thoughts. Zhī xiǎo's face didn't turn red or gasp for breath, she coughed slightly and began to tell the few people in front of her about the edible roots she had heard from an old beggar when she went into the city last time. Last time, because she was carrying them to sell in the city, she said the same thing.

  Apart from Zhi Xiao, the others curiously examined the food in front of them, overjoyed and eager to hear about its flavor. Zhi Xiao said, "Although I've never eaten it before, that old beggar's description is roughly like this one, I'm sure of it." Zhi Xiao spoke with a straight face, not feeling guilty for her lie, as she thought it was a white lie.