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Chapter 5: Nothing Found

"Search, keep searching! There must be a secret chamber here, and the valuables must be hidden in the secret chamber."

Guo Qiang's face was grim as he rummaged through the warehouse, believing that the silver was hidden in a secret chamber.

Several of his men hurriedly searched around, trying to find any mechanisms.

"Tap the walls. If it sounds hollow, it means there's a secret chamber."

"Makes sense." Guo Qiang's eyes lit up, then he turned to praise, "Well done. Once we find the secret chamber, I'll reward you..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Guo Qiang was dumbfounded because the person who had just spoken was Chen Xue.

She was actually helping them find the secret chamber in her own family's treasury!

Was he hallucinating, or had she lost her mind?

He couldn't figure it out, but he knew the method was valid, so he simply ignored it and turned to search for the secret chamber.

"I, I found it!"

Suddenly, one of Guo Qiang's trusted subordinates exclaimed. It was the same subordinate who had arranged to hide the disaster relief grain in the Chen family's warehouse.

"Where?" Guo Qiang asked eagerly, running over. Beside him, Chen Xue's heart skipped a beat. She remembered that in the original owner's memory, there definitely was no secret chamber in the treasury. How could they possibly find it?

Could it be that there really was one, and the original owner didn't know?

Thinking this, Chen Xue's expression turned somewhat unpleasant, and she hurried over.

She saw her subordinate holding a small white pearl, dropped on the ground, apparently unnoticed by Chen Xue.

Seeing this, Chen Xue breathed a sigh of relief. She thought they had found the secret chamber, but it turned out to be just a small pearl, which she didn't even bother to pick up.

"Get lost!"

Guo Qiang's face immediately darkened. If it weren't for the Imperial Censor being present, he would have chopped off his subordinate's head.

Playing tricks on him, was he!

The subordinate felt wronged after being kicked, "General, didn't you say the treasury was empty? I found..."

"Get lost!"

Not taking work seriously and even arguing back, Guo Qiang was about to explode with anger.

However, since his subordinate had found a pearl, albeit a very small one, it indicated that there used to be something valuable here, but it had been moved.

Thinking of this, he sneered, "Continue searching!"

Beside them, Chen Xue spoke again with a sense of grievance, "I told you, our family is very poor, so poor we can't even make ends meet."

Guo Qiang ignored her, but the Imperial Censor believed her. He sighed, feeling some regret, "Ah, if only I had known Zheng Yuan was so incorruptible, I shouldn't have doubted him. Even if it meant risking my life, I should have stopped His Majesty."

"Your Excellency, it's not too late now." Chen Xue interjected opportunistically, "As long as Your Excellency continues to investigate the truth..."

*Cough!*

Guo Qiang coughed, interrupting their conversation, then turned to his men, "Take her away, send her to the front yard."

But Chen Xue spoke up first, "Wait, I can take you to the other storerooms in our house."

"Heh!" Guo Qiang was about to sneer, thinking, I would have known where your storerooms are even without you, but then he thought that perhaps the storerooms he knew of were just superficial, and suddenly swallowed his words.

"Why?" he asked curiously. Why would Chen Xue do this? Shouldn't she be desperately trying to stop them?

"It's almost noon," Chen Xue replied appropriately. "While you search the storerooms, who knows how long it will take? It's almost noon, you'd better finish early so I can have lunch."

Lunch?

Guo Qiang's mouth twitched. Are you still thinking about lunch? Do you even deserve a last meal? You might not even make it to tomorrow, and you're thinking about lunch.

Hopeless!

He shook his head, feeling some sympathy for Chen Yuan. The only daughter of the family had a problem with her brain, tut-tut-tut.

Sure enough, with Chen Xue leading the way, their efficiency increased significantly.

However, the storerooms they opened were still empty, which made Guo Qiang somewhat suspicious. Was Chen Xue doing this intentionally, leading them to empty storerooms?

"Wait a minute!"

Guo Qiang suddenly stopped in his tracks, pointing to the rooms on both sides. "What are these rooms for?"

"My parents' room and some other empty rooms," Chen Xue replied honestly.

"Let's go in and take a look!"

Guo Qiang sneered. He wasn't going back to the treasury; it might be empty again. Maybe the valuables were hidden in their rooms.

Even if they couldn't find gold, silver, and jewels, anything else of value would do. After all, it was rare to get a chance to raid a household, and finding nothing at all was simply unbelievable.

It couldn't be that even their living quarters were empty. That would be too far-fetched...

Guo Qiang widened his eyes, staring at the room. Seeing that there was only a table, a few chairs, and a bed in the room, he began to doubt his life choices.

Was this a room?

Was this where people lived?

Where were the blankets?

Where were the pillows?

Who sleeps without a pillow!

Who sleeps on the bed board, even in an ordinary household, it's impossible to be so outlandish!

"Zheng Yuan, this is really..."

The Imperial Censor opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. He had been shocked, moved, sympathetic, and heartbroken several times already.

Now, seeing this scene, although he was still shocked, he quickly accepted it.

"No wonder a few days ago, when the court called for disaster relief donations, Zheng Yuan also contributed ten thousand taels. It turns out he sold his family's belongings to make up the sum. This is just..."

Seeing that Chen Yuan was willing to sleep on a bed board to donate money for disaster relief, the Imperial Censor was deeply touched. He wished he could rush to the palace now and ask the Emperor to reconsider this case.

Hearing the Imperial Censor explaining for him, Chen Xue touched her nose. This reason did seem reasonable.

Reasonable my foot!

Guo Qiang cursed inwardly at this moment. Were the people of the Chen family crazy? Who the hell is so stingy that they sleep on bed boards at home?

This definitely wasn't Chen Yuan's room.

He refused to give up and kicked open the door of the adjacent room, only to find it cleaner than the previous one.

There wasn't even a bed board inside, just an empty room that looked like it had just been built and hadn't been inhabited yet.

"Go, kick open all the doors for me!"

Guo Qiang was furious, instructing his men to kick open all the doors. He stood in the courtyard, able to see all the rooms at once.

The result was that all of them were empty.

He began to doubt his life choices.

Was this really the Chen family?

Did he walk through the wrong door and raid the wrong house?

In fact, this wasn't the home of a third-ranking official but that of a beggar. No, even beggars would have at least a blanket.

He returned to the front yard in a rage, only to see his subordinates already gathered there, making him even angrier.

"Why are you standing around like idiots? Have you finished raiding?"

"We've finished."

Guo Qiang was stunned for a moment, then realized something and asked eagerly, "Where are the goods?"

"There are none."

They shook their heads. "There's nothing valuable in the Chen family."

"That's right."

Someone chimed in, "There's nothing but feathers in the chicken coop, not even a chicken leg."

"Yeah, I've raided many households, but this is the first time I've found one so poor."

"Not just poor, it's unbelievable. It's like a new house, as if the Chen family just moved in."

Listening to their comments, Guo Qiang summed it up and concluded with four words - nothing found.

Well, not exactly nothing found.

There was still a broken vase fragment in the hall and a pearl the size of a grain of rice found by his subordinate.

Thinking of this, he felt a surge of anger in his chest, then spewed out a mouthful of old blood.

*Puff~*

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 62: Do You Want to Fire Me?

"What do you mean?" Hu Linqian asked discontentedly.

"A deputy general manager like you doesn't even know what politeness is! Did the company hire you to show off and act high and mighty? If you have the ability, have the headquarters give you this position! If you don't, then behave yourself! Can't solve problems on your own, running here to cry to your parents is useful?" Ou Yan retorted.

"You..." Hu Linqian was so angry that he couldn't find words. He didn't expect this to be a spicy little pepper, quite difficult to deal with.

"When you learn what politeness and respect are, then you qualify to knock on my door! Get out!" Ou Yan continued.

"...," Hu Linqian was momentarily speechless, infuriated, and left in a huff.

A stunned Yin Panpan looked at the direction Hu Linqian left and then back at the president in front of her. So domineering...

Ou Yan's gaze returned to the drawings, "Speaking of which, for the bubble sleeves you designed and the hem of this dress, change them like this."

Yin Panpan was no longer interested, looking at the powerful aura of the girl, swallowing her saliva, too cool. When would she be this cool...

"Do you understand?" Ou Yan looked up at her.

"Und-understood..." Yin Panpan came back to her senses from the previous events, "I'll go back and make the changes."

After Yin Panpan left with her drawings, He Ning came to Ou Yan, raising his thumb, "President Ou, you're too domineering! I've been here for a year, and I've never seen President Hu being defeated like that!"

"I'm the one who's too domineering?"

"No, no, no..." He Ning hurriedly said, "But President Hu is vengeful. He might give you a hard time later... President Ou, you should be careful!"

"If he gives me a hard time, should I just take it? Do I look stupid?" Ou Yan asked.

He Ning looked at her with admiration. She was so young, yet so cool!

"Don't let every Tom, Dick, and Harry in. It affects my mood."

"Yes!"

After He Ning left, Ou Yan leaned back in her chair, checking the company's previous financial reports.

Her phone vibrated a few times.

She checked and saw messages from Si Yechen, her parents, but before she could reply, someone knocked on the door.

"President Ou, Director Xia from the Human Resources Department is looking for you." He Ning's voice came from outside, sounding a bit ominous.

"Let her in."

Ou Yan put down her phone and looked at the short-haired woman in front of her.

She appeared to be in her twenties but exuded a powerful and dominant presence.

"President Ou is really imposing after taking office!"

Xia Yihui approached Ou angrily, banging on the office desk loudly, "During the company's early days, headquarters sent me here to oversee things. Now, President Ou wants to fire me? What's the matter? Is the company your family's business? What do you want to do? Do you even care about the headquarters?"

She spoke angrily while glaring at Ou, clearly dissatisfied with Ou's decisions.

Many employees who were secretly watching were shocked. This Director Xia had such a bold temper; she dared to speak like that to President Ou.

Ou Yan naturally knew the office door was wide open, and there were many eyes watching her. He Ning wanted to escort these people away, but they were curious to see what would happen next and refused to leave.

Ou Yan's gaze turned to the woman in front of her, lazily saying, "The one who doesn't care about the headquarters is you, Ms. Xia. I've checked your attendance. Do you have anything you'd like to say?"

"Since President Ou Yan has looked at my attendance, you should know better than anyone that I've been working diligently for a year. I haven't been late or left early a single day! I'm the first one to arrive at work every day and the last to leave!"

"All my efforts for the company are recorded in the attendance! And you, without any reason, want to fire me! Do you believe that I can make a big fuss about this, report you to headquarters, and make you unable to stay here?"

Ou Yan casually assessed her and said, "Do you believe in what you just said?"

"What do you mean?" Xia Yihui turned back, somewhat displeased.

"Ask those people outside, how many days have you spent in the company throughout the year?"

"How? Does President Ou Yan want to collude with those people outside, conspire together to frame me?" Xia Yihui sneered, "Today, everything that happened will be truthfully reported to headquarters. I will let you know the cost of arbitrarily firing someone! Do you want me to leave? Heh, I advise you to think about how to keep your current position!"

After Xia Yihui finished her harsh words and was about to leave, Ou Yan's voice lazily sounded.

"Wait."

Ou Yan watched her figure with interest, like a queen looking down from a high place, "This matter does need to be reported to headquarters. Otherwise, they won't know how much rice this worm has eaten from the company in a year, wasting so much grain."

"What... what do you mean?" Xia Yihui turned back, her eyes glaring angrily at Ou Yan, "Don't make baseless accusations!"

"I checked the attendance system; there are traces of modification."

Ou Yan turned her computer 180 degrees toward Xia Yihui, her slender fingers tapping on the keyboard.

"As the director of the Human Resources Department, you have the authority to log in to the attendance system and manually modify attendance records... Although you erased the modification traces, applying the ADS formula and a series of program codes can quickly restore them."

Ou Yan restored the annual attendance sheet with a single click, a smirk playing on her lips, "This is your real working hours. Out of 365 days in a year, you only worked for 78 days."

Everyone outside was shocked!

Although they had seen Xia Yihui not coming to work many times, they never expected her attendance rate to be so low!

Only 78 days!

"You received the company's full salary for a whole year and all the bonuses for full attendance, outstanding employee of the year, and so on, totaling over five hundred thousand. Enough to get you convicted."

"You... You're slandering me..." Xia Yihui's face turned somewhat pale, unable to believe the girl in front of her could restore her actual working days!

But no matter what, it was all in the past. As long as she stubbornly refused to admit it, what could the company do?

Is it possible that just based on the attendance records restored by this girl, it could prove anything? She knows code; this attendance could also be her fabrication! Intending to smear an old employee!

"Oh, by the way, I extracted all the surveillance footage related to you over the past year. The days you appeared in the company were exactly 78 days. Whether it's a smear or not, the police will find out at the police station."

"What do you want to do..."

"Of course, submit this evidence to the police. Right or wrong, arguing here is meaningless. Handing it over to the police will quickly resolve it."

"You..."

 Chapter 126: Seeing President Sheng Looking at Pictures of Beautiful Women

Next Chapter ▶▶

  Chapter 61: Is the Company Hiring You to Show Off?

"Last night, you looked good in the shirt," Si Yechen remarked.

Ou Yan raised an eyebrow, "Not good-looking usually?"

"Usually good-looking," Si Yechen approached her, his voice teasing and tempting, "but especially enticing last night."

Ou Yan: ...

Si Yechen's gaze was indulgent, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, "You were very obedient last night."

As she slept, she looked beautiful without a speck of dust, her serene and lovely face resembling a celestial being untouched by the mortal world.

Ou Yan didn't know what happened after she fell asleep. When the car was approaching the company's entrance, she reminded, "Qing Mu, pull over, let me get off."

"Yes, Miss Ou Yan!"

Si Yechen reached out and touched her face, "I'll pick you up at noon."

"Okay."

Just as Ou Yan entered the company, she heard a mocking voice.

"Oh, isn't this President Ou Yan? Are you coming to work in a luxury car? This car is not cheap, right?"

The speaker was Hu Linqian, the biggest boss in the company before Ou Yan arrived.

Although he couldn't see the license plate just now, the elongated model and the Rolls-Royce emblem on the hood were enough to prove that the car was valuable.

"At President Ou Yan's age, being able to afford such a luxury car is truly admirable." Hu Linqian said this and even deliberately bowed.

Ou Yan, with a cold smile on her lips, said, "President Hu is not busy? Not working during working hours, just enjoying the scenery here?"

"The little one is waiting for a client. I didn't expect to see President Ou Yan!" Hu Linqian said with a smile, "President Ou Yan, is that your family's car? Or your boyfriend's? Or... your sugar daddy's?"

"Is it related to you?" Ou Yan walked towards the elevator, "Do your own work."

Hu Linqian looked at her slender and beautiful figure, sneered in his heart, thinking that she only had her current position because of her young and beautiful face. Who did she think she was showing off to?

Ou Yan took the elevator to the twentieth floor and saw her assistant He Ning and the designer Yin Panpan waiting for her at the door.

"President Ou Yan, Designer Yin has been waiting for you for a while..."

"Anything?" Ou Yan pushed open the office door, sat on the office chair, and looked at the girl in front of her.

"President Ou Yan, this is my recent design. I wonder if I have the honor to get your guidance?" Yin Panpan handed over the design drawings. She felt anxious and uncertain about whether President Ouyan would give her advice.

Seeing Ou Yan's slight confusion, Yin Panpan hurriedly explained, "Last time, director Yin from our department attended the company meeting, and he showed you my design drawings. After your modifications, my drawings became more amazing."

She was more convinced of President Ou Yan's talent from the bottom of her heart, almost treating Ou Yan as a master to be admired!

"What kind of design do you want?" Ou Yan picked up her drawing and looked at it.

"Of course, it should be ethereal, beautiful, and fresh... that's my design style."

Yin Panpan said, her eyes showing brightness, "I hope, like my idol - Master Qingyan, I can design the most beautiful clothes in the world. President Ou Yan, have you heard of Master Qingyan?"

Ou Yan was slightly stunned, lightly hooking her lips, "Heard of her."

"She is an extremely talented person! You can see her unique aesthetics and attainments in every piece of her work."

"Every piece of clothing and every bag she designs is perfect!"

"Do you think her design level has reached its peak? Not at all. When she releases new products, your eyes will be completely stunned by her again!"

Yin Panpan's tone was filled with admiration, "Every single thing she designs, as soon as it's released, countless designers scramble to imitate! Even top designers from big brands will seek inspiration from her work."

"Her creations bring me endless inspiration. Similarly, her example tells me not to blindly pursue trends. Instead, design your own style. As long as it's well-designed, you can make a name for yourself in the design world!"

Watching Yin Panpan's yearning and anticipation for the future, Ou Yan picked up a pen and lightly explained, "Here, you can change it like this..."

With Ou Yan's guidance, dozens of sketches quickly turned into stunning works of art.

Yin Panpan was stunned. This is too amazing! In such a short time, President Ou could find all the shortcomings and make modifications. Originally ordinary clothing sketches, through Ou Yan's hands, suddenly became unique top luxury items.

At that moment, there was the sound of He Ning outside the door.

"Mr. Hu, you can't go in..."

"A small employee dares to block my way?" Hu Linqian looked disdainfully at He Ning from outside the door. "Who do you think you are? A dog relying on others' power!"

The office door was suddenly pushed open.

He Ning felt apologetic, "I'm sorry, President Ou, I... I didn't stop him..."

Hu Linqian swaggered in, obviously not regarding anyone, and walked straight to Ou Yan. "There's an urgent matter, so I had to come in so abruptly. President Ou, you're a person of great importance, so I'm sure you won't mind..."

Ou Yan raised her eyes, looked at this self-righteous intruder, and coldly smirked, interrupting him before he finished speaking, "You didn't knock before entering"

"It's urgent, involving the future development of the company..."

Ou Yan didn't have the patience to listen to him. She coldly expelled him, "Leave."

"President Ou, what I have to say not only concerns the future development of the company but also..."

"I don't want to repeat the same thing for the third time." Ou Yan wasn't interested in the topic he brought up. "I assume Mr. Hu doesn't want to be escorted out by security, right?"

Yin Panpan beside was shocked. What's going on? Hu Linqian is too arrogant! The key is, President Ou doesn't seem to be afraid of him at all...

So cool!

"Mr. Hu, please!" He Ning gestured to invite him.

Hu Linqian suppressed his anger and gave him a glare. After closing the door, he stood impatiently outside, knocking again.

There was no response from the office.

Hu Linqian knocked for a while, venting his anger on He Ning, "Are you dumb? Even if your master pretends to be deaf, you won't report to her? Is the company hiring you to be a statue here?"

He Ning could only whisper outside, "President Ou, Mr. Hu... Mr. Hu has something to discuss with you..."

"Not available." came the concise response from the office.

Now Hu Linqian couldn't hold back his anger, he directly pushed the door open, "Then why did you make me knock?"

"Did I say if you knock, I'll definitely let you in?"

 Chapter 125: If You Don't Confess Soon, You'll Miss the Chance

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 118: Really Like It

Wang Cuifang's mind was solely occupied by the profit-sharing issue, oblivious to everything else. "He didn't mention it."

Bai Lu waved her hand, signaling her to leave. Wang Cuifang hesitated, wanting to negotiate a raise, but upon seeing the stern-faced man emerge from the kitchen, she promptly made her exit.

The matter of a pay raise could wait for another time.

Bai Lu successfully secured more selling points for the chestnuts and left contact information for future collaborations with others who lived farther away.

After the last person came to pick up their chestnuts, Bai Lu grabbed a basket of fresh seasonal fruits and headed to the market to buy vegetables. On the way back, she stopped by Xiao Dashuang's house.

With Xiao Dashuang absent, his mother explained that the roof had been repaired, but strong winds had blown away the new tiles. Xiao Dashuang had gone to buy new ones and planned to return to fix the roof. If Bai Lu urgently needed the ladder, he would bring it over when he returned.

Bai Lu couldn't possibly interrupt the family's repairs, so she politely declined their offer to have a meal together and went on her way.

At the market, Bai Lu ran into Zhang Sao again. This time, she borrowed a ladder from her, but it turned out that the ladder was being used as a perch for a makeshift chicken coop.

Amused and slightly bewildered, Bai Lu chatted briefly with Zhang Sao and went home, her arms loaded with vegetables.

As she passed the well, she noticed a man washing vegetables—Xiao Cheng. His eyes held a complex mix of emotions as he glanced at her.

Remaining composed, Xiao Cheng continued washing vegetables, and soon, a large pile of chili peppers fell into the basin.

Bai Lu chuckled, "Xiao Wei's mouth isn't blistered anymore."

Xiao Cheng replied casually, "If you like it, that's good."

"Really like it," Bai Lu affirmed.

He then added, "On the day after tomorrow, they—Luo Shiliu, Xiao Dashuang, Wang Hao—will come over for a meal."

"Who?" Bai Lu suddenly turned back.

In her memory, no one had dared to form a gang, gather together, and have a meal at the tyrant's house, except for a few times...

"Luo Shiliu, Xiao Dashuang, Wang Hao."

Indeed, the three names spoken by Xiao Cheng overlapped with a certain memory in Bai Lu's mind.

It was Xiao Cheng's memory.

On the day after tomorrow, the twelfth day of the fourth month in the lunar calendar, equivalent to May 18 in the Gregorian calendar, was Xiao Cheng's birthday. It was also the day Xiao Cheng's mother left home.

Xiao Cheng paid no attention to his birthday.

Luo Shiliu, Xiao Dashuang, and Wang Hao also dared not mention anything about birthdays on this day.

However, every year on this day, they would buy good wine and food, sneakily come to Xiao Cheng's house, and cook together. They dared only on this day, enduring a banquet of their own cooking, before getting kicked out by Xiao Cheng, their stomachs full of the terrible feast.

Xiao Wei was subjected to this gastric cleansing every year.

Xiao Cheng had only mentioned this to Bai Lu and she didn't quite understand the significance. If he meant that they were coming to celebrate his birthday, it wasn't her birthday, so why would she be concerned?

Did Xiao Cheng mean that women were not allowed to join the table during this kind of celebration due to some old customs? Bai Lu had learned about various aspects of Chinese culture and traditions, including folk customs, from her grandmother. Although she knew that certain regions still held onto outdated gender norms, she couldn't accept such inequality.

If that was the case, she would simply go out for a nice meal and let them enjoy their cooking at home. The house belonged to Xiao Cheng, and she had no right to intervene.

Sensing Bai Lu's misunderstanding, Xiao Cheng felt her subtle pride and distance, which only lasted a moment. She quickly regained her calm and graceful demeanor, smiling politely with a nonchalant expression.

She inquired, "Is it inconvenient for me to join the table?"

Her way of speaking was clever, avoiding any direct impoliteness. Even if someone misunderstood her, she wouldn't argue or lose her temper. Instead, she'd just lock them in a dark room and reward them with peppers.

Still, Xiao Cheng sensed the hidden arrogance within her for a moment before it retreated. She replied, pursing his lips, "No."

Before the conversation concluded, Xiao Cheng added, "Are you accustomed to it?"

"Accustomed to what?" Bai Lu was still trying to comprehend his words.

Xiao Cheng gazed at her clear eyes for a long while, where only astonishment and confusion could be found. There was no trace of arrogance or distance that didn't belong to this place.

Finally, he calmly said, "Eating together."

"Oh... If it makes you happy, I'm fine with it," Bai Lu nodded. "There's nothing to get used to. If I can cook, it would be even better."

A devilish feast, huh? That was something she definitely didn't want to experience!

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 117: Unexpected Kiss

Recently, Xiao Cheng's crew cut had grown slightly longer, to be precise, his short hair had grown a bit, not exceeding a finger's length, and it didn't dry as quickly after washing.

As a habit, he didn't bother drying his hair after a shower. After washing his clothes, he casually wiped his hair with a towel, leaving it on the chair near the bed after walking a few steady steps.

"Little issue, already resolved."

"Oh..." No need to elaborate.

Bai Lu picked up her book again, half-lying down, using it to shield her face. The bed sank beside her, but she didn't react.

It wasn't until she heard a low laugh from the man beside her that she nonchalantly turned a page, letting the sound of the book cover the laughter.

Xiao Cheng leaned against the head of the bed, his gaze fixed on the thick book. Speaking through the pages, he said, "The aged fir trees on the mountain are large in volume. When the workers cut them, they sometimes roll down the mountain unintentionally. This time, one hit a tomb halfway down the mountain, and Grandpa asked Xiao Guofu to inform me to go back and burn incense for the ancestors."

In the future, Bai Lu had only paid respects at the cemetery and hadn't seen the graves on the mountain. Going up the mountain to worship the ancestors during the Qingming Festival was her first experience with the folk graves.

Curiosity about unfamiliar folk customs easily aroused her desire to learn more.

Expanding her knowledge: "Was the collision severe? Or do you have to burn incense just because it hit something?"

The book on her face fell down.

Xiao Cheng didn't shift his gaze, meeting the curious and clear eyes of the girl. After a moment of contemplation, he calmly spoke, "During the Qingming Festival, the villagers of Xiao Village go up the mountain to worship their ancestors. They clear the weeds around the tomb, and a few days ago, there was heavy rain. The soil around the tomb loosened. When the fir tree fell from a height after being cut, it scattered the soil around the tomb. Grandpa said it disturbed the ancestors, so I need to go back and burn incense for them."

He didn't mention the fact that the fir tree scattered the loose soil around the tomb, exposing the urn.

Listening to Xiao Cheng's calm and unruffled explanation, Bailu not only felt no fear but became even more curious. "When you burn incense, does Grandpa say anything beside you? Is it like what he says during the Qingming Festival?"

Xiao Cheng nodded slightly, "Yes."

"What does he say?" Bai Lu continued to inquire.

After a moment of contemplation, Xiao Cheng, lying down now, closed his eyes.

Softly, he said, "He said the same things he says during the Qingming Festival."

Bai Lu: "..."

"What does he say during the Qingming Festival?"

She had to dig deeper and wouldn't give up.

After a moment of thought, Xiao Cheng, who was now lying down, turned over, facing away from her, and answered in a nonchalant manner, "Nice words."

Bai Lu decisively put down her book, forcefully turned him back, and unexpectedly met a pair of eyes that seemed to smile but not quite. His lips were...

They met, up close, unexpectedly close.

Their noses touched, and their breaths intertwined in confusion. It was hard to distinguish whose was whose, and warm breaths filled the small space, lingering between the motionless lips.

Bai Lu, still covered by the blanket and lying in the large cocoon, turned abruptly, not expecting him to be so close. Her face went straight into...

She thought Xiao Cheng was still sitting, the position she assumed when she turned.

However, Xiao Cheng had already lowered himself without her noticing, so close that their faces met...

Her upturned face automatically met the kiss.

Bai Lu's mind went blank, momentarily losing her ability to think. When she reacted, she quickly moved back, retreating to the innermost part of the bed with the blanket.

Behind the blanket, against the wall, her head tucked into the cocoon. In a not-so-natural muffled voice, she said, "It's late, go to sleep. If you have something to say, let's talk about it tomorrow."

When Xiao Cheng returned to his senses, he was already facing a tightly rolled cocoon blanket. The warmth from his lips lingered. He licked his lips, and a faint, satisfying color flashed in his deep eyes.

Under the dim light, with moonlight filtering through the window crack, the two figures on the bed, who had not slept for a long time, seemed to have a starry reunion.

The stars returned home.

The horizon showed a hint of dawn.

Xiao Wei felt that he had woken up quite early today, but his older brother and sister-in-law had woken up even earlier.

Before he approached the kitchen, the sweet and fragrant smell of sugar-fried chestnuts permeated the air, sweetening his entire face. The sound of manually and electrically flipping chestnuts layered on top of each other, seemingly chaotic but with a quick rhythm, reached his ears.

Upon entering, as expected, he saw two familiar figures standing at the stove, each holding a spatula to fry chestnuts.

The electric chestnut flipping machine hummed on the side.

Despite how loudly it hummed, the two people standing at the head and tail of the stove, on both ends, seemed as if they hadn't heard anything.

Apart from regularly adding sugar syrup to the pot, their faces showed no expression, and they didn't say a word.

The atmosphere...

Seemed a bit strange.

With a belly full of doubts, Xiao Wei brushed his teeth, washed his face, finished breakfast, washed the dishes, grabbed his school bag, and headed to school.

Three batches of sugar-fried chestnuts meant double the amount of chestnuts to be fried. If they didn't get up early, it would definitely not be enough. Fortunately, they had agreed to take the supplies in batches during the negotiation.

As Wang Cuihua left after receiving the goods, she was unexpectedly singled out by Bai Lu, with a face full of excitement, waiting for her score to rise.

However, Bai Lu shattered her expectations with her first words: "Has Luo Shiliu returned the ladder to you?"

Wang Cuihua had a complicated expression on her face. "Not yet."

Bailu frowned slightly. "Did he mention when he would return it?"

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 Chapter 126: Utilization?

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 Chapter 125: Li Yue and Tang Rou Comes to Visit

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Chapter 10 Perception (Part 2)

Mo Yan hadn't been gone for long when Mo Qingze woke up. Not seeing his eldest daughter, he assumed she had gone to relieve herself. However, when he started boiling water, he saw his daughter walking towards him with a bunch of fresh Chinese cabbage, her face beaming with joy as she stepped into the morning sun.

Mo Qingze couldn't believe his eyes. He worried it might be an illusion...

Mo Yan returned happily with a pile of Chinese cabbage, seeing Mo Qingze staring at her with wide eyes as he held a pot of water. Before he could ask, she quickly explained with words she had prepared in advance, "Dad, we're so lucky! I found these Chinese cabbage ahead. This should be enough for us to eat well for a day!"

The crisp voice snapped Mo Qingze out of his stupor. Looking at his daughter's delighted smile, a hint of contemplation flashed in his warm eyes, but his face showed only pleasant surprise. "I didn't expect such lush Chinese cabbage to grow in this desolate place!"

Upon hearing this, Mo Yan's heart sank. Since it was desolate and uninhabited, how could Chinese cabbage, a vegetable that requires care, grow here?

She chuckled twice to disguise her inner panic and slipped away under the pretext of washing vegetables.

Watching his daughter's fleeing figure, Mo Qingze felt somewhat saddened. In the past, his daughter had never hidden anything from him...

If Mo Yan knew that Mo Qingze had only tested her because of this reason, she wouldn't have been so uneasy in the days to come!

...

Still lacking oil and salt, but with products from the space, quality was guaranteed! The Chinese cabbage was not only fresh and tender but also contained a hint of vitality. Floating in the bowl, it was very appetizing. With just one taste, it wasn't difficult to swallow, but instead had a sweet flavor. Drinking it with soup, one immediately felt warm in the stomach, alleviating much of the hunger and emptiness.

Mo Qingze couldn't bear to see his children hungry, and with so much Chinese cabbage available, eating for a day wasn't a problem. If they were left until tomorrow, they might dry out due to the heat. So, he generously cooked a whole pot.

The four of them devoured the pot of Chinese cabbage along with the soup, which was the most satisfying meal they had eaten since fleeing together. The contentment was evident.

"If only we could eat such delicious Chinese cabbage every day in the future!" After finishing the last sip of soup, Zhen'er licked the soup from her lips and held up the clean bowl, her face cleaner than the bowl itself.

"Do you think Chinese cabbage grows everywhere like weeds? Today, it's lucky that big sister found Chinese cabbage. Tomorrow, forget about Chinese cabbage; we might not even have a single stalk of grass!" Xin'er interjected with a splash of cold water, but thinking about possibly going hungry again tomorrow, she didn't have the heart to dampen her brother's spirits any further.

Hearing Xin'er's words, Zhen'er remembered how uncomfortable it had been to go hungry before and immediately wore a grimace, clearly affected by the memory of hunger.

Mo Yan felt uneasy hearing this and couldn't help but hug them tighter, pressing their thin and pale faces against hers as she solemnly assured them, "We won't go hungry again in the future. When we reach the capital, we'll not only have food to eat but also meat with every meal. Big sister will take you to taste all the delicious food in the capital!"

Xin'er and Zhen'er had almost worshipful trust in their big sister, who had raised them, so hearing her assurance, none of them thought it was false. They all cheered, holding onto their big sister's arms.

Seeing their innocent smiles, Mo Yan secretly vowed to make sure her family had good days ahead!

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