Chapter 19: Don’t Play Dumb

Bai An asked with some concern, “Dazhuang, what do you usually eat at home?”

“Anything we have, we eat.” Dazhuang hurriedly pulled Bai An’s arm, saying, “Bai An, why are you asking about this? Let’s hurry up and go find Cuijiu, then we can eat all the good stuff.”

Bai An looked down at the hands pulling her, which were as thin as skin over bone.

She was silently led to Cuijiu’s house by Dazhuang, where Cuijiu was having breakfast.

The shabby table was somewhat broken, only propped up by a stick at the lower right corner. On the table, there was a bowl of pickled vegetables and a few pieces of yellow steamed bread.

Cuijiu’s family was crowded around the small table, eating together.

When Cuijiu saw Bai An come to visit so early, her previously tired expression disappeared instantly. She waved her hand at Bai An, saying, “Wait for me, I’ll finish eating, wash the dishes, and then I can go play with you.”

Lin Zhixia’s gaze shifted back and forth between Bai An and Dazhuang’s faces, finally resting on Bai An, staring quietly at her.

Dazhuang couldn’t stand it anymore. He leaned in and whispered to Bai An, “Why does Cuijiu’s older brother keep staring at you?”

Bai An shook her head and casually said, “Maybe he thinks I look pretty.”

Upon hearing Bai An’s response, Dazhuang thoughtfully stared at her face and finally concluded, “Could be.”

Cuijiu’s parents also noticed Bai An and Dazhuang, but neither of them greeted them. They just quickly finished their meals, stood up, exchanged a few words with Cuijiu, and left.

As they passed by Bai An, she politely said, “Goodbye, Uncle and Aunt.”

They just smiled faintly in response.

Seeing Bai An looking at her parents’ retreating figures in confusion, Cuijiu quickly explained, “My parents just don’t want others to see you talking to them. After all, our family doesn’t have a good background.”

She lowered her head as she spoke, adding, “And we don’t have any extra food to offer you.”

Lin Zhixia, seeing Cuijiu’s increasingly slumped posture, slapped her back coldly, “Straighten up.”

Then he turned to Bai An and Dazhuang, “Why are you here so early? Do you have something to do, or are you here to get the books back?”

Lin Zhixia lowered his head, his expression unreadable as he stared at the table. Bai An could see his high nose and the stray hairs on his forehead naturally falling down, blocking his eyes.

Bai An quickly shook her head and smiled gently, “We’re not here for the books. You can take your time reading them, no rush to return them. We just came to play with Cuijiu.”

Lin Zhixia raised his head and looked at Bai An, “Do kids now always go out to play this early?”

“No,” Dazhuang answered from the side, “We just came earlier today.”

Lin Zhixia glanced at Dazhuang before saying to Cuijiu, “Go on and play, I’ll wash the dishes for you later.”

“Thanks, brother!” Cuijiu quickly finished the remaining bread, ate a few bites of the pickles, and then drank some water.

Cuijiu wiped her mouth with her sleeve, grabbed Bai An’s hand, and headed for the door.

Just as they were about to leave, Bai An looked back at Lin Zhixia still sitting at the table.

He was looking at her too.

When their eyes met, Lin Zhixia smiled slightly at her.

“Cuijiu, have you ever had cake?” Dazhuang said excitedly, “Bai An brought me a cake today. The outside is white cream, I’ve heard of it before but never had it, and it’s delicious inside too.”

“Cake? I had it when I was little, but I haven’t had it recently. It’s really tasty,” Cuijiu said, then looked puzzled and asked, “But cake is expensive. Why would Bai An give you cake?”

“Because tomorrow is my birthday,” Dazhuang scratched his head awkwardly. “But my mom told me not to tell anyone, she only let me tell Bai An.”

Bai An added, “You never told me. It’s actually my dad who told me you’re having a birthday.”

“I forgot, didn’t I?” Dazhuang looked at Bai An, excitedly saying, “But it doesn’t matter. Bai An, didn’t you say there’s still good food to eat?”

Cui Jiu also turned her head to look at Bai An and swallowed, “Can I have some too?”

“Of course,” Bai An thought for a moment, “But it has to be in a hidden place.”

“A hidden place?”

Dazhuang pointed to the mountain forest in the distance, “There’s a small hut there that no one wants. I saw it when I was watching the cows before.”

“How do you know it’s abandoned?” Cui Jiu followed Dazhuang’s gaze, “Maybe they just weren’t there at that time.”

Dazhuang chuckled foolishly, “I snuck in and looked around. There were cobwebs everywhere, and the hut’s about to collapse, so it must be abandoned.”

Bai An also looked in that direction. The forest was dense, and the hut was nearly invisible unless you looked closely. It was indeed a good spot.

“Why don’t we go have a look?” Bai An took Cui Jiu’s hand and said to Dazhuang, “You lead the way.”

Before they reached the hut, Bai An could already feel how hidden it was. She wasn’t sure if Dazhuang didn’t know the way or if there was no actual path.

Anyway, the path they were walking on now was one they had just created.

Once again, Bai An pushed aside the annoying branches, looking at Dazhuang, who was leading the way, and the endless wild grass ahead of him. She asked in confusion, “How much longer, Dazhuang?”

“Almost there.” Dazhuang stepped on the grass ahead and broke off branches blocking the way. He squinted and said, “Just a little further, we’ll be there soon.”

Cui Jiu carefully walked at the back, unable to help asking, “Dazhuang, how could you find the hut? It’s so hidden.”

“It was the day I fell asleep on the cow’s back. The cow led me there.”

Cui Jiu wanted to ask if there were any other routes, but before she could, a strange, foul smell reached her nose.

The smell wasn’t unfamiliar, but it wasn’t something she knew either—it was the stench of rotting animal flesh.

Just as she was about to warn them to be careful, she saw Bai An up ahead, turning around with her nose covered, a look of disgust on her face, just like Cui Jiu’s.

Bai An looked at Cuijiu and asked, “Did you smell it too?”

Cui Jiu nodded, “Maybe we should go another way. I don’t want to see any animal carcasses.”

“Me neither.”

Bai An stopped Dazhuang, who was still walking ahead.

Dazhuang looked at them, confused, “What’s wrong?”

Bai An hesitated and said, “Do you smell something strange? Maybe we should walk another way.”

“I smell it,” Dazhuang pointed to a place they had just passed, “There was a rat that died there. Didn’t you see it?”

A rat? How did she not see it?

Bai An was shocked and turned to Cui Jiu, silently asking, Did you see it?

Cui Jiu shook her head.

“I didn’t see it either.”

Dazhuang saw that they were still playing dumb and quickly urged, “Come on, let’s go, we’re almost there.”