Since his rebirth, Zhao Zhenghua had been working at breakneck speed to sort through all his memories, and it was only recently that he had pieced everything together.  

Now that he knew exactly how the future would unfold, how could Zhao Zhenghua simply sit back and wait for disaster? He immediately went to find his father, Zhao Mancang—there was something he needed his father’s help with.  

At this moment, he couldn’t be more grateful that his father was the village chief. It made many things much easier to accomplish.  

“What’s the matter? Why the rush?” Zhao Mancang glanced at his son.  

Zhao Zhenghua’s lips moved, but then he noticed someone watching them. He looked up and saw a scrawny teenager.  

Zhao Mancang followed his gaze. “That’s the youngest of the Jiang family.”  

The Jiang family? Weren’t they about to be wiped out soon? Zhao Zhenghua couldn’t be bothered with such insignificant characters and quickly averted his eyes. “Dad, this isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go back home.”  

Zhao Mancang studied his son, puzzled. “What’s this all about? So mysterious.”  

…

Yu Hezhong overheard some villagers talking about how Zhang Xiuhua had gotten into a fight with the Jiang family. Normally, he never paid attention to village affairs.  

He knew the best way to protect himself and avoid drawing attention was to make people forget he existed. That’s why he always tried to stay out of sight.  

But for some reason, upon hearing about this incident, he found himself following the villagers who were heading over to watch the commotion.  

When he arrived, he saw Jiang Le being shoved to the ground by Wang Dazhu. Despite looking deathly pale, Jiang Le didn’t seem the least bit interested in seeking revenge.  

At this point, Yu Hezhong was beginning to believe that Jiang Le might have genuinely given him those injury medicines without ulterior motives. Maybe he really was just… simple-minded.  

As the crowd dispersed, Yu Hezhong turned and left. No one even noticed he had been there.  

…

Guagua was still fuming on Jiang Le’s behalf: 

[Did you see the look in his eyes? Ugh, it’s infuriating! Just because he’s the male lead, he thinks he’s all that?] 

Jiang Le: […Well, the male lead kind of is all that.]

Guagua: […]

Exasperated, Guagua scolded: [And you’re not even mad!]

Far from being angry, Jiang Le was practically glowing with joy: [Why should I be mad? The less he pays attention to me, the better. That just gives me more room to grow under the radar.]

Guagua had nothing to say to that: [Alright, fine. That does sound pretty sneaky.] 

Jiang Le snorted.  

Guagua quickly changed the subject with a chuckle: [So, host, how exactly do you plan to complete the system mission?]

Jiang Le replied mysteriously: [You’ll find out when the time comes. Oh, speaking of missions—any updates on my complaint? Has the main system responded yet?] 

Guagua checked carefully before answering: [Nope, not yet.] 

Jiang Le sighed: [Ugh, their efficiency is seriously lacking.] 

Jiang Le was studying in his room when, in the afternoon, Xiao Long and Xiao Feng came knocking. The two kids were heading out to gather grass for the chickens and asked if he wanted to join.  

Jiang Le didn’t feel the slightest embarrassment about being a teenager tagging along with two seven- or eight-year-olds. Grabbing a bamboo basket, he cheerfully headed out with them.  

After a whole day of reading, his eyes were tired, and getting close to nature sounded like a nice break. Plus, Jiang Le also had a bit of exercise in mind.  

After all, the original owner’s body was way too weak. Sure, Jiang Huan was just as skinny, but she was the wiry, strong kind of thin. The original owner? Pure frailty.  

Now that their meals had improved a bit, it was time to step up the physical training too.  

Jiang Le helped the kids gather some chicken feed and casually picked up some firewood along the way before they all headed back down the mountain.  

When he learned that Xiao Long and Xiao Feng still had to feed their chickens at home, his curiosity got the better of him, and he asked if he could tag along.  

Back in modern times, Jiang Le had also lived in the countryside, but by then, no one in his village raised chickens anymore—too much hassle. Everyone had built new houses with concrete courtyards, completely unsuitable for poultry.  

If you did want to raise chickens, you’d need a proper coop and had to guard against weasels. Easier to just buy them when you wanted to eat. So, Jiang Le was genuinely curious about the chickens at Xiao Long and Xiao Feng’s place.  

The two kids exchanged glances. Normally, they wouldn’t be keen on bringing just anyone home, but then they remembered the candy Brother Jiang had given them—the most delicious sweet they’d ever tasted!  

“Okay, but you can’t scare the chickens,” Xiao Feng, the clever little one, warned seriously. “Mama says if they get scared, they won’t lay eggs.”  

Jiang Le nodded eagerly and even pulled out some sugar-coated hawthorns he’d bought from the supply and marketing cooperative as a “bribe” for the kids.  

Xiao Long and Xiao Feng flushed a little—they weren’t bringing brother Jiang home just for candy!  

“Brother Jiang, do we have to eat this right away too?” Xiao Feng asked cautiously, clutching the candy with wide, sparkling eyes. “I didn’t tell anyone about the candy you gave us last time!”  

Jiang Le chuckled and ruffled her hair. “Good girl. You don’t have to eat this one right now—you can save it.”  

The sugar-coated hawthorns were from the cooperative, so even if others saw them, no one would think twice.  

Xiao Feng’s face turned pink. Brother Jiang was… too nice.  

Xiao Long just grinned goofily beside her. Neither child chose to eat the candy immediately, instead carefully tucking it into their pockets.  

Soon, they arrived at the kids’ home, where a slightly older girl—around thirteen—stepped out. “Xiao Long, Xiao Feng, you’re back.”  

Spotting Jiang Le, she blinked in surprise. Clearly, she hadn’t expected her siblings to bring a guest.  

The girl was Chen Xia, Xiao Long and Xiao Feng’s older sister. Unlike the Jiang family, the Chens had already split from their grandparents—Chen Haigui, the kids’ father, managed his own household separately.  

With no grandparents to help with cooking, Chen Xia usually handled the meals, assisted by her slightly younger sister.

After all, apart from Sun Yulan and Chen Haigui, the Chen family had seven children—meaning meals had to be prepared for nine people. There was no way Chen Xia could handle it all alone.  

Chen Xia was a shy girl. Seeing that Jiang Le had been brought home by Xiao Long and Xiao Feng, she didn’t say much and simply returned to the kitchen to keep working. Her parents would be back from the fields soon, and she needed to finish cooking.  

The Chen family’s three eldest were all sons. Aside from Xiao Long, the youngest boy was already sixteen—considered a full laborer in the countryside. With five family members working in the fields and earning work points, it was no wonder the Chen family was a bit better off.  

As soon as they entered the house, Xiao Long and Xiao Feng got to work feeding the chickens. Jiang Le noticed they had three hens, kept inside a wooden fence enclosure.  

The chickens ate grass, not human food, so the two kids gathered feed for them almost every day. Thanks to their efforts, the three hens were plump and well-fed.  

Seeing the two little ones bustling about, Jiang Le offered to help—only for Xiao Long to sigh and say, “Brother Jiang, maybe you should just… watch.”  

Jiang Le: “…”

Before long, the sky began to darken, and the Chen family returned home with the other villagers.  

Sun Yulan, full of energy, called out before even stepping through the door: “Xia’er, wrap me a steamed bun! I’m heading back to the fields!” 

Chen Xia answered from inside, while Xiao Long and Xiao Feng asked, “Mom, why are you going back? Isn’t work over for the day?”

Sun Yulan, of course, was going to keep an eye on Zhang Xiuhua. That lazy woman had been punished by the village chief with an extra hour of work for slacking off, and Sun Yulan had been assigned to supervise her. She took the job seriously—grabbing a quick bite before rushing back to make sure Zhang Xiuhua didn’t sneak in any more breaks!  

Spotting Jiang Le in her house, Sun Yulan was surprised. “What’s Jiang’s boy doing here?” 

Xiao Feng piped up immediately: “Mom, I brought brother Jiang home with me!” 

Sun Yulan found this interesting. Her twins might seem a bit silly at first glance, but they were sharp—they wouldn’t just bring anyone home. Clearly, Jiang Le had a way with kids.  

Realizing it was mealtime, Jiang Le felt awkward about sticking around and made to leave.  

Chen Haigui set down his hoe and wiped his sweat. “Leaving? Stay and eat!”

Jiang Le smiled. “Thanks, Uncle Chen, but my family’s already cooked for me. If I don’t go back, the food’ll go to waste—and in this heat, it’ll spoil. I’d better head home.”

Chen Haigui had no rebuttal for that. This Jiang kid really knows how to talk, he mused. Guess my wife was right—he’s nothing like the rumors say.

As Jiang Le left, Sun Yulan, carrying her wrapped bun, happened to walk the same way.  

Just then, they ran into a middle-aged man shouldering a hoe.  

Guagua: [Wang Mutou! Host, we’ve just stumbled upon one of the key figures in the drama!]

Jiang Le couldn’t help but take an extra glance at Wang Mutou.  

Noticing his gaze, Sun Yulan chuckled, “Jiang boy, what’re you staring at? Never seen Wang Mutou before?”  

Jiang Le seemed momentarily dazed, rubbing his eyes. “Oh, it’s Uncle Mutou. It’s so dark out—from a distance, I thought it was Brother Dazhu.”  

Sun Yulan burst out laughing. “You silly kid, your eyesight’s worse than mine! Mutou is Dazhu’s uncle—how could you mix them up? Besides, Dazhu and his family are still working in the fields.”  

Jiang Le scratched his head, looking sheepish. “Yeah, I don’t know how I got them confused.”  

Sun Yulan grinned and gave Mutou another glance before bidding Jiang Le goodbye. Later, when she saw Wang Dazhu in the fields, she recalled Jiang Le’s words and couldn’t resist studying him more closely.  

Huh. Dazhu really did look a lot like Mutou! Sure, Dazhu bore some resemblance to his father, Shitou, but the more she looked, the more he favored Mutou.  

And it wasn’t just Dazhu—the other Wang kids also shared traces of Mutou’s features.  

But then again, Mutou and Shitou were brothers, so similarities were to be expected. Some kids in the village even took after their uncles. Sun Yulan shrugged it off without much thought.  

Maybe it was because she kept staring, but Zhang Xiuhua suddenly snapped, “Sun Yulan, what the hell are you gawking at? You treating my family like convicts or something?”  

“I was just thinking how much your kids look like Mutou,” Sun Yulan shot back, hands on her hips. “What, can’t I look? And don’t forget—the village chief put me in charge of watching you. So yeah, I am staring. Got a problem? Take it up with the chief if you’re so brave. Think I’m scared of you? Keep yapping, and I’ll report you for slacking!”  

She braced herself for a full-blown shouting match, but to her surprise, even Wang Shitou only muttered “bootlicker” under his breath, while Zhang Xiuhua ducked her head and silently went back to work.  

Sun Yulan frowned, eyeing Zhang Xiuhua suspiciously.  

Huh. Something feels off here.