Chapter 28: Eating Hotpot

The chubby boy looked at Xiaojiu sincerely: “See, I’ve prepared everything. It’s not troublesome at all. Please let me stay!”

“Don’t you have to go to school?” Xiaojiu asked curiously.

She remembered that kids that age in town all attended school.

The chubby boy shrugged: “I’m too dumb, I can’t learn. Anyway, my dad says our family is rich. Even if I can’t read, I won’t starve.”

Xiaojiu thought: Damn rich kid.

“Well, if you live here, you have to study and train in martial arts like Zhao Hu and the others.”

“Huh? You guys still have to study and train?”

“Everyone does. Since you’re staying here, you have to be like them.”

The chubby boy sniffed the delicious smells coming from the kitchen. For the sake of good food, I can do this.

“Okay, it’s just studying and martial arts. I can do that.” The chubby boy puffed up his chest with determination.

Zhao Hu and the others standing at the door heard this and said, “Don’t just say it. Martial arts training is really tough. Can you handle it?”

The chubby boy patted his chest and promised, “Don’t worry, I’ll do what I say.”

Whether others believed him or not, the servant beside him did not.

The old lady and master had worried themselves sick over the young master’s schooling. He absolutely refused to study and every day drove the tutor crazy. If he hadn’t skipped class, he wouldn’t have been kidnapped by those bad guys.

A Dou, hearing his solemn vow, said, “Alright then, tomorrow morning come with us up the mountain to train.”

The chubby boy kept glancing back at the kitchen. So fragrant!

Xu Xiaoxiao came out of the kitchen carrying the hotpot base. The kids’ eyes all lit up, staring at what she held.

Sss!

So fragrant.

Their stomachs growled.

“Let’s eat!” Xiaojiu, smelling the aroma, was almost drooling.

They all laid out the ingredients on the dining table: vegetables donated by villagers, wild game hunted from the mountains, and some ingredients exchanged from the space. Everything was arranged on plates.

In the middle, the pot of broth bubbled and smelled delicious.

Da Ya asked the village chief, “All these are raw, how do we eat?”

“Just put them in the pot to cook for a bit, then eat.”

Xiaojiu couldn’t wait, grabbed a piece of meat, cooked it in the hotpot for a while, then popped it in her mouth.

She closed her eyes in happiness.

Seeing this, others also started picking up their chopsticks.

The chubby boy was even less polite, throwing handfuls of ingredients into the pot while muttering, “Delicious! So delicious!”

Xu Xiaoxiao laughed at everyone’s ravenous eating and said, “Eat slowly, don’t burn yourself. There’s still plenty in the pot!”

Zhao Hu, A Dou, and the others held their bowls, circling the table, afraid to miss any dish.

Da Ya imitated the village chief, carefully picked some greens, swished them in the pot, then tasted them. Her eyes immediately brightened, “Wow, greens cooked like this are so tasty!”

Xiao Liuzi finally understood why his young master wanted to stay here—because the food was so good.

“Master, please put in some effort tomorrow to stay longer.”

“Wow! So delicious, I’m almost crying from how good it is.”

For a while, the house was filled with laughter, chatting, and the sounds of chewing. Everyone ate and talked together, the atmosphere warm and joyful.

The hot steam from the hotpot filled the entire room, and everyone’s faces were lit up with satisfied and happy smiles.

After everyone had eaten their fill, they suddenly realized that they hadn’t seen Master Xu around the table recently.

Xiaojiu asked Sister Xiaoxiao, “Where’s Master Xu?”

Xiaoxiao was tidying up the dishes while replying, “Master Xu said he had to travel far away and won’t be back for a while. Recently, Wang Zhengyi has been temporarily teaching the kids their basics.”

“What about Master Yan?” Yesterday he came back with everyone, but today no one had seen him all day.

That morning, Lin Qi and a few others were training the village kids in martial arts.

Xiaoxiao shook her head. Master Yan is a mysterious and quiet man; no one knows where he went. Strange, one after another, they all disappeared.

“Village Chief, what are you doing this afternoon?” Zhao Hu asked. With the masters gone today, it was the perfect time to play.

Xiaojiu hadn’t decided yet when someone came to the door.

Shen Zhiyuan burst in excitedly, followed by a man in official robes.

“My little benefactor, my little benefactor, I’m here!” Shen Zhiyuan hugged Xiaojiu tightly and wouldn’t let go.

Da Ya quickly snatched Xiaojiu back from Shen Zhiyuan’s grasp.

“Hmph!” Shen Zhiyuan glared at Da Ya.

Da Ya pretended not to see.

The man who came with Shen Zhiyuan looked at Xiaojiu, bowed and said, “Thank you, young lady, for saving my daughter. I am deeply grateful.”

Xiaojiu looked at him and asked, “Are you the county magistrate?”

She had heard from the village elders that the highest official here was the county magistrate.

“Yes. I am the county magistrate’s daughter,” Shen Zhiyuan answered happily.

Xiaojiu looked at Magistrate Shen and asked, “Have those black-clad men been caught?”

Magistrate Shen said, “To be honest, besides thanking you for saving my daughter’s life, I have a favor to ask.”

“Hm?” Xiaojiu looked puzzled.

“May I borrow the chicken you raised to help the county officials go to the cave to catch those criminals?”

This morning, Magistrate Shen heard from his daughter about her being kidnapped and rescued yesterday.

At first, he didn’t believe it — a little girl that powerful? A chicken that understands human language?

But when the Wang family’s steward came to the manor with the same story, Magistrate Shen thought maybe there really was such a magical chicken and such a capable young girl.

Cluck cluck cluck.

On the roof, Cuihua clucked excitedly.

“Master, I want to go, I want to go. I promised the little Red, Green, and Yellow in the cave I’d bring them some chicken feed.”

“That’s fine, but there are many children still in the cave. I hope the county officials will be gentle and not harm them,” Xiaojiu said.

Magistrate Shen immediately responded, “Rest assured, those are all poor children. Once rescued, the county will help reunite them with their families.”

Seeing the matter was settled, Shen Zhiyuan tugged his father’s sleeve and said, “Dad, I want to stay here too.”

Magistrate Shen didn’t mind. He was busy catching criminals lately and didn’t have time to bother with his daughter.

But he worried that staying here might not be convenient for the little girl.

Seeing her father’s meaning, Shen Zhiyuan quickly said to Xiaojiu, “Little benefactor, can I stay here? I won’t freeload — I brought money.”

She immediately pulled out her purse, stuffed with silver coins, and slipped it into Xiaojiu’s arms.

Did Xiaojiu agree?

Of course she did.

One or two more residents, no problem. Money is always welcome.

With her mission accomplished, Magistrate Shen took Cuihua and hurried off to catch the criminals.