Chapter 7: Wang Zhengyi Skips School

Xiaojiu was awakened by the loud cheers and shouts of the villagers. Right after that, she heard the sound of rain pouring down outside. Just as the system had said—it was going to rain today.

She got dressed, washed up, and went out into the courtyard to play with Cuihua. Looking at the item exchange panel, Xiaojiu noticed that there was chicken feed available. She used two points to redeem a bag for Cuihua.

“Master, you’re the best! Huahua loves you to death!”

Cuihua flapped her wings and hugged Xiaojiu’s leg, clucking affectionately.

“Finish your food and be good—lay eggs, okay?”

Cuihua was now laying an egg every day, and Sister Xu would boil one for her every morning.

Xiaojiu glanced outside—it looked like the rain was easing up.

Just then, the clan elders arrived, stepping into the courtyard.

Clan Leader Li spoke eagerly the moment he came in: “Village Chief, it really rained outside!”

The clan elders’ faces were full of joy as they continued, “Thanks to you, Village Chief, it rained for a few hours this morning. The fields aren’t cracked anymore, and the crops finally have a chance to survive.”

“And another thing—the old man we saved yesterday, he wants to rent a room in your courtyard. He’s offering five taels of silver per month. What do you think?”

Five taels of silver. The clan elders’ hearts trembled at the thought. Most villagers didn’t make that much in an entire year, and this old man wanted to spend that every month just for rent. Truly the lifestyle of the rich—far beyond their understanding.

Xiaojiu thought it over. Her courtyard was big, with lots of empty rooms. Sister Xu had one, she had one, and there were still four empty rooms. Renting out just one and making five taels of silver a month sounded like a pie falling from the sky.

“Sure! There are three empty rooms near the back garden. Let Grandpa Xu pick whichever one he likes.”

Not long after, Grandpa Xu arrived. Whatever he had talked about with the elders last night, it clearly had an effect—today, the way he looked at Xiaojiu was unusually gentle, so much so that it gave her goosebumps.

Frightened, Xiaojiu quickly blurted out, “Grandpa Xu, pick any room you like,” and bolted.

So creepy. Grandpa Xu’s smile looked just like a child kidnapper’s. What if he thinks I’m too cute and wants to take me home?

Shaking off her ridiculous thoughts, Xiaojiu rushed over to Aunt Liu’s house to see if her big cloth pouch was ready.

When Aunt Liu saw Xiaojiu, she immediately took out the bag she had finished last night and helped Xiaojiu put it on. The tiny child now had a round, chubby little panda-themed cloth pouch strapped to her front, nearly the size of her belly—it couldn’t have been cuter.

“Aunt Liu, does it look good?” Xiaojiu asked, tugging at the panda’s little ears.

“Of course! Our village chief looks good in everything. It’s like you’re carrying a fluffy little animal,” Aunt Liu praised warmly.

Xiaojiu also thought it looked great. She believed Aunt Liu’s sewing skills were so good that she could make more of these cute and creative cloth bags to sell in town.

“Aunt Liu, have you ever thought about making more of these and selling them in town? I bet the town kids would love a bag like mine!” Xiaojiu said confidently.

“Really? But the tailors in town are probably way more skilled than me. Why would the kids there want one of mine? Don’t tease me, Village Chief,” Aunt Liu said, a little embarrassed.

“It’s true! If you don’t believe me, go ask Da Ya and A’dou.” Xiaojiu ran inside to call Da Ya and A’dou out.

A’dou stared at the little panda pouch strapped to the village chief’s chest. It was just too cute—he really wanted one too.

“Village Chief, Village Chief, is this panda the same one from that candy yesterday?” A’dou asked while touching the panda’s chubby little paw.

“This was made by Aunt Liu, based on the picture from the candy wrapper,” Xiaojiu explained, quickly pulling the panda’s paw out of A’dou’s hands, afraid he might accidentally rip it off.

A’dou immediately turned around and tugged on his mother’s sleeve. “Mama, Mama, I want a backpack like this too! Can you make me one with a tiger?”

Aunt Liu almost choked. “Mama can only copy from pictures—I can’t make a tiger.”

The pattern on the candy wrapper that Xiaojiu gave her had been very simple and cute, easy to replicate. But asking her to make something based on a real animal? Aunt Liu shook her head—she didn’t have that kind of imagination.

Xiaojiu thought for a moment. There were tons of cookies and candies in the system’s store, and their packaging had all kinds of animal designs.

So she quickly exchanged some snacks with different animal patterns and pulled out one with a tiger on it from her pouch, handing it to Aunt Liu. “How about this one?”

It was a cookie package with a chubby, round tiger printed on it—adorable and playful.

A’dou immediately lit up. “Mama, Mama, I want this one!”

“Alright, I’ll sew one for you later,” Aunt Liu said as she turned the package over in her hands, admiring the cute design.

Daye also wanted an animal-themed pouch. She remembered the milk candy the village chief gave her yesterday—it had a little bunny printed on it. She had loved it so much she didn’t even throw the wrapper away.

She brought the wrapper over and handed it to her mother. “Mama, can you make one like this? I want a little bunny bag.”

Aunt Liu looked at the candy wrapper with the bunny, smiled, and said, “Of course I can. Tonight I’ll make one for each of you.”

“Thank you, Mama! You’re the best!” the siblings chorused joyfully, showering their mother with gratitude.

Just then, a noisy commotion erupted outside—it sounded like it was coming from the Wang family next door.

Xiaojiu and the others rushed outside, and soon, neighbors began to gather too.

Sure enough, gossip was the true nature of all humans.

“You ungrateful brat, Wang Zhengyi! The whole family scrimps and saves just to send you to school, and you skip class to go carry cargo at the docks?!” Aunt Wang had Wang Zhengyi by the ear, eyes wide with fury, her voice shaking from anger.

“Ow—ow! That hurts!” Wang Zhengyi yelped, clutching his aching ear. “I don’t want to go to school. I’m never going again!”

“You don’t want to go? Then I’ll beat you until you do! I’ll beat you until you crawl back to the classroom!” Aunt Wang grabbed a broom and started whacking him with it.

Wang Zhengyi ran in circles, dodging as best as he could. Even Grandma and Grandpa Wang, who usually spoiled him, stood silently off to the side, watching him get beat.

The Wang family was fairly well-off by village standards, so with some frugality, they could just barely afford to send Wang Zhengyi to school in town.

But when Aunt Wang went to visit him yesterday, the school teacher told her he hadn’t shown up for days.

She and her husband, Wang Rengui, had spent a whole day and night searching the town—only to finally find Wang Zhengyi this morning, hauling crates at the dock. The couple was so furious they nearly fainted on the spot. Wang Rengui had dragged his son home straight from the pier.

And now—this was the scene everyone was watching.