Chapter 133: Catch Him! Catch It!  

Off to the side.  

Zhou Xiaochuan tilted his head back, gazing at the bookshelf.  

He remembered Jiang Rou’s initial instructions—not to touch anything without the owner’s permission.  

So, he simply used his bright, dark eyes to scan the words, one by one.  

He wondered if he could find the only character he recognized—”二”—among the countless words.  

Jiang Rou lowered her head, working on her needlework while keeping Zhou Xiaochuan in the corner of her vision.  

She silently lifted her gaze, her eyes landing on Zhou Xiaochuan’s side profile as he looked up.  

The boy’s focused and serious expression reflected quietly in her eyes.  

All the children Zhou Xiaochuan’s age in the compound had already started school, yet Zhou Xiaochuan remained the exception. Due to his unique circumstances, Zhou Zhongshan had never arranged for him to attend.  

Was this little wolf cub eager to learn how to read?  

A thought flickered through Jiang Rou’s mind.  

No matter the era, if a child wanted to change their fate, studying was the only path.  

Reading might not guarantee great success, but it set the moral baseline for a person.  

If Zhou Xiaochuan had gone to school, if he could read, if he understood the law, then perhaps he wouldn’t have resorted to such extreme measures in the original story.  

Jiang Rou silently made a note of this matter.  

She lowered her head again and continued threading the needle.  

At that moment—  

“You sewed this part wrong.”  

Song Qingqian’s voice suddenly drifted over.  

She spoke in a hushed tone, afraid of waking Zhou Xiaohua, her voice barely above a whisper.

As soon as Jiang Rou heard that, she immediately widened her eyes and carefully inspected her work.  

In her hands was Zhou Xiaohua’s little dress, already eighty percent complete, with its general shape taking form.  

The remaining unfinished sections were ones that a sewing machine couldn’t handle—only delicate hand-stitching could complete the job.  

The chest area of the dress featured a modern Chinese-style design.  

Around the collar and front opening, there was a technique known as binding—a craftsmanship unique to traditional Chinese qipaos.  

The refinement of a garment often depended on these small details.  

Earlier, when Jiang Rou got distracted, she had accidentally pricked the wrong spot with her needle, leaving the stitches crooked and messy.  

It looked terrible.  

Jiang Rou frowned.  

She was still troubled over how to fix it when—  

Song Qingqian reached out from the side, taking the needle, thread, and fabric from her hands.  

Her tone was indifferent. “Let me do it.”  

The once impatient Song Qingqian, who used to say, “I’ll only teach you once.” with a face full of irritation, was now nowhere to be seen.  

Not only did she teach Jiang Rou with meticulous patience, ensuring she understood everything clearly, but every time Jiang Rou struggled with a part, Song Qingqian would wear a look of disdain—yet still give in with a resigned, “I’ll do it.”  

She put in her utmost effort to make the little dress as beautiful as possible.  

Jiang Rou handed over the task, instantly feeling relieved.  

In just the blink of an eye—  

She watched as the needle and thread moved fluidly in Song Qingqian’s hands, as if obeying her command. The stitches she made were perfectly straight and even.  

Song Qingqian’s technique was exceptional—she could even hide the stitches completely.  

At first glance, there was no trace of sewing at all.  

Jiang Rou, observing from the side, was in awe.  

“Different trades really are like different worlds. Qingqian, your craftsmanship is truly impeccable, it’s like this—”  

She raised a thumbs-up toward Song Qingqian.  

Song Qingqian kept her head down, seemingly unmoved.  

But the delicate arch of her brows lifted ever so slightly.  

This was her pride!  

Jiang Rou watched for a while before turning to handle Zhou Xiaochuan’s clothes—there was still plenty of work to do!

——-

Inside the House in the Afternoon  

The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful.  

The only sound was the rhythmic click-clack of the sewing machine in motion.  

However—  

A sudden commotion erupted outside.  

“Ah—ah—catch him! Hurry, catch him!”  

“Don’t let him get away! You must catch him! Ah! It’s dangerous! Be careful, protect yourself!”  

“If we let him escape, we won’t be able to explain to Sister Hong! …Quick, quick, quick! Grab him! Catch him!”  

The tense and urgent shouts carried through the door.  

Anyone who heard them would feel their chest tighten.  

The atmosphere instantly turned tense.  

That voice…  

“It’s Sister Yulan!”  

Jiang Rou immediately recognized Lin Yulan’s voice.  

Something was wrong!  

Her expression grew tense as she exchanged a glance with Song Qingqian.  

Without a word, both women set down the clothes in their hands and hurried toward the door.  

As they passed through the living room—  

Zhou Xiaochuan was staring at Jiang Rou with his dark, intense eyes, his posture rigid with familiar tension and vigilance.  

He had also heard the shouting outside and instinctively assumed the stance of a little wolf cub once again.  

“Xiaochuan, stay inside and watch over your sister. Don’t come out.”  

Jiang Rou issued the command in a firm, low voice as she rushed toward the door.  

Zhou Xiaochuan hesitated mid-step, about to move forward, but then froze in place.  

A flicker of uncertainty flashed through his gaze.  

And in that fleeting moment of hesitation—  

Jiang Rou had already strode outside. All he could see was her resolute figure moving away.  

He was left behind, in a safer place.  

While Jiang Rou pressed forward with determined strides.

Zhou Xiaochuan silently watched for a moment, then turned around and walked toward the bedroom, following Jiang Rou’s instructions to look after Zhou Xiaohua.  

Creak.  

Jiang Rou pushed open the wooden door.  

Her expression was tense, her gaze sharp—she was fully prepared to face danger at any moment.  

With the spiritual spring water space protecting her, even a man over 1.8 meters tall wouldn’t necessarily be her match—she could easily throw him to the ground.  

If it was just catching a petty thief, there would be no problem at all.  

At the same time, Jiang Rou subtly shifted her position, slightly shielding Song Qingqian, who was following closely behind her.  

Just like that—  

In the midst of this high-stakes, nerve-wracking moment—  

Jiang Rou stepped outside and saw Lin Yulan frantically chasing something along the road.  

Lin Yulan stumbled as she ran, constantly darting back and forth.  

Her body had always been frail, and she was already quite thin. Now, she looked utterly disheveled, barely managing to keep her balance.  

Even her neatly tied-up hair had come loose, strands falling across her forehead.  

Her clothes were stained with dust in several places, looking filthy—she had clearly fallen multiple times.  

But Lin Yulan wasn’t the only one in this chaotic chase.  

Another woman, whom Jiang Rou had never seen before, was also running alongside her—most likely another military wife from the compound.  

The two of them were both chasing—  

A chicken!  

A plump, robust hen, with beautiful reddish-brown feathers, a long black-striped tail, and a strikingly bright red comb.  

It strutted about with such arrogance that it looked more like a proud, majestic rooster than a hen.  

But the most terrifying part was—  

The hen could fly.  

“Cluck cluck cluck!”  

“Cluck cluck cluck!”  

“Cluck cluck cluck!”  

The hen squawked loudly, flapping its fluffy wings and soaring about a meter into the air.  

Lin Yulan and the other military wife tried to corner it from different angles, attempting to trap it.  

Both of them were already out of breath, their faces dripping with sweat.  

Yet every time they were just about to grab the hen, it would either duck its head or flap its wings and take off—escaping right from under their hands.  

Leaving them grasping at nothing but empty air.  

And eating mouthfuls of dust in the process.  

Not only did they look disheveled, but their entire bodies were covered in dirt.  

Even so, they refused to give up, continuing to shout—  

“Catch it! Hurry, catch it! CATCH—IT!”  

Wait…?!  

Him?  

It?