Xiao Xixi ran toward the Lu household, carrying a bowl and a handful of garlic sprouts.

Lu Feng and his father were mixing mud in the courtyard to build an extra room when they saw him dash into the kitchen like a gust of wind.

“Xiao Xixi’s here to see little sister again. He never used to come when we called him,” Lu Feng said.

His father chuckled, “Your little sister’s changed back. Who wouldn’t like her now?”

“When we first moved back to the village, Xixi’s grandma helped take care of your mother. Back then, three-year-old Xixi loved to follow Qingqing around everywhere.”

“I remember,” Lu Feng nodded.

But after his sister changed, she once pushed Xixi over so hard he took a nasty fall.

After that, he stopped coming to the Lu family home.

Now, Xiao Xixi was bursting with urgency, eager to share what he had overheard on the road with Lu Qingqing.

“The county magistrate even gave them silver and cloth!”

Lu Qingqing had told him not to tell anyone else, so he whispered it.

“And those villagers, they’re all praising Ding Xiang and calling you a fraud!”

Infuriating!

It was clearly Lu Qingqing who saved them.

The silver and cloth should’ve been hers!

“Oh? Who called me a fraud?” Lu Qingqing asked calmly as she continued her work.

“There’s Aunt Dong, Fifth Grandpa, Ding Erzhu… especially that shrew Huang Cuixiang! She talks like you’re scheming to steal her family’s property!”

“Good. I’ll remember that. If any of them come asking me to treat them in the future—I won’t!”

“Exactly! Don’t treat them!” Xixi puffed up his cheeks in outrage.

“But… what about Ding Hongshi?” he asked more hesitantly.

“Nothing. Let him suffer the consequences of his own actions.”

Lu Qingqing looked at the bowl Xixi had brought. It was too small to be of any real use.

So she went to get one of her own large porcelain bowls.

When she lifted the lid off the big pot, a rich aroma filled the air.

Braised Softshell Turtle with Chicken

The turtle was three jin (1.5 kg) before gutting, now less than two jin, paired with a hen of similar weight, simmered with scallions, ginger, astragalus root, and red dates—a huge potful.

The hen had been sent by Lin Ye, who said two of his hens weren’t laying eggs anymore, so one went to his brother for nourishment, and the other to Lu Qingqing.

Xixi’s mouth sparkled with drool without him even noticing.

No wonder Master Wan loved eating turtle.

It smelled heavenly.

Lu Qingqing had actually stewed the turtle.

And not just that—she’d added a whole chicken too!

That was worth at least two taels of silver!

A droplet of drool escaped.

Xixi belatedly caught it with his hand and quickly wiped his mouth with his sleeve in embarrassment.

How mortifying!

Thank goodness Lu Qingqing had her back to him.

His grandma had told him not to enter other people’s kitchens, yet here he was.

“Anyway, I told you. Do what you want with the info.”

Xixi turned away, avoiding looking at the pot of meat, and was about to leave when Lu Qingqing called him back.

“Take this home.”

Lu Qingqing picked two chunks of turtle meat, added extra chicken pieces, and poured in a bowlful of soup.

She handed the bowl to Xixi in his meal basket.

“Eat it.”

“Eat… me? You’re letting me eat it?”

“Yes, eat eat eat. Hurry, it’s dark—you won’t see the road.”

“No, I… I don’t have enough wages left to deduct. You said I could only taste the soup.”

Xixi secretly calculated: turtle, chicken, and such a rich aroma—this definitely cost more than he could afford.

Even the eggs and biscuits she’d given him earlier could be deducted from his wages, but not this!

His single tael of silver would soon be gone!

Lu Qingqing let out a light laugh.

“Then think of a way to earn more. You won’t just gather herbs—I’ll have other tasks for you.”

He was now her assistant!

..

Xiao Xixi hugged his meal basket tightly as he walked home.

Just as he neared his gate, a dark shadow jumped out.

“Hey!” the figure shouted.

Startled, Xiao Xixi flinched, but instinctively clutched the basket even tighter.

It was Wang Jincai, the son of their backdoor neighbor, Wang Mazi.

He was a year older than Xixi and much sturdier, now blocking his way.

“Lu Xi the ghost!”

He called Xiao Xixi that because he had no parents, and in his mind, a “ghost” had no happiness to bring—thus, “Lu Xi the ghost.”

“What’ve you been doing up the mountain with Lu Qingqing these days? What’s in that basket that smells so good? Let me see!”

Xixi refused and tried to run.

Wang Jincai grabbed him and reached for the basket.

“Ah! Lu Xi the ghost, did you just BITE me?!”

Furious, Wang Jincai threw Xixi down.

The basket spilled, and soup flowed everywhere.

Xixi frantically opened the lid and set the bowl upright, but most of the soup was already gone.

“Meat? What kind of meat smells this good?!”

Wang Jincai’s eyes gleamed green as he reached for it.

Next moment, his face took a hard punch.

Then another.

And another.

Don’t be fooled by Xiao Xixi’s scrawny frame—when he went wild, he was like a wolf cub out for blood.

His grandma had always told him not to fight.

So he usually endured and dodged.

But today, he snapped and beat Wang Jincai till the boy bawled for his parents.

However, this brought trouble.

The Lu family was in the middle of dinner when Little Bao Shuan came knocking.

“Uncle Lu, my mom told me to tell you—Xixi-ge and his grandma are being bullied by Wang Mazi’s family!”

Lu Yun was shocked.

Everyone put down their chopsticks. Leaving the old man to guard the house, the three siblings ran off.

..

Meanwhile, the cursing from Wang’s household was winding down.

Xiao Xixi’s grandma was apologizing, trying to calm them down.

She knew that if they didn’t yield now, Wang Mazi would keep causing trouble.

“Xixi, apologize to Jincai,” she urged.

But Xixi didn’t move. He clutched the basket tightly to his chest, staring coldly at the Wang family, lips bitten so hard they bled.

“What’s the point of an apology! Look how badly our Jincai is hurt—his eye and nose are both busted!”

“I’m telling you, with no parents around, you, old lady, should keep a better eye on him. Don’t let him turn into some little wild animal biting people!”

Xiao Xixi’s eyes turned murderous. His grandma grabbed his arm tightly.

“I will discipline him,” she said coldly. “Also, we’ll pay 300 wen in compensation. No more.”

Neighbors around tried to persuade the Wang family as well.

Three hundred wen was plenty—they were just a poor orphan and a widow.

Wang Mazi was unhappy but had no choice.

“We know your family’s broke. But what can 300 wen buy? Not even a single dose of medicine! Aunt Liu, we’re neighbors. I won’t make it hard on you. Just pay the 300—and let Jincai land two punches on him, to teach him a lesson, and it’s done!”

Aunt Liu refused.

Jincai was too strong—who knew where he’d hit?

She gritted her teeth. “600 wen.”

“I’ll let him hit me,” Xixi suddenly shouted.

But his glare fixed on Jincai was full of killing intent.

Jincai shivered and shrank back behind his mother.

Wang Mazi flew into a rage. “You little brat! Who are you trying to scare? Aunt Liu, you see this? Still wild as ever. I was brothers with his father—I’ve every right to help you discipline him! I’ll throw the punches myself. Don’t worry, I’m not some feral beast like him. I’ll go easy. You agree or not?”