Chapter 22: The Little Bun Thief

An Xixuan lifted his fair, chubby little face and looked up at An Xiyan with his big, adorable eyes. He said solemnly, “Sister, you’re older than me, so you should eat first. I can’t be disrespectful.”

“Alright, alright, my little brother is so well-behaved,” An Xiyan said with a smile, picking up her chopsticks and taking a bite of the stir-fried vinegar cabbage.

Then she addressed everyone at the table: “Thank you all for your hard work today. Go ahead and eat. Don’t hold back—eat until you’re full.”

“Yes, Miss,” the Meng family responded. But they waited for An Xixuan to start eating first before they picked up their chopsticks. Proper manners had to be followed.

After all, just being able to sit at the same table as the young master and lady was already a breach of etiquette.

But there was no helping it—this was what the young miss insisted on. These past few days, they had been eating together with her and the young master. Initially, they had wanted to refuse.

However, the miss was adamant. She had said, “We’re all one family, why sit at separate tables? Isn’t it better to eat together?”

So, they had no choice but to obey. And truthfully… it felt rather novel.

At the same time, it strengthened their resolve to follow her. The fact that she was willing to share meals with her servants proved she saw them as family.

And so, they were even more determined not to let her down. They would serve her and the young master faithfully and do their best in all tasks.

“Little brother, here, eat a big bite of this bun,” An Xiyan said, handing a large meat bun to An Xixuan.

“Thank you, Sister! I love your big meat buns the most,” An Xixuan said sweetly as he took it with both hands.

Then, holding the nearly half-pound meat bun in his tiny hands, he took small bites, his round little face almost entirely hidden behind it.

Seeing her little brother eating so happily, An Xiyan finally took one for herself. She wasn’t good at making delicate foods, and on top of that, she had a big appetite.

So she usually cooked large portions. For example, these buns and mantou—each one weighed about half a jin (250g). With her appetite, she needed at least three or four to feel full.

Back during the apocalypse, she never had the time or energy to make elaborate meals. Most of her time was spent bashing zombies, snatching crystal cores, and leveling up.

There was no other choice. The apocalypse was a world of survival of the fittest, where everyone was out to protect themselves, and to survive, you had to do whatever it took to survive.

Fortunately, she had her space as a lifeline, but even with that, strength was still necessary to survive the apocalypse. That’s why she had no choice but to join the zombie-slaying ranks.

The family quickly finished their meal. An Xiyan was holding An Xixuan, helping him wash his hands.

Suddenly, Tangyuan shrieked, “Ah! Thief! There’s a thief!”

An Xiyan’s eyes turned cold. She immediately stood up and rushed to Tangyuan’s side with her little brother in her arms, scanning the area around them.

Seeing no one around, she frowned in confusion. “Sis, didn’t you say there was a thief? Why don’t I see anyone?”

“You’re always making a fuss over nothing,” He Lianrong said irritably, casting a glance at Tangyuan.

But then she noticed her daughter standing frozen in place, a look of fear and panic on her face. That expression didn’t look like she was lying, and she suddenly didn’t know what to say.

Tangyuan snapped out of her panic and said loudly, “Miss, Mom, I wasn’t wrong! Look, there was one more big meat bun in the tray, but now it’s gone!”

He Lianrong looked down and her pupils contracted slightly. “That’s strange… I clearly remember there were two meat buns left in the tray. Now there’s only one.”

An Xiyan glanced at the large tray on the low table, then turned to Tangyuan and asked, “Sis, did you see who took the bun?”

Her wood-type ability rarely failed her. She hadn’t sensed any unfamiliar presence nearby. That could only mean one thing—if someone had really stolen it, they must have been incredibly skilled in martial arts.

She could sense the presence of ordinary people without fail.

Tangyuan shook her head. “Miss, I didn’t say it was a person who stole the bun. It was a little animal, about this big, with fur as red as fire. It moved super fast and disappeared in a blink.”

As she spoke, Tangyuan gestured to show the size of the creature, then patted her chest as if calming her nerves. She still looked deeply shaken.

An Xiyan raised a brow, her mind working quickly. Basketball-sized, fiery-red fur… don’t tell me it was a fox?

Meng Guangping and Qingzhu, hearing the commotion, had immediately grabbed their swords and searched the area. Finding nothing, they returned and reported to An Xiyan.

“Miss, we didn’t find anything unusual,” Meng Guangping said, sounding a little regretful.

An Xiyan shook her head and reassured him, “Uncle Meng, it’s normal not to find anything—”

“…the one who stole the bun was a small creature, not a person.”

“A small creature?” Qingzhu said in surprise.

Everyone turned to look at him in astonishment—this was the first time he’d spoken all day. Clearly, he was quite interested in this “little creature.”

Normally, if there was nothing important going on, he could go ages without uttering a word. He was quieter than a sealed jar—completely withdrawn.

An Xiyan looked at Qingzhu the way one might look at a younger brother and explained, “Yes, I suspect it was a small fox, though I can’t be certain since we didn’t actually see it.”

Qingzhu’s clear eyes immediately lit up. He looked at An Xiyan and asked, “Miss, what color was the fox?”

An Xiyan replied, “Your sister said its fur was the color of fire.”

Qingzhu’s delicate face instantly filled with excitement, his eyes fixed on An Xiyan. “Miss, that might be the legendary Scarlet-Tailed Fire Fox!”

He couldn’t hide the excitement in his voice as he continued, “The Scarlet-Tailed Fire Fox is known for being elusive—so fast and secretive that you see its head but never its tail. Ordinary people can barely catch a glimpse, let alone capture it.”

“It’s said that every part of its body is a treasure. Its blood can cure any poison—just a single drop is enough to fully recover, no matter how deadly the toxin.”

“Its meat can prolong life. Its heart grants eternal youth and enhances internal energy. Even its bones can be made into incense, because they naturally carry a fragrant aroma.”

“That scent can last for decades without fading. Inhaling it regularly improves hearing and eyesight, strengthens the body, prevents illness, and even extends lifespan.”

Everyone: “???”
Wait a second… have we been misunderstanding Qingzhu this whole time?

He clearly wasn’t a man of few words at all—look at him go!

He just rattled off a massive string of information without even pausing. His eloquence was seriously impressive.

An Xiyan, An Xixuan, Meng Guangping, and the rest all stared wide-eyed at Qingzhu, their faces full of disbelief.

Under their naked stares, Qingzhu began to squirm uncomfortably. He looked completely overwhelmed, and a bright blush spread across his delicate cheeks.

He gathered his courage and said timidly, “C-could you all… please stop looking at me like that?”
His voice was soft—clearly, he was shy and a little afraid.

Everyone shook their heads and responded in unison, “Nope.”