Niantao Village, Bai Family.

Bai Tian was going to the blacksmith's house in the next village, and Jiang Dai was going to town.

So, the family's four children and half a pound of pork were packed together and sent to the neighbor, Da Chui's house.

Jiang Dai waved her hand: "Then I'll trouble you to keep an eye on these four children, Auntie!"

Grandma Wang, carrying the pork, was overjoyed: "It's no trouble at all!"

Half a pound of pork, enough to look after four kids? You could easily take care of eight!

The four children, who had been packed up and thrown in, watched their mother leave: ...

Bai Yunqi: [Wait, something's really weird at home today!]

Bai Yunxing: [What a pity, we missed a good opportunity. But if I were my parents, I wouldn't let a six-year-old child do this. Going to town alone is indeed a bit unsafe.]

Bai Yun'an: [Tsk, it's good that my parents are out. I reckon those people from the Zhenxiu Restaurant will come looking for me today. I'll go to the village entrance and wait for them.]

Juanjuan looked at her third brother beside her.

Is Third Brother going by himself?

Are we going to ambush bad guys?

Bai Yun'an looked at the void with a puzzled expression as its favorability value increased by another number, becoming 12.

[Huh? I didn't do anything! How come my affection level is still going up?]

Bai Yun'an subconsciously looked at her younger sister.

But then I saw my younger sister immediately lower her head, looking a little shy.

Bai Yun'an: ?

Kids are really...so hard to understand!!!

Juanjuan kept her head down, afraid that her third brother would notice something was wrong.

She couldn't offer much help, so she could only keep her brothers' secrets and avoid causing trouble.

The brothers have so many secrets!

She was very careful to keep it a secret every day, and couldn't talk too much, otherwise she might not be able to think clearly and let something slip.

Bai Yunqi asked his younger siblings in confusion, "What is Mother going to town for today?"

Bai Yunxing shook his head, pretending not to know.

[The older brother and younger siblings are all too young. If they knew someone had broken in at night, they would probably panic and wouldn't be able to help much.]

Little Juanjuan: ...

See? Her brothers have too many twists and turns in their lives. When her brain can't keep up, she chooses to remain silent.

So, Juanjuan, the only one who knew the truth, also shook her head.

Bai Yun'an glanced at his second brother, then at his younger sister, and shook his head along with the rest of the group.

Bai Yunqi sighed and said with a hint of narcissism, "That's true, if I don't know, how could you possibly know!"

Younger siblings: ...

Could you please keep your voice down? They can hear you!

"Juanjuan! Hurry, hurry, hurry! I'll teach you to read!!"

Big Hammer excitedly ran out of the house, holding the copybook his uncle had given him.

He stood beside Juanjuan, watching his mother come out of the house, and began to lecture her: "Mom! What did Uncle say... If I can teach others, it means I've already learned it myself!"

But it doesn't seem very convincing.

But Big Hammer's mother had also heard this from her brother-in-law, so she didn't bother with Big Hammer anymore.

"Fine, fine! You can teach Juanjuan to read!"

After saying that, Big Hammer's mother gave a helpless laugh, turned around and whispered, "You don't even know how to do it yourself! Don't drag Juanjuan down with you!"

"Come on over! I can already read! I'll teach you for free!"

Little Hammer looked at Curly's older brothers with a smug expression and a boastful look.

Bai Yunqi: [Tch, it's just knowing a word! You're acting like I don't know any! I can learn faster than this hammer!]

Bai Yunxing remained quiet and unhurried, already quite used to this kind of childish showing off.

Bai Yun'an thought to himself:

If I hadn't let that person go back, my family probably wouldn't have had any trouble in the next couple of days. I need to figure out how to deal with those people first.

There's no other way; I'm the only one of importance in this family. I saved the world in the apocalypse, and now I have to save this whole family...

[I'll sneak away in a bit; I'll just keep watch at the door.]

Juanjuan looked up at her third brother, her round eyes reflecting his not-so-tall figure. But at that moment, Juanjuan felt that her third brother was different from before.

Perhaps it wasn't that Third Brother was different, but rather that she had gotten to know Third Brother all over again.

Juanjuan lowered her gaze slightly, her little brain working as she tried to understand the feeling.

It's like...

Adults say that lying makes a bad child, but even though Big Hammer Brother lies to his mother, he is not a bad child.

The third brother used to often say very fierce things in his heart, but in the past half month, he has not hit her or bullied her. He even gave her candy and money to the family.

Now... I have to go fight those bad guys all by myself again.

"Third, Third Brother..."

Bai Yun'an heard his sister's hesitant voice and immediately looked down.

Under Bai Yun'an's gaze, Juanjuan nervously swallowed, then smiled at him and said nothing more.

Bai Yun'an was completely baffled: [Wait, what does it mean that the child suddenly laughed?]

But seeing the favorability value slowly rise to 15 in the void, Bai Yun'an stopped caring.