Xiao Yunying's second uncle's family and the village chief's family had many men, with four or five sons in each family, and a total of fourteen or fifteen men followed her up the mountain.
Xiao Yunying was like a younger sister to them, so they didn't have to be as reserved as they were with other women. They chatted openly and asked how she had encountered the tiger.
Xiao Yunying could only repeat what she had said to her mother.
Everyone sighed with admiration at her good luck and incredible lifespan; if it had been someone else in her shoes, their remains would never have been recovered.
Xiao Shanhai was about to teach his daughter a lesson: "Daughter, I told you before that there might be wild animals in Xishan. You were lucky to escape this time, but you won't be so lucky every time."
Xiao Yunying supported herself as she walked up the mountain: "Dad, your daughter isn't that lucky to encounter wild animals every day. Normally, wild animals like tigers only live in deep mountains and forests. The cliff isn't that far away, so how did it end up there?"
"Yes, why? We haven't heard of any large insects injuring people in the nearby villages in the past two years, which means it hasn't been here long."
Xiao Shan Hai was successfully led astray by his daughter and began to ponder the reason for the appearance of the giant worm.
Xiao Yunying suppressed a laugh as she climbed the mountain path.
The village chief walked over to her and asked her about the irrigation pipes.
Xiao Yunying didn't know much about this. She had only seen it when she was young in her previous life at her maternal grandmother's house in the countryside, and she offered some suggestions based on her own understanding.
“Using hollowed-out bamboo is also an option, but bamboo will rot when buried underground and needs to be replaced every now and then. It saves money, but it's more troublesome. If you use thick porcelain pipes, you don't need to replace them all the time, which saves time and effort. Overall, each has its own advantages and disadvantages.”
The village chief nodded: "You're right."
Xiao Yunying didn't forget to give her second sister-in-law's family a shout-out: "Actually, coarse porcelain pipes don't cost much copper. They're not as expensive as fine porcelain pipes. They don't need to be that pretty. They just need to be thick and durable. My second sister-in-law's family has a kiln for firing porcelain. The village chief can tell the villagers that if they need coarse porcelain pipes, they should contact my second sister-in-law. The price will definitely be cheaper than what outsiders charge."
The village chief said, "I remember, but I can only tell you in the spring. My dear niece, you must keep this secret for your uncle."
Xiao Yunying knew what the village chief meant, but like a washboard, if she said it too early, someone else might learn it.
"Don't worry, Uncle, I know."
The village chief had already mentioned their kinship, so of course she had to give him face.
Xiao Yunying couldn't go any further after walking halfway. She pointed ahead and said, "Father, why don't you go by yourselves? Just keep going up in this direction. You'll see some chestnut trees. Further ahead is a cliff, and the tiger is at the bottom of the cliff."
"Shall I have your older brother escort you down the mountain?"
"I can go back by myself. Oh, and my basket is still under the chestnut tree. Remember to bring it back for me."
"Okay, be careful."
Xiao Yunying rested on the spot for a long time until she felt less breathless, then slowly walked down the mountain.
After she descended the western hill, she didn't want to say a word. She climbed onto her own oxcart and lay down on it without a care for her image.
Mu Lianrong poured a bowl of sugar water into her mouth using a bamboo tube: "Girl, get up and have some water."
Xiao Yunying propped herself up and sat up: "Thank you, Mother."
"You must be exhausted."
Xiao Yunying pinched her cheek: "I'm still too fat, I need to keep losing weight."
Mu Lianrong put the bowl back in the basket: "It has nothing to do with meat. Anyone would be tired after climbing such a long mountain road. You've lost a lot of weight these days."
Xiao Yunying felt a sense of accomplishment when she talked about this.
For the past two weeks, she has controlled her diet and persisted in exercising, with remarkable results.
It's likely that the medicine she took to regulate her body worked; she lost a lot of weight, her double chin disappeared, her waistline became more defined, and she looked more energetic.
I estimate I've lost about 15 or 16 pounds.
She's not short, standing at over 1.6 meters tall, but it's obvious she's lost more than ten kilograms.
However, compared to the average person, he is still a bit overweight.
She had a high starting weight, so she lost weight quickly in the early stages, but the process slowed down later on; she needed to persevere.
News of Xiao Yunying killing a giant worm spread quickly, and many villagers came to the foot of West Mountain to see what the legendary worm looked like.
She left the affairs of dealing with the villagers to her mother and two sisters-in-law, while Xiao Yunying sat on the oxcart, swinging her legs and lost in thought.
Luo Chen and his nephews, who were playing outside, rushed over after hearing the news and stood next to Xiao Yunying, calling her "Mother."
Yes, she was calling for her mother.
I don't know what Luo Yang said to Luo Chen and Luo Li, but on the night she promised Luo Yang she wouldn't leave, Luo Li came to her room and hugged her and cried her heart out.
Luo Li didn't try to suppress her sobs, as if she wanted to vent all the fear, worry, and grievances she had accumulated over the past few days. No matter how she was coaxed, she couldn't be soothed, which made Mu Lianrong think that she was hitting the child.
After persuading Mu Lianrong to leave, Xiao Yunying let Luo Li hold her and cry until he cried himself to sleep. Xiao Yunying then wiped his face, took off his coat and shoes, and let him sleep in her room for the night.
The first thing Luo Li said when she opened her eyes the next day was, "Can I call you Mother?"
The expectation and caution in her tone made Xiao Yunying's nose tingle.
"sure."
From that day on, Luo Li kept calling her "Mom," and two days later, Luo Chen and Luo Yang also changed their way of addressing her.
Xiao Yunying didn't ask why. Just like when they first called her stepmother, she seemed indifferent, but she was secretly a little happy.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com