Chapter 57 An'an's Best Little Supervisor
Those hands that could tear zombies apart with their bare hands in the apocalypse were now gently wiping away the tears clinging to her younger brother's eyelashes, her voice deliberately softened, sweet and coaxing.
"Good girl, An'an," she pinched An'an's little nose, her eyes focused, "Sister isn't abandoning you, sister needs An'an's big help!"
An'an sobbed, her big eyes filled with confusion: "...Big help?"
"right!"
Xu Zhili pointed to the plot of land that was taking shape, her eyes filled with anticipation for the future. "Look, over there, that will be the home that belongs only to your sister and An'an. An'an, don't you want it to be sturdy and beautiful, like a pretty house?"
"Yes!" An'an nodded vigorously, her attention diverted.
So that's why.
Xu Zhili's voice carried a hint of mysterious solemnity, "Sister is going to find some good meat for the uncles and elders who are building the house, so that they will have more strength to work. And An'an is the little supervisor that sister sent here."
"Little... supervisor?" An'an was filled with curiosity about this new word, and she even forgot to shed tears.
"right!"
Xu Zhili nodded seriously, "The supervisor is like the most powerful little general, helping his sister watch over the uncles and elders as they work. They check if the stones they've laid are stable, if the timbers are laid straight, and if anything isn't done well enough, or if someone is slacking off..."
She leaned close to An'an's ear and whispered, as if sharing a little secret, "Just tell Aunt Wang quietly, and she'll teach them a lesson! That way, our house can be built quickly and well. An'an is so smart and capable, she'll definitely be the best little supervisor, right?"
An'an's eyes instantly lit up like two little stars! The immense sense of responsibility and the joy of being trusted by her older sister dispelled all her unease.
He puffed out his little chest and promised in a childish voice, with a hint of pride: "Don't worry, sister! An'an is the best little supervisor. An'an will take good care of our home. If anyone slacks off, I'll tell Aunt Wang."
He loosened his grip on Xu Zhili's clothes and instead tightly grasped Wang Xiuying's rough, large hand, as if he had found a new "scepter".
Wang Xiuying was amused by the little guy's appearance, and her worries dissipated considerably. She smiled and patted An'an's head: "Alright! With our little supervisor An'an and Aunt Wang here, we'll make sure the house is well-guarded. Oh, and remember to carry the basket on your back; there's a wood-chopping knife inside. Although there's plenty of game in the back mountains, you never know what unexpected situations might arise. Carrying a wood-chopping knife will at least help you defend yourself."
Xu Zhili stood up, slung her basket over her shoulder, took the machete, and gave Wang Xiuying a genuinely grateful look: "Aunt Wang, thank you for your hard work."
"It's not hard work at all! Go and come back quickly, and be very careful!"
Wang Xiuying waved her hand repeatedly, watching Xu Zhili turn and walk towards the back mountain. Her slender yet upright figure seemed to contain infinite power, which deepened the sense of awe in her heart.
Xu Zhili moved with light yet swift steps, quickly disappearing at the end of the winding path leading to the mountain forest.
As she passed the low, dilapidated cowshed, her steps faltered almost imperceptibly, and her gaze swept quickly across the shed—but she did not see that familiar figure.
A faint trace of disappointment flashed across her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination.
It's alright, we'll see each other soon tonight...
Over here, Wang Xiuying looked in the direction where Xu Zhili disappeared, and the worry that had been put down in her heart rose again.
Even if she's strong, she's still a girl! Deep in the mountains, she suddenly slapped her thigh!
"Thanks, dog..."
The word "egg" had just rolled onto the tip of her tongue when Wang Xiuying abruptly stopped. She slapped her mouth in annoyance and glanced guiltily at her son, who was bending over and moving stones not far away.
Sure enough, Xie Yunze seemed to sense something, and suddenly sat up straight, his beautiful peach blossom eyes glaring at him with a warning, as if to say: Try calling that name again.
Wang Xiuying shrank back as she was glared at, thinking to herself: "You little brat, you used to call me that all the time when we were kids, but now you're disgusted! It's all your fault... Sigh!" Recalling the old story that changed her son's fate, a deep pain and helplessness flashed across Wang Xiuying's eyes, and she instantly lost all interest in joking.
She cleared her throat and adopted a serious tone: "Yun Ce! Come here!"
Xie Yunze put down the stone, grabbed the undershirt draped over his shoulder and casually wiped his face, revealing his well-defined, muscular abs. He strode over and asked, "Mother, what's wrong?"
Wang Xiuying pointed to the mountain path where Xu Zhili had disappeared, her tone urgent and leaving no room for argument: "Xu Zhiqing went into the mountains alone to hunt for wild game. You know how dangerous that back mountain is! Hurry up, follow her! Keep a safe distance! Don't let anything happen to her! Do you hear me?"
Before she could finish speaking, a figure flashed before her eyes!
"knew!"
Xie Yunze's voice still lingered in the same spot, but he had already darted away like an arrow released from a bow.
His agile figure leaped and bounded along the edge of the forest, quickly disappearing from the path Xu Zhili had just traversed, so fast that he left only a fleeting afterimage in Wang Xiuying's sight.
Wang Xiuying looked in the direction her son had disappeared, shaking her head with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. She muttered under her breath, "That Gou Dan... ugh! That brat! He's still the same impatient fifteen-year-old he used to be!"
His tone carried a subtle hint of doting affection and... relief.
Perhaps following that "evil star" is actually the safest option?
The youngest son joined the army at the age of 15, but when he returned, he had lost his memory, which was forever frozen at the age of 15.
When he returned from military service, his head was wrapped in layers of bandages, and he grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.
But when she looked into her son's eyes, clear yet bewildered, her joy was instantly overwhelmed by endless grief.
She fainted on the spot from crying—her own flesh and blood, who had returned from the battlefield, had suffered such a misfortune. As a mother, how could she not be heartbroken?
Wang Xiuying will never forget that day.
The village entrance was crowded with people, all waiting to see Xie Yunze, the youngest son of the Xie family who was serving in the army, return.
Wang Xiuying stood at the very front, her eyes fixed on the end of the dirt road, her hands almost twisting the corner of her apron to shreds.
Three years have passed, she has lived in constant fear for three years, and finally she is about to welcome her youngest son back!
As the figure in the old military uniform drew closer, Wang Xiuying's heart pounded as if it would burst out of her chest.
She tried to smile, but the smile froze on her face halfway through.
She saw it clearly.
Her son Xie Yunze's head was wrapped in thick gauze, and it was filthy. Near his ear, dark red bloodstains had seeped out, dried and blackened, stinging her eyes!
But that's not the worst part.
Wang Xiuying's gaze was fixed on her son's face.
That face was still her son's face, tanned and with sharper features.
But those eyes… those familiar eyes, looking at her now, were clean and clear, like undisturbed spring water in a mountain gully. They were bright, but there was a hint of… ignorance in that light.
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