"Xiao Ning's back! What are you carrying?" As soon as I entered my yard, I saw Aunt Wang coming out of the greenhouse, probably having just finished feeding the chicks. The basin in her hand was empty.
"I grabbed some meat and meatballs; we'll have hot pot for lunch," Jian Ning said with a smile, holding up the bag in her hand.
"Since you came back, our food standards have gone up dramatically. We usually can't afford to eat so much good food." Aunt Wang hurried over and helped Jian Ning carry the bags into the house.
Sweetie was sitting on the sofa in the living room wiping away tears. As soon as she saw Jian Ning enter the room, she rushed over, sobbing.
"Sister Ning, are Huang Fugui and Bawang missing? Were they kidnapped and eaten? Otherwise, why haven't they come back yet?"
"Yeah, Xiao Ning, we don't know where those two have run off to. People outside haven't seen meat in ages. With Ba Wang's size, he's too conspicuous."
"We haven't seen him since he went out yesterday, something that's never happened before. Sweetie's worries are right. Should we go out and look for him? What if he's been kidnapped? That would be terrible."
Aunt Wang also really liked these two animals; they were both very intelligent and perceptive. Their sudden disappearance was definitely something to worry about.
"They're both fine. I saw them yesterday; they were catching foxes in the mountains. They'll be back on their own in a couple of days. Sweetie, don't worry."
Jian Ning couldn't let Huang Fugui and the others out right now, besides, they were both fast asleep. She didn't know when they would wake up, so she could only appease Tian Tian for the time being.
"Oh. That explains why Huang Fugui hasn't come back. What's he doing catching foxes? Is he going to eat them?" Tian Tian asked curiously.
"No, they probably want the fox to be their friend. Come on, let's go to the kitchen and help Grandma prepare the vegetables."
Jian Ning quickly changed the subject. She couldn't let her keep asking questions. This child was simply a walking encyclopedia of questions.
Jian Anping returned at noon. Seeing that they were having hot pot, she was overjoyed.
His appetite has been increasing lately, and his strength has been growing accordingly. This is probably because he has been practicing the body-strengthening techniques that Jian Ning gave him.
Not only Jian Anping, but Cao Xue also arrived shortly after.
“Jian Ning, I heard from my older brother this morning that you were back, so I came over to see you. I also brought you some black beans that I roasted myself.”
"Thank you, come in quickly, we're having hot pot today." Jian Ning warmly invited Cao Xue in. She noticed Cao Xue looked much better than before.
And she's been practicing diligently, looking energetic and spirited. She must have put in a lot of effort. Her progress is much greater than Tian Tian's.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony."
After Cao Xue came in, she washed her hands first, and then went to help in the kitchen. It's clear that Cao Xue has visited quite often during Jian Ning's absence, and she gets along very well with everyone in the family.
When it was time to eat, Li Mengyao also came out of the bedroom. The two little ones were very well-behaved; they had finished eating and were now lying in bed sleeping, which didn't affect her lunch at all.
It had been a while since we'd eaten so much meat. Although Jian Ning left a lot of meat for the family when she left, everyone was still eating it sparingly.
The pigs being raised at the camp aren't growing very well. There's not enough food to feed the people, let alone any extra grain to feed them. They're always hungry. And with the cold weather, they're growing even slower. So, the time to slaughter them seems like an eternity.
When Xiao Lingfeng and Uncle Li returned, they saw that they were indeed eating hot pot, so they quickly sat down. In the middle of winter, the steaming hot pot looked very comforting.
After finishing their meal, Cao Xue helped clear the table and then took Jian Ning to her bedroom.
He whispered, "You know what? Miao Xin has also moved to this villa area. It's not far from here, about five or six houses away."
"When I left, didn't I say there were no vacant houses in the villa area? How did she manage to move in?" Jian Ning frowned slightly. Hearing the name Miao Xin filled her with disgust.
"There's no other way. I don't know what she offered in exchange, but all the families living in that villa moved up the mountain without hesitation."
They voluntarily vacated the room for her. The military won't interfere; it's a matter of mutual consent. Nobody will care.
Cao Xue learned about Miao Xin's move because she ran into Zhang Xiaoqiang on her way here.
Listen to what he said. In his eyes, Miao Xin should be crying and taking the initiative to come back to him and get back together, instead of focusing all her energy on her work.
When I see them on the street, I can't help but make a few sarcastic remarks.
Cao Xue deeply regretted how she had been so blind to have fallen for him. He was a despicable person who pretended to be good at everything, but when the pressures of life forced him to a certain point, he would reveal his true colors.
Thanks to cutting losses in time, I didn't keep making the same mistake.
"Don't worry about her. Let each of us live our own lives. There's no need for us to have any contact in the future." What else could Jian Ning say? This place wasn't hers. Miao Xin had the ability to move in, and she couldn't just kick her out.
Fortunately, the two houses are some distance apart; if they were as close as Xiao Lingfeng's, it would be a real nuisance.
However, if she lives her life peacefully and doesn't cause trouble, that's fine. But if she deliberately comes looking for trouble, then she can't blame her for being ruthless.
"Just so you know. I just wanted to let you know that I've run into Miao Xin twice recently, and she's changed a lot. She's completely different from before."
She doesn't look like a student at all anymore. How should I put it? I feel like she's a bit like those women of the night from the past. Anyway, she looks quite weathered, and I wonder what she's been through.
But she's dressed quite well and eats well. I heard she's hooked up with a rich guy. I just don't understand, what's the use of money these days? It's all just worthless paper!
Cao Xue now looks down on Miao Xin from the bottom of her heart. She truly regrets having been classmates with her; this woman is too scheming. Cao Xue dares not associate with her now, for fear of being sold out and having to help her count the money.
She's no match for me when it comes to using your brain.
"Everyone has their own way of surviving. Cao Xue, just stay true to your original aspirations and do your best."
As for what happens to her in the future, it has nothing to do with us. After all, she is just a passerby in our lives, and there is no need to care too much.
"Jian Ning, you're right. I was being narrow-minded. While you were away, I thoroughly searched this whole yard. I was just worried that Miao Xin might cause some trouble."
"And that's what we found," Cao Xue said, handing Jian Ning a brocade pouch, just like the ones embroidered in ancient times.
"What is this?" Jian Ning reached out and took it, and saw that there were six copper coins inside.
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