“Where are the legs?” the Old Man asked.
Tang Fei lowered his head to look for the Phoenix’s legs.
“I meant the rabbit legs,” the Old Man said irritably.
Looking at this kid’s lewdness, even if her legs were long and slender, you couldn't just keep staring at them.
“I gave them to An Ning,” Tang Fei said dismissively.
“Gave them away again? Didn't you just give her a big piece of mutton a couple of days ago? How much can the two of them eat? Do you know what kind of behavior this is?” the Old Man grumbled, “A beggar treating guests, being extravagantly generous.”
Tang Fei glanced at the Old Man, sneered repeatedly, and said, “The bag of cassava I dug up last time, how is it that only half a bag is left?”
“Of course, we ate it. We have so many people in the family, plus Little Fatty is such a glutton, what’s wrong with eating quickly? Isn't that normal?” the Old Man said, raising his voice out of embarrassment and anger.
“I saw it at Aunt Cheng’s place,” Little Fatty said with an honest and simple smile.
Fearing he would anger the Old Man, he said in a small voice, “When I went to the kitchen to get a knife to chop the rabbit legs, I found half a bag of cassava in the corner. I don't recognize the cassava, but the bag it was in had a mark drawn on it with charcoal ash by Eldest Brother.”
The Old Man glared fiercely at Little Fatty, the Traitor, and explained to Tang Fei, “I figured we have plenty of meat right now; we haven't even finished the Two-headed Sheep you carried back last time, and now there’s another Red-eyed Rabbit.”
“Besides, you two brats both love meat and dislike cassava. How much can I eat by myself? It just so happened that Aunt Cheng came over to help clean up, she sewed up your clothes and shoes that had holes, and even used old cloth to make a pair of soles for each of you, planning to sew a pair of padded shoes with animal hides later.”
“Don’t think it’s hot now; it will get cold in two months. The heavy snow might bury us up to our knees. How can we get through winter without a pair of padded leather shoes?”
“When has our family ever scorned cassava? When we were starving, we drank plenty of root soup, didn't we? Little Fatty almost resorted to gnawing on tree bark.”
Tang Fei waved his hand casually and said, “Forget it, forget it, if it’s given away, it’s given away. We didn't say anything? Little Fatty and I gave it openly, unlike some people who give things away secretly—what is there to hide about such a thing? What? Guilty conscience?”
“I didn’t, I didn’t, you’re framing me…” the Old Man said, exasperated.
Seeing Tang Fei, Little Fatty, and even that newly arrived woman sizing him up with strange looks, the Old Man felt his explanation was quite weak. Those messy affairs between men and women only get worse the more you explain, because most people hope you have something and are unwilling to believe you don't.
If there wasn't, the matter wouldn't be fun at all, failing to satisfy the public's desire to pry.
“Think whatever you want,” the Old Man adopted a look of shameless resignation and said aloud, “I said I didn't sleep with her, and I didn't. Besides, so what if I did? Even if I did, it was to dedicate my beautiful body for the padded shoes of you two brats.”
Tang Fei looked disgusted and said, “Don’t flatter yourself. You might want to sleep with her, but Aunt Cheng might not even be willing to accept you. With Aunt Cheng’s figure, there are plenty of men pursuing her; where would it be your turn?”
I can refuse, but you can’t say I’m incapable.
Men fear being told they are incapable the most.
So, the Old Man quickly explained, “It’s just that I’m unwilling. If I had that intention, Aunt Cheng would have been your godmother long ago. Back then, I was also known as the Empire’s Double—”
Recalling the past, the Old Man couldn't help but feel a bit wistful, and his mood turned somber.
He was more worried that his words might spark curiosity in others. Little Fatty didn't need worrying about; even if you put the words right in his mouth, he couldn't chew out one or two things from them.
But this kid Tang Fei is too sharp, seeing the big picture from small details, discerning the whole from a single leaf. He could dig up countless details from the slightest clue, even figuring out exactly how many legs a centipede has. He’s as cunning as a ghost, truly hard to fool.
He’s not at all like his father; he takes after his mother, who was known as the Empire’s Pride.
And then there’s Phoenix, this delicate guest who traveled far from the New Star. Although their contact time hasn't been long, one can still discern some clues from her speech and behavior; she is not someone easy to deal with either.
He understood the principle that speaking too much leads to mistakes.
He understood it more profoundly than anyone else; the pain was felt deep in his bones, a pain felt on his own skin.
“The Empire’s Double what?” Tang Fei asked.
Sure enough, he had caught the tail the Old Man exposed and pressed for answers.
Phoenix’s eyes also brightened, and she sized up the thin, somewhat lewd-looking Old Man with a pensive look.
“When I was young, I was known as the Empire’s Twin Heroes, Flower of the Galaxy, and Blue Star’s Image Spokesperson,” the Old Man said with a serious and earnest expression. “I’m not bragging to you, but when I was young, I was handsome. Anyone who saw me would give a thumbs-up and praise me as a handsome young man of grace and elegance. Women who liked me ranged from eighteen to eighty, enough to circle Blue Star once. It was even more terrifying than the sales of fragrant milk tea…”
Indeed, when a person says, “I’m not bragging to you,” every subsequent sentence is bragging.
“Pah!” Tang Fei said with scorn.
“Shameless!” Little Fatty muttered softly.
The look of inquiry in Phoenix’s eyes instantly vanished. It seemed she had overthought things.
It made sense; how could an old man casually met in the ruins be some great figure? How could he be connected to the Empire?
All the men on Old Earth like to brag!
Phoenix silently made a new notation for Old Earth in her mind.
“Although not a single word you said is believable, I did draw one conclusion from your sophistry,” Tang Fei said aloud.
“What conclusion?” the Old Man asked.
“You really didn’t sleep with Aunt Cheng,” Tang Fei said. “You didn’t succeed?”
“. I said, it’s not that I didn’t succeed, but that I was unwilling. I resisted.”
“If you had tried a little harder, the two families would have become one,” Tang Fei said meaningfully. “That way, it would be more legitimate for you to look after Aunt Cheng, Aunt Cheng could tidy up the house, and Little Fatty’s and my lives would be easier.”
Tang Fei had indeed considered this possibility. If the Old Man and Aunt Cheng got together, merging the two families, they could look after Aunt Cheng and her daughter more legitimately, and those who liked to gossip wouldn't find anything to attack them over.
If we’ve already slept together, what’s the point of you saying we’re having an affair?
My bottom line is lower than your firing line; what force does your scolding have?
And Aunt Cheng and her daughter are diligent, capable, and skillful, able to keep the house perfectly tidy. His and Little Fatty’s lives could definitely reach a higher level.
At least, they wouldn't have to cook dinner for the Old Man every day after returning from hunting.
Only mothers are good in the world; only a child with a mother is like a treasure.
Tang Fei and Little Fatty don't have mothers, but they can find the Old Man a partner.
The Old Man pursed his lips, glancing sideways at Tang Fei, and said, “A couple of days ago, your Aunt Cheng even mentioned to me that you and An Ning aren't young anymore, and you grew up together with very good feelings—why don’t you two just settle down?”
Tang Fei was shocked and said, “You guys set your sights on me? I’m still a child.”
“A child? Look at Old Wang’s kid, they already have a baby at fifteen or sixteen. Look at Blacksmith Zhang’s daughter, she’s your age, and she’s getting engaged by the end of the year. Do you think this is still a time of peace and prosperity?”
After the Great Cataclysm, animals lived longer and longer, but human lifespans became shorter and shorter.
There was no choice; the survival ability of animals was far stronger than that of humans.
In the beginning, animals were also facing mass extinction, but there were simply too many of them, and their reproductive capacity was strong. Once they adapted to the current harsh environment, they would continuously mutate and become the overlords of this black land one by one.
But humans found it difficult to live in this high-radiation environment. After massive deaths, everyone became reluctant to have children, and it was hard to raise the children they did have.
Therefore, the number of humans in the ruins decreased, and the number of animals increased.
This is also why humans were squeezed into one narrow settlement after another, while fierce animals occupied most of the land and oceans.
After all, humans consistently adhered to the basic principle of survival: if you can win the fight, eat; if you can’t, run.
Humans also experienced a phenomenon of ‘regression to the ancient,’ lifespans grew shorter, so the time for marriage had to be moved up.
It is said that in the past, Blue Star law stipulated that young men and women could only marry after the age of eighteen. Now that the law is gone, who cares about such things?
“Impossible,” Tang Fei shook his head and said, “An Ning and I are impossible. I’ve always treated her as a younger sister since we were little; it’s impossible between us.”
“What’s possible or impossible? It’s hard enough to find a wife these days. I’m telling you, quite a few young men like An Ning. How many girls your age are there in the entire human settlement? Your Aunt Cheng said they would prioritize your side first, and if you don’t like her, she’ll be promised to another family.”
“That’s their family business; it’s none of my concern. In any case, An Ning and I are impossible,” Tang Fei said.
“Although An Ning has a scar on her face, the girl has good fundamentals, a good heart, and she can draw, and you two get along well…” The Old Man looked worried and asked Tang Fei, “You don’t like someone like An Ning? Then what kind of person do you like?”
Tang Fei glanced at Phoenix as if guided by a strange impulse, and finding that Phoenix was also staring at him, he felt a sudden tension, as if caught doing something wrong. His face flushed, and he said stiffly, “I don’t know what kind of person I like. In any case, don’t meddle in this matter. I’m busy hunting every day; where would I have Time to think about these things?”
Phoenix also spoke up to support him, saying, “Yes, scientific research proves that marrying too young is detrimental to the physical health of both parties, especially for females. Premature childbirth can affect…”
Phoenix really couldn't bring herself to utter words like ‘uterus’ or ‘ovaries’ in front of these strange men, so she had to bite the bullet and say, “In short, it’s very bad for a woman’s body, causing great harm. I suggest they should only consider marriage and childbirth after the age of eighteen. The New Star has explicit regulations: no marriage before eighteen.”
The Old Man took in the interaction between the two, his eyes flickering, and he stared at Phoenix, saying, “What business is it of yours? I finally found a wife for him, and you dismiss it with a few words. If he can’t find a wife later, will you marry him?”
“…”