“Suit yourself!”
Jiang Manman said, holding the hands of two small children as she led them back to the Jiang residence.
In the courtyard, 10-year-old Cuihua and 6-year-old Xingwang were playing.
When Jiang Weiguo saw Jiang Manman return, he spoke somewhat awkwardly:
“Well, there’s food left for you in the pot. You and the children haven’t eaten yet, right?”
Jiang Dasao was more curious about where she had gone, and at this moment also noticed that her sister-in-law seemed fairer-skinned than before.
Then she remembered this wasn’t her biological sister-in-law, and her expression stiffened slightly.
“Sister-in-law, where have you been?”
“I went to the Village Chief’s house. I’ve rented the house at the west end of the village from him, and we’ll move out tomorrow!”
Jiang Weiguo hadn’t expected his younger sister to want to move out and immediately objected:
“No, how can anyone live in that house at the west end? You should stay at home – it’s not like we’re short of food for you.”
But Jiang Manman had no intention of continuing to live with them.
“No need, I’ve made up my mind.”
Jiang Ma inside the house heard her words too. Coughing, she pushed open the window and called out weakly to the courtyard:
“Manman! How can you move out? You’re taking two children with you! Even if you don’t think about yourself, you should think about the children!”
Jiang Manman quickly entered the room and sat on the edge of the kang, supporting Jiang Ma.
“Mom, don’t worry about it. I know what I’m doing!”
As she spoke, she poured some more Spirit Spring Water into the tea mug Jiang Ma used and handed it to her, saying:
“Mom, just focus on recovering your health. Here, have some water.”
Jiang Ma wanted to say more but seeing her like this, she had no choice but to let it go.
Jiang Manman didn’t go to the kitchen. Even though food had been left in the pot for her and her two children, she didn’t eat it.
According to the original owner’s routine, she should have first eaten the leftover food in the pot, then washed the dishes for the entire family.
But today she had no intention of doing that. She directly took the two small children back to her own room.
After bolting the door, she called out to the outside:
“Sister-in-law, you can have the food in the pot. The children and I won’t be eating.”
She only heard Jiang Dasao say from outside:
“Getting all high and mighty now,”
Jiang Manman paid no further attention to what she said. Instead, she looked at the two small children and asked:
“Are you hungry?”
“Not hungry!”
“If Mommy doesn’t eat, I won’t eat either.”
These children were truly sensible, but how could she possibly let these little ones go hungry?
She whispered to them:
“Come, Mom will take you to eat something delicious.”
With that, she brought the two small children into the seventh level of her dimension.
“Wow! Mommy, where is this?”
This was naturally the seventh level of the Refreshing Heart Glass Tower, which had formed the rudiments of its own small world.
“This is our secret base! Come, there’s a house over there. Let’s go inside, and I’ll make you something delicious.”
That was the Exquisite House she had previously bought from the Market Town, which could shrink and enlarge.
When enlarged, it was as big as a two-story villa with a courtyard.
When shrunk, it was only the size of a Rubik’s cube, more like a toy.
Fortunately, she had previously placed this Exquisite House in the seventh level. Otherwise, with her current inability to release Spirit Energy externally, she wouldn’t be able to bring out the Exquisite House.
Entering the Exquisite House, she found an Alchemy Cauldron, poured some Spirit Rice into it, then added Spirit Spring Water.
Remembering the Monster Meat Jerky she had stored earlier, she flipped her hand and several pieces of jerky appeared in her palm. Though she couldn’t use Spirit Energy, she could still use her Divine Sense. She threw the meat jerky into the Pill Cauldron, covered it, then tossed it to Hu Hu.
“Take it to the fourth level of the Blazing Sky-Burning Hell to refine it, and bring it up when it’s done.”
The palm-sized tiger cub flew away carrying a ten-liter Pill Cauldron, returning with it moments later.
“Master, it’s done.”
Jiang Manman opened the cauldron lid, and a fragrant aroma wafted out—the meaty scent from the Monster Meat Jerky had permeated the rice.
She scooped out three bowls of rice. The jerky on top had become soft and tender, perfect for children to eat.
“Here, take your own spoons.”
After serving each of them a bowl with a spoon, the two little ones sniffed the air, their eyes sparkling as they began eagerly eating.
Jiang Manman started eating too, and before she knew it, she had consumed three bowls of Spirit Rice and finished all the jerky.
Feeling warmth spread through her body, she immediately sat cross-legged to cultivate.
The jerky she had taken out was made from third-stage Demon Beast meat she had hunted during her Golden Core Stage.
For her current Qi Training first layer self, it was highly nourishing.
The two children, being Single Spiritual Root talents, didn’t have to worry about being overwhelmed by excess Spirit Energy. In just one night, she progressed from early to mid Qi Training stage. In a couple more days, she would reach the second layer of Qi Training.
Outside her room, Jiang Dasao looked at her closed doors and windows, frowning slightly.
She had to wash the dishes and bowls in the kitchen herself—the first time she’d done so since marrying into the Jiang family.
Ever since she joined the Jiang household, these chores had always been handled by her sister-in-law.
Muttering under her breath, she said,
“What’s gotten into her today?”
But deep down, she knew it was probably about the Wang family matter. However, she had already accepted the Wang family’s betrothal gifts, so her sister-in-law had to marry into their family.
Early the next morning, villagers could be heard shouting:
“Wang Laicai~”
“Laicai! Where are you! Don’t scare your mother! Laicai~”
“Laicai~ Laicai~”
Everyone was calling Wang Laicai’s name loudly—clearly, they had discovered he hadn’t returned home last night and had started searching for him at daybreak.
Jiang Manman thought to herself that she had been too angry at the time; she should have created the illusion that he had been eaten by wild animals.
But she didn’t care—they wouldn’t find him anyway.
The search continued all day, but neither the Wang family nor the villagers could locate Wang Laicai.
If he were an Educated Youth, one might suspect he had secretly returned to the city, but Wang Laicai was a local villager with nowhere else to go.
Of course, even Educated Youth needed permits to return to the city—this was an era where travel required introduction letters and purchases required Food Stamps.
Jiang Manman paid no mind to any of this. She took the two children to the house at the west end of the village and began cleaning.
The house was truly tiny—just one bedroom, a kitchen, and an outhouse with a woodpile.
The room smelled musty, spiderwebs were everywhere, and besides the insects and rodents, the biggest issue was the lack of a courtyard wall.
But these weren’t problems for her. Rolling up her sleeves, she started cleaning.
She swept away the spiderwebs with a broom and checked if the roof leaked.
Fortunately, it was a tiled roof that appeared watertight.
A few wooden tables and stools were so worm-eaten they were unusable.
She chopped them up for firewood, instantly clearing space in the room.
Periodically glancing at the two children playing nearby, she reminded them not to leave her sight.
Cleaning the cluttered, old house and restoring it to freshness was surprisingly therapeutic.
“Master, good news, wonderful news!”
While tidying up the room, Jiang Manman paused her movements as her Divine Sense entered the Exquisite Pagoda, where the Artifact Spirit said:
“Master, master, the Divine Beast Egg on the second floor has cracked open. The Divine Beast inside will hatch very soon.”