Second Uncle Chu was in high spirits today, happier than words could express.
He had originally gone to the neighboring village to help build houses.
But the rich family didn’t want to provide an evening meal.
So they let them come back early, and the pay was two coppers short.
Just as Second Uncle Chu was in the house, wondering whether he should go fetch some water, he saw Bai Jiaojiao, the village head’s granddaughter, burst through the courtyard gate like a whirlwind, several wild chickens and hares hanging from her body.
She shouted, “Uncle Mancang, this is the prey Chu Xun hunted in the mountains. He asked me to bring it to you.”
What?!
Prey again?
Second Uncle Chu stared at the wild chickens and hares on the ground in shock, as if they were shining copper coins.
If Xunzi is this capable, doesn’t that make Second Uncle look useless?
He thought of how he had worked all day and the rich family had only given him eighteen copper coins, and he couldn’t help wincing.
Second Uncle had gotten up before dawn to work.
He had worn himself out all day.
And yet it wasn’t even as much as what you earned in half a day in the mountains?
How was Second Uncle supposed to hold his head up after that?
When Second Aunt came out of the kitchen and saw the game on the ground, the smile on her face simply would not stop.
If Xunzi can keep hunting this much game in the future, then whether it’s repaying debts or getting married, there will be nothing to worry about.
With his temperament, maybe he could even save some dowry money for Chu Qing someday.
While the two of them were happily processing the wild chickens and hares…
Chu Qing, who had been running all the way, finally got home.
The moment she stepped in, she panted, “Dad, Mom, big brother killed a huge wild boar! Hurry and go to the village head’s house to borrow a cart so we can haul the pig!”
What!
Xunzi hunted a huge wild boar?!
Second Uncle Chu’s eyes widened like lanterns, and he shot to his feet.
Even Second Aunt, who had been busy in the kitchen, was so shocked that she dropped the ladle and ran outside.
Hadn’t Xunzi only gone hunting for two or three days? How could he already have gotten a huge wild boar?
That was something even seasoned old hunters wouldn’t dare provoke!
Heavens!
The old Chu family was about to get rich!
Second Uncle Chu hurriedly told Second Aunt to pack up the wild chickens and hares, then followed Chu Qing to the village head’s house to borrow the cart.
After that, they rushed over to Chu Xun’s side in a hurry.
Before long, he saw Chu Xun ahead of them, and beside him lay a fat, enormous wild boar.
“What a huge wild boar, Xunzi! You’re incredible!”
Second Uncle Chu was thrilled, touching the wild boar over and over.
His eyes were shining brightly; he probably had never been this excited even when touching Second Aunt.
“Second Uncle, come help me. Let’s lift the pig onto the cart together.”
Chu Xun stood up and walked over to the wild boar, pulling the arrows from its body.
The two of them worked together and soon loaded the huge wild boar onto the cart.
This sight made the women not far away, who were still painfully scratching a living from the fields, green with envy.
They immediately stopped digging wild vegetables.
Now they were going home to have their men make bows and arrows and head into the mountains to hunt!
Chu Qing quickly walked over to Qin Yue’er.
She asked with concern, “Sister Yue’er, how is your foot?”
Qin Yue’er shook her head, saying she was fine.
She chatted and laughed with Chu Qing, carefully avoiding looking at Chu Xun.
Because Second Uncle Chu, an elder, was here.
If he found out that she, a White Tiger-cursed lone star, was familiar with Chu Xun, he might end up disliking her.
Second Uncle Chu, who was holding the cart, also looked over here, his gaze filled with relief.
On the way here, he had heard Chu Qing explain everything.
When they encountered the wild boar, if Qin Yue’er hadn’t shoved his daughter aside, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Even though Chu Xun ended up shooting the wild boar dead, the Chu family still owed Qin Yue’er a favor.
He had wanted to say something and thank Qin Yue’er, but he didn’t know how.
Chu Xun, seeing that Second Uncle seemed to want to speak but didn’t know where to begin, smiled.
He said to Qin Yue’er, “Yue’er, your foot is injured. It’s not convenient to walk. Sit on the cart, and I’ll take you back.”
As soon as he said that, the expressions of the three people present all changed.
Second Uncle Chu looked surprised.
Yue’er?
Wasn’t that way of addressing her a little too bold?
Chu Qing’s eyes darkened for a moment, then brightened again.
She silently looked toward Qin Yue’er, with an unmistakable spirit of not wanting to lose.
So what if she’s Sister Yue’er? When I grow up, I can be just as DuangDuang as she is.
Qin Yue’er, however, reacted much more strongly.
She waved her hands and refused, saying, “No, no, no, my foot doesn’t hurt. I’ll just walk back myself.
If it weren’t for Brother Chu saving me this time, I probably would have lost my life already. How could I let you carry me back?”
But Chu Xun didn’t give her a chance to argue.
He strode forward, and amid Qin Yue’er’s cry of surprise, he lifted her straight onto the front of the cart.
“All right, just sit here. When we get home, I’ll bring some gifts and properly come to your door to thank you for saving my little sister’s life.”
He put special emphasis on the words “saving my little sister’s life.”
Qin Yue’er’s ears turned red as if they were bleeding, and she lowered her head, unable to say a single word.
How could she not understand what Brother Xun meant by coming to her door to thank her~
Second Uncle Chu stood there, watching his nephew carry Qin Yue’er and place her on the cart.
His expression was absolutely priceless!
She’s at least a pretty young lady, and you just picked her up like that?
And yet Qin Yue’er showed no sign of anger at all; instead, her cheeks were slightly red, and she didn’t dare look at Chu Xun.
Good heavens, has Xunzi fallen for her?
Even though Second Uncle Chu didn’t dislike Qin Yue’er in the least, the title of White Tiger-cursed, Lone Star of Misfortune was still enough to make his spine tingle.
Chu Qing’s little hands clutched the edge of her clothes tightly, and her face still wore a warm smile.
But the envy in her heart just wouldn’t go away.
If only I had been the one injured. Maybe big brother would have carried me up there too.
Of course, what she might have gotten instead was her old father’s concern…
The four of them, along with one cart and one wild boar, went back to the village along the dirt road.
Along the way, they drew who knows how much attention.
Everyone stared at the group with extreme envy, and the discussion never stopped.
Some said Chu Xun was lucky, while others pointed at Qin Yue’er.
“Look at that, Mancang’s nephew caught such a huge wild boar. Goodness, how much could that sell for!”
“Isn’t he a scholar? How is he even more capable than the famous hunters from miles around?”
A woman who had just been digging wild vegetables pinched her husband’s ear in the crowd.
She scolded, “You fool! He’s a scholar with no strength in his bones, and he still caught that much game. Why aren’t you getting your tools ready and going hunting in the mountains?”
The man argued, “This has to be luck. So many skilled men have gone into the old forest these past few years, and in the end, they’ve all disappeared. How could I dare go in?”
“Can’t you go in as a group? What is there to be afraid of for a bunch of grown men?”
“Hey, and that White Tiger star, how did she end up mixed up with the Chu family’s eldest son?”
“Tsk, tsk. I guess the Chu family’s eldest son has taken a liking to her too. She’s pretty, after all. Who knows whether he’ll end up being doomed by her.”
All kinds of whispers came at her.
Making Qin Yue’er lower her head even more self-consciously, not even daring to look at Chu Xun in front of her.
They’re right. I’m a White Tiger curse. I simply don’t deserve Brother Xun.
But… there’s still Xing’er at home~
There were also people in the crowd who came forward to ask Chu Xun where he had gotten the game.
So Chu Xun explained what he had said before, though naturally not many people believed him.
Soon, Chu Xun pulled the cart to the front of Qin Yue’er’s thatched cottage.
In the yard, a girl who looked almost exactly like Qin Yue’er, just a little less developed in the chest and hips, was busy working.
The rumbling sound of the cart drew Qin Xing’er’s attention.
She looked up, and was instantly stunned by the sight before her.