“Isn’t that the Song family’s youngest daughter? Wasn’t she just rejected by the Xie family? Instead of staying home to find a new husband, what’s she doing here?”
“Exactly! What could she possibly accomplish here? Last time she not only got attacked by a Black Rock Pig, but the few wild vegetables she gathered weren’t even enough to cover the round-trip flying boat fare.”
“True enough. That girl only has her looks going for her – completely useless otherwise. With her frail constitution that could topple in a breeze, Song Yuan is truly unfortunate to have such a sister.”
“Only he would be willing to support this deadweight. In my household, she would’ve starved long ago.”
“Song Yuan is practically half-crippled himself. With two useless people in one family, the Songs’ future looks increasingly bleak.”
The women chattered incessantly while frantically picking wild vegetables.
A woman passing by with a basket interjected, “I heard she’s already married? See those two men with her? They’re from the Feng family.” After this casual remark, she immediately moved elsewhere to search for vegetables.
This sparked an uproar among the women.
“So she married into the Feng family? Tsk tsk… I just attended the Xie family’s banquet, and she didn’t waste any time.”
“That Song girl hasn’t even awakened any talent. I wonder which foolish young man isn’t afraid of working himself to death, daring to support such deadweight.”
“Who cares if he’s afraid of working himself to death? They seem to be doing just fine. While we exhaust ourselves digging for vegetables, she’s leisurely strolling around with two attendants… Tsk tsk, different fates for different people.” One woman glanced enviously at Song Liuhua’s trio nearby.
The other women also felt a pang of jealousy and quickly changed the subject.
Song Liuhua knew they were gossiping about her and rolled her eyes. These aunties were no different from the rumor mills in her previous life’s village – even a passing dog would have its reputation ruined, let alone a beauty like her surrounded by scandals.
Let them talk. As long as they didn’t say it to her face, she could pretend not to hear. Everyone gossiped behind others’ backs sometimes.
Instead of picking vegetables, Song Liuhua continued wandering around with Feng Yi and Feng Qing.
Feng Yi and Feng Qing exchanged helpless glances. They couldn’t understand what madness had possessed the Fourth Young Master to marry in this remote corner of Yanqing Prefecture, let alone choose such a lazy, talentless common girl.
They had been circling this same area for half an hour – even hunting Exotic Beasts wasn’t this exhausting.
Having not seen the wilderness for so long, Song Liuhua found the fresh air and colorful flowers refreshing. Unconsciously, she had wandered into a forested area where the vegetable-picking women and children were no longer visible.
Her legs aching, Song Liuhua found a quiet shady spot under a tree to rest.
Seeing this, Feng Yi leaned against a nearby tree trunk with a complicated expression.
A troubled dimple appeared on his boyish face. He needed to ask the Fourth Young Master to assign someone else to protect the madam. If this continued, he’d be worn out. As for Feng Qing… he grinned. Better the friend perish than oneself – this ice block deserved to be tempered by the madam, instead of always wearing that dead expression like someone had stolen his wife.
Feng Qing felt a slight chill and straightened his posture even more. He thought to himself, Feng Yi, that kid who’s always laughing and joking, why isn’t he smiling now? Seems like he should stay by the lady’s side more often, lest his face cracks from all that grinning someday.
Song Liuhua was unaware of the silent exchange between the two men. A soft, fleshy sensation transmitted from beneath her feet, accompanied by squeaking sounds, and her body stiffened.
What in the world!
What the hell had she stepped on!
Damn!
Song Liuhua shifted her gaze downward. A furry little creature was frantically wriggling its chubby body, struggling desperately beneath her foot.
The force was so intense it seemed determined to drill a hole right through her sole.
It was a baby Rabbit-like Beast!
Rabbit-like Beasts are first-level Exotic Beasts, nimble in movement, fond of burrowing, and famous for being both difficult to catch and adorable. The meat of Rabbit-like Beast cubs is particularly tender and rich in Spirit Power, selling for one hundred Spirit Jade Coins per catty in the Mercenary Market, with demand far exceeding supply.
Song Liuhua’s eyes lit up, and she quickly called out, “Feng Yi, Feng Qing, come look!”
“It’s a Rabbit-like Beast cub!”
Feng Qing saw it and immediately bent down, pressing the little Rabbit-like Beast firmly under his foot. He casually plucked some wild grass and tied it up securely.
Song Liuhua promptly retrieved a basket from her spatial bracelet. Holding the Rabbit-like Beast cub that Feng Qing had rolled into a dumpling-like bundle, she directed Feng Yi: “You clear away the dirt clods and wild grass under my foot.”
Despite his childish appearance, Feng Yi worked with remarkable efficiency. He drew his Spirit Sword, gave it a light flick, and a fist-sized hole appeared before them.
“A Rabbit-like Beast burrow!”
Song Liuhua’s eyes sparkled. She picked up a stick and poked it into the hole.
This little Rabbit-like Beast had been squeaking for so long with no response from the burrow—perhaps the parents weren’t home.
She muttered, “If only a few more Rabbit-like Beast cubs would come out.”
No sooner had she spoken than a chorus of squeaks emerged from within the hole.
“There really are more!”
Overjoyed, Song Liuhua continued poking with the stick while instructing Feng Qing to block the entrance with the small basket.
Soon, several snow-white-furred Rabbit-like Beast cubs swiftly darted out of the hole, straight into the basket.
Feng Qing firmly covered the basket, then pulled some long vines and wild grass, tying each of the little Rabbit-like Beasts up tightly.
Song Liuhua counted the Rabbit-like Beast cubs in the basket. “One, two, three…”
“There are seven in total!”
“Well done! I’ll give each of you one when we get back.” Song Liuhua jumped up and patted their shoulders, beaming with delight.
“Thank you, Lady!” Feng Yi replied cheerfully.
A flicker of interest also passed through Feng Qing’s eyes. He decided that when they returned, he would raise his share, and when it grew up, stir-fry it with wild chili peppers—that would surely taste absolutely delicious.
“Since there’s a Rabbit-like Beast nest here, let’s search around. There might be more.” Song Liuhua picked up a stick and began poking randomly around the ground.
Feng Yi and Feng Qing quite agreed, and the group scattered through the forest to search.
“Come quick! Rabbit-like Beast!” Feng Yi and Feng Qing had searched for a long time without finding half a Rabbit-like Beast burrow when they suddenly heard Song Liuhua’s shout. Rushing over, they saw a snow-white adult Rabbit-like Beast swiftly emerging from a hole, soon disappearing into the wild grass.
Feng Yi and Feng Qing felt a pang of regret.
Song Liuhua grew impatient. “What are you standing around for? Hurry up!”
She plopped herself down over the Rabbit-like Beast hole. The creatures below kicked vigorously, nearly throwing her off balance.
“Coming.”
Feng Yi helped Song Liuhua up, while Feng Qing quickly covered the burrow entrance with a basket, immediately catching a large rabbit-like beast trying to dash out. This was a fully grown rabbit-like beast, weighing a full ten jin, held by the scruff of its neck by Feng Qing. Its four legs flailed in the air, its snow-white fur trembling all over—pitiful yet adorable.
Song Liuhua stroked it, her eyes sparkling like stars.
Such a large rabbit-like beast—if made into spicy rabbit head, it must be incredibly delicious.
The rabbit-like beasts in the burrow were startled, scurrying out one after another.
“One, two… twelve!”
Feng Qing moved swiftly and accurately, grabbing each one with precision. Feng Yi took them, tied them up, and tossed them into the backpack.
The two brothers formed an assembly line: one catching, one tying—the whole process went incredibly smoothly.
With this success, the morale of the three-person hunting team soared.
Song Liuhua was responsible for locating rabbit-like beast burrows, while Feng Yi and Feng Qing handled the catching.