Once the dust settled, Ye Xiaoxiao finally had the mood to properly organize her new home!
The new home was the place where Li the Hunter, a solitary old man, had lived his entire life. Like its former owner, it sat alone at the foot of the mountain.
The courtyard walls were made of stone, taller than most villagers’ walls—about two meters high. It was clear Li the Hunter feared wild beasts descending from the mountains, and had packed the walls incredibly solid. In terms of security awareness, Li the Hunter had done better than anyone in the village.
Ye Xiaoxiao was satisfied with the height. She had Da Wei reinforce the walls, raising them by about thirty centimeters, and installed a smart defense system with solar-powered cameras on top.
Outside the walls, Ye Xiaoxiao planted a circle of a small poisonous plant capable of releasing a paralyzing toxin that could knock a person out for 24 hours. If needed, with a single thought, the plants could retract into space—hidden and untouchable.
The little poisonous plants would automatically protect the owner of the space, allowing Ye Xiaoxiao and her children to sleep soundly.
She wasn’t worried about intruders. Even if someone came, it didn’t matter—once Tianyou’s salary was transferred in a few days, she could buy whatever she wanted, and no one would know what she had purchased.
After tidying the main house, two bedrooms, the kitchen, and the firewood room, she also renovated the well, sealing its mouth with thick stone slabs to prevent Little An Guo and the others from accidentally falling in.
In the most secluded corner of the courtyard, she built a small rural toilet with only a tiny opening, and used her plant-based ability to create a composting area at the edge of the vegetable garden so waste would ferment outside, keeping the yard clean.
Little An Guo, Er Ya, San Wa, and Si Ya helped clean the house.
Ye Xiaoxiao arranged mats, pillows, thin quilts, and mosquito nets on the beds—one set for each child, all in the largest size.
In Li the Hunter’s kitchen were ceramic pots, a few worn bowls, and some chopsticks, which is why no one had taken them. Villagers considered this as “having all the necessary household items.”
Ye Xiaoxiao put Li the Hunter’s items into her space, then took out a set of coarse pottery bowls and dishes, three large pottery basins, and one big ceramic pot.
The ceramic pot cooked rice and dishes deliciously. When Tianyou’s remittance arrived, she could pretend she bought a large iron pot from the town.
Once everything was arranged, she replaced Li the Hunter’s old furniture with simple but sturdy tables and chairs from her space, which bore a few marks of age.
Everything was ready!
Ye Xiaoxiao summoned Da Wei’s ancestor and, with her thoughts, placed a feast on the table: a portion of boiled fish, a portion of braised pork, Beijing roast duck, Northeastern fried pork, Xinjiang big plate chicken, beer duck, garlic lettuce, and a plate of rice.
Little An Guo and the others’ eyes shone—they were meat lovers, and everything Ye Xiaoxiao produced from her space was delicious!
This was their first meal in the new home, their first step escaping the Li family. Dinner held a special meaning now.
“Mom, the boiled fish is so spicy and so good!” Er Ya carefully picked out the bones without slowing down, still happily sharing.
“Be careful with the fish bones. When you eat boiled fish, don’t talk, okay?” Ye Xiaoxiao said helplessly.
“Mom, every dish is delicious!” San Wa exclaimed excitedly.
…
No matter which dish, the children declared it all delicious.
That night…
Everything was quiet. Everyone fell asleep.
Ye Xiaoxiao had Da Wei’s ancestor watch the children and quietly infiltrated the Li family home. She hypnotized everyone into a deep sleep.
Then, silently, she took all the money and bills from Li Father, Li Second, Li Third, Li Fourth, and even the two young aunts—leaving nothing behind. Not a single bill remained.
Back in her space, she opened the money pouches of Li Father and Li Mother. Wow—over ten thousand yuan. Almost all of Li Father’s money, about 99%, came from Tianyou’s remittances.
Tianyou often took on dangerous missions and earned hefty bonuses. Li Second, Li Third, and the two young aunts each had 200–300 yuan, while Li Fourth had as much as 600 yuan—not surprising, as she was the old lady’s cherished one.