What the hell?
Luo Wangshu and Li Miaomiao both looked toward the doorway. They saw a burly woman wearing dark blue coarse cloth charging in aggressively with a vine whip in hand. Her already harsh features became even more twisted with anger.
Li Guang shuddered in fear and hurriedly got off the stool, lowering his head without daring to make a sound.
The woman shot Luo Wangshu a contemptuous glance before storming in and grabbing Li Guang by the ear, dragging him away while cursing nonstop.
“You damned little bastard! Of all people, you had to stick close to that shameless freak! What if his bad luck rubs off on us? It’s fine if you die, but do you have to drag our whole family down with you too? Tell me, what evil thoughts are going on in your head?!”
Luo Wangshu frowned and stepped forward, wanting to say something, but he stopped himself.
In the end, he was just an outsider.
That was someone else’s family matter.
In ancient times, parents could beat their children to death and no one would care. Wealthy families might still care about reputation, but village families had far fewer scruples.
He could go up there now and vent his anger with a few words, but once Li Guang returned home, who knew what kind of treatment awaited him?
All Luo Wangshu could do was watch them gradually disappear from sight.
His clenched fists slowly loosened helplessly.
Sigh… he could barely take care of himself, so why was he sympathizing with others?
Sensing Luo Wangshu’s bad mood, Li Miaomiao hugged his pant leg coquettishly.
“Auntie, can you braid my hair? Miaomiao wants to look pretty!”
“You little thing.” Luo Wangshu lightly tapped her nose and sighed. “Come here then.”
“Mhm!”
At Li Dalei’s house.
Mrs. Li twisted Li Guang’s ear with one hand while whipping him with a vine as thick as a wrist with the other. Each strike was heavier than the last.
“You little curse! You still dared to run over there? Believe it or not, I’ll beat you to death!”
Li Guang numbly endured it all.
It was as if he couldn’t feel pain anymore. His whole body resembled a broken puppet dangling from Mrs. Li’s grip.
“Oh my, Mother, don’t beat him to death.”
A soft, delicate voice hurriedly sounded.
Only then did Mrs. Li throw the half-dead Li Guang aside.
A young girl dressed in peach-pink clothes walked over, her appearance fairly pretty. She gently patted Mrs. Li’s back to calm her down.
“Mother, don’t get angry over trash like him. Be careful not to ruin your health. It’s not worth it.”
Mrs. Li gradually calmed down and snorted coldly before tossing the vine aside.
“Chunhua, how are things going with Young Master Qian from the Qian family?”
Li Chunhua smiled shyly. “He said he’ll come marry me after spring begins.”
“Really?” Mrs. Li’s eyes lit up with excitement as she eagerly pulled Li Chunhua aside to chat.
Only after a long while did Li Guang slowly crawl up from the ground.
Then he heard Li Chunhua’s voice coming from outside.
“Li Guang, remember to wash my clothes! Wash them properly!”
“And if they’re not clean, just you wait!” Mrs. Li threatened viciously.
Only after their voices gradually faded away did Li Guang finally let out a sigh of relief.
He dusted the dirt off his body, took a piece of black charcoal from the stove, and relied on memory to write the characters Luo Wangshu had taught him.
The writing was crooked and uneven.
But looking at the words on the ground, Li Guang grinned in satisfaction.
That evening, when Mo Fang and Mo Li returned, Luo Wangshu told them about Li Guang.
What he got in return was a tacit silence from father and son alike.
After dinner, however, Luo Wangshu couldn’t fall asleep no matter what.
The moment he closed his eyes, all he could see was Li Guang’s clear gaze, making his chest feel unbearably stifled.
“Wife, don’t interfere in this matter. As they say, even an honest official can’t settle family disputes. We outsiders can’t interfere. If we force ourselves into it, we’ll end up offending everyone. Did you forget about Father’s childhood sweetheart?”
Mo Li pulled the constantly tossing Luo Wangshu into his arms and spoke softly beside his ear, exhaustion evident in his voice.
His ear felt itchy. Luo Wangshu rubbed it against the pillow uncomfortably and muttered, “I know. It just feels awful.”
If he hadn’t known about it, fine. But now that he did, how could he harden his heart enough to ignore it?
Thinking about it, he himself had also been disliked since childhood and suffered all kinds of abuse.
His original body had been covered in scars of all sizes.
Those scars weren’t just etched into his body—they had branded themselves onto his heart and soul as well.
“Be good, wife.”
A broad hand gently patted his back again and again while warm breaths brushed against his neck.
Luo Wangshu knew Mo Li was exhausted after carrying sandbags all day. He closed his eyes and tried hard to empty his thoughts, at least making sure he wouldn’t toss around even if he couldn’t sleep.
Originally, he thought he would suffer from insomnia.
But under Mo Li’s rhythmic comforting, Luo Wangshu gradually drifted off to sleep, dreamless through the night.
When he woke the next morning, Mo Li was already gone again.
There was still warm porridge in the pot, with bits of minced meat mixed inside, while Mo Fang had gone to a neighboring village to treat patients.
When Li Hu arrived, Luo Wangshu handed back yesterday’s basket.
“Miaomiao can’t eat this much. I kept a little, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her.”
Li Hu firmly pushed it back. “There’s nothing else good at home. If you won’t accept this, then I’ll take Miaomiao with me.”
Luo Wangshu could only accept it.
It was all because he’d been too sleepy yesterday morning to even look before taking it.
“Miaomiao, be good. Daddy’s leaving now.” Li Hu gently said while holding the yawning Li Miaomiao.
“Mhm! Miaomiao will listen to Auntie. Daddy can relax.”
Li Hu rubbed his cheek against hers. “Miaomiao’s such a good girl.”
Then he put her down.
Li Miaomiao immediately pounced toward Luo Wangshu. Fortunately, Luo Wangshu reacted quickly enough to catch her. Only then did Li Hu leave with peace of mind.
Li Miaomiao rubbed against Luo Wangshu while asking, “Mmm, Auntie, what are we learning today?”
“Hmm…” Luo Wangshu thought for a moment. “How about we go running today? We’ll study after the run. Sound good?”
He thought his body was far too weak. If he didn’t train it properly, he’d probably suffer endless illnesses in the future.
And the little dumpling in his arms was all chubby and soft. For a girl, if she kept eating like this, she might really grow into a little pig.
Ahem. Children needed nutrition, sure, but they also needed exercise.
“So what’s running?” Li Miaomiao’s sleepiness instantly vanished as she widened her eyes curiously.
Luo Wangshu smiled mysteriously. “You’ll find out in a bit. But no crying allowed.”
Halfway up a mountain.
“Auntie, go! Work hard!”
Luo Wangshu ran laboriously with his hands on his waist while Li Miaomiao shouted encouragement from farther ahead, waving a green leaf around like a cheerleader.
Th-this wasn’t scientific!
He was an adult! Well, this body was at least seventeen years old, right?
So how could he not even outrun a six- or seven-year-old little girl?
“Auntie! Hurry up! The sun’s coming out!” Li Miaomiao shouted loudly.
“I know—!” Luo Wangshu struggled uphill, his legs feeling as limp as noodles.
One big and one small figure ran toward the mountaintop beneath the glow of the rising sun.
Luo Wangshu collapsed weakly onto the dew-covered grass. For the first time, he clearly saw the full view of Li Family Village.
“Miaomiao, where’s our home?” Luo Wangshu stared at the rows of mud-brick houses until his head spun.
Li Miaomiao pointed toward two houses in the farthest corner.
“That’s our home! Auntie’s so silly. You came out and can’t even find your way home. But Miaomiao knows! Auntie has to follow Miaomiao and not follow strangers, okay?”
Listening to the tiny girl’s serious lecture, Luo Wangshu laughed and rubbed her head.
“Mhm, Miaomiao’s the smartest. From now on, Auntie will follow Miaomiao.”
“Hehe, of course!” Li Miaomiao grinned proudly.
“Alright, let’s head back.”
Luo Wangshu climbed to his feet with difficulty.
He definitely had to strengthen his body from now on. This was ancient times. What if war broke out one day? He might not even be able to run away.
It wasn’t that he liked assuming the worst.
But with his terrible luck, he had to think carefully no matter where he went. Better safe than sorry.
“Okayyy!” Li Miaomiao happily skipped along while holding Luo Wangshu’s hand.
Going uphill was hard, but going downhill was easy.
Luo Wangshu glanced around here and there.
Alright, he wanted mushrooms again…
Wait a second.
Could he grow mushrooms inside his space?
Only then did Luo Wangshu suddenly remember that there were still several acres of land inside his space.
Sure, spiritual herbs were growing there, but they didn’t completely fill the area. He could plant other things too.
“Auntie? Why did you stop talking again?” Li Miaomiao tugged hard on Luo Wangshu’s hand unhappily.
Luo Wangshu coughed awkwardly.
After thinking for a moment, he asked, “Miaomiao, want me to take you somewhere fun?”
“Somewhere fun? Where?” Li Miaomiao looked at him suspiciously while repeating Li Hu’s warning to her. “Auntie, we can’t wander around randomly! Bad people might kidnap and sell us!”
Luo Wangshu: “…”
“It’s not far. Just close your eyes, and we’ll be there soon.”
Wait, why did that sound exactly like something a child trafficker would say?
Out of trust in Luo Wangshu, Li Miaomiao obediently closed her eyes.
Luo Wangshu shut his own eyes and focused his mind. When he opened them again, they were already inside the space.
“Miaomiao, you can open them now.”
The moment Li Miaomiao opened her eyes, she froze.
“Wow! So pretty!”
Luo Wangshu smiled helplessly. “Remember, don’t pull grass randomly, and don’t go near the river—”
Before he could finish speaking, Li Miaomiao had already dashed away like a tiny cannonball, apparently chasing butterflies.
The temperature inside the space always remained perfectly comfortable, and it was forever daytime.
The warmth of the sun and the rain were both controlled by Luo Wangshu.
The spiritual herbs looked almost identical to weeds, swaying gently in the wind.
Meanwhile, the lingzhi mushroom he’d tossed into the space and forgotten about was growing very well—and there were even lots of tiny little lingzhi sprouting around it…
Wait!
Tiny lingzhi?!
Luo Wangshu hurried closer to look.
Around the three large lingzhi mushrooms was a ring of smaller ones. Though they were only half the size of a palm, growing this large in such a short amount of time was practically miraculous!
Hmm…
How much money could lingzhi sell for?
Luo Wangshu suddenly saw the dawn of financial success.
Before, he’d only used this space as a storage room or a place to relax and cultivate his mood when bored.
But now it seemed that planting crops inside was the real way to use it.
“Auntie! Miaomiao caught a butterfly!”
Li Miaomiao ran over excitedly while holding a colorful butterfly in her hands.
Luo Wangshu smiled so widely his mouth almost couldn’t close.
Once they got back, he’d find some vegetables and fruit to plant.
Even if he didn’t sell them, growing them for personal use would still be great!
Then he wouldn’t have to eat coarse buns every single day anymore.
And with the rapid growth speed inside the space, that meant he could eat rice every day too.
Wahaha~
“Huh?” Li Miaomiao tilted her head while looking at Luo Wangshu.
What was wrong with Auntie?
Why was he smiling so creepily?
Luo Wangshu’s little mental abacus clattered noisily away, completely forgetting that the secret of the space shouldn’t be casually shared with others.
He remained happily grinning away.