Chapter 42: Chapter 42: What a Shameless Freeloader!

Er Laizi wasn’t upset by being crowded out, and instead smiled at Duan Cuihua, saying, “Sister-in-law, look at what you’re saying, isn’t my house the closest to yours!”

That being said, Er Laizi’s eyes had already started darting around, pondering on who might have extra meat he could take some from.

Duan Cuihua rolled her eyes, “Oh, please! Go go, leave quickly, my family is about to eat, aren’t you uncomfortable squatting here just smelling the food?”

As she spoke, Duan Cuihua waved the cloth in her hand, looking as if she was shooing someone away.

The village chief frowned in displeasure, wanting to speak, but was pulled back by his old wife’s tug on his sleeve.

Seeing that the village chief wasn’t going to stand up for him, Er Laizi realized there was no hope of getting meat from the chief’s family, so he smacked his lips and got up to leave.

Almost all the other families nearby had heard Er Laizi’s conversation with the village chief earlier, and since they generally didn’t like people like Er Laizi, who were seen as loafers, they each feared Er Laizi might latch onto their family. As soon as Er Laizi looked over, every family tacitly shifted their gaze and discreetly shielded their own pots at the same time.

Er Laizi wasn’t stupid; he naturally understood what everyone meant.

On any other day, if someone was cooking meat, he’d definitely be there to scrounge a bite or two.

But today, he decided not to do that.

A bite or two isn’t satisfying; when everyone’s eating whole wild chickens and rabbits, he needs to eat more as well.

So, he’s set his sights on families with more meat.

…

Qi Manman was awakened by a tantalizing aroma.

Opening her eyes and blinking, she found herself still in her grandmother’s embrace and immediately called sweetly, “Grandma.”

Mrs. Qi had been leaning against the quilt stack holding the child for quite a while, her arms were sore and numb, but she dared not move an inch for fear of waking the little one in her arms.

Now, seeing the little one awake, Mrs. Qi’s face instantly filled with smiles, “Oh my, Manbao’s awake? Are you cold?”

As she spoke, she gently placed the little one on the nearby quilt and started massaging her arms.

Sigh, it wasn’t comfortable at all. Indeed, getting older means the arms and legs aren’t what they used to be!

Mrs. Qi sighed this in her heart.

Qi Manman sat up, tilted her head looking at Mrs. Qi, her big eyes blinking, not knowing what she was thinking.

Mrs. Qi was about to ask when the little one said softly, “Grandma’s not old, Grandma will live a long life!”

“Ha!”

Mrs. Qi was immediately amused, gently pinched the little one’s face, and said endearingly, “You little girl, your mouth’s as sweet as honey. Alright then, Grandma will definitely strive to live a long life, to see our Manbao grow up and get married and have children. Then Grandma will help you take care of the little ones so you won’t be too tired.”

“Hee hee hee!”

Qi Manman giggled, it was unclear whether she really understood what Mrs. Qi said.

Even though the conversation between the two was not loud, thanks to the alluring aroma of meat, Shilang, who was sleeping beside, also woke up.

Qi Shilang opened his eyes, saw the unfamiliar environment, and instinctively opened his mouth to cry.

“Cry, cry, cry, what are you crying for? Such a big boy, and yet not as brave as little Manbao!”

Mrs. Qi was startled by her little grandson’s cries and irritably pulled off the quilt on Qi Shilang, grabbing him by the arm to help him sit up.

Upon hearing his grandmother’s voice and seeing his little sister blinking and smiling at him, Qi Shilang immediately stopped crying.

He grinned foolishly, tears still hanging from his eyelashes, looking increasingly silly, like he was missing a screw.

Mrs. Qi felt a pang in her heart.

What an ugly and dumb kid, she couldn’t understand why people in the village were so fond of boys when clearly girls were more lovable.

“Alright, get yourself together, time to go out and eat.”

Mrs. Qi wiped Qi Shilang’s face with her sleeve, then carefully wiped Qi Manman’s face with a handkerchief, and finally tidied the little girl’s hair bun.

The others in the cave had already gone out.

The aroma of the meat was indeed very enticing.

If it weren’t for her little granddaughter sleeping so soundly, Mrs. Qi would have long been unable to sit still.

Upon hearing it was time to eat, Qi Shilang immediately widened his eyes and scrambled up on all fours.

Qi Manman also wanted to imitate Brother Shi and climb up on her own, but before she could even make a move, her grandma had already helped her up.

Sniffing the scent in the air, Qi Manman asked, “Grandma, are we eating bear?”

“Bear?”

Mrs. Qi was stunned, then remembered the bear that had been struck by lightning, and quickly said, “That bear hasn’t been dealt with yet, dear Manbao, we’ll eat it once it’s ready, today we’ll eat something else, okay?”

“Mm-hmm!”

Qi Manman nodded, then counted on her little fingers, saying, “I want bear paws, and bear gall. That’s good stuff, I want grandpa and grandma to have it.”

Mrs. Qi was about to get up but her movements froze. She anxiously glanced towards the cave entrance, and after making sure no one was coming in, she whispered to Qi Manman, “Manbao, how do you know that bear gall is good stuff?”

Goodness, she didn’t even know bear gall was valuable, yet this little baby did.

Could it be the heavens told her?

But, it doesn’t make sense!

The heavens don’t eat bear gall, so why tell the little girl about it?

Mrs. Qi then started to doubt Qi Manman’s origin.

Could it be that this little girl is really from some wealthy family?

But that’s unlikely.

If she were really from a wealthy family, having been missing for so long, she should have been frantically searched for already; how come there’s no news at all?

Just as Mrs. Qi was pondering this, her youngest daughter-in-law, Ai Zhaodi, came in.

“Mom, it’s time to eat.”

Ai Zhaodi walked up to take Qi Manman in her arms.

As for Qi Shilang, her own son, she completely ignored him, as if he wasn’t there at all.

Qi Shilang had already spread his arms, ready for his mother to hold him, but watched helplessly as she walked towards his little sister.

Feeling wronged, his mouth quivered, on the verge of crying.

Mrs. Qi also felt a headache.

This boy is so wimpy, crying at the drop of a hat, it’s really unbearable to watch.

Despite her contempt, Mrs. Qi irritably said to Ai Zhaodi, “Old Fifth’s wife, your son is here, hurry up and carry him out!”

Ai Zhaodi froze for a moment, as if she’d just noticed her own son.

She looked at her son with his mouth clenched, almost crying, then at Manbao blinking her round eyes, laughing, and said directly, “Mom, Shilang isn’t that small, he can walk on his own. I’ll still carry Manbao, she’s still young.”

Mrs. Qi: …

This wife of her fifth son must be stupid, these two kids are clearly the same age, exactly the same age!

Speechless as she was, Mrs. Qi still said, “Carry your son! He’s just woken up, keep him covered up, don’t let him get chilled by the mountain wind and catch a cold.”

With that, she stood up and cradled her granddaughter in her arms.

Honestly, she’s not dead yet, and now she has to fight over her granddaughter? How shameless!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep