Chapter 124: Chapter 120: Squirrel: Lord Qingtang! I can’t take it anymore—I’m hanging myself to show you

Skillfully found a place, it put its neck in, motionless, waiting to be hanged.

In the middle of the night, always feeling a black shadow flickering in front of her eyes, Wen Ran: “?”

Groggily opened her eyes a crack, squinted outside and saw a suspicious creature swaying left and right in front of the window with the wind.

Instantly, Wen Ran’s drowsiness flew away.

“Oh my God!”

Her shout woke everyone up, “What’s wrong?”

Wen Ran trembled, “Look…”

Xiao Chenye thought it was something dangerous, and went over first.

Ended up seeing a suspicious creature.

“Wait,” Xiao Chenye quickly put on his clothes, went out, and grabbed the thing hanging under the eaves.

Mrs. Xiao was anxious, “What is it?”

Xiao Chenye: “…It’s a squirrel.”

Wen Ran swallowed, “Did I offend it?”

Whose good squirrel would hang itself to scare people in the middle of the night?

At this time, Mrs. Xiao slapped her thigh, “Ah! I remembered, I said the things you brought back today were not quite right, that’s not a pikas’ nest at all.

You must have dug up a squirrel’s nest today.”

Wen Ran: “?”

Her theoretical knowledge was a bit lacking, “But isn’t a squirrel supposed to live on trees in the forest? Digging holes in the grass?”

“Oh, these little things are smart, to survive the winter they’ll store food in different places, even if one or two storage spots get destroyed by a storm.

What’s left is enough for them to safely get through the winter.”

Mrs. Xiao took the squirrel from Xiao Chenye’s hand and smiled, “Also, these creatures are spirited and temperamental, if their stored food gets taken, they’ll hang themselves in anger.”

Everyone: “…”

What can I say, the truth came out, but there’s an inexplicable feeling of exasperation.

Wen Ran scratched her head, “Then I’ll compensate it.”

The little squirrel wasn’t dead, but it was playing dead.

Wen Ran stepped off the kang, picked up two chestnuts, and took a pine cone, placing them in front of the little squirrel.

It didn’t move at all, Wen Ran took the squirrel, and when no one was looking, dripped a drop of spring water into its mouth.

Consider it compensation.

No choice, the food taken from the squirrel’s nest was already eaten, wanting to repay is heartfelt but powerless unless compensating with something else.

Squirrel: “!”

It stopped playing dead, sprung up, almost scared the Xiao Family to death.

Hugging the chestnut Wen Ran gave it, munching away.

Mrs. Xiao patted her chest, face full of lingering fear, “It won’t hang itself again, right?”

“It shouldn’t.”

Seeing its fluffy big tail, Wen Ran couldn’t resist, stroked it twice, smooth as silk, itchy on the face.

The squirrel impatiently pulled away its tail, raised its butt, sitting its big tail underneath.

The Xiao Family yawned, after exchanging looks, listening to the squirrel munching, lay back down to sleep.

Early the next morning, Wen Ran and Xiao Chenye brought some food down to the foot of the mountain.

“So, we’re leaving the food here for you as compensation.”

The original spot had already been filled with soil, they wouldn’t return.

Putting the little squirrel on the ground, Wen Ran apologized sincerely, “I’m sorry, don’t be angry.”

The little squirrel looked at Wen Ran, squeaked twice.

Wen Ran let out a sigh of relief, alright then, let’s take it as it’s forgiving me.

Otherwise…

What else can be done?

This cross-species conversation is truly exasperating.

After completing a task, the two returned.

The squirrel looked at Wen Ran, then at the bag of food on the ground, and darted up the mountain.

…

The Xiao Family had already become lively, Hongguo was coaxed into writing the character for “Fu” (fortune).

Holding the brush, trembling and at a loss, Wen Ran arrived.

“Sis!” Hongguo looked like she had seen a savior, “Sis, I can’t do it!”

“There’s nothing you can’t do!” Xiao Chenxing directly blocked Wen Ran’s view, hands on hips, “It’s the same as writing the sun, moon, and mountains normally!”

Hongguo pulled a long face, “It’s not the same!”

Lots of strokes, structure is complex.

“I’ll write one, you follow and write one too, you can copy it, right?”

Xiao Chenxing picked up the brush and started writing, although the “Fu” character came out crooked, bulky, looks like it could punch someone.

But, it’s written.

Xiao Chenxing put down the brush, looked at her ugly writing, cocky, “How’s that?”

Hongguo: “…”

Although she didn’t recognize the character, she still had basic aesthetics.

After hesitating, Hongguo changed her tune, “Then I’ll give it a try too.”

Feeling like it’s not too hard.

Hongguo took the brush, practiced a bit herself, wrote a “Fu” character.

What to say, no wonder learning with Xiao Chenxing, both of them wrote equally ugly characters.

Wen Ran praised verbally, but in her mind, she was noting it down.

Later, she’d have to trouble Chen Wan to get her some writing practice sheets, this writing is really quite sorry.

Aside from these small issues, the Xiao Family had a fulfilling day.

Busy from morning to night.

Coming here, it’s unavoidable to follow local customs.

The Xiao Family had many cattle. Xiao Chenyue took one out and had Gula slaughter it. Mrs. Xiao was already excited, just waiting to use the fresh beef to make dumplings.

Beef with green onions, just thinking about it makes one’s mouth water.

On New Year’s Eve, everyone put up window decorations and the character for “Fu” (fortune), cleaned up the house…

In the afternoon, they started preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner. If it weren’t for Xiao Chenyue stopping her, Mrs. Xiao would have wanted to prepare the dumpling wrappers for the next day right away.

“Yueyue, call Gula over, let’s have a family reunion dinner tonight.”

“Okay.”

Well, seeing her daughter settled in this place, Mrs. Xiao was also happy, but she reminded her, “From now on, don’t just tell us the good news and not the bad. If Gula treats you badly in the future, write to us, understand? Even if we’re far away, your parents will come over to stand up for you.”

“Okay!”

Love is something that changes instantly.

What you were passionately in love with three years ago might become something you cast aside three years later.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Xiao suddenly remembered what Wen Ran had said and felt it made a lot of sense.

“Do you know what Ranran said to Chenye?”

“Huh?” Xiao Chenyue laughed, “What did she say this time?”

“She said, ’Do whatever you want, I won’t care, but if you treat me badly, I’ve got legs and I can leave myself.’”

Xiao Chenyue paused, came to her senses, and couldn’t stop laughing, “That’s exactly something Ranran would say.”

“So,” Mrs. Xiao said seriously, “no matter what, don’t let yourself be wronged.”

“Don’t worry, Mom, I won’t let myself be wronged anymore.”

Gula didn’t have any other family, so when Xiao Chenyue called him, he came along, not empty-handed either, bringing a slaughtered yellow sheep.

Mrs. Xiao was dumbfounded, “Why did you slaughter a sheep again?”

Gula replied succinctly, “Hunted it, can’t finish eating it, and it won’t spoil if left outside.”

Well, since he got it through his own efforts, Mrs. Xiao had nothing more to say.

The yellow sheep was a bit old, needed to be stewed immediately, otherwise, it wouldn’t be tender enough to chew.

Wen Ran, holding Minmin while sunbathing, couldn’t help but pull Xiao Chenye over to gossip about Gula, “What do you think of your brother-in-law?”

Xiao Chenye’s expression was indifferent, “He’s alright, a decent person.”

“Have you tested him?”

“Yes.”

“Alright then.”

“Oh, by the way,” Wen Ran remembered, “did we buy our tickets?”

“Yes, for the second day of the new year.”

The second day of the new year, which was the day after tomorrow.

Time flies so fast.

…

The New Year’s Eve dinner was quite sumptuous. Sahan and Ba Yin even sent over some items to the house.

Sahan sent a dish of braised fish, a huge platter, and ran off after delivering it. They couldn’t call her back, so in the end, Xiao Chenyue asked Xiao Chenye to pack some mutton to send back to her.

Ba Yin’s family was more practical, sending three wool scarves and two large jars of jam.

The wool scarves were thick and beautiful, and the jam made of indigo berries was sweet and sour, quite appetizing.

Xiao Chenyue, in turn, handed over two beef ribs.

With such mutual exchanges, there’s no need to ask about the relationship; it’s absolutely great.

When they finished eating, their stomachs were full, but they still felt they could have another bite or two.

Hongguo cozied up to Wen Ran, “Sis~”

With sparkling eyes, she said, “Happy New Year, spending it with you makes me so happy.”

“I’m very happy too, happy new year.”

“Oh no, these two girls are so muddled by food, they started saying happy new year before it’s even the new year.”

This remark caused everyone to burst into laughter.

Just as everyone was about to tidy up and go to bed, a squirrel came in uninvited.

It swaggered into the house, hopped onto the bed, and sprawled over Wen Ran’s head. From who knows where, it had found a big chestnut, and crouched down to eat it.

“Crunch crunch~”

Peeled the chestnut skin with remarkable skill.

Mrs. Xiao found the little creature very endearing, “Is it intelligent?”

Wen Ran squinted her eyes, mercilessly grabbed the squirrel’s bushy tail, and hung it upside down, “You’re a bit noisy.”

The little squirrel: “Chirp~”

It blinked its small black eyes, as innocent as could be.

Seeing it, Mrs. Xiao seemed to see poor little Minmin, “Oh dear, let it stay in the house, it’s probably cold outside and came here for warmth.”

“It’s too noisy.”

Mrs. Xiao was decisive, “That’s nothing. Let me crack the chestnut, and it’ll be quieter.”

And sure enough, once the chestnut was cracked, the sound of it nibbling became much quieter.

Unable to do anything, Wen Ran fell asleep.

The next morning, when Wen Ran woke up, her hair a mess, she found Minmin cuddled in her arms, Xiao Chenxing and Hongguo by her side, and of course, a squirrel sleeping sprawled at the top of her head.

Ah~

These days are indeed quite comfortable and carefree.

Noticing movement from Wen Ran, Hongguo turned over, rubbed her eyes, and mumbled, “Sis?”

“Hmm, did I wake you up?”

“No,” Hongguo yawned, “it was about time to wake up.”

Minmin had been awake for a while, kids wake up early since they sleep early too, and she was quietly nestled in Wen Ran’s arms, not crying or fussing. When she realized Wen Ran was awake, she giggled joyfully.

Next to them, Xiao Chenyue, who was kneading dough, laughed, “This child, it’s hard to say who she takes after, always smiling at Ranran.”

Xiao Chenye came in holding firewood, and said concisely, “Takes after me.”

Everyone: “…”

Bah!

Shameless!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep