People were all talking among themselves, when suddenly someone exclaimed.
"Hold on a second! Isn’t it said that there’s a little lucky charm in Butcher Li’s family, which is why everything they do always goes smoothly? Then why did they hit such a snag on their opening day today?"
"Exactly! I saw that little lucky charm just a while ago. I even intentionally brushed against her. The little girl in the big red dress!"
Zhu Xiuxiu pressed her lips into a faint smile, inexplicably reminded of the child’s unfiltered words from a few days ago. Could it really be as she guessed?
After laughing her fill, she picked up her things to head back. As she was about to enter the village, she heard a familiar pig’s squeal.
Zhu Xiuxiu furrowed her brows. Was she hearing things? Where on earth could pig sounds be coming from in a place with no village in sight, let alone a store?
Just as she was thinking this, a big, white, chubby pig unexpectedly darted out from the side. Zhu Xiuxiu’s mouth fell open in surprise. Wasn’t this the pig that the Li Family had just slaughtered? Look at that! There was even a notch on the pig’s snout from a slaughterhouse meat hook! Bloody red.
"Since you’ve run out of the Li Family’s place, you don’t belong to them anymore," Zhu Xiuxiu muttered to the pig. "Stumbling upon me is their bad luck."
Her eyes darting around, Zhu Xiuxiu herded the pig as if it were a dog, driving the large, fat pig directly back home.
「」
In the Ji Family Courtyard, Li Suisui was brandishing a small wooden stick, shouting, "HIYAH! HIYAH!" These were moves she had picked up when she accidentally saw her fourth uncle practicing martial arts in the bamboo grove.
Ji Youbo stood under the eaves, his face stoic, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on her performance, not wanting to blink. This was unbelievable. It had taken him three months of practice to barely memorize the sequence of these moves. But this girl had only seen it once and had already memorized all of them!
OINK OINK OINK! The sound of pig grunts came from the Courtyard entrance. Suisui stopped and looked. A big, white, chubby pig ran up to her, its large head nudging her small calf.
Li Suisui was completely dumbfounded.
She instinctively bent down to stroke the pig’s head. But then, the collar of her dress tightened, and her fourth uncle swiftly lifted her into the air. He brought her inside to ensure her safety.
"Goodness! Where did this fat pig come from?" Wang Dongxue exclaimed as she came out from the kitchen, puzzled. She had been stewing Bird’s Nest and heard the pig’s grunting. "Which family didn’t lock their pigsty, letting their pig run over to our place?"
"This pig wasn’t lost by someone else; I found it." Her voice preceded her. Zhu Xiuxiu walked into the Courtyard, laden with bags and packages.
"What do you mean by that, Third Sister-in-law?" Wang Dongxue was utterly confused.
"Dearest Sister-in-law, let me tell you, something incredibly joyous happened today that has me over the moon!" Zhu Xiuxiu entered and instantly gathered Li Suisui into her arms. "Sweetheart, let your Third Aunt give you a hug. Today, I’m going to cook pork for you!"
Li Suisui blinked several times. "Third Aunt, are you trying to trick me into taking medicine again?" Each time her Third Aunt cajoled her into taking medicine with preserved fruit, she would be grinning from ear to ear, which always scared Suisui!
Kicking her short little legs, she tried to squirm out of Zhu Xiuxiu’s embrace. Sob, sob, I really don’t want to drink that bitter medicine!
"No medicine, sweetie," Zhu Xiuxiu said, hugging her even tighter. She casually took out a packet of preserved fruit. "You’re all better now; no need for medicine anymore. This one came from the Capital City, rushed in by express horse. It’s a new flavor. Try it!"
She said I didn’t have to drink medicine, but she even brought out the preserved fruit that always comes with it! Suisui kicked her short little legs even more fiercely.
Forcefully breaking free from Zhu Xiuxiu’s embrace, Suisui snatched the packet of preserved fruit and scampered off to hide in her eldest uncle’s room!
Watching the little girl’s fleeing figure, Zhu Xiuxiu burst into hearty laughter. Her mood was indeed very good.
"Third Sister-in-law, what’s actually going on with this pig?" Wang Dongxue asked.