"Jiang Chen, did you sleep well last night?"
Life in the countryside follows a much more regular schedule than in the city.
Even if one didn’t exactly rise to the crow of the rooster, most households were up at the crack of dawn.
Though the Lan Family no longer needed to toil laboriously, the habits of a lifetime hadn’t changed. Still, they considerately took into account that Jiang Chen was a city dweller, and specially waited until eight o’clock before having Martial Saint go wake him.
At the breakfast table, Jiang Chen replied with a practiced smile, and then asked, "Auntie, aren’t you eating?"
"We’ve already eaten."
Besides Jiang Chen, only Mother Lan and Martial Saint were present.
The lad looked at Jiang Chen with an unfriendly face; when he had called earlier, Jiang Chen had spoken and he’d directly cursed, "I’m pissed at you!"
Jiang Chen, having just woken up, was initially confused, but soon realized it was probably the effect of him spilling the beans to Lan Peizhi last night.
He didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty.
Protecting the healthy growth of youth is a collective responsibility of society.
"And where are Uncle and Miss Lan?"
Jiang Chen’s eyes flickered, and after taking a sip of red rice porridge, he said, "Auntie, sorry for the disturbance, and thank you for the hospitality. I’ll be leaving soon."
Upon hearing this, Mother Lan’s expression changed, and she immediately said, "Why the rush? It’s rare for you to visit, why not stay a few more days?"
Jiang Chen hesitated.
"Is there something urgent?"
"Since there’s nothing urgent, Jiang Chen, listen to your aunt and stay a few days longer before you leave."
Mother Lan’s eyes were sincere, making it difficult to refuse.
Seemingly overwhelmed by her kindness, Jiang Chen consented after a moment of silence, "... Alright then."
Martial Saint, who had been watching, twisted his mouth and crossed his arms, letting out a cold snort.
After breakfast, Mother Lan suggested her son take Jiang Chen out for a stroll,
"Dude, you look like a decent person, so why are you so crafty? Aren’t you scared of having a son without an asshole in the future?"
Jiang Chen laughed instead of getting angry. After having spent so much time in the deceitful city, where everyone wears a mask, encountering such a straightforward kid was indeed a novelty.
The Tibetan Mastiff followed close by, looking fierce and awe-inspiring.
It led to every villager they encountered taking a wide berth.
"Pfft, do you think my sister would hit me?" Martial Saint held his head high.
Jiang Chen smiled without saying anything.
"You were putting on an act in front of my mom earlier just to stay here longer. What’s that tactic called... playing hard to get, right?"
Jiang Chen said with a smile, "You seem to know quite a bit."
"Heh, let me tell you, you might fool my mom, but you can’t fool me. Those tricks of yours are old news to me. Just so you know, you’re still green."
Jiang Chen couldn’t help but chuckle, but he understood the kid’s mentality.
Kids that age are eager for recognition from others.
"It seems I was showing off my modest skill before an expert."
Upon hearing that, Martial Saint looked at him oddly, turning his head slightly.
He seemed a bit different from the others.
And he didn’t put on the airs of an adult, prattling on about some pointless morals.
"Are you and my sister in a relationship?"
Somewhat unexpectedly, Martial Saint’s anger about the snitching issue dissipated a bit.
Jiang Chen quickly shook his head. On this topic, he truly dared not carelessly admit anything.
"Pursuing my sister?"
Martial Saint continued to inquire.
Jiang Chen remained silent.
Martial Saint scoffed. He was walking a Tibetan Mastiff, a fearsome beast, without a leash. Of course, given his stature, using a leash would probably be superfluous. If the Mastiff went crazy, he wouldn’t be able to hold it back.
"Can’t you man up a bit? What’s there to be afraid of acknowledging?"
He said disdainfully.
"I just feel that I’m not worthy of Miss Lan."
Martial Saint’s gaze turned even stranger as he looked at Jiang Chen, his mouth curling slightly, "Fair enough, at least you’re aware of your own limitations."
The two walked along the ridges between fields until they unwittingly arrived in front of a double-story farmhouse, standard fare but a far cry from the Lan residence.
"Roar, roar, roar..."
The Tibetan Mastiff, which had been quite docile all along, suddenly started roaring.
It didn’t take long before a man emerged from the farmhouse, wearing a sweatshirt and baggy pants, more refined in appearance than the typical farmer.
Martial Saint called out with unprecedented enthusiasm.
"Martial Saint, I told you not to take Dog Egg out so much, what if it really hurts someone?"
As the man approached, it was clear that his demeanor was not that of the typical farmer, but his skin was tanned, and it looked like he often worked in the fields, weathered by wind and sun. His physique wasn’t particularly robust, but his muscles seemed quite firm.
"No worries, Dog Egg is more obedient than any local stray, right, Dog Egg?"
While speaking, the lad kicked the Tibetan Mastiff.
This powerful and intimidating beast acted like a mere pet in front of the kid, obediently howling in response.
The man just shook his head and smiled.
He too didn’t seem to fear the Tibetan Mastiff, a beast that could effortlessly kill a man.
"A friend of my sister’s," Martial Saint introduced nonchalantly.
The man’s expression shifted subtly.
"Your sister’s back?"
"Yeah, she returned last night," Martial Saint nodded.
Jiang Chen greeted just in time.
The man also nodded with a smile, "Hello."
"Yong Wen, bro, gotta go, come over to our place later," said Martial Saint.
The man just smiled, patted his head, but didn’t respond.
The important thing was that Martial Saint didn’t show any sign of resistance or displeasure. After they exchanged greetings, he continued walking ahead.
Jiang Chen nodded to the man and then left with him.
The man named Yong Wen stood in the open space in front of the door, watching as the two men and the beast walked away.