Chapter 170: Chapter 170: The Mouse Chapter 170: Chapter 170: The Mouse “Big Bull, take a good look at this place, think about it, have you ever been here before?”
“Been here?” Big Bull’s expression was completely blank as he held a big bunch of fallen leaves, looking around while trying hard to remember.
“Do you have any memory of it?” Xuexue stood behind him, asking softly.
“No.” Big Bull shook his head, his eyes showing utter befuddlement, as if he truly had no recollection.
“Think harder. Did anyone ever cover you with a pile of leaves to use as a blanket to keep warm?” Xuexue pressed gently.
“These leaves are all damp, and there’s lots of mouse droppings and mud! How could they be used as a blanket?” Big Bull turned his head, looking puzzled.
Xuexue couldn’t help but cough violently, no wonder the man’s glance that evening was like darts flying at her.
Wasn’t it too dark to see clearly? Didn’t she just help him because she saw he was scantily dressed and shivering from the cold? Though it’s true his exposure was her doing, she was under the influence of an aphrodisiac against her will.
Thinking about that night made Xuexue feel terrible. Perhaps she was being too paranoid; the man wasn’t Big Bull at all.
“Silly, didn’t you just say there are mouse droppings and mud? Why still hold onto it?” Big Bull was still foolishly clutching a pile of leaves, Xuexue couldn’t help but point out.
“I picked some cleaner ones, hehe…!” Big Bull grinned foolishly.
“Don’t keep them, throw them away.”
“Huh? My lady, why? Aunt often goes up the mountain to gather firewood, right? We could carry these back for her, spare her the effort, wouldn’t that be nice?”
Xuexue explained patiently, “These leaves don’t burn well and produce a lot of ash. We don’t need them.”
“Oh! Alright then.” Big Bull reluctantly threw away the leaves he was holding.
They had finished clearing the stones from the field and had loosened the soil. Xuexue and Big Bull planted garlic in the whole two-acre field.
Some people in the village couldn’t understand and discussed among themselves, saying Madam Xie spoils Xuexue too much, letting her do whatever she wants. Planting garlic this season isn’t suitable, and doing so would just waste seeds needlessly.
Madam Xie just smiled and didn’t say anything in response.
The Xuexue of today was much more sensible and decisive. If it hadn’t been for her hiding things from herself, letting the village head stubbornly negotiate two acres of land out of Old Master Mo’s hands, they would have nothing. Perhaps she could have let the village head decide against letting Mo Xiaoqiang divorce her, and she would only be able to stay in the Mo family, slaving away.
“My lady, we are done planting.” Big Bull buried the last seed in the dirt and shouted happily as he covered it with soil.
“Good! Go wash your hands by the stream over there, and let’s go home.” These past few days had been tough for Big Bull, picking up stones and loosening the soil were all hard labor.
Big Bull bent down, about to pick up the farm tools from the ground.
Chuner’s voice came from afar, “Sister, Big Bull Brother, it’s not good, not good.”
Xuexue quickly went to meet her, “Chuner, what’s the matter?”
“Big sister has come back.”
“Big sister coming back is a good thing! Why is it ‘not good’? You girl, always talking nonsense.”
“No no no.” Chuner frantically waved her hands, panting hard from running too fast.
“She… she came back with grandparents and father, and I don’t know what they’ve told her, but she started scolding our mother for being disrespectful to her grandparents. Mother was driven to tears by her. Sister, you better go back quickly.” Chuner took a breath and blurted out everything in one go.