Everyone had grown accustomed to Dao Xuzi’s insatiable eating habits, but they were all quite curious – he ate so much, yet how come he never seemed to gain any weight?
Xiaosi even went over to feel his stomach to see where all that meat had gone to.
The old man was very proud of this, boasting that he was invincible, capable of eating endlessly without gaining weight, and that they should all be envious, jealous, and bitter.
Yang Ruxin simply scoffed at this.
After their daily post-meal bantering, Yang Ruxin asked Xun Hui to put the kids to a nap while she went to check on Dabai in the dilapidated hut behind the house. Dabai’s wounds were healing quickly; what was expected to take at least half a month or even a month had scabbed over in just a few days, likely due to her using her mental energy to help heal the wounds. That guy had been itching to return to the wild since someone had intruded on his territory. If he was absent too long, someone else might take over his domain.
Yang Ruxin knew it was unfair to keep a tiger cooped up in a shabby hut every day, so she planned to examine him one more time today and, if all was well, he could return to his own turf tonight.
Dabai had smelled Yang Ruxin from afar and stealthily hid near the door to watch. When she walked in, he pounced on her.
"I’m not a guy, you know. Even if you knock me over, there isn’t much we can do," Yang Ruxin said with disdain as she rubbed the furry head, "Besides, you weigh hundreds of pounds; you’ll crush me to death, won’t you?"
Dabai rolled his eyes, unable to help himself. This woman’s got a man now? Such dirty thoughts.
Yang Ruxin gave Dabai a thorough check and found no issues, but she was still worried, "I won’t come to send you off tonight, I’ll let Xiaobai do it. Remember, leave after it gets dark, and be careful after entering the mountain. That other big tiger might still be around. If you can’t beat it, just run – no shame in that..."
Dabai nuzzled Yang Ruxin’s face with his big head, signifying he understood.
Soon, Xiaobai arrived, and after playing with mother and son for a while, Yang Ruxin finally left the broken courtyard. She made sure no one was around, then strolled towards the riverside.
It was autumn now, and the river water seemed a bit chilly, but not too cold. Instead, the breeze could invigorate the spirit.
As Yang Ruxin strolled, she surveyed the surrounding land. In a few days, when she found the right opportunity, she would buy all the wasteland along the river, including the small hill and Linzi, and then start a large farm. She would plant fruit trees on the hill, cultivate herbs on the slopes, and raise chickens and sheep. By the river, she could breed ducks and geese. In the future, the fruit could be eaten, sold, or turned into jams; eggs could be eaten, sold, or made into preserved and salted duck eggs; chicken feathers could be turned into dusters; duck down could be used for clothing; and wool could be knitted into sweaters...
The land next to Linzi could be cultivated to grow crops for self-sufficiency, and they could even dig a pond to grow lotuses and raise fish...
By then, she and Gu Qingheng would work from dawn to dusk, raise a few pets, have some children, and her life would be fulfilled...
Just as Yang Ruxin was immersed in this beautiful vision, a panting sound suddenly came from the forest nearby. She pricked up her ears to listen and immediately felt the urge to curse. Who said the ancients were reserved? There was another couple getting it on in the woods – and by the sound of it, they were in the heat of the moment...