Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Male Lead Xiu Xun (4)_1 Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Male Lead Xiu Xun (4)_1 The Ruanlin Family’s favorite was Ruan Jiaojiao, but they also felt pained that their grandson had suffered hardships. That very night, they cooked a brown sugar and egg soup for Ruan Jie, and Ruan Jiaojiao also got a bowl to drink. As for the other kids, they weren’t so lucky. They didn’t crave it much, but Liao Zhaoji did utter a few sour words. However, no one paid any attention to her.
Last time Ruan Jiaojiao went up the back mountain, she hadn’t caught any game, which she couldn’t help but feel regretful about; she had been looking for an opportunity to go up there again ever since.
Every time Ruan Hao came home for the holidays, he’d take her walking around the village, and now they’d arrived at the back mountain. Ruan Jiaojiao’s big eyes scanned the surroundings, and finding no one in sight, her heart began to grow restless once more.
She turned her head to look at Ruan Hao and asked, “Brother, do you know what kind of animals there are on the front mountain?”
“Animals? There are plenty, rabbits, pheasants, badgers, deer, and I’ve even heard about wild boars weighing a hundred or two hundred pounds. Why do you ask, Jiaojiao?” Ruan Hao squatted down, looking at her curiously. Thinking about the time she got injured on the mountain, he coaxed her in a gentle voice, “Jiaojiao, you are a little princess, you know? You can’t follow them to the back mountain anymore, alright?”
“Mm… I know.” Ruan Jiaojiao nodded, looking extraordinarily obedient, but out of Ruan Hao’s sight, her eyes were rolling around, clearly cooking up some mischief.
On their way back, they stopped at the wooden bridge.
“Big brother, I want to go play with Xiaoting; you go back first,” said Ruan Jiaojiao, pointing in the direction of the Wa Family.
Ruan Hao looked in the direction she was pointing, made sure it wasn’t too far, thought for a couple of seconds, then nodded in agreement but still reminded her, “You should come back early and don’t play outside for too long.”
“Okay.” Ruan Jiaojiao continued to pretend to be obedient.
“Then off you go.” Ruan Hao let go of her hand, signaling her to proceed.
Ruan Jiaojiao nodded and slowly walked towards the Wa Family’s direction. After walking about ten meters, she looked back to see Ruan Hao was still watching her. She knew he wouldn’t leave before she reached the Wa Family, so she could only wave her little hand and proceed.
When she was about to reach the flat area in front of the Wa Family and looked behind again, she saw Ruan Hao finally turning back to leave. She let out a sigh of relief and, turning around, slipped out through the gap between the Wa Family and the neighboring house.
The Wa Family was poor and lazy. Their backyard wasn’t enclosed, and unlike the Ruan Family, they didn’t raise many chickens and ducks but instead had a neglected piece of land growing a few taro plants. She made her way through the wasteland, taking a narrow path towards the back mountain.
The houses in the village were generally built facing a single direction, with a small ditch in front of them. Beyond the small ditch lay the fields, and there were no more fields behind the houses, only vegetable gardens. Beyond the gardens was the back mountain. However, people usually went into the back mountain from the entrance of the village, where a path had already been made, un side—more than a meter higher and covered in weeds and vines, practically impenetrable.
Fearing she might bump into someone she knew if she entered from the village entrance, Ruan Jiaojiao followed this narrow path in search of an entrance to the back mountain.
She was almost back at the Ruan Family’s backyard without finding a way in, her little brows knitted in frustration.
However, in Xiu Family’s backyard, she caught sight of that little villain once more.
The little villain seemed to be digging something up. Hearing footsteps, he turned around. His initially sharp gaze softened instantly upon seeing her, and brushing the mud off his paws, he walked over.