Chapter 329 - 331: The Provoked Hua Cheng
An Ning, who had one leg raised, executed a difficult mid-air turn and landed on that single leg. Spotting Jiang Xia, who was clearly enjoying the show, she pointedly wrinkled her nose at him.
"Why are you everywhere? Are you stalking me?"
Jiang Xia’s expression didn’t betray him, but he thought to himself, ’She’s right, I am.’
He’d learned that An Ning was back, so he’d made up an excuse to come down from the mountain. As soon as he arrived, he spotted her in high spirits.
However...
"I don’t have time for that. It was all Da Huang."
Jiang Xia pointed at Da Huang, who was trailing slowly behind, and shouted, "Da Huang, hurry up! Why are you being so shy?"
An Ning looked at the reluctantly shuffling Da Huang, then back at Jiang Xia with disbelief, but she couldn’t read anything from his face.
"I get the feeling Da Huang isn’t too happy about this, but I have no proof."
Jiang Xia spread his hands in an innocent and pitiful gesture. "How can you say that? Would I really blame Da Huang unfairly?"
An Ning didn’t argue with Jiang Xia. She turned and continued walking forward. Jiang Xia called for Da Huang to follow, walking behind An Ning, his eyes never leaving her back.
’So beautiful!’
The term "lovesick stalker" perfectly described Jiang Xia’s current state.
Unfortunately, An Ning’s spiritual power was entirely focused on communicating with the crops, so she didn’t notice Jiang Xia’s expression at all.
Besides, whenever An Ning turned around, Jiang Xia’s expression would change in a flash, back to that arrogant "young master" face of his.
When the two reached a fork in the road, Jiang Xia lamented inwardly that the walk had been too short, but what he said was, "Well, I’m off, Half-immortal."
"Goodbye, Old Two."
One went left, the other right. One headed south, the other north. They parted ways cleanly, without a hint of hesitation, as if they were just two strangers who had met by chance and were now heading in different directions.
Jiang Xia led Da Huang on a short loop, not even stopping by his house before heading back up the mountain.
After following Jiang Xia up the mountain for the second time that day, Da Huang ditched him and ran straight for Wei Qi, who was guarding the mountain.
A series of WOOFs and BARKs made Jiang Xia feel like he was being complained about.
He sauntered over, his gaze shifting between the two dogs—one listening intently, the other barking earnestly. "Are you two badmouthing me?" he asked suspiciously.
Da Huang simply turned its head, giving Jiang Xia its profile, while Wei Qi was too cool and aloof to even acknowledge him.
Having been thoroughly snubbed, Jiang Xia could only turn and leave to get back to work.
Meanwhile, An Ning’s spiritual power grew more and more excited as she walked, so she simply decided to make a full circuit around the village’s farmland.
Based on last year’s results, An Ning knew her spiritual power could increase crop yields and even improve their taste.
This year, after mutating twice, her spiritual power seemed to have gained the ability to improve the soil as well.
Her greenhouse was the best proof of this.
During the time she was away, the flavor of the vegetables in the greenhouse hadn’t diminished, remaining at the same level as when she left.
An Ning believed that if she consistently nurtured a piece of land, its soil could be improved over a certain period of time.
Although the time it would take was uncertain, just having this effect was already wonderful.
An Ning kept walking. The newly sprouted seedlings swayed in the spring breeze.
People with hoes could be seen everywhere in the fields, pulling weeds.
The young sprouts were at their most vulnerable, as weeds would compete with them for nutrients. Once the seedlings grew larger, they wouldn’t need such frequent weeding.
An Ning walked on and on, covering nearly all of her village’s farmland, until she was about to reach the border between the two villages.
Her spiritual power was so full it felt like she needed to burp. An Ning decided it was time to head back.
It wasn’t that she was being stingy; her ability just hadn’t reached the point where she could take care of several villages at once.
An Ning turned, planning to cut through the small woods and take a shortcut back to the village. It would be much faster.
"Brother Hua Cheng—"
That cry of "Brother Hua Cheng" made An Ning stop in her tracks.
’She recalled Jiang Xia saying Hua Cheng was a huge flirt. Could it be that in such a short time, Hua Cheng has already found himself a lover in the village?’
An Ning’s brow furrowed slightly, and she turned to leave.
’Out of sight, out of mind.’
"You—you stay away—"
An Ning stopped again.
She wondered, ’Aren’t the roles reversed?’
Why did that weak cry of "stay away" sound like Hua Cheng’s voice?
An Ning extended her spiritual power and was amused by the scene before her.
A strong, able-bodied young woman with slightly dark skin and two pigtails was slowly taking off her jacket.
Meanwhile, Hua Cheng was half-lying on the ground with his clothes in disarray, looking as if he’d been horribly ravaged. He propped himself up with his hands and kept scooting backward.
"Brother Hua Cheng, I like you! Just give in and be mine."
"My dad’s a butcher, so my family has lots of meat to eat. If you’re with me, you’ll eat and drink well. You won’t have to suffer at all."
"And if we have kids, I’ll even let our son take your last name, how about that?"
Hei Niu’s offer was quite generous, but Hua Cheng, still on the ground, just kept backing away, constantly pulling at his own clothes.
"No, no, no, no, no, I... I... I can’t. I really can’t."
In a moment of desperation, Hua Cheng made a last-ditch effort and shouted, "I can’t! I can’t have children!"
Hei Niu, who was halfway through taking off her clothes, finally paused.
"What?"
"Then what’re we gonna do?!"
Hei Niu squatted down worriedly, her eyes sweeping over a certain area of Hua Cheng’s body, making him shift uncomfortably.
"I... I can’t hold you back. You should find a good man. Your family needs to carry on its line."
Hua Cheng tried to persuade her, and it seemed Hei Niu was actually swayed.
"But what can I do? You’re the one I like."
"Why do you have to be... you know, unable? How about I get you some kidneys to eat? That might help."
Hua Cheng, still on the ground, shook his head repeatedly. "It’s no use. Nothing works. Not even tiger penis."
"I... I’ve tried everything."
As he spoke, Hua Cheng lowered his head, looking deeply embarrassed.
Across from him, Hei Niu’s expression was conflicted. Finally, as if she’d made up her mind, she looked at Hua Cheng.
"It’s okay, Brother Hua Cheng. I don’t mind. We can just adopt a child."
Hua Cheng, on the ground, looked as if he’d just been struck by lightning.
Hua Cheng swallowed hard and made one last attempt at persuasion. "That’s no good. Your family has only had one child for generations. It’s no good, no good."
"It’s fine. I’m a girl, so the family line was already broken with me."
Hei Niu was suddenly very philosophical about it.
Hua Cheng wore an expression of utter despair. ’Was his storied history of passing through a field of a thousand flowers without a single petal clinging to him about to end here?!’
’In a small wood, with the mighty and formidable Hei Niu?’
"Jiang Xia———where are you?!"
Hua Cheng gave up and lay flat on the ground, his eyes staring lifelessly at the sky above.
"Hey—save me!"
An Ning, who had been enjoying the show from a tree, waved at Hua Cheng, who had just spotted her. "How about... I go get Jiang Xia for you?" she asked teasingly.
"Sister, my dearest sister, I’m begging you, please save me!"
Although Hua Cheng didn’t know how capable An Ning was, he knew that anyone Jiang Xia had a crush on couldn’t possibly be simple.
As Hua Cheng watched, An Ning leaped down from the tree, landing without a sound.
At that moment, Hua Cheng knew in his heart: he was saved.