Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Not Even Afraid of the Wolf
The rest of the Shen family arrived as well.
The door opened, and Yun Xiaowu and the others rushed inside cheerfully with Yun Jiao.
"Jiaojiao, our family planted watermelons this year. Want to go pick some later?"
Hearing the word "watermelon," Yun Jiao’s eyes lit up. She licked her lips and nodded quickly.
’Of course I want to go.’
"Jiaojiao, come have some sugar water."
In a village like this, sugar water was the highest form of hospitality one could offer a guest.
"Grandma, you’re the best."
Grandma Shen smiled and patted her head. "Such a good girl."
’This little girl is so pretty.’
Back then, she had been strongly against it when she found out her daughter and son-in-law had picked up a baby girl to raise.
Their family wasn’t well-off to begin with. They already had five children, so how heavy would the burden of another one be?
But after she saw Yun Jiao, she couldn’t bring herself to voice her disapproval.
A girl this beautiful... if she were really abandoned and bullied, just the thought of it was heartbreaking.
Later, as Yun Jiao grew up and became even more beautiful, she was also sweet and gentle. The way she called her "Grandma" could melt anyone’s heart.
’Let them raise her. At worst, we’ll just save a little more food to send over.’
"Why did you bring so many things!"
The two elders couldn’t help but scold them as they looked at the contents of the back baskets.
"You have so many children to feed at home! It’s like you’ve emptied out your entire house. Have you given up on getting by?"
Yun Linhai explained, "We bought our own boat now, and the catch has been good. These are just fish we caught and dried ourselves. They’re not worth much, and we still have plenty at home."
Shen Yunlian nodded as well. "Ma, Mother-in-law prepared all this. It’s the thought that counts, so please just accept it."
Although Grandma Shen grumbled, she couldn’t very well make them take it all back.
She turned to the children and said, "You must be tired from the walk. I’ll cook you some noodles."
While their grandmother and aunt-in-law were cooking, Yun Jiao played with her brothers in the courtyard. Her uncle even lifted her onto his shoulders, and she was overjoyed.
"Uncle, I want a horsey ride too!"
Shen Liangping said, "Look how big you are, and you still want a horsey ride? Are you trying to crush your uncle?"
Now taller on his shoulders, Yun Jiao reached out with her chubby little hands and picked a pear that was within reach.
Yun Xiaowu said, "Jiaojiao, you’re getting greedy again. They only taste good when they’re fully ripe."
Yun Jiao mumbled in response, "It’s yummy now, too!"
Shen Liangping laughed heartily. "Jiaojiao still loves to put everything in her mouth. The plums, fuzzy peaches, and waxberries in our mountains are also ripe. Stay a couple more days and go play in the mountains."
Yun Jiao nodded. "Okay, okay."
"Pick watermelons."
She still had her mind on the watermelons.
"Alright, we’ll go pick watermelons after we eat our noodles."
The noodles were cooked quickly, and Grandma Shen even poached an egg for each of them.
Of course, there weren’t enough for everyone. Only the younger kids got one; their two older cousins didn’t.
Slurping her noodles, Yun Jiao quietly sidled up to her cousins and gave them a piece of her egg.
"Cousin, eat."
Shen Xiuyuan was so moved that he tried to press his greasy mouth against Yun Jiao’s cheek.
A startled Yun Jiao scrambled away.
"No, it’s greasy!"
She was a little fish who liked to be clean.
Her older cousin, Shen Kuan, shot his brother a glare.
There was also a dish of smashed cucumber salad on the table, which was very refreshing with the noodles.
After eating and drinking her fill, Yun Jiao wandered around the courtyard. She squatted by the chicken coop, which was fenced in with branches, and watched the fluffy yellow chicks follow their mother hen, pecking for food.
One clumsy chick ran too fast and tumbled over near her.
Yun Jiao reached her hand in and petted the fluffy, chirping little chick.
"Jiaojiao, time to go pick watermelons."
Yun Jiao turned her head, stood up, and ran over on her short little legs.
"I’m coming!"
Her older cousin Shen Kuan shouldered a back basket. With no adults accompanying them, the group of youths and children ran outside.
They had to head up the mountain.
Worried that Yun Jiao would get tired, Shen Kuan asked her, "Jiaojiao, want to get in the basket? I can carry you up."
Yun Jiao was a little tempted, but she looked down at herself and refused.
"Heavy."
A three-year-old child has some weight to them, after all.
"Not heavy."
Shen Xiuyuan grabbed her under her arms and easily lifted the soft, fair-skinned little girl into the basket.
"You’re not even as heavy as the sweet potatoes we carry."
Once in the basket, Yun Jiao leaned forward slightly, resting her whole body against her older cousin’s back to lighten his load.
"Is it heavy?"
she asked in her soft voice.
Shen Kuan shook his head. "Very light. Jiaojiao, you should eat more."
Carrying Little Yun Jiao, Shen Kuan still strode forward as if he were flying, proving with his actions that she really wasn’t heavy.
"Little Nine, do you want your second cousin to carry you?"
Besides Yun Jiao, the younger Yun Xiaojiu also received special treatment.
Yun Xiaojiu shook his head. "No, I’m a man. I’ll walk my own path."
The group chattered and joked as they made their way into the mountains. Yun Xiaowu carried a branch, swatting at every wildflower and weed along the path.
Yun Xiao Liu suddenly said, "I remember there’s a house up on the mountain. They keep several big, fierce dogs."
He’d been scared by those dogs once before when he was visiting his grandma and went up the mountain.
Yun Xiaowu puffed out his chest. "What’s there to be afraid of? Forget dogs, I could even fight off a wolf if one came!"
Yun Xiaoqi said, "That’s right! We wouldn’t even be scared if a wolf came. Fifth Brother goes first, our cousin goes second, I’ll follow behind them, and Jiaojiao can cheer for us!"
Just as Yun Xiaoqi finished speaking, the person walking in front suddenly stopped.
"What’s wrong?"
Yun Xiaoqi looked up and saw, on a ridge between the fields ahead of them, three large dogs standing and staring at them menacingly.
Yun Xiaoqi swallowed hard. "Run!"
In an instant, everyone panicked, turned around, and bolted.
The three large dogs behind them charged forward, barking.
For a moment, it was utter chaos.
"AHHHH... Fifth Brother, didn’t you say you weren’t even afraid of wolves? Go get ’em!"
Yun Xiaowu yelled, "You guys aren’t going, and I can’t beat them by myself!"
The group, who had been boasting just a second ago, looked as pathetic as could be as they were chased by the three dogs.
Yun Jiao: ’What happened to me cheering you on?’
"Let me down! I’m gonna fight them!"
Yun Jiao’s childish voice was full of fury, and she even turned her head to bare her teeth at the three dogs.
Unfortunately, no one listened to her.
Luckily, the three dogs were guard dogs and only chased them a short distance before turning back.
They were able to catch their breath.
Shen Xiuyuan said, "Let’s take a detour. That family is a bit strange. They don’t interact much with the other villagers. I heard they used to be hunters, which is why they keep so many dogs."
Yun Jiao climbed out of the basket, ready to march back furiously.
"I’m going to fight them and get revenge!"
Shen Kuan quickly grabbed her.
"Please, my little ancestor, don’t. You’re not even as tall as the dogs."
Yun Jiao’s tone was serious and stubborn. "I can win."
"No fighting. Let’s hurry and go pick watermelons."
Thankfully, the watermelons distracted her, and Shen Kuan breathed a sigh of relief.
This was a true case of a newborn calf not fearing a tiger. Who would have thought this soft, sweet little dumpling was such a warmonger?
They took a detour to the watermelon patch.
Seeing the plump, round watermelons, Yun Jiao’s eyes curved into a smile.
"This watermelon is so big! And this one is big too..."
Her eyes couldn’t take it all in; she felt like every single watermelon would be super delicious.
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