Chapter 44:

Chapter 44:

Holding onto Cheng Nanyi, Yuan Ting finally felt relieved, thinking, 'I, Yuan Ting, am indestructible. No one can get rid of me!!!'

Cheng Nanyi set him down and bowed to the person behind him, "You must be Yuan Ting's grandmother. I am Cheng Nanyi, Yuan Ting's cousin."

"Oh, hello, hello..." Grandma Yuan was somewhat flustered, "Then, then, Xiao Ting, bring your guest inside, quick..."

"We won't come in, we're leaving," Yuan Ting hurriedly said, "Brother, let's go back."

"There's no rush to leave," Cheng Nanyi patted his head, then gestured for Xiao Zhang to open the trunk and bring out the gifts.

Again, a pile of gift boxes. Grandma Yuan waved her hands, "No need, no need, too much, too much. We can't accept..." They hadn't dared to open the previous gifts, worried about being unable to reciprocate and fearing it would be impolite to send them back with Yuan Ting. Now here was another pile. How could they not be overwhelmed?

"It's not too much, Grandma," Cheng Nanyi had Xiao Zhang carry the gifts, following Grandma Yuan into the house, "It's customary to bring substantial gifts on a first visit. I won't do this on subsequent visits."

"You'll visit again?" Grandma Yuan was somewhat excited. Did this mean Yuan Ting would be allowed to return in the future?

Watching Cheng Nanyi enter the house, Yuan Ting was full of questions. Why are you going in? That's my grandmother...

Xiao Zhang soon came out again, patted Yuan Ting's head, and... drove off... leaving only a swirl of exhaust and a tuft of yellow fur.

Yuan Ting: "..."

Why did he feel his journey home was so fraught with obstacles?

Stamping his foot, Yuan Ting complained, "Will I ever be able to go back?"

"Do you... really want to leave?" came a weak voice from the side.

Yuan Ting turned and saw Yuan Xiao, who had silently appeared behind the door.

"No," Yuan Ting shook his head. "Of course not."

"But I feel like you do," Yuan Xiao said, looking down dejectedly. "Xiao Ting, is it because it's better there? Or did we make you unhappy?"

Such a sentimental soul.

"Want to know the answer? Give me twenty yuan, and I'll tell you," Yuan Ting held out his hand.

Yuan Xiao stepped back in alarm, clutching his pocket, and looked at Yuan Ting in fear: "I don’t want to hear it." He wasn't a fool.

No matter which side Xiao Ting preferred, he was bound to leave eventually, so Yuan Xiao didn't want to hear it.

Yuan Ting clapped his hands, confirming his thought: the only fool was a certain someone.

Lying at home petting a dog, someone sneezed three times, then frowned, suspecting that the darn kid was bad-mouthing him.

When Yuan Ting entered the house, Cheng Nanyi had already been seated in the main room. Uncle Yuan was entertaining the guest, and after learning Cheng Nanyi's identity, the Yuan family was exceedingly warm and hospitable.

"This is Young Master Cheng, we mustn't be impolite," Grandma Yuan and Uncle Yuan discussed lunch preparations. Although the family was not wealthy, they had prepared quite a bit for the New Year. Still, their modest rural offerings seemed hardly sufficient to entertain a young master from the big city.

"Qingmin, go to town and buy a leg of lamb, and some beef. Remember how we used to go to the big restaurant with Qingguang, and they had tomato beef brisket? Let's make that," Grandma Yuan suggested.

Uncle Yuan hesitated for a moment, then nodded and pulled out the bicycle to head to town.

During the years when Yuan Ting's father's business was thriving, they built a house and bought a three-wheeled tractor and a van, living increasingly better. But after the business failed, they sold everything to pay off his debts, leaving only a bicycle.

Just then, a man entered, dropping a sack on the ground with a thud: "This is for Yuan Ting." He turned to leave immediately after speaking.

Uncle Yuan quickly grabbed him, "Dabao, what are you doing?"

The sack on the ground was still moving, clearly containing something alive.

Hearing the noise, Yuan Ting and others came out from the house. Wang Dabao, facing so many people, became impatient, snorted and said, "It's for Yuan Ting."

"What's that?" Yuan Ting looked at the wriggling sack, and suddenly realizing, he leapt into Cheng Nanyi's arms, "Ah, a snake! Brother, brother, protect me!"

Cheng Nanyi: "..."

Yuan Xiao: "..." Had his brother gone mad?

Wang Dabao frowned deeply, "It's a rabbit, Yuan Ting. Are you sick or something?" He had seen Yuan Ting in the village before, always following Yuan Xiao. The brothers were known to be well-behaved. Why did Yuan Ting seem so over-the-top now?

Wealthy families really do change people; he's turned into a young master.

Cheng Nanyi's brows furrowed slightly, showing clear displeasure.

Although Cheng Nanyi was several years younger than Wang Dabao, he was taller and had an imposing presence. Wang Dabao, feeling intimidated under his gaze, involuntarily looked away.

Grandma Yuan opened the bag and pulled out a large, plump rabbit weighing about three to four pounds, still kicking and alive.

Catching rabbits in winter is no easy task, and it's hard to imagine the effort Wang Dabao must have put in to catch such a fat one.

Though the Yuan family was poor now, they were united and making ends meet. Wang Dabao's family, however, was different. His mother had left with someone else, and his father, who was no good, had abandoned him and his grandfather for several years. They barely survived on selling vegetables and government aid. How could they accept such a gift?

Uncle Yuan insisted that Wang Dabao take the rabbit back, but he refused: "My grandma said we can't just eat Yuan Ting's chocolate for nothing. This is for him."

"Chocolate?"

"Yuan Ting gave Dabao a box of chocolate before," Yuan Xiao explained.

Grandma Yuan and Uncle Yuan couldn't estimate the value of a box of chocolates, but they knew that the chocolates from a wealthy family like Yuan Ting's would definitely be more expensive than the rabbit, which would be worth only a few dozen yuan at most in their rural area.

But such things can't be calculated based on value alone. Doing so would be heartless.

Unable to send the rabbit back, it would make a good addition to the meal. Grandma Yuan decided to accept the rabbit, planning to send a bag of grain to Wang Dabao's family in a few days.

Cheng Nanyi caught the words "Dabao" from Yuan Xiao. Those two words were quite explosive for him, given that much of his supplementary knowledge about scarcity came from "Dabao's mom at the east end of the village" and "Dabao's mom at the west end of the village"…

So Dabao really existed, and he seemed quite pitiable.

With Mo Yikai's close-at-hand example, Cheng Nanyi felt a natural sympathy for Dabao, who shared a similar plight and had been mentioned many times by Yuan Ting.

Seeing they had accepted the rabbit, Wang Dabao left the Yuan household, and Uncle Yuan continued with his plan to bike to town for meat.

Turning around, Yuan Ting realized Cheng Nanyi was gone.

After searching the house and not finding him, Yuan Xiao told Yuan Ting, "He went out following Dabao."

what？

Yuan Ting was startled, worrying that Cheng Nanyi might ask Wang Dabao something like, “Are you the Dabao whose father had an affair and whose mother drank pesticide and died?”

He was afraid Wang Dabao might lash out in response.

Yuan Ting rushed outside and, sure enough, saw Wang Dabao and Cheng Nanyi standing face to face not far off.

"Are you called Dabao?" Cheng Nanyi asked.

"What about it?" Wang Dabao's nose always seemed to be runny. He sniffled, and Cheng Nanyi quickly stepped back two paces, recalling images of Yuan Ting with a runny nose and bubbles.

"Are all the kids in their village like this?"

Wang Dabao, sensitive and perceptive, immediately noticed Cheng Nanyi's disdain. His face turned red with anger, his hands clenched together. Usually, he would've lashed out physically at anyone else who looked down on him, but he restrained himself. The person before him was from a wealthy family, and he wasn't foolish enough to cause trouble that could affect his grandmother's well-being.

"So, do you live at the east or west end of the village?" This had been a burning question for Cheng Nanyi, as Yuan Ting might have misremembered it. He wanted to correct Yuan Ting's possible linguistic error.

Wang Dabao glared at him in silence, ready to retaliate if Cheng Nanyi showed any further contempt.

Seeing him silent, Cheng Nanyi pulled out his wallet and took out three hundred yuan, offering it to Wang Dabao: "Here, I want to buy a rabbit."

Wang Dabao's anger turned to confusion and surprise: "Buy a rabbit?"

"Yes," Cheng Nanyi nodded. "I want to take a rabbit back for my grandfather. Three hundred yuan, catch one for me."

Yuan Xiao immediately shook Yuan Ting's shoulder, whispering anxiously, "No need to buy, three hundred yuan is too much, just take our rabbit, that's three hundred yuan..." Was this young master out of his mind?

Yuan Ting chuckled awkwardly, scratching his head.

"A rabbit only costs about twenty yuan, you don't need to spend three hundred," Wang Dabao looked at Cheng Nanyi as if he was looking at a fool.

Wild rabbits in the countryside were hard to catch but not valuable. Unlike in big cities where people spend a lot on wild game for a meal, rural folks occasionally catch one just to add variety to their meals. Not many people bother to sell them, as they wouldn't fetch much money; even a plump rabbit weighing three to five pounds wouldn't sell for more than twenty or thirty yuan.

Spending three hundred yuan on a rabbit, if not foolish, then what?

"I insist on spending three hundred yuan for the rabbit," Cheng Nanyi said calmly. "This is my decision. You just need to decide whether to sell or not."

To sell or not?

Of course, sell. That's three hundred yuan.

Yuan Xiao shook Yuan Ting's small frame frantically: "I can catch it too, Xiao Ting, let him give the money to me." He had realized that these city folks were foolishly generous with their money, recalling Yuan Ting's earlier words, "Earn where you can."

Yuan Ting shook off Yuan Xiao's hand, reassuring him, "Brother, this isn't our money to earn. It rightfully belongs to Wang Dabao."

Yuan Xiao didn't understand, why did it rightfully belong to Wang Dabao?

Wang Dabao swallowed hard, "Are you serious?"

"Of course," Cheng Nanyi nodded. "If you don't want it, I'll find someone else."

"I'll catch it," Wang Dabao said quickly, fearing he might lose the opportunity to someone else.

Yuan Xiao subtly raised his hand, signaling, look at me, I can catch it too.

But he didn't dare speak up, worried about upsetting Yuan Ting.

Realizing his eagerness might seem embarrassing, Wang Dabao touched his nose and coughed to cover it up, "But rabbits are hard to catch. I can't guarantee I'll catch one today. When are you leaving?"

Cheng Nanyi thought for a moment, "I can wait two days for you."

"Okay, I agree," Wang Dabao glanced at the money in his hand and swallowed hard, "I’ll take the money after I catch the rabbit." Then he turned and ran off, sprinting quickly.

Yuan Xiao blinked, puzzled. The doctor had said his heart was healed, so why did he still feel this pang of heartache?

Yuan Xiao, clutching his chest, asked Yuan Ting softly, "If I catch a rabbit, will your brother give me three hundred yuan? Even a hundred per rabbit is fine." He could use ten yuan to enlist village kids to help him catch them, then he could keep ninety.

Yuan Ting jumped up and tapped Yuan Xiao on the head, "Brother, this is not the kind of money we should be earning. Put that idea out of your mind."

Dabao, Dabao, still, he didn't mean to say those things about Dabao's parents.

He just thought the name Dabao sounded familiar and said it randomly. After all, it had been over twenty years, and he really forgot there was a Dabao in the east end of the village.

Author's Note:

Thanks to the angels who supported me with their votes and nutrient solutions from 2023-08-15 21:06:10 to 2023-08-16 16:20:39~

Thanks to the angels for their nutrient solutions: Melody, 🙂 10 bottles; Wan Feng 5 bottles; Overcoming Procrastination 3 bottles; Hey Hey 2 bottles; Lin Wu Yu, AY, Shui Feng Qing, Idle Salted Fish, Really Want to Drink Zhi Zhi Peach Peach, Ran Momomo 1 bottle each;

I'm very grateful for everyone's support and will continue to work hard!