Chapter 41

"Of course, we are willing!" The villagers responded enthusiastically.

Now, in their eyes, Shen Ningning was like a little god of wealth!

Generous with money and kind-hearted too, working for her was an absolute pleasure!

Yet Shen Ningning said, "I just need a few aunties who are good at cooking!"

Then, Wolf Three and Wolf Four brought forward barrels filled with fresh vegetables and meat.

The young girl pointed out, "Every time I go to the private school, Grandma prepares meals for me, but she's old, and the weather is hot, so I want to ask the aunties to help me prepare them."

She had thought of this last night.

The meals prepared by the aunties would be stored in the fairyland.

When she wanted to eat at the private school, she could just take them out anytime.

Having Grandma do it all by herself would be too exhausting.

The villagers' eyes nearly popped out at the sight of the fresh meat and vegetables.

The green vegetables were so fresh they seemed to glisten with dew, tender enough to ooze water.

The beef and pork had clear marbling, with a perfect balance of fat and lean.

There were green and red peppers, cabbages, and countless eggs.

The old village chief exclaimed in surprise, "Ningning, how much did you spend on these vegetables?"

Shen Ningning replied with a soft and sweet voice, "I didn’t spend any money; they are all grown and raised in the mountains."

In the mountains? Were there such treasures on Wolf Mountain?

Some villagers couldn’t help but look enviously towards the large mountain behind the village.

But as they looked down, they saw the wolf pack beside Shen Ningning, their eyes ominously fixed on them.

It was as if the wolves would tear open their throats the moment they sensed any ill intent.

The wolves raised by Shen Ningning were incredibly strong, standing taller than a person when upright.

Their fur gleamed, their teeth were incredibly sharp, and their eyes were fiercely intimidating.

Immediately, any crooked thoughts were dispelled.

It was better to honestly help Shen Ningning and gain some benefits.

Auntie Liu volunteered enthusiastically, "Ningning! I'm known in the village for my cooking skills."

"Let me handle this. I’ll choose a few people to ensure these ingredients are cooked deliciously and fragrantly!"

Shen Ningning nodded decisively, "Okay, but I want to choose one person specifically..."

The young girl's bright black eyes scanned the crowd.

"Why don’t I see Grandma Chen? I remember she's quite skilled in cooking."

Plus, Grandma Chen had always been kind to her, so Shen Ningning wanted to include her.

However, Auntie Liu informed, "Ningning, you might not know, but Grandma Chen’s son was reportedly sent back from the border. She went to the outskirts of the capital to wait for him a couple of days ago."

Uncle Liu nudged his wife, frowning, "Don’t spread rumors."

"I'm not spreading rumors! Grandma Chen herself was crying when she left the village. I saw her and asked. She told me herself," Auntie Liu retorted, unwilling to back down.

Uncle Liu didn’t want her to discuss other people's private matters any further, leading to an argument.

Shen Ningning's little face showed a look of puzzlement.

"Didn't Grandma Chen send all her money there? How could her son still be sent back?"

Seeing that Uncle Liu and his wife were about to get into a heated argument, the old village chief quickly stepped in to mediate.

"Alright, enough! Stop arguing!"

Shen Ningning regained her focus, her voice sweet and soft, "Then Auntie Liu, I'll leave the cooking to you. Please find four more aunties to help, and I'll give each of you two taels afterward."

"Okay, great!" Auntie Liu was thrilled.

She immediately called her close friends from the village, picked up the two barrels of vegetables and meat, and left.

These aunties were all skilled at cooking.

They went to Auntie Liu's house, where they threw the firewood in and started a big fire, sending plumes of cooking smoke into the air.

They heated oil for stir-frying, and the meat strips sizzled in the oil, turning glossy and tender.

The bok choy was first blanched in bone broth, then stir-fried with minced garlic.

The aunties bustled around the stove, creating countless delicious dishes with their spatulas.

Auntie Liu showcased her special skills.

She was skilled with a knife, slicing the pork as thin as cicada wings, first blanched in bone broth, then laid over bean sprouts, greens, and wood ear mushrooms.

Sprinkled with chopped green and red chili peppers, along with Sichuan peppercorns and garlic, then drizzled with sizzling oil!

The aroma could drift all the way to the entrance of the village!

Finally finishing the dish in her hand, she wiped her hands satisfactorily on her apron.

Just as she was about to turn around to start on the next dish, she caught someone trying to sneak half a piece of pork belly into their apron.

Auntie Liu quickly walked over in three steps and grabbed the person's wrist.

"Fugui’s mother, what did you take?!"

"Shh! Don’t shout!" Deng’s daughter-in-law gestured for silence with a finger to her lips.

She glanced left and right, ensuring the other aunties hadn’t noticed.

Then, in a lowered voice, she said, “Ningning brought so much food, and it’s all cooked. She can’t finish it all, and it’ll just go bad, won’t it?”

"I just took half a piece of her meat, but don’t you tell her."

Liu’s sister-in-law immediately said, “That’s not right!”

"Ningning trusts us to help her, and she’s even paying us. You can’t take both the money and the food!”

"If you want something from her, ask openly. Why resort to such sneaky actions!”

Deng’s daughter-in-law’s face darkened: “Don’t talk nonsense, I didn’t steal.”

"How is it not stealing? Put it back right now!" Liu’s sister-in-law said, "Your son Fugui follows Ningning around all day, calling her ‘little wolf sister’. What would Ningning think of Fugui if she found out?"

Hearing this, Deng’s daughter-in-law finally showed a trace of guilt.

She took out the piece of pork belly and put it back on the chopping board.

“I understand. I won’t take anything next time, just don’t tell Ningning.”

“I won’t tell, but remember not to do this again. You have to set a good example for Fugui, so he doesn’t have to feel ashamed in front of Ningning!”

Deng's daughter-in-law nodded repeatedly.

But then, a thought crossed her mind.

Her son Fugui really did seem unusually excited every time he saw Shen Ningning.

He would eagerly follow her around, like a little yellow dog.

Shen Ningning, only four years old, was already charmingly beautiful, with fair skin and eyes like those in paintings.

When she grows up, around eleven or twelve, she will probably be even more beautiful!

In the whole village, nobody was more suitable for Shen Ningning than her Deng family!

Her father-in-law was the village head, and they had chickens, ducks, and pigs at home – much better off than others.

If her son truly liked her, marrying her as his wife would be a good match!

Deng's daughter-in-law kneaded the dough while indulging in her fantasies.

Meanwhile, Shen Ningning, carrying a bag of red and orange fruits, arrived at the mad scholar’s yard.

She knocked on the door, but the mad scholar, as usual, didn’t respond.

The sound of his reading, loud and clear, filtered through the worn windows.

“Crazy Master, I’ve come to see you!” Shen Ningning peered in through the door, her bright eyes fixed on the person on the broken chair.

The mad scholar’s reading abruptly stopped.

He finally emerged from the vast ocean of his books.

"Why do you call me Crazy Master?"

"Because... I don't know your last name," the little one said softly.

Her round, pink cheeks were tinged with shyness and embarrassment.

The mad scholar was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"It's fine, my real name no longer matters. You can call me that."

With that, he turned and took a book off the shelf.

Flipping through it, the pages were filled with dense annotations and notes.

"You’ve come at the right time. I have prepared new books for you. This one is harder than the last two; you must listen carefully."

The mad scholar sat down with Shen Ningning and began to teach her the new material, step by step.

The little one started reading again, utterly bewildered at first.

She went from being utterly confused to having epiphanies at the mad scholar’s guidance, all in just half an hour.

As the mad scholar became more animated and passionate in his teaching, Shen Ningning would quickly understand and expand on his points, exciting him as if he had found a kindred spirit.

When they grew tired from studying, Shen Ningning would peel an orange with her small hands and share it with the mad scholar.

Until two hours passed and the setting sun cast golden light across the roof.

As Shen Ningning grew older, she would often reminisce about these moments from her childhood.

Her first teacher, on this barren land, under a cracked roof beam, poured all his knowledge into building a sturdy bridge for her, leading to a dazzling and extraordinary destiny.

Every day she asks for votes, because Ningning is in a competition again! Look at her, she's getting thin from hunger! Feed her some more votes, please =3=