Chapter 51

**Chapter 51**

Huo Liangzhou watched the base improve day by day and was in a good mood.

He’d stored up a huge supply of water, all thanks to his Momo. That kid might look cold-hearted, but he was a total softie underneath.

Otherwise, how else could he have gotten her so easily?

The Qi family was just plain stupid.

When Qi Mo’s dad was alive, the Qis were one of the top families in Jiangcheng.

Once he died, though, the whole family became a lost cause. It really wasn’t fair—left their young master to suffer through it all.

If Qi Huai had any brains, he’d stick with the young master. But no—this idiot actually tried to steal the young master’s man? Was he trying to get himself killed?

Huo Liangzhou chuckled, wondering if his brother had nabbed Jiang Nuan yet.

Just kill her already and be done with it. She kept showing up like a damn nuisance, and it was getting annoying.

His brother too—already twenty, and still couldn’t handle things himself.

If his brother were capable, Huo wouldn’t have to be slaving away here—he could’ve dumped it all on him.

He missed the young master, missed the little chubby kiddo. He hoped the recent heatwave hadn’t made the baby and the young master lose their appetites and get thinner.

He was freaking out over it, but now he couldn’t even make a phone call.

Huo Liangchuan took a saw and a water bottle into the woods to cut trees.

Qi Mo checked the smoke rack. Some vegetables were already planted. He yawned and got ready to tuck Chubby baby in.

He’d stayed up too late last night, so he was dead tired today.

After rushing to feed the pigs, chickens, ducks, fish, and geese inside the space, Qi Mo carried Chubby baby and lay down in the living room. It was still sweltering inside—around 37 or 38 degrees. Hot as hell, but a damn sight better than outside.

Still, they needed to keep chugging water.

If it got any worse, Qi Mo would move the baby to sleep in the basement.

Out on the road, the sun beat down hard.

But once you got into the woods, the shade was a lifesaver.

Some of the trees were drying up and dying, leaves turning yellow, the surface water vanishing fast.

A few days ago, Huangjia Village’s fishpond still had water, and the reservoir wasn’t completely dry.

Now, in just a few short days, the water was nearly gone.

Most of the vegetables in the fields were burned up, and the ones still clinging to life were half-dead—even after the villagers watered them every evening.

A tree as thick as a thigh, about five or six meters tall, came crashing down, its leaves already yellowed and fallen.

Another tree fell. With each cut, Huo Liangchuan took a few sips of water, making sure he didn’t keel over from the heat.

Trees kept falling…

Huo Liangchuan worked himself to the bone before finally collapsing onto a fallen log to catch his breath.

There isn't much water left—roughly only about a third remains.

Over a dozen trees have been felled, and the sun is setting.

Huo Liangchuan starts dragging the trees out and piles them onto the tricycle. With four logs loaded, he pedals home.

After hauling all the wood back home, he eats a bowl of millet porridge before heading out again to continue moving and cutting trees.

Huo Huakang watches the busy Huo Liangchuan and asks, "Liangchuan, it's so hot out—why are you cutting down so many trees?"

Huo Liangchuan unloads the trees from the tricycle.

"Uncle Huakang, there’ll be no gas left soon. My Xiao Mo is carrying a baby, so cutting trees later won’t be easy for him. I’m just preparing more in advance," Huo Liangchuan explains.

Without coal, they’ll have to burn wood for the kang (heated brick bed) in the future, so they need a lot of it.

By the time others realize this, people will be fighting over trees. Huo Liangchuan doesn’t want Xiao Mo to suffer.

Taking care of a little one’s tough enough—how could he let him do such backbreaking work?

One day, two days, three days...

Huo Liangchuan has already chopped firewood from over a dozen trees, piling it up across the whole yard.

Now, he’s chopping the first batch of logs, preparing firewood for Xiao Mo so he won’t have to chop any when needed.

Huo Huakang and his team have also successfully completed their task—now is the time to break the glass.

The glass is bulletproof, making it difficult to break.

First, they use a sharp engraving knife to carve a deep circle, douse it with water, and then strike it with a hammer.

It takes more than ten minutes to finally shatter the tempered glass.

Huo Huakang and the others clear away the broken glass before repainting the walls.

In the kang room, Qi Mo installed a small window—a sliding window about half a meter wide and one meter tall, with a security grille outside.

That lets in plenty of light.

The dining table was moved to the living room long ago.

Fortunately, the living room is spacious, so there’s still plenty of room.

Huo Huakang, Huo Liangya, and Qin Lan help Qi Mo clear out the rubble before leaving his house.

The 50,000 from Qi Mo and the 100,000 from Huo Liangzhou are a lifesaver for them.

Otherwise, their family wouldn’t even have potatoes to spare.

Huo Liangchuan has chopped firewood from over a dozen trees, lining them up under the eaves to dry. In this weather, the wood will dry in just a few days—enough for Xiao Mo to use for the next month. Next time, he’ll get his big brother to do the chopping.

In the evening, Qi Mo simmered a whole chicken in broth, stir-fries a plate of cabbage, and cooks a pot of rice.

His little brother has been working too hard these past few days—he needs the extra calories.

Huo Liangchuan looks at Qi Mo and says, "Xiao Mo, I’ll head back tonight and ought to make it to Jiangcheng by the morning of the day after tomorrow."

After hearing this, Qi Mo feeds Chubby Baby a spoonful of unseasoned chicken broth before replying, "It’s gotten riskier out there on the roads. Bring the pistol and hunting knife with you. I won’t pack too much food—just take six ration bars."

"I also sewed a water vest for you. Wear it—water in your backpack could get snatched. If you can’t hold your own, ditch it. Your life matters more," Qi Mo said.

Huo Liangchuan nodded.

Snowball the kitten let out a meow.

The little furball was gnawing on a drumstick—one of two from the chicken. One remained in Xiao Mo’s bowl, the other in Snowball’s.

Oh, it knew Second Brother was here. That lazy bum was curled up asleep in Dad’s belly.

"Hey, Second Brother! Escort Xiao Mo home already!" Snowball yowled repeatedly.

Unfortunately, the golden eyes didn’t even flicker open. The second brother completely ignored it.

That night, Huo Liangchuan’s backpack held five bottles of mineral water, while the water vest contained roughly the equivalent of two bottles.

His pack also held four ration bars and a couple ramen packs.

He’d shoved two ration bars into Huo Liangchuan’s pocket—along with four or five candies.

As Huo Liangchuan gripped his mountain bike’s handlebars, Qi Mo couldn’t help but say, "If things go sideways and you can’t handle it, offer ’em a hundred pounds of grub to see you home safe. As long as they’re tempted, you’ll live."

Huo Liangchuan nodded.

Xiao Mo cared this much? Big Bro’s got a real shot here. C’mon, Big Bro—lock Xiao Mo down already!

As Huo Liangchuan turned and pedaled off, no one spotted the golden glint low in Qi Mo’s belly—a pair of golden eyes slightly opening, a near-invisible streak of gold flashing past.

That golden light landed on Huo Liangchuan’s back.

Once Huo Liangchuan was out of sight, Qi Mo finally let out a sigh of relief…

But starting tomorrow morning, he’d be stuck feeding the bamboo grove chickens solo.

Nineteen chickens remained—one’d been dinner that night.

Closing the courtyard gate, Qi Mo returned home, toting Chubby and Snowball into the pocket dimension.

The pocket realm was barely recognizable.

It had at least doubled in size, wildgrass now carpeting the pastures.

Fruit saplings had grown a bit, all planted around the pond. Bunnies were already treating the place like home, hopping everywhere and digging burrows to live in.

The pigpen was built, piglets inside. The concrete troughs were already in service, with designated spots for feed and water.

Qi Mo surveyed the area—fish drifted lazily, occasionally revealing a crab scuttling along the bottom.

Lotus pads were already unfurling.

Everything was thriving.

Next, he’d till fresh plots for veggies.

Grain wasn’t an issue—not for years anyway. He’d start planting again once Chubby grew a bit older.

Chickens and ducks were laying fresh eggs—perfect for Chubby’s favorite custard.

Snowball was just as obsessed.

Stepping out of the spatial realm, Qi Mo glanced at the pig farm. He planned to check it out first thing tomorrow morning—if there were any surviving fruit trees, he’d dig them up and plant them in the space.

As for that mutated big cat, with Kitty Snowball by his side, Qi Mo felt no danger or threat from the creature.

That afternoon, Jiang Nuan was betrayed and sold by two security guards who had once looked down on her.

The two men left with a little over ten pounds of grain, more than a dozen packs of instant noodles, and a little over ten pounds of water.

Jiang Nuan never imagined that not only had she been humiliated by her father’s trusted subordinate, but she had also endured days of torment that left her wishing for death—her body covered in wounds, without a single patch of unbroken skin.

And now, she had been sold to a foul-smelling, unwashed old loner in his forties or fifties—for just a little over ten pounds of grain and water.

The man sank his yellowed teeth into her tender skin. Disgust and hatred surged—Qi Mo… Jiang Nuan clenched her jaw…

But to survive, to seek revenge, she forced a pitiful, coquettish act: “Sir, sir, it hurts… Please be gentle. You’ll tear my face…”

Playing hard to get while surrendering, the man quickly grew smug, convinced that his supplies and charm had conquered this fragile, city-bred beauty.

Jiang Nuan told the old man that she had come from the city to seek refuge with her cousin.

She didn’t know that her cousin’s usual affection and care had all been fake. The moment she lost her usefulness, he sold her to those two villains.

Her cousin’s home was stocked to the rafters with food and water—if they could take it all, they’d have enough to last at least two years.

And her cousin himself—so beautiful, even more delicate and fair-skinned than her—was a trophy pet kept by a powerful figure in the city.