Xiao Jingting took out a bottle of water and drank it down. The bottle contained spirit spring water from the jade pendant space he carried with him.
The last time after planting five mu of fields, Xiao Jingting had been terribly thirsty. He had casually scooped up a ladle of spirit spring water from his space and drank it, only to discover that the fatigue in his body was swept away and his depleted spiritual power was rapidly restored.
According to Xiao Jingting’s knowledge, there was a type of Qi Restoration Pill available on the market that could replenish depleted spiritual energy. However, these Qi Restoration Pills were quite expensive—poor quality ones cost two taels of silver each. Yet the spirit spring in his jade pendant was inexhaustible.
The dangers in the forest were endless. Having your spiritual energy depleted here was very dangerous.
Xiao Jingting looked over at Xu Mu’an. Xu Mu’an’s face was somewhat pale, and his eyes showed some worry. Xiao Jingting understood clearly that during the battle with the Tusk Pig just now, Xu Mu’an’s spiritual power had been almost completely exhausted.
“Let me clean this up.” Xiao Jingting leaped down from the tree and collected the Tusk Pig.
“Let’s go back,” Xiao Jingting said, looking at Xu Mu’an.
Xu Mu’an looked at Xiao Jingting’s vigorous appearance and felt very strange about the density of spiritual energy in Xiao Jingting’s body. Besides feeling puzzled, Xu Mu’an was also somewhat worried. Such a large pig could be exchanged for quite a bit of silver, but given Xiao Jingting’s personality, he wouldn’t get a single penny of it.
Xu Mu’an pressed his lips together and suppressed the unease in his heart. Right now, with his spiritual energy exhausted, just preserving his life was already fortunate. If the Tusk Pig belonged to Xiao Jingting, then so be it.
Xiao Jingting glanced at Xu Mu’an and said, “We need to leave quickly. Can you still walk?”
Xu Mu’an nodded and said, “Yes.” Although his spiritual energy was mostly depleted, walking back was still manageable.
Not daring to expose his space, Xiao Jingting generated some branches and wove them into a vine net to drag the Tusk Pig forward.
Worried that hunting a Tusk Pig would attract attention, Xiao Jingting took a roundabout route, avoiding crowds, until they reached their home.
“Daddy, what a big pig!” Seeing Xu Mu’an and Xiao Jingting return, Xiao Xiaofan, who had been eating wild vegetables, exclaimed excitedly.
Xiao Jingting glanced at Xu Mu’an and said, “Let’s cook half the pig and sell the other half.”
Xu Mu’an nodded and said, “Alright.” Although Tusk Pig was delicious and eating it could replenish spiritual power, it also spoiled easily. Half a pig would be just about right for their family to eat.
“I heard you have some connections with the owner of Yuehe Restaurant. Take it to sell tomorrow morning,” Xiao Jingting continued.
Xu Mu’an looked at Xiao Jingting with some surprise and agreed, “Alright.”
Xiao Jingting cooked a large pot of red-braised meat and called Xu Mu’an and his two sons to eat together. All four of them ate until their mouths were dripping with oil.
As Xu Mu’an ate the meat, feeling his body being filled with spiritual power, he felt a surge of excitement.
Xu Mu’an looked over at Xiao Jingting, who was eating meat with his head down, his face full of satisfaction.
Looking at this unfamiliar Xiao Jingting, Xu Mu’an felt some warmth in his heart.
“Mother-father, you ate so much for dinner!” Xiao Xiaofan looked up at Xu Mu’an and muttered.
Xu Mu’an couldn’t help blushing slightly. The meat Xiao Jingting had made was very delicious, and before he knew it, he had eaten quite a lot. Xiao Xiaofan and Xiao Xiaodong hadn’t eaten much though. The spiritual energy contained in the wild boar meat was very potent—more than the two young children could handle. After eating just a few pieces of meat, Xiao Jingting had sent them to drink porridge instead.
The porridge that Xiao Xiaodong and Xiao Xiaofan ate was also cooked by Xiao Jingting. Although it didn’t taste as good as the red-braised meat, for Xiao Xiaodong and Xiao Xiaofan who ate dry flatbread every day, it was still an incomparable delicacy.
“Mother-father works so hard, eating more is only right,” Xiao Xiaodong said.
Xiao Xiaofan nodded and smacked his lips, saying, “Mm, Mother-father should eat more. Father’s cooking is really delicious—better than Mother-father’s cooking.”
“He’s eaten so many fine delicacies, being able to cook is only natural,” Xiao Xiaodong said with dissatisfaction.
Xu Mu’an lowered his head. He could only cook those few dishes over and over again—no wonder his sons found his cooking disappointing.
“Mother-father, Father told you to sell the pig! Half a pig should sell for more than ten taels of silver. After you sell it, hide away some silver, okay?” Xiao Xiaodong suggested.
Xu Mu’an glanced at Xiao Xiaodong twice. He had been thinking the same thing. Not having silver in hand always made one feel uneasy. Although Xiao Jingting seemed to have changed quite a bit, who knew when this person might revert to his old ways?
Early in the morning, Xu Mu’an woke up.
Xu Mu’an opened his door and discovered that Xiao Jingting was also up, fiddling with a grape trellis in the courtyard.
“Going to sell the pig?” Xiao Jingting asked.
Xu Mu’an nodded and said, “Yes, selling it early will get a better price.”
Xiao Jingting nodded and said, “You should go quickly then.”
Xu Mu’an looked at Xiao Jingting twice and left with half the pig.
“Wait a moment.” Xiao Jingting called out to Xu Mu’an.
Xu Mu’an turned around, looked at Xiao Jingting, and asked, “Is there something?”
Xiao Jingting smiled and said, “We’re out of rice and eggs at home. Buy some to bring back—the two children are still small, and it’s not good for them to always eat dry flatbread.”
Xu Mu’an nodded and said, “Alright.”
