Xiao Jingting watched Xiao Xiaodong’s retreating figure and thought to himself: “The road ahead is long and arduous.”
After casting a spiritual technique on the vegetable plot, Xiao Jingting felt his internal spiritual power was slightly depleted but still quite abundant. His memories told him that the same spiritual field couldn’t have techniques cast on it continuously, because plant growth would consume fertility, and excessive plant growth would over-deplete the nutrients in the soil.
For the same plant, the first time a spiritual technique was cast on it produced the best results.
Xiao Xiaodong returned to his room and sat on the edge of the bed, his heart pounding.
Xiao Xiaofan rubbed his eyes and looked at Xiao Xiaodong, saying drowsily, “Big brother, is it dawn?”
Xiao Xiaodong glanced at Xiao Xiaofan, whose hair was sticking up in all directions, and said, “It’s not dawn yet. Sleep a little more.”
“Brother, I’m hungry.”
Xiao Xiaodong’s heart sank. Sure enough, it was the same as always—Xiao Xiaofan’s habit was to cry that he was hungry as soon as he woke up.
Xiao Xiaodong handed a flatbread to Xiao Xiaofan and said, “Eat this.”
Xiao Xiaofan made a bitter face and said, “The flatbread is so hard. I don’t like eating it.”
Looking at Xiao Xiaofan’s pitiful appearance, Xiao Xiaodong felt uncomfortable.
“The rice is ready,” Xiao Xiaofan said, his eyes brightening.
Xiao Xiaodong’s expression changed, silently cursing Xiao Jingting for being a bastard—cooking delicious food every morning but never giving them any.
“Sleep a little more,” Xiao Xiaodong urged.
Xiao Xiaofan sniffed the air and kept glancing toward the stool in the room. Being small, if Xiao Xiaofan wanted to open the door, he would definitely need to move a chair.
“You’re not allowed to go,” Xiao Xiaodong said sternly.
Xiao Xiaofan bit his finger and looked at Xiao Xiaodong pitifully.
After a long while, Xiao Xiaodong couldn’t bear Xiao Xiaofan’s pitiful gaze any longer. He opened the door and secretly glanced at Xiao Jingting.
Seeing Xiao Xiaodong sneakily poking his head out from behind the door, Xiao Jingting revealed a gentle smile and said, “Want to eat steamed buns? Help me with something, and I’ll give you two.”
Xiao Xiaodong hadn’t expected Xiao Jingting to speak to him and immediately shrank his head back.
Xiao Xiaofan tugged at Xiao Xiaodong’s arm and said, “Big brother, he said if we help him with something, he’ll give us steamed buns to eat!”
Xiao Xiaodong looked at Xiao Xiaofan’s greedy expression with some exasperation, thinking, “They’re just steamed buns—look how much you’re drooling over them.”
Xiao Xiaofan blinked and said somewhat confusedly, “Big brother, don’t you want to eat steamed buns? Steamed buns are so soft and feel so good going down.”
Xiao Xiaodong: “…”
Xiao Xiaofan scratched his head and clung to Xiao Xiaodong’s arm coquettishly, saying, “Big brother, go ask him what favor he wants us to do!”
Xiao Xiaodong looked at Xiao Xiaofan’s crystal-clear eyes and hesitated for a moment. Unable to resist the temptation of steamed buns, he finally said, “Alright.”
Hearing this, Xiao Xiaofan happily followed Xiao Xiaodong outside.
Xiao Xiaodong positioned the excited Xiao Xiaofan behind him and approached Xiao Jingting with full vigilance, asking, “What favor do you want us to do?”
Xiao Jingting looked at Xiao Xiaodong and secretly pursed his lips. The boy wouldn’t even call him father—it seemed this son of the original owner really held deep grudges.
“I want to go see our family’s farmland, but I don’t know where it is. Do you know?” Xiao Jingting asked.
“I don’t know,” Xiao Xiaofan said, somewhat dejected upon hearing this.
Xiao Xiaodong studied Xiao Jingting and said, “You haven’t sold off all your fields yet?”
Xiao Jingting felt his face burn as he said, “No, there are still five mu of inferior fields left.”
A cold glint flashed in Xiao Xiaodong’s eyes. Xiao Jingting realized he seemed to be getting looked down upon by his own son.
“If you want to sell them, just take them directly to sell. You don’t need to know where the fields are,” Xiao Xiaodong said coldly.
Xiao Jingting: “…”
Xiao Jingting laughed awkwardly and said, “Actually, everything that could be sold from what we brought from the Xiao family has been sold off. If we keep selling, the only thing left will be the house, and then we’ll be sleeping on the streets. So I want to plant some spirit plants and earn some money.”
Xiao Xiaodong looked at Xiao Jingting with complete surprise, then lowered his head as if weighing the truthfulness of Xiao Jingting’s words.
Although Xiao Xiaodong really disliked Xiao Jingting, he still hoped that Xiao Jingting would turn over a new leaf. After all, he didn’t want himself and his little brother to be sold off by Xiao Jingting when he ran out of things to sell.
Xiao Xiaofan didn’t share Xiao Xiaodong’s worries. His little hands gripped the table as he stared at the steamed buns on it, constantly swallowing his saliva.
After a while, Xiao Xiaodong raised his head, looked at Xiao Jingting, and said, “I know where the fields are.”
Xiao Jingting nodded, thinking to himself: As expected, the eldest son is sharp—he must have already gone to scout them out.
Xiao Xiaodong had wood attributes. Previously, when he and Xiao Xiaofan had been beaten by a drunk Xiao Jingting, Xiao Xiaodong had secretly thought that if Xiao Jingting died like his grandparents had, perhaps he could inherit Xiao Jingting’s farmland. However, upon further reflection, the more likely scenario would be that people from the Xiao family would come and reclaim the land.
“It’s quite far,” Xiao Xiaodong said.
“If you’re willing to take me there, I can give you three steamed buns,” Xiao Jingting said.
Xiao Xiaodong pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, “Deal.”
