“Here’s your deposit.” Xiao Jingting gave Xiao Xiaodong a steamed bun.
Xiao Xiaofan looked at the steamed bun in Xiao Xiaodong’s hand and swallowed a gulp of saliva.
Just as Xiao Xiaodong was about to give his steamed bun to Xiao Xiaofan, Xiao Jingting had already handed a steamed bun to Xiao Xiaofan.
“This one is for Xiaofan from me—it doesn’t count toward the three.” Xiao Jingting didn’t look at Xiao Xiaodong as he rubbed Xiao Xiaofan’s little head and said calmly.
As soon as Xiao Xiaofan took the steamed bun, he began eating it in big bites. While eating, he also smiled foolishly at Xiao Jingting.
Xiao Xiaodong looked at Xiao Jingting strangely, his feelings very complicated. Xiao Jingting’s attitude toward him had always been better than toward his little brother, though not by much. His primary attribute was wood, and he looked like Xiao Jingting, so Xiao Jingting didn’t really doubt that he was his son. But his little brother was different.
His little brother not only had brain problems, but his primary attribute followed their mother-father’s fire nature. Moreover, because his mind was slow, he couldn’t cultivate at all. Xiao Jingting’s attitude toward his little brother had always been terrible.
Seeing Xiao Jingting’s changed attitude toward his little brother, while Xiao Xiaodong felt relieved, his mood was also somewhat strange.
“Do you want to go look at the fields?” Xiao Xiaodong asked.
Xiao Jingting nodded and said, “Yes.”
“There’s nothing in your fields,” Xiao Xiaodong said.
Xiao Jingting was stunned for a moment. He had only thought about going to look at the fields and had completely forgotten that the spoiled young master had never farmed at all, so the fields should be completely barren now.
“In that case, should we go to town first to buy seeds?” Xiao Jingting asked tentatively.
Hearing about going to town, Xiao Xiaofan’s eyes lit up, and Xiao Xiaodong was also tempted, but in an instant Xiao Xiaodong pushed this thought to the back of his mind.
Xiao Xiaodong couldn’t be sure how long Xiao Jingting’s “reform” would last. Xiao Xiaodong was very worried that Xiao Jingting might encounter some bad friends on the street and be persuaded to sell him and his little brother.
“The village chief’s house should have extra seeds. I heard he’s planning to sell them in a few days. You could buy from the village chief’s house—it would be cheaper than buying from shops, and it’s not far either,” Xiao Xiaodong suggested.
“Then come with me.” In his impression, the village chief of Tuqiu Village was fairly just in his dealings. This person greatly disapproved of Xiao Jingting’s behavior but was quite sympathetic toward Xu Mu’an and the two children’s plight.
Xiao Xiaodong nodded and said, “Alright.”
Xiao Xiaodong led Xiao Xiaofan walking in front, with Xiao Jingting following behind.
Xiao Xiaofan walked slowly, and Xiao Jingting grew impatient, so he picked up Xiao Xiaofan. Xiao Xiaofan, being simple-hearted, was very happy nestled in Xiao Jingting’s arms. Seeing Xiao Jingting carrying Xiao Xiaofan, Xiao Xiaodong’s gaze toward Xiao Jingting became even stranger.
The village chief of Tuqiu Village was named Ding Hong, and he had a very robust build.
Ding Hong was around forty years old, and his cultivation was also at the Third Level of Qi Cultivation. Ding Hong’s cultivation level was already considered quite good in the village.
Xiao Jingting suddenly remembered that the original owner was also considered an expert in the village. Although the original owner didn’t like cultivation, he was after all a young master from a great family and had been given focused training within his original family. While the original owner’s cultivation couldn’t compare to the geniuses in the family, it was much stronger than same-aged villagers.
“Buying seeds?” Ding Hong looked at Xiao Jingting with complete surprise.
Xiao Xiaodong nodded and said, “Yes.”
“What kind and how many seeds do you want to buy?” Ding Hong asked.
“About enough seeds to plant five mu of fields,” Xiao Xiaodong said.
A flash of contempt passed through Ding Hong’s eyes. Xiao Jingting realized that Ding Hong must have learned about him selling his fields. The villagers of Tuqiu Village valued farmland highly, and behavior like Xiao Jingting’s—selling fields—was extremely disgusting to them.
Ding Hong brought out two bags of seeds and said, “Two taels of silver.”
Xiao Jingting thanked him, took out two taels of silver, and handed them to Ding Hong.
Xiao Xiaodong tugged at Xiao Jingting’s sleeve and said, “The fields have been neglected for a long time. It would be best to till the soil. Uncle Ding has a very powerful earth-tilling earthworm.”
Xiao Jingting didn’t understand what he was hearing. Ding Hong glanced at Xiaodong and said coldly to Xiao Jingting, “One rental costs two hundred copper coins.”
Seeing Xiao Xiaodong’s expression, Xiao Jingting knew that the earth-tilling earthworm was a good thing and immediately rented it.
Xiao Jingting gave Ding Hong four taels of silver—two taels for the seeds and two taels as deposit for the earth-tilling earthworm. When returning the earthworm, he could get back one tael and eight hundred wen. If others were to rent the earth-tilling earthworm, they wouldn’t need such a high deposit. Clearly, Ding Hong didn’t trust Xiao Jingting at all.
Xiao Jingting didn’t know how to use the earth-tilling earthworm. Xiao Xiaodong volunteered that he knew how, so Xiao Jingting handed the bamboo tube that Ding Hong had given him to Xiao Xiaodong.
The three of them walked a very long way before reaching where the fields were located.
Xiao Jingting squinted his eyes. The fields had been prepared by the family, and he didn’t know if it was intentional, but they had chosen a location very far from the residence. The original owner was most afraid of trouble—with the fields chosen so far away, how could the original owner be willing to farm them! In any case, having fields was better than having none at all.
