Xiao Xiaodong held the bamboo tube that Ding Hong had given him and excitedly walked to where the fields were located.
Xiao Jingting looked at Xiao Xiaodong’s excited expression and thought to himself: After all, he’s still a child—no matter how cunning he is, he’s still playful.
Xiao Xiaodong opened the bamboo tube, and a golden earthworm flew out. The earthworm expanded rapidly in the wind to over a meter long, burrowed into the spirit field, and began tilling the soil.
Xiao Jingting watched this magical scene with no expression on his face, but inwardly he was amazed.
The earthworm was extremely efficient—before long, it had tilled two mu of land. Xiao Xiaodong helped Xiao Jingting plant the seeds together, and the two became so busy they forgot about time.
When Xiao Jingting had left the house, he had brought several steamed buns with him. Seeing Xiao Xiaodong working busily at his side, he gave five to Xiao Xiaodong and Xiao Xiaofan.
When Xu Mu’an came looking for them, Xiao Jingting and Xiao Xiaodong were just about to finish their work.
Xu Mu’an’s gaze toward Xiao Jingting was cold. Xiao Jingting suddenly realized that he had actually used a four-year-old as child labor, which was really going too far.
“Mother-father.” Xiao Xiaofan immediately threw himself into Xu Mu’an’s arms.
Xu Mu’an held Xiao Xiaofan, and his tense mood suddenly relaxed.
Xu Mu’an had been constantly worried lately that Xiao Jingting would sell the two children. Coming home to find the two children missing, he had nearly gone crazy with panic.
Xiao Jingting followed Xu Mu’an home. Xiao Jingting secretly observed Xu Mu’an’s ugly expression, not knowing how to start a conversation.
Xiao Jingting had wanted to go home and talk with Xu Mu’an, but as soon as Xu Mu’an returned, he shut the door.
“Your little brother doesn’t understand things, but why are you getting mixed up with him too?” Xu Mu’an looked at Xiao Xiaodong with some unease.
Xiao Xiaodong rubbed his hands and said, “I think he’s changed a lot, and besides, I’m just making a deal with him. I help him, and he gives me and my little brother steamed buns to eat.”
Xu Mu’an couldn’t help feeling somewhat dejected. Such luxurious things as steamed buns—his two sons hadn’t eaten any in a long time. “He didn’t do anything else, did he?” Xu Mu’an asked.
Xiao Xiaodong shook his head and said, “No, I think he seems to have changed a lot.”
“Don’t let your guard down. Countries may change easily, but a person’s nature is hard to alter. Who knows what scheme he’s plotting!” Xu Mu’an said.
Xiao Xiaodong nodded solemnly.
“I saw that the vegetables in the plot have sprouted a bit,” Xu Mu’an said. The vegetables in the plot had been planted by Xiao Xiaodong and grew very slowly, though they could mature in about a month. The previous batch was almost completely eaten, and this new batch hadn’t emerged yet.
“He did it,” Xiao Xiaodong said.
“He did it? Why?”
Xiao Xiaodong stuck out his tongue and said, “Probably because he’s spent all his money, so now he needs to be self-sufficient.”
Xu Mu’an pressed his lips together and thought to himself: If Xiao Jingting really was starting to think of ways to make money because he didn’t have enough money, that would be good. But if Xiao Jingting continued to act recklessly and sold off all the remaining farmland, selling the house would be troublesome.
“Mother-father, there are two steamed buns here—you eat them.” Xiao Xiaodong took out two carefully wrapped steamed buns. Xu Mu’an looked at Xiao Xiaodong’s bright eyes and said dully, “You eat them.”
“I already ate,” Xiao Xiaodong said.
Xu Mu’an rubbed Xiao Xiaodong’s head and said, “Save them to eat tomorrow.”
Xiao Xiaodong held onto Xu Mu’an’s hand and wouldn’t let go. In the end, they each ate one steamed bun.
Xiao Xiaodong and Xiao Xiaofan had been tired all day and went to sleep before dark. Xu Mu’an came out and cooked something to eat. Although the steamed buns were delicious, one wasn’t filling enough.
Hearing Xu Mu’an’s movements, Xiao Jingting came out. When Xu Mu’an saw Xiao Jingting, he couldn’t help but tense up.
“Is there something you need?” Xu Mu’an asked.
“I’m a bit tight on money lately,” Xiao Jingting said.
Xu Mu’an lowered his head and said, “I don’t have any silver.”
“I heard that you go into the wilderness to hunt for prey,” Xiao Jingting said.
Xu Mu’an raised his head full of wariness. Xiao Jingting quickly said, “Could I go with you?”
Xu Mu’an hesitated for a long time, then nodded and said, “Alright.”
Having gained Xu Mu’an’s consent, Xiao Jingting couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Xiao Jingting went into his room and took out a box containing eighteen taels of silver and several pawn tickets. Xiao Jingting was somewhat relieved to discover that the farmland he had pawned was actually a “living pawn.” Living pawns exchanged for much less silver than “dead pawns,” but within two months, with two percent interest, he could retrieve the land deeds.
The original owner had been a gambler. When pawning the farmland, he thought he could win it back with a gamble, so when pawning it, he had chosen a living pawn.
Xiao Jingting put the box away and thought to himself: The urgent priority now is to make money as quickly as possible, then buy back the farmland as soon as possible.
The next day, Xu Mu’an instructed Xiao Xiaodong to take good care of his little brother, then went to the forest together with Xiao Jingting.
