Free Web NovelChapter 293: Chapter 295: Shock
Amid everyone’s warm welcome, An Ning finally stepped out of the car.
The moment her feet touched the ground, Da Huang propped his front paws on An Ning, his big, round head bobbing back and forth in front of her face.
The big rooster behind them was not to be outdone.
’She’s my master. How can I let a neighbor’s dog steal the spotlight?’
The big rooster flapped its wings, launched itself nimbly into the air, and landed on one leg squarely on Da Huang’s head.
An Ning, who had been about to pet Da Huang’s head, froze at the sight.
"Big Rooster, you fly almost like a bird. You’ve evolved."
An Ning stroked the big rooster’s back, smoothing its feathers a few times.
The feathers felt so smooth that An Ning couldn’t help but add, "Your feathers are just beautiful."
The big rooster’s iridescent feathers seemed to glow, shimmering with their own light.
Master Tang, who had come out at some point, subconsciously nodded twice after An Ning finished speaking.
It was these two nods that made the big rooster fly off Da Huang’s head and charge right at Master Tang.
Then, all the men, women, and children standing at the gate burst out laughing.
Master Tang took off running, turning his head from time to time to shout at the big rooster, "What are you doing!"
"It was just a joke!"
"You hold way too much of a grudge!"
"You need to be a magnanimous rooster!"
An Ning placed her left hand on Da Huang’s head and, guessing at the scene before her, asked, "Did Master Tang say something about stewing a chicken?"
An Guoqing, standing to the side, nodded vigorously. He recalled, "Just a few days ago, the big rooster chased Master Tang around the village five or six times."
"It only stopped after Master Tang was so exhausted he was foaming at the mouth, and the big rooster’s own two legs were trembling."
Hearing this, An Ning was truly impressed with her family’s big rooster. ’Now that’s perseverance.’
"Oh, Da Huang, you’ve gotten fat recently."
"You’re a little heavy."
An Ning lifted Da Huang’s head with both hands and saw an embarrassed look on the dog’s face.
She patted Da Huang’s head, and he obediently got down, standing beside An Ning.
An Ning skillfully took out candy from her backpack and gave a piece to each child who had come.
At first, the children refused. They hadn’t come for candy.
"I know you’re not here for the candy. You just missed me, right?"
"Yes!"
The children’s voices, shouting in unison, rang so clearly through the air that villagers passing by or even those far away remarked to themselves, ’An Ning must be back.’
In the end, An Ning still gave each child a piece of candy. As she handed one to each child, she was able to call out their name perfectly.
Every child whose name An Ning called felt as if they had received the highest praise, each one becoming unbelievably excited.
When every child had their candy, An Ning called out, "Attention!" The noisy children immediately fell silent, heels together, hands flat against their trouser seams, standing straight. All eyes were fixed on An Ning.
"Running and boxing practice is tomorrow, on time. I expect everyone to be there. Dismissed."
At the word "Dismissed," the children instantly relaxed, politely said goodbye to An Ning, and ran off, laughing and skipping.
The entrance to the An family’s home was finally less crowded and a little quieter.
"Get inside already. You’ve been dawdling out here for ages."
The only one who would dare speak like that was, of course, Lin Cuihua.
An Ning called out affectionately, "Mom—"
Lin Cuihua’s eyes showed disdain, and her body language was even more dismissive as she pushed away An Ning, who was leaning in.
"How old are you? Have some shame. Hurry inside, I made dumplings for you."
That last sentence was what Lin Cuihua really wanted to say.
"That’s great! I’ve been dying for your dumplings, Mom."
An Ning followed Lin Cuihua into the courtyard. Behind them, the father and son from the Yu Family and the father and son from the Zhou Family also entered the house, as An Guoming had arranged.
Mr. Jiang Sr., who lived next door, hadn’t come out when he saw Yu the Elder.
He didn’t know what An Ning’s plans were. If she needed his help, he would come out then.
The group entered the An family’s courtyard. Only Lin Cuihua was home; her sister-in-law had just returned from the Big Willow Tree.
As soon as she got inside, An Ning casually asked, "Where are my dad and the others?"
"Your dad, your younger brother, and Jiang Xia went out to look for honeybees."
"Hm?"
An Ning looked at Lin Cuihua, not quite following. Lin Cuihua invited the people who had come in after them to sit down and explained, "The flowers on the mountain are about to bloom, and they need bees for pollination. Your dad said he’d look for a beekeeper, learn a thing or two, and see if we can’t raise some ourselves."
"That way, once the mountain is covered in fruit trees, the honey will be another way to make money."
An Ning nodded repeatedly. In that moment, she introduced the four people to Lin Cuihua and explained what she wanted to do.
"Yu the Elder is a disciple I’m preparing to accept, and Zhou Yishan is another disciple I’d like to accept."
Lin Cuihua didn’t understand An Ning’s affairs, but she didn’t interfere either, letting her make her own decisions.
She just mentioned one thing: "Don’t forget about Li Chengze next door."
"Mom, don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten. He’s my first disciple. That’s also why we all came back."
Lin Cuihua was just giving a reminder. ’That Li Chengze kid is a good one,’ she thought. ’Honest and dutiful. A bit timid, like our second son, but everyone has their own skills. Not everyone has to eat from the same bowl.’
Lin Cuihua didn’t care what these people’s future status might be; right now, they were guests in her home.
She and her sister-in-law hurried to make a meal.
An Ning sat on a stool, holding Hei Dan’er.
"Hei Dan’er, how are you still so dark?"
"So dark and smooth."
An Ning gently poked Hei Dan’s cheek with a finger. The smooth, soft feeling was a little addicting.
In An Ning’s arms, Hei Dan’er didn’t cry or fuss. He looked at the people across from them without any shyness around strangers.
Yu the Elder liked children. He looked at Hei Dan’er and said, "The child isn’t shy with strangers. He’s so poised and confident, that’s wonderful."
An Ning held up one of Hei Dan’s little dark hands and waved it at Yu the Elder.
"Thank you for your kind words."
The group sat there chatting. It was mostly Yu the Elder and An Ning talking. Yu Zheng lived up to his name, sitting perfectly upright like a statue.
As for the father and son from the Zhou Family, they were mostly observing.
An Ning didn’t disturb them. When the time came, she would accept whatever decision they made.
This was her home, her life; there was no need to put on a false front.
While An Ning chatted, Lin Cuihua cooked.
Her arms around Hei Dan’er suddenly tightened, but they quickly relaxed. Hei Dan’er giggled, thinking his aunt was playing with him.
"Little Hei Dan’er."
An Ning continued to play with Hei Dan’er, but she didn’t ignore the fluctuation in her spiritual power. ’The interstellar side must be transmitting something to me.’
There was likely a time or spatial difference between the two sides; every transmission took a certain amount of time.
An Ning suppressed her curiosity, waiting for a moment when she would be alone.
