Chapter 203: Following You Has a Future

The villagers kept turning the soil while worrying that the heavens wouldn't drop a single drop of rain, and irrigation relied entirely on people fetching water; they'd surely die of exhaustion.

One by one they looked up at the sky, but it remained a deep blue, without even a wisp of cloud.

When she had nothing to do, Qiao Mai also stood in the Yuanzi with her hands behind her, looking up at the sky.

There was still water in the river, so the drought wasn't too severe; let these people endure for now, as the hardships ahead will likely be even worse.

There's no choice; the villagers must fetch water to irrigate the crops, fearing drought. This year they planted only sweet potatoes, nothing else.

It's easy to grow and easy to manage.

Occasionally thunder rumbled in the sky, but not over Tianshui Town; occasional dark clouds gathered only to be blown away by the wind, and in any case no drop of rain fell.

The few wells in Jixiang Yuan are deep wells, and none have run dry up to now.

But other villages aren't so lucky; as the drought lowers the water table, the well water barely suffices for drinking, and can't be used for anything else.

When she encounters wild black fungus, silver fungus, or various wild mushrooms, she throws the soil and rotting wood together into the Space.

She didn't expect to be surrounded; the birds, squirrels, and some beasts in the trees watched her from a distance.

The river water kept evaporating in the heat, and now it's almost down to the bottom, let alone flowing.

"He is the Matrilocal Husband of my Qiao Family; when he dies, he'll be placed on the Qiao-Yuan ancestral tablet and buried in my Qiao family's ancestral tomb."

Qiao Mai didn't mind; she wondered whether it was a little trick used by Xiao Qing.

Even if it was, she didn't want to expose it, because she knew Xiao Qing was doing it for the sake of the Space.

In the sky, various birds circled above her head, as if she were the king of birds.

Qiao Mai frowned, ate cold noodles, took a sip of juice when it got spicy, while the Yuan Clan's Clan Head swallowed saliva on the side.

The villagers, who all knew her, asked, "Qiao Niang, where are you going?"

"Yes, master!"

"Then what do you want to do?"

"Go to the mountains in the northwest to have a look."

"I won't interfere with this; as I always say, as long as he agrees, I won't block him."

"Yo, is that place dangerous?"

"If it involves talking or martial hunting, we can't do that, but digging a ditch or something is fine."

She turned to walk back, and the animals followed behind her; when she stopped and turned to look, the animals halted as well—truly strange.

Seeing that Tianshui Town would soon run out of water, Qiao Mai made some arrangements at home and set off alone toward the mountain range in the northwest.

When Yuan Jiaqi was at home before, they hadn't helped; now he's become successful, and everyone clings to him and won't let go—truly annoying.

"I was angry back then, but after the anger passed it was fine. I had no choice; Jiaqi passed the imperial examination, he's surnamed Yuan, a member of our Yuan Clan, and I can't stand watching our Yuan Clan get nothing."

She took a wooden stick out of the Space to clear a path, and along the way observed the growth of trees to judge where water might be.

Only then did everyone feel a bit relieved; when the cold noodles arrived, she grabbed chopsticks and began eating, feeling as if someone was sitting opposite, so she looked up.

"I don't seek anything else; if he doesn't acknowledge his parents, that's fine—he just needs to recognize his ancestors."

"I don't know, maybe they think following you has a future?"

"Don't be afraid, I know martial arts; be careful, it's fine."

Unwittingly, they had already entered the deep mountains.

She looked down, smiled, and reached out to scoop it up from the ground.

"Xiao Qing, what do they want to do?"

The deeper they went, the thicker and taller the trees became, blocking the sky; the soil was muddy and very damp, and with her hearing she could detect water nearby—the gurgling of a stream echoed in her ears.

She wanted to find water for everyone, to see if she could divert a source from the mountain down.

"Cousin, you're back?"

It seems that without their family, nothing can be accomplished; when the Yuan family first settled here, they were only a few households, but now they've grown strong and are full of vigor.

She arrived in front of Liu Ji Small Food Shop, and Liu Hai hurried over.

She went to the spot where she had thrown those people before; only tattered clothes and rotten bones remained, and she nonchalantly kicked a human skull on the ground far away.

"You're not joking, right? We were at a disadvantage from the start; we couldn't win a lawsuit, and if I could have beaten you, I would have done so long ago."

"Hmm, bring me a bowl of cold noodles."

Xiao Qing ripped open a large gap in the Space, and with a wave of his hand gathered all the small animals surrounding Qiao Mai into the Space.

This is probably the only water source for the little animals; water trickles down from a rock, a very small stream.

Inside the Space, Xiao Qing, carrying Qiao Mai, secretly captured forest creatures, because the Space needed them to maintain ecological balance.

At the foot of the mountain, looking at the surrounding trees, she sighed; the locals only know how to cut down trees, no one cherishes the forest, and the once‑vast woodland ahead is now reduced to a series of stumps.

When she arrived before a deep ravine, her complexion turned somewhat sour.

Yuan Jiaqi came over, took a stool, and sat opposite her.

When they heard her words, the food the villagers were eating instantly lost its flavor, and some people felt embarrassed to stand up.

When she returned home, night had fallen, yet the Qiao Ji Snack Shop and the Liu Ji Liangpi Shop outside were still lit by lanterns.

After eating and drinking to fullness, she went home, changed clothes, sat in the Yuanzi, holding a fan and fanning herself while resting.

"Rest assured, when I need to use it for everyone, I certainly won't be polite."

"Qiao Niang, hehe!"

The Yuan Clan Head stood up, bowed his hand toward her, and then left happily.

Qiao Mai sneered, noting that the Yuan Clan Head before her no longer exuded the same overbearing aura.

She left it to Xiao Qing to handle; he is the Space Spirit, knowing how to cultivate these things.

"Alright, you wait a moment."

She didn't want to harm the forest creatures; a threatening aura radiated from her, causing those sensitive little beings to keep a far distance and not dare approach.

As long as he acknowledges, that's enough.

Uh, you really don't need to worry about that, those that are never finished.

Are you going to watch the hunt?

He ran inside; the staff of Qiao Ji Snack Shop saw the Master, hurriedly ran to bring her a large glass of icy cold fruit juice.

Qiao Mai raised an eyebrow, looking at his stance—could Yuan Jiaqi have spat? If so, she really did start to look down on him a bit.

Clan Leader, so it's you, truly always win after defeat, always lose after victory, I'm even embarrassed to speak of you; didn't you say you'd never set foot in my house again?

Turns out it's a little cat caught in a net.

Now it's finally quiet; just as I was about to lift my leg and leave, I felt something tugging at my trousers.

No matter how arrogant you are, you're still a farmer; compared to the rich and powerful, the gap is too wide.

If she diverts the water here, what will the living beings drink?

She sat at Tanbian, let out a soft sigh, took out her water flask, took a few sips, screwed the lid back on, and was about to leave.

Ah, ah, that's all I need to hear from you.

Stepping over the corpses, she continued walking forward.

Yuan Clan Head is looking for you?

Fine, then you take it.

Then go file a lawsuit.

She tossed it into the void, "Xiao Qing, take good care of it, raise it in my courtyard."

It looked like a wild cat, but surviving in such a deep mountain forest, it must be a cub of some feline species.

People ate, drank, and chatted in front of the two shops, much like a bustling street stall in a modern metropolis.

Then bring them inside, and first of all, you must tend the vegetable garden and orchard.

No, it's to see if there's a water source, go look for it.

Qiao Mai waved at them, "Disperse, survive here well; I'm just looking, I won't do anything to you."

The trees and weeds thrive more, indicating they are nearer to the water source.

Hmm, I'm just at the Liu Family eating cold noodles.

He also came looking for me; I turned him down.

Your matters, you solve yourself; I don't want to meddle in your affairs with the Yuan Family.

You weren't home today; he came with his clan, knelt before me, begging me to go back.

(End of chapter)