Chapter 124: You little brat, calling me brother-in-law!

Shitou couldn't care about the steaming bun burning his hands, he hissed and blew on it, tore it open and stuffed several pieces of lean meat inside.

He himself didn't eat, but first handed it to Gu Xixi, saying, "Sister Xixi, are you hungry too?"

"I've washed my hands twice, it's clean, eat quickly."

Gu Xixi thanked him, took it, and under Shitou's eager gaze took a bite, nodded and smiled, "Mm! As expected of something you personally stuffed, it's delicious!"

Shitou broke into a smile, happier than if he were eating the meat himself.

Zhang Shen also chimed in praising Shitou, "This kid is capable and sensible; when you're not home, he helps me every day with stoking the fire, fetching water, and sweeping the courtyard."

"Oh, the donkey shed and horse shed aren't vacant, are they? Shitou insisted on cleaning them inside and out, scrubbing the rails and posts spotless."

Gu Xixi, hearing this, couldn't help but praise him again, she lauded him until Shitou's little face flushed red.

Mentioning the horse shed, Shitou began to miss Windchase.

"Sister Xixi, when you went out to find General Meng this time, did you go see Windchase? How is it?"

Gu Xixi apologetically said, "This trip was rushed, I didn't get to see Windchase, but I asked General Meng, and he said Windchase is doing fine, and after training it's grown even stronger."

Windchase is, after all, a warhorse; although Gu Xixi had only borrowed it initially, and no matter how reluctant she was, she still returned it before the holiday.

Shitou lowered his head, feeling a bit downcast, "Windchase and Lucky are both my friends. Brother Gouwa just mentioned Windchase this morning—what if Windchase misses us?"

Gu Xixi fully understood Shitou's feelings and comforted him, "I'm just as reluctant to part with Windchase as you are; besides, it's not far away, so we'll still have a chance to meet again."

Shitou's eyes sparkled as he looked at Gu Xixi, he nodded, turning his worry into joy.

"I'll listen to Sister Xixi."

Shifting his gaze opposite, Mu Nan Zhao had just finished a bun, and Shitou eagerly grabbed another and handed it over.

"Sir, would you like another? With vegetables or meat, or just plain?"

Mu Nan Zhao glanced at him without changing expression, "No thanks, eating too much at night would disturb my sleep."

"This kid, being overly eager for no reason, must be up to something."

Shitou himself was gnawing on the bun, his little eyes darting back and forth toward the opposite side, all his eight hundred thoughts mobilized,

Zhang Shen noticed and said, "Why can't you eat a meal in peace? It's like you've got thorns growing under your butt!"

Seeing Mu Nan Zhao look over, Shitou quickly sat up straight and proper, drinking his porridge and picking vegetables neatly.

Mu Nan Zhao observed the kid's expression and behavior, already knowing the reason in his heart.

He deliberately ate more refinedly, making the meal last a third longer than usual.

After the elders finished their meal and formally set down their chopsticks, only the juniors could rise and leave their seats—this was a rule taught in the academy.

Shitou had eaten his fill, and he waited patiently.

Finally seeing Mu Nan Zhao put down his chopsticks, he was about to jump off the kang impatiently, when he heard a voice say, "Wait."

Shitou's mind rang like a thunderclap; he stiffened, turned his head, and gave a dry laugh, "Sir, what is it?"

Mu Nan Zhao raised his eyebrows, feigning ignorance, right?

He calmly said, "As I was leaving, feeling moved by your seeing me off, I deliberately added a little extra homework."

"Yours should all be done by now, hand over……"

Before Mu Nan Zhao could even utter the words "hand over," Shitou suddenly gritted his teeth, closed his eyes in a desperate move, and shouted, "Brother-in-law!"

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

On the warm kang, Gu Xixi had been full and was leaning against the wall, dozing off, but the term "brother-in-law" startled her fully awake.

Mu Nan Zhao's eyes flickered, and he seemed somewhat uncomfortable as he cleared his throat.

"What did you call me?"

In the blink of an eye, Shitou's little mind had spun a thousand times.

"Sir never listens to others' nonsense, yet now Sir wants him to say it again."

"So, Sir loves to hear it!"

Shitou gathered his courage and declared again, "Brother-in-law!"

This time he said it with even more conviction, full of feeling, straight from the heart.

"Sister Xixi is my real older sister, so you are naturally my brother-in-law!"

Gu Xixi: "……"

She turned her head to look at Mu Nan Zhao, "What does that mean? Hurry up and refute it!"

However, Mu Nan Zhao acted as if he hadn't seen Gu Xixi's glance, calmly putting on his shoes and stepping down from the kang.

"I'm tired; I don't have time tonight to look at your homework."

Shitou's plot succeeded; he silently grinned, shook his head and wagged his tail, celebrating his narrow escape.

Mu Nan Zhao walked to the door, paused slightly, and said, "If you can't turn in your homework by tomorrow morning, you'll receive ten strikes with the ruler, and then stand punishment outside the school gate."

"Oh, and the same goes for your little gang of friends."

Having said that, Mu Nan Zhao left.

Watching Shitou's elated face quickly fall into utter despair, Gu Xixi felt no sympathy.

"Serves you right!"

"Who let you try to curry favor with him through shortcuts? In the end, you still haven't missed a single character of the assigned work."

Shitou wore a miserable, tear-streaked face, "Sister Xixi..."

Gu Xixi still softened, "I advise you, while it's not too late, go first and tell Gouwa and the others what the consequences will be if the homework isn't finished by tomorrow."

"Then come back and do an all-night study session."

Gu Xixi patted Shitou's little shoulder, then went to the backyard to find Old Doctor Lao.

Five days, ten days, twenty days passed.

Since obtaining the glowbone flower, Old Doctor Lao has almost shut himself away in his room all day.

At the same time, they gave Mu Nan Zhao daily acupuncture, herbal medicine, and medicinal baths, with a high frequency.

As Lao Langzhong put it, they must spare no effort, doing everything possible to regulate his body, and each extra day lived before the antidote is successfully formulated counts as a day.

In the blink of an eye, it was Start of Spring day.

The village will hold a welcoming spring festival at the Tudimiao, with all villagers participating, praying for blessings that this year's fields will not betray the farmers' hard work and that crops will yield abundant harvests season after season.

Since the schoolhouse is inside the Tudimiao, they naturally get a day off.

When morning came and the auspicious time arrived, the Tudimiao inside and outside was packed with people.

Gu Xixi's family also stood in the crowd; only the Lao Langzhong who was devoted to preparing medicine didn't come.

Thanks to Lao Langzhong's efforts, Mu Nan Zhao, though slightly weak, could still move, sit, and lie down just like an ordinary person.

Gu Xixi glanced at Mu Nan Zhao and whispered, "If you can't stand later, just go back first; our family having a few of us represent is enough, nobody will say anything."

Mu Nan Zhao looked at the festival proceeding ahead, his voice low enough that only the two of them could hear.

Don't worry, knowing you can't support me, I won't collapse here just to let people watch the spectacle.

Gu Xixi choked.

Mu Nan Zhao then said, "At this point, instead of worrying about nonexistent problems, you'd better think about what to do next."

Gu Xixi glared; she shouldn't have meddled in his life or death!

However, he wasn't wrong either.

Gu Xixi looked around at the crowd; Start of Spring, announcing the arrival of spring.

At the same time, it means the plan to plant fruit trees can no longer be delayed; finally the moment has come for her to face everyone directly.

At most wait another half month; the local temperature will stabilize, and the ordered Pinpo fruit tree saplings should be shipped to Huachi Du Cun.

Today, with everyone gathered here, is the best opportunity.