Chapter 22: Further Unlocking the Ox’s Potential

“Xiaoyu is right,” Li Xuemei said solemnly. “Now that our whole family is living together, whether we have money or how much money we have, Eldest Uncle knows it all. If we suddenly take out a stash, he’ll just think we’re being wasteful again. Don’t forget, Yan Lao’er just squandered twenty taels.”

Yan Lao’er shrugged. “I get what you’re saying—safety first. But if we’re all on the road together, there’ll hardly be a chance to sneak anything. Are we really going to let all these things rot away just because we’re scared someone might find out, never using or eating them?”

He let out a heroic sigh, face full of tragic determination. “Have you all forgotten who I am? I’m Yan Lao’er! Famous for being lazy and gluttonous, good-for-nothing, always scheming for money, leeching off my big brother…

With a reputation like mine, don’t you think I’d have a secret stash or two? Maybe some hidden silver, a few shady connections, some friends in low places?”

Yan Yu was utterly amazed.

“Dad! You’re a genius, how did you come up with this? Of course! Yan Lao’er must have a bunch of shady friends. We know he’s always broke, but others don’t—heck, even Eldest Uncle can’t be sure.

This persona is perfect! Leeching off Eldest Uncle, bleeding him dry, squeezing out every last drop…”

“Hey, hey! Enough, that’s enough!” Yan Lao’er quickly cut off his daughter’s excited rambling. “Just a little secret silver is fine, maybe a few good things stashed away—don’t go making your old man out to be some villain.”

Yan Yu giggled, as if all their problems had suddenly melted away. She didn’t want to be selfish, but she was truly afraid of anyone discovering their secret.

“All right, let’s tidy up and get some rest. Didn’t we say we’d leave early?” Li Xuemei glanced around their empty room. “I’ll go with you in the morning. If I stay home, I’ll have to guard against Daya dropping by. If we all leave and lock up, with Eldest Uncle’s family’s manners, they won’t come in, and they won’t find anything suspicious in our room.”

“We haven’t even checked what’s written on these bamboo slips yet,” Yan Yu protested, her worries forgotten now that they had a solution. Looking at all the things they’d traded for, she was too excited to sleep.

“The oil lamp’s already sold. You want to go blind squinting by moonlight? Go to sleep!”

With Li Xuemei’s stern command, Yan Yu obediently rolled onto her bedding.

Yan Lao’er was excited too, unable to fall asleep right away. “Do you know why I got that dirt so fast? Our new Ox helped me dig it up!”

Yan Yu rolled over to her father, whispering, “What happened? Tell me, quick!”

“I was just going to dig near the Ox so it could block the view, but turns out the Ox is really smart. When it saw me working, it started pawing at the dirt with its hooves. In no time, I had half a sack full—so fast!”

“This Ox really knows what’s up!” Yan Yu praised.

Her eyes sparkled as she nudged her father. “Dad, do you think it’ll let me ride it? I’ve never ridden a Ox before, haha! I have to try tomorrow.”

Yan Lao’er joined in the fun. “I’ll go first. If it works, then you can have a turn. When I was a kid, I always wanted to ride the neighbor’s big dog. You get that from me—remember how you used to grab your cousin’s dog by the fur and try to climb on?”

“Both of you, enough! Go to sleep!” Li Xuemei couldn’t take it anymore. First riding Oxs, then riding dogs—what nonsense.

…

Before dawn, someone’s rooster in the village was already fighting to crow first. Yan Lao’er shot up in bed, gathered his wits, and seeing his wife and daughter still sound asleep, quietly took the luncheon meat into the kitchen.

He planned to chop the luncheon meat into tiny bits and make congee.

Physician Cui’s words still echoed in his mind—Old Yan needed more meat broth to recover.

Not just Old Yan, the whole family needed it.

He lit the fire, rinsed the rice, and chopped the luncheon meat into fine pieces…

Standing at the kitchen door, he looked at the Ox in the yard. The Ox looked back at him.

He waved it over, and the Ox walked steadily toward him.

“Keep an eye on the fire for me, will you? When the water boils, call out. Can you do that?”

The Ox nodded.

Yan Lao’er was overjoyed—he’d just been testing it, but it actually worked!

He went back to wake his wife and daughter, then started moving things outside.

Hearing a “moo,” Yan Lao’er rushed to the kitchen, pulled out two pieces of firewood, and turned the fire down.

He came out and patted the Ox’s head, praising, “You’re really something.”

He hitched up the cart to the Ox, piled a thick layer of wheat straw on top, and secretly hid their things underneath.

Then he scooped up half a basin of water to bring to his wife and daughter.

He washed his mouth and face in a hurry, wet his hands to smooth down his long, unwashed hair, and couldn’t help but grumble.

Why did the ancients keep long hair? Short is so much easier!

In this heat, and with no way to wash up, he almost wanted to shave his head.

The family gathered in the kitchen for some hot congee. Li Xuemei thought she’d better let Daya know, so the family wouldn’t worry.

Yan Lao’er also woke his Eldest Nephew, telling them their family was going to town, and there was congee in the kitchen pot.

Then, while the nephew and niece were still groggy, they hurried out the door.

…

“Who’d have thought I’d get to experience self-driving in this lifetime!” Yan Lao’er marveled.

The whole family lay back-to-back on the ox cart.

It was early morning, not too hot yet. The Ox trotted along at a steady pace, a cool breeze blowing, thick wheat straw cushioning them from the gentle bumps.

Yan Lao’er hummed off-key:

“Speed twenty miles an hour, feeling free as a bird…”

He sang the wrong lyrics and off-tune for a good while before stopping. “We’ve gone pretty far—any more and we’ll be at the town.”

Yan Yu sat up, wheat straw in her hair, and looked around.

“Let’s head that way.”

The Ox turned as she directed.

They found a secluded spot, and Yan Lao’er started up a fire.

They planned to salt and smoke some meat into jerky.

It wasn’t just about eating for now—they had to prepare for the journey ahead.

Li Xuemei rubbed salt into the meat while Yan Lao’er gathered twigs and dry grass.

Yan Yu’s eyes sparkled mischievously as she climbed from the cart onto the Ox’s back.

As she climbed, she whispered, “Hey Ox, you know who I am, right? I’m the Red Boy! Don’t move, let me get on, then carry me around for a couple of laps, okay?”

The Ox stood perfectly still. Once she managed to climb onto its back and grabbed the reins, her voice went shrill with excitement: “Turn left, walk slowly.”

“Hahaha! Turn around, go back and forth.”

“Jog a bit, but not too fast.”

“A little faster.”

“Ah! This is amazing! Run! Giddy-up!”

Li Xuemei gave up on scolding her—after all, it was a smart Ox. But her daughter was like a lunatic, riding back and forth, kicking up a trail of dust that covered Li Xuemei’s face and hair. She finally couldn’t hold back and roared, “Yan Yu, get back here!”

———
Author Note:

Hahaha~~~ When I was a kid, I wanted to ride a big dog too. If I’d had a Ox, I would’ve tried riding it for sure~~

There’s no end to what you can do with an AI Ox. Truly grateful to the scientists whose research is slowly changing our lives. The things we dream of today may all come true in a hundred years~! o(*￣︶￣*)o

(End of chapter)