Chapter 71: So Many Secrets My Brothers Are Hiding

He also figured it was most likely Zhenxiu Restaurant, which made asking Shiwei Restaurant for help the most convenient option.

Maybe, just maybe, he could even ask that young lady from Jingcheng to deliver a secret letter back to the capital for him.

Bai Tian nodded. “Yes, we can ask Shiwei Restaurant for assistance with this, but we can’t rely on them entirely.”

“I’ll go check if our knives are ready. Even if they’re not, I’ll bring back two. Just in case, we should each have one.”

Jiang Dai added, “And bring some rice and flour to Granny Wang. Have the kids squeeze in at Dachui’s Home for the night.”

Listening from the side, Bai Yunxing thought his parents… were actually pretty decent.

He volunteered eagerly. “Then I’ll go to town!”

Just as he stepped forward, Bai Yunqi, triggered by the word “town,” chimed in, “Going to town? I’m coming too!”

Going to town was great! You could find all sorts of good stuff there!

Jiang Dai said, “You four are already staying at Dachui’s Home today, and now you want to go to town too? Not happening!”

“Mom, what if—”

Bai Yunxing still tried to argue his case.

Jiang Dai patted her second son’s head. “No need. Town might be dangerous. How could we let a child go alone? Your father and I will keep you all safe.”

Bai Yunxing: …

Having such good parents was… a bit of a headache.

…

Zhenxiu Restaurant.

“Master Kang, there’s something off about that family. Their house is haunted…”

Wang Maquan knelt on the floor, sobbing and sniffling.

His voice trembled with fear as he recounted every detail of what had happened the night before.

Kang An stared at the scrawny man weeping before him, thinking it over for a long while before he couldn’t help but ask again.

“You’re sure you didn’t go to the wrong place? You’re not making this up? It’s all true?”

Because honestly, it didn’t sound believable at all.

A little ghost appearing in the middle of the night, wielding some kind of power, and with just a flick of the finger, making someone feel like they were struck by lightning?

“It’s the honest truth, Master Kang! I’m telling you, I’m not going back there. Just pay me what I’m owed!”

Wang Maquan was genuinely terrified by what he’d gone through the previous night.

Especially that bizarre fruit—bitter as death—and the way that little kid had violently juiced it. Just thinking about it now made him want to vomit.

Worried it might have been poisonous, he’d even gone to the clinic first thing in the morning.

After a full checkup from the physician confirmed he was fine, he finally relaxed.

Under Wang Maquan’s watchful gaze, Kang An pulled out a hefty gold ingot.

He tossed it up and down in his hand, and Wang Maquan’s eyes followed it with every motion.

Kang An asked, “A family that strange—don’t you find it interesting?”

Wang Maquan shook his head. Interesting, my ass! It nearly scared me to death!

But then he looked at the gold, thought back to Kang An’s words, and once he realized what was being implied, he started nodding.

Seeing his reaction, Kang An casually tossed the gold ingot over to him and gave a command.

“This afternoon, gather some people and head to the Bai Family. I want to see for myself if there really are ghosts!”

Wang Maquan caught the gold with glee and tucked it into his chest. “I’ll go round them up right away!”

Ghosts? What ghosts?

With that many people, and in broad daylight?

Wang Maquan wasn’t scared anymore!

…

Niantao Village, Bai Family.

Since Bai Tian had to visit the blacksmith in the neighboring village and Jiang Dai was heading into town,

the four kids and half a pound of pork were all bundled off together to Dachui’s Home next door.

Jiang Dai waved her hand. “Sorry to trouble you, madam, but please keep an eye on these four.”

Granny Wang, holding the pork, was over the moon. “No trouble at all! Really, it’s no trouble!”

Half a pound of pork to watch four kids? She’d watch eight if they gave her more!

The four kids who had been unceremoniously dropped off watched his mother walk away: …

Bai Yunqi: 【Wait a minute, why is everything so weird at home today?!】

Bai Yunxing: 【What a pity, we missed a good opportunity. But if I were our parents, I wouldn’t let a six-year-old do something like that either. Going to town alone really isn’t safe.】

Bai Yun’an: 【Tsk, it’s just as well that our parents are out. I’m guessing someone from Zhenxiu Restaurant will come by today. I’ll head to the village entrance and wait for them.】

Juanjuan looked over at her third brother.

Was Third Brother going by himself?

Was he going to stop the bad guys?

Bai Yun’an watched in confusion as the Favorability Points floating in the air ticked up again, now reaching 12.

【Huh? I didn’t even do anything! How are the Favorability Points still going up?】

He instinctively glanced at his little sister.

Only to see her quickly lower her head, looking a bit shy.

Bai Yun’an: ?

【Kids these days… their thoughts are impossible to read!!!】

Juanjuan kept her head down, afraid her third brother would notice something was off.

She couldn’t help much, so all she could do was keep her brothers’ secrets and stay out of trouble.

But her brothers had so many secrets!

Every day, she had to be extra careful not to say too much. If she wasn’t careful, her brain would get all muddled and she might accidentally spill something.

Bai Yunqi asked his younger siblings in confusion, “Why did Mom go to town today?”

Bai Yunxing shook his head, pretending not to know.

【My brothers and sister are still too young. If they found out someone broke in last night, they’d probably panic and wouldn’t be able to help anyway.】

Little Juanjuan: …

See? Her brothers’ thoughts were full of twists and turns she couldn’t keep up with. Better to just stay quiet.

So, as one of the only two who knew the truth, Juanjuan also shook her head.

Bai Yun’an glanced at Second Brother, then at his little sister, and followed suit with a shake of his own.

Bai Yunqi sighed and said with a hint of self-satisfaction, “Well, if even I don’t know, how could you guys possibly know?”

Little siblings: …

Could you not say that so loudly? We can hear you, you know!

“Juanjuan! Hurry, hurry! I’m gonna teach you how to read!!”

Dachui came running out of the house, excited and happy, holding a handwritten copybook from his uncle.

He stood beside Juanjuan, and as his mother came out of the house, he started spouting big ideas: “Mom! Uncle said, if I can teach someone else, that means I’ve already learned it myself!”

Though… he didn’t sound all that convincing.

Still, Dachui’s Mother had heard the same thing from her younger brother-in-law, so she didn’t argue with him.

“Fine, fine! Go ahead and teach Juanjuan to read!”

She gave a helpless chuckle and turned away, muttering under her breath, “He doesn’t even know it himself. Don’t go leading poor Juanjuan astray.”

“You guys come too! I already know how to read! I’ll teach you for free!”

Little Dachui looked at Juanjuan’s brothers, puffed up with pride and clearly showing off.

Bai Yunqi: 【Tch, so what if he knows a few characters? It’s not like I don’t! I bet I could learn faster than that hammerhead!】

Bai Yunxing stayed quiet. He was already used to this kind of childish boasting.

Bai Yun’an, on the other hand, was silently thinking:

【If I don’t let that guy go back, we probably won’t have any trouble at home for the next couple of days. I need to figure out how to deal with those people first.】

【No choice. In this whole family, I’m the only one who can actually do anything. I saved the world in the apocalypse, and now that I’m here, I’ve got to save this family too…】

【I’ll sneak out later and keep watch at the gate. That’s the best I can do for now.】

Juanjuan looked up at her third brother. His figure wasn’t tall, but in her round, shining eyes, he suddenly seemed different than before.