Chapter 161: The Little Fool in the Group Favorite Story – Part 4

It was the busy farming season, and finding craftsmen was nearly impossible. Xie Hui had no choice but to set aside his field work and personally repair the house himself.

If he had more money, he would have preferred to rebuild it entirely.

When the village chief’s eldest son found out, his wife insisted that after finishing their own fields, he should help Xie Hui with the plot he received from the family division.

Even the village chief’s younger son, who used to idle after work, now joined his brother without a word of complaint.

Both brothers were well aware that if it hadn’t been for Xie Hui, their father might not have survived. This debt of gratitude was something they could never fully repay.

Xie Hui kept the kindness of the village chief’s family in mind and worked even faster on the house.

Fortunately, the original owner had once apprenticed with a carpenter, providing a convenient excuse for his skills.

Although Ning Ning was a little fool, he was obedient. When Xie Hui told him to catch bugs for the chicks, he stayed put and did just that.

Whenever Xie Hui glanced up, he could always see Ning Ning’s figure.

At this point, Xie Hui began to doubt whether this child was truly a fool. He certainly didn’t seem like one.

But regardless of his suspicions, Xie Hui had no means to act on them, so he kept his doubts to himself, planning to address them once life improved.

While working, Xie Hui recalled that in the client’s memories, Ning Ning wasn’t the only child in the Xie Family who seemed foolish. Several other children weren’t very bright either.

People around the client used to say it was because the children’s mothers mistreated Xie Kangli during pregnancy. As punishment, heaven made their children that way. If they didn’t treat Xie Kangli better, their children might end up like Ning Ning.

Having experienced many worlds, Xie Hui boldly speculated that instead of the mothers mistreating Xie Kangli, it was more likely that their love for their children temporarily freed them from Xie Kangli’s control.

Xie Hui didn’t harbor ill feelings towards most of the Xie Family, except for the Old Madam and Old Man Xie.

To him, the others seemed like puppets, completely devoid of self-awareness and under control.

With the other children in mind, Xie Hui increasingly felt that Ning Ning wasn’t a fool. The way he diligently fed the chickens suggested a focus that a fool wouldn’t possess.

After about half a month, Xie Hui finished repairing the house and added a fence around it.

Once everything was settled, he quickly moved out of the village chief’s home.

During the family division, the Old Madam insisted there was no grain left, and the village chief couldn’t force them to hand any over. So, he managed to get Xie Hui some extra silver, hoping he could buy rice after moving out.

For the past half month, Xie Hui had been eating at the village chief’s house. Unexpectedly, when he moved in, the chief’s family even came over to warm the stove for them.

They didn’t stay for dinner but brought half a bag of rice.

“Xie Hui, our rice supply isn’t much, but we can spare you some.”

At that moment, Xie Hui was at a loss for how to thank the village chief. He truly needed the rice and couldn’t refuse.

He made a mental note of the chief’s kindness, planning to repay them once life improved.

On the first day in the new place, Xie Hui took Ning Ning up the mountain to gather firewood, boiled a pot of water, and began giving Ning Ning a bath in the courtyard.

He had tolerated the little one for quite some time, but living at the village chief’s house, he couldn’t shamelessly use their wood for a bath.

After all, during the busy farming season, no one had the time to chop wood.

The village chief’s children were still helping with the fields, and Xie Hui had wanted to settle in quickly.

A few days earlier, Xie Hui had picked out the best set of clothes for the little one, washed them clean, and hung them to dry in the courtyard.

He poured the boiled water into a basin, added some cool water to adjust the temperature, and once it was right, brought Ning Ning over from his bug-catching spot.

“Papa, papa?”

“Come here, let papa give you a bath.”

Ning Ning didn’t know what a bath was but obediently stood there as Xie Hui undressed him.

Sitting naked in the basin, the sensation of hot water on his skin left Ning Ning stunned for a long time.

Xie Hui had known that the Old Madam claimed she wouldn’t harm her own grandson, but giving Ning Ning a bath revealed just how neglected he had been.

After scrubbing for a while, Xie Hui realized that the child wasn’t naturally dark-skinned; he just hadn’t been cleaned properly.

The skin washed clean was fair and tender, slightly red from Xie Hui’s vigorous scrubbing.

In the client’s memories, there was no recollection of when the child last had a bath.

During the first wash, Ning Ning sat quietly, even enjoying it, raising his arms as instructed.

But when Xie Hui changed the water and scrubbed a second time, the roughness of his hands and the coarse cloth made the little one uncomfortable.

Ning Ning didn’t cry loudly, but his eyes reddened, and they looked moist.

The Old Madam hadn’t just neglected his baths; she hadn’t even let him wash his face.

Everywhere was dirty, leading Xie Hui to initially believe the child had a naturally darker complexion.

Despite the dirt, his eyes were clear and beautiful.

During the third wash, the little one who had been holding back tears finally couldn’t anymore. Sitting in the basin, he whimpered like a wounded animal, looking pitiful and aggrieved.

Especially with his skin reddened from the scrubbing, Xie Hui felt a pang of guilt, but it was unavoidable.

Xie Hui preferred to finish tasks in one go, and this dirty child needed to be thoroughly cleaned.

“Ning Ning, be good. After your bath, papa will buy you candy next time we go to town, okay?”

Having never tasted candy, Ning Ning wasn’t swayed by the promise, not even understanding what papa meant, and continued to cry softly.

Xie Hui tried to be gentle, but the original owner’s rough hands and the coarse cloth made it difficult.

He felt sorry for the child but couldn’t let him wash himself.

Once Ning Ning was clean, Xie Hui fetched more water to wash his hair.

Luckily, Ning Ning was his own child, so Xie Hui didn’t mind. He beckoned Ning Ning over, but this time, the little one hid behind a fierce-looking Rooster, clutching it tightly.

Seeing Ning Ning’s serious demeanor, Xie Hui suspected the child believed hiding behind the Rooster made him invisible.

For a moment, Xie Hui couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Ning Ning, come here. Papa won’t scrub you this time.”

“Oops, I mean, papa won’t give you a bath this time.”

Out of habit from the previous world, Xie Hui still referred to himself as papa.

“Huh?”

Seeing Ning Ning hiding behind the Rooster, not even lifting his head, Xie Hui worried the Rooster might peck him in anger.

So, he put down the basin and went over to pick him up.

Holding Ning Ning, Xie Hui could feel him trembling slightly.

Fear wouldn’t help; even if he was scared, Xie Hui had to clean him.

Washing his hair was more challenging, especially since there was no comb, and Ning Ning’s hair was already wet. It was too late to make one now.

Xie Hui had to patiently untangle and clean his hair by hand.

Although there was no shampoo, a plant used by the villagers for washing hair produced some foam.

Initially, Ning Ning was so tense that his fists were clenched, but as he realized it didn’t hurt like before, he relaxed.

Lying in papa’s arms, he curiously watched his father.

After a while, finding the position uncomfortable, he struggled to sit up.

Xie Hui pressed his shoulder gently, his voice stern.

“Don’t move!”

As soon as he spoke, the little one stopped struggling and lay back down.

Xie Hui couldn’t tell if Ning Ning understood or was just intimidated.

From noon until nearly sunset, Xie Hui finally finished washing the child. Seeing his hair clean and draped over his shoulders, Xie Hui sighed in relief.

He walked over and pinched the child’s cheek lightly. The little one was too thin, without even a hint of baby fat. After being pinched, he didn’t resist, just stood there grinning foolishly at Xie Hui.

The Rooster strutted back to its coop, chest puffed out in the sunset.

Looking at the now clean and fair-skinned child, Xie Hui leaned in, kissed his forehead, and whispered:

“Everything will get better, it will all be alright.”