Chapter 13: The Game Shop

When night had fully fallen, Ning Hua finally went to the team leader’s house.

“Ning girl, what brings you here so late?”

Seeing Ning Hua arrive at such an hour, Li Qingxi instinctively thought something was wrong at her home, his tone unconsciously laced with concern.

“Uncle Team Leader, I’ve come to repay the money.”

Ning Hua said as she pushed the basket closer to Li Qingxi.

Li Qingxi, puzzled, lifted the cloth covering the basket and saw a bowl of meat inside. He swallowed hard.

“Take it back quickly!”

Though he was tempted by the meat, as the team leader, Li Qingxi resolutely pushed the basket back to Ning Hua.

Ning Hua smiled but didn’t respond. Instead, she took out ten yuan from her pocket and placed it in front of Li Qingxi.

“Uncle Team Leader, I’ve been practicing the trap-setting methods my father taught me, and I caught a few wild pheasants and rabbits. This ten yuan is from selling those wild animals.”

After speaking, a hint of shame flickered across her face as she softly added, “It’s not that I don’t want to repay all the money owed to the team at once, but you know the situation at my home, Uncle Team Leader...”

Li Qingxi was surprised that Ning Hua could produce ten yuan.

But after hearing her explanation, his face darkened, and with a serious tone, he warned her, “Ning girl, you’re too bold! The outskirts of the back mountain have already been scoured by the villagers. To catch those wild animals, did you venture into the deep mountains? Don’t you know there are man-eating beasts out there?”

“You know well enough what happened to your second uncle and aunt... In any case, listen to me—don’t take such risks in the deep mountains again!”

Li Qingxi looked at Ning Hua, who seemed slightly changed yet he couldn’t pinpoint how, and earnestly admonished her.

With Zhongguo Hua gone, he truly didn’t want to see the only bloodline of Hua Zhongguo suffer the same fate...

Sigh.

Ning Hua understood Li Qingxi’s good intentions and didn’t argue.

“Uncle Team Leader, I’ll remember that. I’ll repay the team gradually. As for this bowl of rabbit meat, I caught it in my traps as well. Please accept it, or else I won’t dare to accept your kindness in the future.”

Not accustomed to exchanging gifts back and forth, Ning Hua placed the bowl on the table and dashed off with the basket.

Seeing this, Li Qingxi picked up the bowl, about to chase after her.

But before he could step out of the main room, Liu Xiangmei blocked his path.

“Where are you going? And what are you holding?”

Liu Xiangmei twitched her nose, suddenly catching the spicy aroma of the meat. Her eyes lit up as she reached toward the bowl.

“Enough! You’re an adult, yet you still only think about your mouth!”

Li Qingxi waved her hand away, scolding her with a stern face.

“Oh my! Li Qingxi, I knew it—you look at me with such disdain now! Why am I so unlucky? I work hard for you, giving birth to your children, and this is how you treat me? Boohoo... I don’t want to live anymore!”

Liu Xiangmei suddenly threw a tantrum, plopping down on the floor and wailing loudly, making Li Qingxi’s temples twitch in irritation.

“Shut up!”

He shouted, then turned and entered the main room.

In just a short while, Li Qingxi’s eldest and second sons came out of their rooms and followed him inside, helping Liu Xiangmei to her feet as well.

“Dad, what happened? Why did mom suddenly start crying like that?”

Li Xiangwen, the eldest son, helped Liu Xiangmei to sit on a stool before turning to Li Qingxi.

“What else could it be? Your father brought home a bowl of meat, but I couldn’t even have a taste!”

Liu Xiangmei unfairly complained to her son about Li Qingxi.

Hearing there was meat at home, Li Xiangwu, the second son, perked up like a cat catching a scent and eagerly approached Li Qingxi.

“Dad, where did you get meat? We haven’t had any for almost a month. Can’t your son have a bite?”

As he spoke, Li Xiangwu’s small eyes fixed greedily on the bowl of meat in Li Qingxi’s hands.

He could smell how delicious it was!

“Slap!”

Li Qingxi firmly swatted away Li Xiangwu’s reaching hand and placed the bowl on the table beside him, glaring sharply.

“Li Xiangwu! How old are you? Still drooling over a scrap of meat? You’re making me ashamed!”

“Dad! I may be grown up, but I’m still a person! It’s been so long since I’ve eaten meat. Can’t your son at least get a taste?”

Li Xiangwu retorted indignantly.

Li Xiangwen also caught the tempting aroma but restrained himself.

He was aware that there had been visitors at home earlier.

Thinking quickly, Li Xiangwen seemed to guess the truth and asked in surprise, “Dad, was that meat from Ning Hua?”

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiangmei and her two sons all looked at Li Qingxi.

Li Qingxi knew that if he didn’t clarify tonight, he might not get any sleep.

So he recounted Ning Hua’s explanation once more to his family.

“Really? Ning Hua can do that?”

The first to voice doubt was Liu Xiangmei.

Back when Zhongguo Hua was still alive, Liu Xiangmei was extremely jealous of Su Qiuxin.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but mock Su Qiuxin in her heart.

After all, she had chosen Zhongguo Hua, but he brought Su Qiuxin home from outside and insisted on marrying her.

Unfortunately, Zhongguo Hua was often away, and Su Qiuxin’s life under the torment of the matriarch Hua was miserable.

So Liu Xiangmei felt both envy and disdain toward Su Qiuxin.

Now that Zhongguo Hua was gone, Liu Xiangmei was waiting to see Su Qiuxin suffer for the rest of her life.

Who would have thought her own daughter was so capable?

One can imagine Liu Xiangmei’s mixed feelings.

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

Li Qingxi rebuked Liu Xiangmei, then looked at his two sons with a serious tone.

“Keep this matter to yourselves. If I find out any rumors about Ning girl spreading in the village, I’ll hold you all accountable!”

“I can keep my mouth shut, but we can’t guarantee Mom will,” Li Xiangwu muttered softly.

This showed what kind of image Liu Xiangmei had in her sons’ minds.

“You little brat, what nonsense are you talking about?”

Liu Xiangmei, annoyed by her son’s disrespect, thumped him on the back.

Li Xiangwen calmly promised Li Qingxi, “Dad, I’ll remember.”

Though he had doubts about Ning Hua’s trap-setting skills, he didn’t dwell on it.

After all, he had witnessed Uncle Hua’s abilities before.

“All right, it’s late now. Tomorrow, have your mother warm up that bowl of meat and add some dishes so the family can enjoy some meat.”

Li Qingxi wearily waved his hand, telling Liu Xiangmei to put the meat away.

Whether she would sneak a bite or not, Li Qingxi no longer cared.

He had regretted marrying Liu Xiangmei back then.

Now, after so many years, no amount of regret could change things; he could only muddle through.

Ning Hua was unaware that simply bringing a bowl of rabbit meat had stirred conflict at the team leader’s house.

Her mind was entirely focused on completing her game quest.

Because once her game account reached level thirty, the game shop would finally open!