At the crack of dawn, the old man got up and even roused the three of them as well.
"Ti to get up, ti to get up, ti to work. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Those people aren’t to be trifled with. If you don’t work, you might not eat."
The old man went to stir up the fire; it looked like he was going to make breakfast.
But at the mont, no one was thinking of eating.
Song Moting, Jiang Xiaoxiao, and Zhang Baocheng all got up, but none went to wash their face.
Everyone knew the filthier they looked, the more it served as camouflage. If they washed up, it would be obvious they weren’t typical villagers, who didn’t look like them.
The villagers, exposed to the elents, were weatherworn and dark.
Among the three of them, only Zhang Baocheng, due to driving a tractor daily and being exposed to the elents, indeed looked like a real rural person.
No matter how much Song Moting and Jiang Xiaoxiao tanned, they were still different from the villagers. Their deanor and facial features indicated they were educated intellectuals.
Especially Jiang Xiaoxiao; if her face were clean, even as a boy, she’d undoubtedly draw attention.
Song Moting asked the old man.
The three of them entered the house and carried out so ga, straight into the shed outside.
Inside the house was the place for skinning; with blood everywhere, the sll would be even worse.
They went looking for Ma Laosan from yesterday, asking for a couple of daggers. Without knives, how would they skin the ga?
When Ma Laosan gave them the knives, he specifically gazed at them.
He seed concerned about giving them weapons, worried about any mishaps.
Moreover, Ma Laosan had two young n ard with hunting rifles standing at the door, watching them vigilantly.
This was to see if they were up to any tricks.
If they attempted anything, they would open fire imdiately.
Song Moting didn’t want Jiang Xiaoxiao to go outside.
But there were no grounds for keeping her in.
The heavy snow was exactly as they predicted; it had not stopped at all until now.
Luckily, it wasn’t windy, so the ga placed outside wasn’t exceptionally cold.
Two people could handle working, but Jiang Xiaoxiao wasn’t skilled at skinning.
Song Moting had never allowed his wife to do such tasks.
Jiang Xiaoxiao glanced at the two young n watching them intently, and hurriedly got to work.
No matter how she disapproved of the bloody scene, she had to pretend to help right now.
Otherwise, if they spotted an anomaly, it would be worse. Just then, a voice ca from the old man’s room.
"Hey, short guy, co over and peel these potatoes."
Jiang Xiaoxiao responded promptly, "Hey! Coming!"
What a coincidence?
Song Moting felt completely relieved, starting to skin the ga, a task both he and the others had done before and knew well.
Soon, a hide was removed, as the watchers inside saw that they knew exactly what they were doing, recognizing their skill as that of mountain-dwelling villagers who hunted regularly, otherwise they couldn’t have this expertise, letting down their guard.
Ma Laosan took a look. Seeing them busy outside the window, he shook his head and walked away.
Their luck was truly unmatched.
eting this old man had been a matter from two months ago.
They found the old beggar during their hike on the mountain in a thicket of weeds, initially thinking, with an old beggar, at least they’d have soone to cook, who knew about the old beggar’s cooking skills?
They were truly unbearable.
None of them could cook; their food was always half-raw, and not even as good as the old man’s.
At least, the old man cooked the food thoroughly.
Though it tasted bad, it was better than their half-cooked, underdone als that always caused stomachaches.
Now, unexpectedly, they encountered three hunters who ca knocking.
With this skill, it saved them quite a lot of hassle.
They weren’t in it for the at but for the hides and various animal parts.
If they could bring these items back, no one would bother carrying such heavy at.
Of course, they’d still pick so good ones to take back anyway, the weather was cold, and food wouldn’t spoil left here.
Jiang Xiaoxiao slipped inside; the old man had already pointed at a pile of potatoes, indicating that she should peel them.
Jiang Xiaoxiao began seriously peeling potatoes. In fact, according to her, she knew how to cook and was quite skilled.
Even if these people knew she could cook, it would only better conceal her identity and make them regard her differently.
However, Jiang Xiaoxiao had a hunch that seed to suggest, from yesterday to today, the old man had been deliberately or inadvertently protective of her, despite appearing indifferent to everyone.
The question was, she had an indescribable feeling that the old man seed to treat her specially, yet she didn’t understand what made it special.
They had never t, and didn’t know each other at all, why would the old man protect her?
Jiang Xiaoxiao couldn’t figure it out. Could it be the old man was simply using a retreating strategy to gain trust within their group?
Jiang Xiaoxiao couldn’t easily tell anyone the truth, nor reveal her identity, even if the old man was genuinely protective of her.
Admitting she couldn’t cook was out of fear these people might throw them out upon discovering her real skills, especially if the old man was just an innocent and unfortunate person.
Being cast out by them would an more than rejection, but potentially fatal.
Anyway, she’d truly have to do heinous things then.
She’d rather eat terrible food than cause harm.
Besides, before understanding the final situation, doing anything seed wrong, it was better to do nothing.
The old man finished cooking and made a pot of rice porridge early in the morning.
He heated up yesterday’s big white buns.
The old man did well today, stirring up potato strips. Although they lacked flavor, it was more popular compared to yesterday’s boiled vegetables.
The old man didn’t even let Jiang Xiaoxiao serve the food; he brought it in himself, leaving Jiang Xiaoxiao to scrub pots, wash dishes, tidy up the stove, chop wood, and fetch water.
Jiang Xiaoxiao was happy to stay out.
Being busy there was much better than serving those people inside; those few individuals obviously weren’t good people—they beat up Zhang Baocheng yesterday.
If she went in, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t provoke them.
With her small fra, she wouldn’t stand a chance.
From this experience, Jiang Xiaoxiao felt even more, the old man seed to be protecting her.
Otherwise, there was no reason for the old man not to make her serve them instead; the old man with his limp, had to make three trips.
Later, she must tell Brother Song, let Song Moting ponder over what’s truly happening.
Why was the old man so special to her? The whole thing felt off.
Apparently, the people in the room were satisfied with this morning’s breakfast.
Well-fed, they left clean plates and bowls.
Jiang Xiaoxiao including the others also had a simple breakfast—a bun each and half a bowl of rice porridge.
Compared to the roasted at they normally ate, having so proper food was quite comforting.
No one could endure eating at all the ti.
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