Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation-Chapter 1524 - 840: Backup Plan Arrangement

When December arrives, the originally leisurely days seem to have hit the fast-forward button, getting faster day by day, and in the blink of an eye, two days have hurriedly passed.

December 26, evening.

A fragrance wafts over the River Dam Bungalow, attracting the attention of Mr. Qian, Butcher Zhang, and Uncle Tang who were chatting at the doorway, making them all glance at the westernmost resident of the bungalow.

Today, Aunt Gu didn’t go to work. As she does every year, she fried round dumplings, crispy leaves, and small fruits, each fried in a big basket.

Since the family’s conditions have improved, Aunt Gu also fried small dried fish and crispy meat.

The flavor of the New Year was even richer. Tongtong, wearing a small cotton jacket, picked up a basket filled to the brim with small snacks, smiling as she delivered the homemade New Year’s goods to the neighbors.

Nowadays, their family is different from before, so not sending these gifts wouldn’t really matter, but Aunt Gu is a simple and earnest countrywoman at heart, wishing to maintain good neighborly relations and live harmoniously.

Butcher Zhang was boasting about his glorious story of defeating a rival pork seller at the market, when he suddenly noticed Tongtong’s silhouette from the west, especially noticing the basket she was carrying, making him widen his eyes!

Butcher Zhang had been tricked by Jiang Ning many times, losing his well-prepared ribs to Jiang Ning’s schemes, causing him great heartache.

Xue Yuantong arrived at the neighbor’s doorstep, her voice crisp: "Uncle Zhang, my mom fried New Year’s goods, sending you some to eat."

Butcher Zhang was still uncertain: "Really giving them to me?"

Xue Yuantong nodded.

Butcher Zhang’s heart settled, his previously hardened face softened, and with a hearty laugh, he exclaimed: "Then I thank your family!"

After saying that, Butcher Zhang joyfully accepted the basket.

Mr. Qian, sharp-eyed: "Wow, there’s crispy meat too!"

He wore glasses, bearing the look of an intellectual, but his speed was astonishing, reaching out to grab a piece of crispy meat.

Butcher Zhang hadn’t had time to curse before Mr. Qian had already popped the crispy meat into his mouth.

He smacked his lips, savoring the taste.

Aunt Gu had personally prepared the ingredients, using only the best. Made from fresh pork tenderloin, coated with a mix of pepper salt cornstarch and fried to a golden color, crispy on the outside and tender inside.

"Fragrant, fragrant, truly fragrant!" praised Mr. Qian sincerely.

Now Aunt Gu was a cook at Evergreen Liquid, infused with Yuzhou’s country sentiments, her culinary skills unquestionable.

"You bastard, ate my stuff!" Butcher Zhang was furious, wishing he could grab Mr. Qian by the collar and make him spit it out!

Mr. Qian ignored him, grinning as he said: "Tongtong, you delivered the New Year’s goods to Xiao Zhang, you see, us and the Tang family..."

Xue Yuantong said coolly: "All have gotten, wait."

Her demeanor was bold, quite rampant, yet Mr. Qian didn’t mind at all, his smile even wider: "Good good good!"

Without further ado, as quick as a flash, Mr. Qian exhibited his skills again, like retrieving items from a pouch, snatching another piece of crispy meat from Butcher Zhang’s basket, and this time Butcher Zhang did curse him.

Mr. Qian reprimanded: "Look at your lack of composure, wait until the New Year’s goods from Tongtong arrive, I’ll decide and give you some back!"

Soon after, all the neighbors received the fried New Year’s goods, the festive taste of the New Year was stronger, though Mr. Qian didn’t return the crispy meat to Butcher Zhang.

Butcher Zhang publicly declared that since the neighbors were generous, he wouldn’t be stingy either, offering two pounds of ribs per family tomorrow! Except Mr. Qian.

...

The western sky was painted with a gentle orange, like the last farewell of the sun to the earth, promptly sinking below the horizon.

The light blue sky turned deep blue, eventually submerged in a mysterious hue, when a bright beam pierced through the darkness.

Sitting on a small stool at the doorstep, Tongtong straightened her little waist immediately, arms crossed over her chest, chiding: "Hmph, you still know to come back!"

At lunch today, Jiang Ning and she competed to see who could eat the most, with Tongtong winning effortlessly.

Resulting in Jiang Ning riding away on a small electric scooter, leaving Tongtong too full to chase him.

Jiang Ning was too bad, seizing the chance to sneak attack when she was weak!

Infuriated, Tongtong found Chuchu that afternoon, ranting about him like crazy, only for Hua Fengmei to teasingly say: "With all Jiang Ning’s flaws, how come you still play with him?"

Tongtong shut up immediately.

At this moment, Jiang Ning parked the scooter in the main room, with the little girl still clinging behind him, Jiang Ning chuckled: "Just busy with some things, I told Chuchu."

He would go to his hometown tomorrow morning, return home to pay respects to ancestors, paste couplets on the home, and attend a feast, needing to be busy for two or three days, so this afternoon Jiang Ning went to Hu Qi Mountain to arrange some matters.

He inevitably neglected his little follower Tongtong.

Tongtong was mad: "You send messages to Chuchu, not to me!"

Of course, she knew, as long as Jiang Ning dared to reply, she had eighteen things waiting.

Jiang Ning: "I made sure you got the news, right?"

Tongtong: "Clearly just notifying Chuchu!"

Jiang Ning waved, nonchalantly brushing it off: "Don’t worry about that, by the way, what’s for dinner tonight?"

The more Tongtong thought about it, the angrier she got: "Dinner is Chuchu!"

Jiang Ning glanced at her, saying: "Chuchu doesn’t act like that."

Tongtong took a blow, felt heartbroken, and walked away sadly on her short legs.

Of course, at dinner, she still ate very well.

After eating, Tongtong licked the seasoning from the corner of her mouth, smiling: "Jiang Ning, the roasted bullfrogs you made were so good!"

She slurped once, still wanting more.

When Jiang Ning came back, he casually caught two frogs enjoying themselves in the Qingyu Lake area, skinned and roasted them, bringing them home to share.

Jiang Ning: "I’ll catch more for you next time."

"You’re the best, hehe!" Tongtong completely forgiven.

Moreover, she decided to help Jiang Ning with computer training that night.

Not only coming herself, but also bringing her best friend Chuchu, who seeing Tongtong’s King Rank hesitated: "You won’t play with your classmates?"