Chapter 32: Because I Am the Grand Aunt

In truth, the villagers still felt uneasy about the little spirit tiger. After all, a tiger cub grows up, and tigers are anything but herbivores. Where would they ever find enough meat to feed it? Fortunately, Bai Xi assured them that once the spirit tiger grew a bit larger, it would hunt for itself. That finally put everyone somewhat at ease.

But even if they were uneasy, it was useless. Granny Bai was determined to keep the tiger, and none of them dared to oppose her—such a thing would be improper, to say the least.

“Master, please remember to give me some water and food!” The little spirit tiger, after being given some water and a bit of rice gruel, was tied up, yet it still whimpered to Bai Xi.

It was afraid that once it was strung up, its mistress would go out to play for a couple of days and forget all about it.

A look of disdain flickered across Bai Xi’s round face. For a spirit beast, what was a day or two of hunger? So lacking in fortitude! But as the little spirit tiger pleaded so eagerly, she had no choice but to promise, “All right, behave yourself and stay inside. I’ll remember to feed you.”

At that moment, the villagers hadn’t yet dispersed. A boy of about fifteen or sixteen, having overheard Bai Xi talking to the tiger, watched in amazement as it obediently entered its cage and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Granny, how do you know the language of beasts?” It was truly strange—she was only five, and her parents were gone. Who could have taught her?

Bai Xi fell silent.

Before she could reply, someone nearby landed a firm slap on the boy’s head, making him stagger.

“How are you talking to Granny? Don’t you know how to speak properly? Hm? Don’t you?” The speaker scolded as he struck, only stopping when the boy dodged out of reach.

“Who is that? That’s Granny! Our Granny is the most capable—of course she knows!” he said, turning to Bai Xi with a respectful, ingratiating smile.

Truth be told, the villagers were surprised that Bai Xi could understand the language of beasts. But the Bai family had produced such gifted individuals in the past, so it wasn't entirely unheard of.

Now, her previous feats—finding wild geese and catching rabbits—suddenly seemed much more plausible.

Bai Xi secretly rejoiced, her face betraying a smug expression as she declared proudly, “Of course I know. Otherwise, how would I be Granny? When you become Granny, you’ll know too.”

The idea that pretending to be childish was shameful simply didn’t exist for Bai Xi. After all, she couldn’t very well explain her origins or why she understood beast-speech to these people.

The others, hearing her words, all felt a pang in their hearts.

Some of the older boys looked at the one who’d been struck, barely suppressing their laughter, their eyes teasing: “You want to become Granny?”

The boy’s face flushed with embarrassment. He scratched the back of his head and stammered, “Uh, well… Granny, I could never be Granny.”

Although he was nearly grown, he found himself tongue-tied before this young but high-ranking child.

Seeing his discomfort, the others couldn’t help but laugh.

The little spirit tiger was hung in a net beneath the treehouse. The village’s old hunter had even reinforced the net, though everyone knew that if a full-grown tiger came, all the nets and wires in the world wouldn’t help.

Bai Xi stood before the treehouse, watching the villagers gradually disperse—some clearly worried, yet still indulging her willfulness. A complicated look crossed her childish features.

No wonder that silly flower spirit had such trouble letting go of the people of Niuluo Village. While outsiders might see them as stubbornly clinging to the dead rules of their ancestors, aside from this, there was little to fault them for.

Besides, Bai Xi herself benefited from their adherence to tradition.

It seemed everyone had forgotten about Bai Xi’s earlier trip to the foot of the mountain. Of course, when Xiaoshun and his friends went home, they still couldn’t escape a round of scolding.

On the way back, someone voiced a question. “Hey, don’t you think it’s strange?”

“What’s strange?”

“About Granny knowing the language of beasts. What’s so strange about that? Granny might be little, but our ancestors protect her…”

“No, that’s not it,” the first replied, waving his hand. “Didn’t you notice? Today Granny spoke more like an adult than ever—better even than my ten-year-old boy.”

“So what? Hasn’t Granny always tried to talk like us adults?”

Remembering how Bai Xi, secure in her elder status, stubbornly refused to admit she was young or childish, everyone burst into laughter, as if the clouds over their hearts had lightened.

After her laughter faded, Zhang Xiu said, “You don’t know—today Granny even used a four-character idiom. What was it… something about elders, something not to refuse…”

Unable to recall Bai Xi’s exact words, Zhang Xiu looked a bit embarrassed. “Anyway, Granny’s words were profound.”

She glanced shyly at Chen Rui beside her, hoping for a hint—what was it Granny said earlier?

Chen Rui shook her head nervously; she hadn’t learned it either.

A boy in his second year of middle school thought for a moment, then asked, “Sister Chen, did Granny say, ‘The gift of an elder must not be refused’?”

“That’s it!” Zhang Xiu immediately nodded. “That’s exactly what she said.”

The boy, seeing the admiring looks of those around him, felt a surge of happiness and tried to maintain a dignified air as he explained, “That’s easy to understand. It means you shouldn’t decline gifts from elders.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Li’s boy is something else—see, someone who’s been to middle school is truly learned.”

“Indeed, indeed. That schooling wasn’t in vain.”

“Li, you keep working hard and try to get into high school. Then you’ll get a job assignment and won’t have to farm anymore,” said Chen Daliu, gratified, though he couldn’t help cursing his own son in his heart, that useless child who refused to study.

“That’s right. With a city household registration, you’ll get ration stamps for cloth and oil, maybe even sugar. Working in the city and eating state grain—who wouldn’t want that?”

The boy, flushed with pride at the praise from his elders, was more pleased than embarrassed. His parents, standing beside him, felt a sense of pride and satisfaction that all their sacrifices to send him to school had been worthwhile.

“Let’s not praise him too much, or he’ll get conceited.”

“It was Old Ancestor Bai who said it best. Otherwise, my boy would’ve left school after primary.”

Here, “Old Ancestor Bai” referred to Bai Xi’s father. Since he’d passed, the villagers called him thus, which was only fitting.

As everyone’s conversation turned to how Bai Xi’s father had encouraged them to send their children to school, a girl of about fourteen or fifteen glanced curiously at the praised boy and asked, “Brother Li, is that something you only learn in middle school?”

When he nodded, she muttered in confusion, “Then how did Granny know?”