Chapter 37: Filial Piety

“Grand-aunt, Grand-aunt... I’ve brought Chen Weiguo’s family to see you.”

Chen Daliu called out from below and soon spotted Little Black’s head poking out, so he led Chen Weiguo and his wife and child up to the tree house. Where Little Black was, Grand-aunt surely would be.

As they gazed at the enormous tree house perched high in the branches, both Chen Weiguo and Fang Ya were left open-mouthed in astonishment. Chen Yi, even more amazed, let go of his mother’s hand and ran circles around the tree, exclaiming inwardly at its sheer size.

“Grand-aunt lives up there?”

Chen Daliu nodded, casting a strange look at Chen Weiguo—if Grand-aunt didn’t live here, why would he have brought them?

“Is the tree house sturdy?” Chen Weiguo asked.

With pride written all over his face, Chen Daliu replied, “It was built by a master craftsman whom Old Ancestor Bai found, and they worked on it for over three months. All the timber is from large trees, so of course it’s sturdy.”

Fang Ya asked, “She—Grand-aunt lives in the tree house all by herself?”

They’d learned a bit about her before coming: the Bai family girl was now the highest-ranking elder in Niuluo Village. Her parents were gone, and she lived alone, while the villagers took care of her meals. Fang Ya felt pity for Bai Xi—a child orphaned at such a young age. Even if she was highly respected in the village, she was still just a kid.

But she hadn’t expected Bai Xi to live by herself in a tree house so high it was taller than a two-story building. Wasn’t it dangerous for a little girl to go up and down alone? Did the villagers really trust her to be safe?

Fang Ya’s question made Chen Daliu pause. He tilted his head, thought for a moment, and said, “Grand-aunt likes living by herself, she isn’t afraid.”

Originally, Bai Xi had moved into the tree house accompanied by Old Ancestor Bai. With the ancestors present, no one worried about it. After they passed away, the villagers suggested she move back to the Bai ancestral home, but she stubbornly refused.

As for the fear of falling, ever since she learned to walk, no one had ever seen Grand-aunt take a tumble.

Back then, Old Ancestor Bai had even installed a lift to help Grand-aunt go up and down—a contraption made from ropes and wood, operating on a simple principle. By pulling the rope hanging beside the trunk, the swing-like board would descend, and after tying the safety rope around her waist, pulling again would slowly lift her up.

Recently, however, Grand-aunt insisted on proving she could live alone, so she went up and down by the stairs herself, rendering the lift obsolete.

Bai Xi was well aware of the lift—it was just a basic application of the lever principle. But she wasn’t some foolish flower spirit; at that slow speed, she preferred to simply use the stairs.

Moreover, the staircase spiraled upward, not straight, and a layer of netting hung below for protection. There was no real risk of falling.

Upon hearing Chen Daliu’s voice, Bai Xi had no choice but to rouse herself from meditation, rolling her eyes in silent exasperation. They’d already paid respects by the stream—why come here again? What business did they have with her?

Though she no longer possessed any cultivation, she’d discovered she still had a spark of divine power to use. Whenever bored, Bai Xi would meditate, hoping for some unexpected breakthrough.

Soon, Chen Daliu brought Chen Weiguo and family to stand outside the tree house door and knocked.

“Grand-aunt.”

“Come in.” Usually, Bai Xi wouldn’t close the door during the day, but to avoid being disturbed during meditation, she’d shut it.

Inside, Fang Ya and Chen Weiguo couldn’t help but take in the furnishings. Their astonishment was understandable—they’d seen city apartments, but never a tree house like this.

No one would have guessed such a large structure could be built in a tree.

They couldn’t see the upstairs bedroom, but from what was visible—the carefully chosen redwood furniture—it was clear Grand-aunt lived quite well.

To say nothing of the rest, even the village chief didn’t have meat at home, and probably no other family did either. Yet beside Grand-aunt’s cupboard hung a slab of preserved pork.

“Grand-aunt, are we disturbing your rest?”

Chen Daliu’s words brought Chen Weiguo and Fang Ya back to the present.

Chen Weiguo quickly placed the bundle in his hands on the table.

“Grand-aunt, we apologize for intruding. This is for you—a token of our gratitude for saving Little Yi. We came from far away and didn’t bring anything special, but we hope you won’t mind.”

Today, Bai Xi wore a green shirt and black shorts, revealing half her legs. Her little face was round and fair, her hands soft and pale as lotus roots, and she sat on the couch with wide, sparkling eyes. Her adorable appearance made everyone instinctively lower their voices.

Glancing at the offerings, Bai Xi asked directly, “What did you bring?” At five years old, she didn’t bother with polite refusals—the best approach was to simply ask.

Fang Ya quickly opened the bundle. “Grand-aunt, we brought you half a pound of brown sugar, half a pound of rice crisps, a jar of canned yellow peaches, and two tins of canned beef. We weren’t sure if you’d like them.”

Though it wasn’t much, these were the best things Chen Weiguo and Fang Ya could offer. Their son had clamored for snacks on the train, but they’d refused so his grandfather could be buried smoothly in Niuluo Village.

Originally, the gifts were meant for the village chief, but after seeing the villagers’ attitude toward Bai Xi by the stream, they added the canned beef and half a pound of brown sugar as offerings to her.

Bai Xi’s expression remained unchanged at the mention of brown sugar and rice crisps, but the moment she heard “canned beef,” her eyes lit up.

It was obvious she liked it.

Seeing this, Fang Ya’s own nervousness eased. Though she was called Grand-aunt, Bai Xi was still a little child—her delight at hearing about tasty food was perfectly natural.

Bai Xi couldn’t help herself, though she wished she didn’t seem so eager. She hadn’t tasted beef since arriving here, so the prospect of canned beef was highly satisfying.

She composed herself, then nodded in a manner meant to mimic an adult. “You’ve been thoughtful.”

Since it was an offering, she had no reason to refuse.

As soon as Chen Yi entered, he was drawn to Little Black. He edged closer, but Little Black, not wanting to be bothered, slipped away and crouched at Bai Xi’s feet.

Chen Yi was about to follow, but his mother, quick as ever, pulled him back.

“Little Yi, don’t cause trouble—greet Grand-aunt first.”

She wasn’t taking any chances; that was a tiger, after all—even if still young, it was dangerous. If he angered it and got swiped or bitten, what then?

Chen Yi hesitated, glanced at Bai Xi on the couch, struggled for a moment, then called out:

“Grand-aunt, can I play with your tiger?”

Chen Daliu frowned slightly. Clearly, not being raised in the village, the boy didn’t know the proper etiquette—how could he address Grand-aunt so familiarly? Besides, Little Black was Grand-aunt’s pet, not something others could play with at will.

Still, since they’d just returned, he decided not to be too strict and said nothing in front of Bai Xi.