Chapter 5: Craving Meat

Thinking of the Flower Spirit’s instructions, Bai Xi once again felt she had been tricked. She lifted her head, intending to shout a curse, but when she recalled those two thunderous bolts, she swallowed her words, rolling her eyes in silent frustration instead.

Bai Xi was the smallest among the children, so her expression was perfectly visible to the others. To them, their little lady’s antics were simply adorable.

Seeing Bai Xi turn to leave, the others hurried to catch up, and Chen Rui asked once more, “Little Lady, are we going anywhere else?”

“Nowhere! I’m not going anywhere!” Bai Xi was both angry and dejected, so full of frustration she had no desire to wander about.

Chen Rui and the rest followed Bai Xi home, only then scattering like startled birds. Halfway down the road, Chen Rui paused, her worry unresolved. She ran back to the foot of the stairs and called loudly upward, “Little Lady, stay home and rest! Don’t go out again!”

Bai Xi was silent.

Even though Bai Xi didn’t answer, Chen Rui probably knew she’d been heard, so after a moment’s pause, she turned and ran off.

Bai Xi stayed indoors. After she finished the milk candy in her mouth, she wasn’t as hungry, but her stomach still felt uncomfortably empty. Imagine—a dignified nine-tailed celestial fox, reduced to hunger! She couldn’t help but look up, but reconsidered—what if another thunderstorm struck?

So Bai Xi refrained from cursing aloud, confining her mutterings to her heart.

Before long, someone called from below.

“Little Lady, Little Lady, are you home?”

“Little Lady…”

Though Bai Xi didn’t want to respond, the people below were so persistent she finally opened her door, standing at the top of the steps with a sullen look. “What are you shouting for? If you have something to say, say it. Don’t holler like you’ve lost your soul.”

As soon as she finished, the people below pulled their sons and daughters to their knees.

Bai Xi had wandered the mortal world and seen people kneel to immortals and emperors, but even so, this scene bewildered her.

“What are you doing?” Her childish voice was tinged with confusion, sweet and soft, pleasing to the ear.

The one leading was Little Shunzi’s father, who spoke first.

“Little Lady, a few days ago, my boy was careless and caused you to fall in the water. We meant to have them kneel in the ancestral hall for three days as punishment before coming to beg your forgiveness, but you excused them from it. I’ve brought him here to apologize to you in person.”

“That’s right, Little Lady, my girl is at fault too. They didn’t look after you well enough…”

“Little Lady, why don’t you give them a few whacks?” Someone, realizing Bai Xi was small and likely not strong enough, huffed and smacked his son’s bottom himself. “You rascal, how many times have I told you to behave? Quit being naughty, quit being naughty…”

Little Shitou, who had been kneeling upright, was so startled by the sudden smack that he almost toppled forward. He didn’t cry, though. He rubbed his backside, straightened up, and knelt again obediently.

It wasn’t just Little Shitou; the others were getting a scolding or a smack as well.

Bai Xi was speechless.

No wonder the Flower Spirit had been so uneasy about leaving this world behind—the villagers of Niuluo really did treat their little lady with overwhelming kindness.

“All right, enough scolding and punishment. Stop hitting them. I was the one who went into the water; it’s not their fault.” Since she was using this body, she would take on the troubles the Flower Spirit had left behind.

Thinking of this, Bai Xi wanted to drag the Flower Spirit back for a good beating.

“Enough noise—just go home now.” With that, Bai Xi turned back inside, closing the door behind her, caring little for their reactions.

What little lady? She didn’t want to be the little lady at all.

Bai Xi was frustrated. And hungry again!

The adults outside scolded their children one more time before sending them away.

On the way back, Little Shunzi’s father said to Little Shitou’s father, “Don’t you think the Little Lady is sounding more and more like a grown-up?”

“She’s always tried to talk like us, to seem more like an elder.”

That was true enough. The Little Lady had often spoken with the gravity of an adult, so no one found it strange anymore.

No one in the village found Bai Xi’s precociousness odd. The Bai family had always been clever, and according to the ancestral teachings, the more intelligent the Bai children, the better life would be for the whole of Niuluo Village.

Indeed, over the centuries, several members of the Bai family had led the village to prosperity. As a result, the entire village held the Bai family in utmost respect.

Even now, with Bai Xi alone, no one dared show her the slightest disrespect. Their ancestors had all benefited from the Bai family—how could they be ungrateful?

Children learn from their elders. Seeing their parents and grandparents treat Bai Xi with reverence, how could the younger ones misbehave? Who would want to risk their lives being too comfortable?

For dinner, they brought a bowl of boiled greens, a steamed egg custard, and some thin porridge.

The greens, having soaked in two days of rain, were fresh and green, but after boiling, they looked unappetizing and tasted just as bad.

Bai Xi couldn’t help herself and asked, “When can we have meat again?”

“You want to eat meat, Little Lady?” Bai An’an was taken aback. “Probably at the beginning of next month.”

The beginning of the month?

It was only mid-month now! That meant waiting another half a month or more?

Thinking she’d have to live like a rabbit demon for another half a month, maybe even longer, Bai Xi grew even more dejected.

Still, she waved it off, telling Bai An’an to go home.

Bai An’an hesitated as if wanting to say more, but in the end, he left quietly.

Not only Bai Xi, but Bai An’an longed for meat as well. In fact, there was no one in the village who didn’t. Meat was a precious commodity; even the Little Lady only had it twice a month, and for others, it was rare to have it even once.

Bai An’an was the eldest son of Bai Ye from the Bai family. The Bai family was not related to Bai Xi by blood; rather, Bai Ye’s ancestors had fled to Niuluo Village, and Bai Xi’s ancestor, seeing their hardship and lack of a surname, had granted them the Bai name.

Now, with Bai Ye’s generation, they were the eighth generation. Apart from Bai Xi’s household, only five other families in Niuluo Village bore the Bai name.

Bai An’an was fifteen years old, with three younger brothers. A house full of sons—boys who could eat a family into poverty. Other families might have meat once a month, but for them, it could be three or four months between servings. Occasionally, they would catch some fish or shrimp from the stream to supplement their meals.

But with no oil or seasoning, the boiled fish and shrimp tasted so fishy that they only ate them as a last resort. Otherwise, the village children would catch some together, roast them over a fire, and fill their always-hungry bellies as best they could.