Chapter 34: A Rare Treasure

Ning Xin snorted coldly. Could she just let it go after drenching it? She picked up a large stone in front of her and, before the mule could even react in surprise, tossed it into the stream before the mule, splashing water onto its face.

The mule brayed, spitting water at Ning Xin.

This time Ning Xin dodged, laughing heartily. She stepped forward, cradled the mule’s head, and kissed it on the face.

Ning Xin didn’t know if the mule blushed, but its eyes turned red. It turned its head away, then back again, rubbing against Ning Xin’s face.

“Ning Baby, let’s go home. If we don’t, I’m going to starve to death.”

“Whoosh, whoosh.”

The mule snorted a few times and obediently followed Ning Xin toward the Ning family village, or rather, trotting along with happy little steps.

As they entered the village, the mule even held back from peeing or pooping.

“Mother!” Ning Xin called out from a distance.

Several younger brothers came running like mad.

“Wow…”

“The mule!”

“Big sister, big sister, can I touch it?”

Ning Xin wanted to say yes, but the mule looked disdainful and wouldn’t let Ning Kui and the others touch it. It brayed when anyone approached and even lifted a hoof threateningly.

“Kui, Zhuang, don’t touch it yet, it’s still shy,” Mom Meng quickly warned.

She felt this mule was a bit clever.

Ning Kui and Ning Zhuang nodded repeatedly, bringing it water, grass, and corn stalks.

The mule ate haughtily, still not allowing the kids squatting nearby to come close or touch it.

Ning Xin tugged at Mom Meng, pouting, “Mother, I’m hungry.”

Mom Meng didn’t move.

Ning Nuan and Ning Huan each brought out a steamed corn bun and some leftover minced meat and preserved pork stir-fried with cabbage.

Ning Xin was truly hungry—she hadn’t had a bite since last night.

She bit into the food wildly, devouring it.

“Xin, when you went to the county this morning, didn’t you buy anything to eat?”

Ning Xin lowered her head guiltily and softly answered, “No.”

“Do you just ignore me? If you keep not eating day after day, running around hungry, it’s no big deal when you’re young, but when you get older, it’ll be hard on you.”

Mom Meng saw how quickly Ning Xin was stuffing the corn buns into her mouth—it was clear she was starving.

Mom Meng grabbed her ear, and Ning Xin immediately cried out, “Mother, mother, I’m sorry! Next time I go to the county, I’ll definitely buy food to fill my stomach.”

“This time I’ll forgive you, but next time I’ll have to pull your ear off, since you don’t listen to reason.”

“I will listen, I will! Mother, I promise I’ll always fill my stomach and never go hungry again.”

Ning Xin kept promising, and Mom Meng finally softened, telling her to eat quickly and then go to sleep, forbidding her from thinking about going out to cut grass again.

“The grass at home is already piled up enough to last ten or fifteen days.”

She didn’t want her daughter, so young, to wear herself out.

Ning Xin obediently nodded. She was indeed sleepy.

After filling her stomach, Ning Kui and the others spread a good amount of grass under the eaves for the mule, patting it repeatedly: “Come on, come on, sleep here.”

“Kui, it’s called Ning Baby,” Ning Xin reminded them.

“What?”

“What?”

Ning Kui and Ning Zhuang looked at their eldest sister in disbelief.

This was a mule—a male mule.

“Big sister, are you serious?”

Ning Xin nodded. “I’m serious. I think Ning Baby is a great name. This life it follows my surname, and in the next life, when it reincarnates as a human, it won’t be an animal.”

“…”

That actually made some sense.

Perhaps Ning Xin’s words were understood by the mule.

It seemed to not oppose the name, walked onto the dry grass, legs weakening, and collapsed to sleep.

Today had truly worn the mule out.

Ning Xin couldn’t help yawning and went inside to sleep.

The owner slept soundly indoors.

The mule slept deeply under the eaves.

It didn’t even lift an eyelid at the few fascinated children crouching nearby.

Ning Erlang came to see the marvel.

Ning Sanlang brought his four sons to have a look too.

Ning Silang came with Ning An shortly after.

Adults and children alike found it fascinating, wanting to touch it but afraid of damaging it.

When Ning Dalang returned, he saw his brothers with their children gathered in a circle.

“What are you looking at?”

Ning Dalang asked as he approached, gasping when he saw the sleeping mule, his eyes wide.

A mule?

He hurried to find Mom Meng.

Mom Meng had just finished washing clothes and returned; Ning Dalang quickly took the wooden bucket from her and whispered, “The mule—did Xin buy it?”

Mom Meng nodded.

Ning Dalang was overjoyed. Leaning close to Mom Meng, he whispered, “My daughter is amazing.”

A mule—no one in the entire Ning family village had one.

But now, his family did.

Whose family had one among the relatives?

His family had one!

Ning Dalang’s pride was truly unbearable.

Mom Meng ignored him and didn’t call Ning Nuan and Ning Huan to hang clothes; she went to the backyard herself.

The children, rarely idle at home, were fascinated by the mule; let them indulge.

Among the curious crowd was also Ning Dalang.

He seriously appraised the mule, praising Ning Xin’s choice: strong legs, sturdy body...

The mule opened its eyes, glanced around, then closed them and went back to sleep.

As evening grew late, the fascinated crowd began to leave for their homes.

Ning An was reluctant to go—partly because he truly liked it, partly because he rarely got to go out.

He loved coming to his uncle’s house to play with Ning Qi.

But his health was poor; his parents forbade him from going out.

Ning Silang held him, promising to come again tomorrow, and Ning An obediently stopped crying.

“Brother, I’ll come again tomorrow,” Ning An whispered.

His older brothers each responded.

If the house weren’t so crowded and Ning An’s health better, he would have stayed to sleep together.

Dinner was ready, and Mom Meng went to call Ning Xin to eat.

Ning Xin got up and ate, though still somewhat dazed.

When Ning Dalang asked how much the mule cost, Ning Xin muttered a few words, and Ning Dalang stopped asking.

His daughter seemed both awake and asleep.

After filling her stomach, Ning Xin went to the outhouse and then back to sleep.

Ning Nuan and Ning Huan carefully washed her face and feet.

Both sisters looked at her with tenderness and admiration.

That night, Ning Kui and Ning Zhuang refused to sleep indoors; they wanted to sleep under the eaves, guarding the mule.

Mom Meng wouldn’t allow it and told Ning Dalang to speak with them.

Ning Dalang hesitated, then whispered, “I want to sleep under the eaves too.”

“…”

Mom Meng, annoyed, grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. “Go away! Sleep with that mule all night, don’t come back inside.”

“Hui Niang, good wife, just one night, just one night. I really like that mule so much. In this life, Ning Dalang never even dreamed he’d have a mule at home. Please promise me.”

“Go, go, go.”

Mom Meng was disgusted by Ning Dalang’s clinginess, waving her hand impatiently.

The father and two sons laid out straw mats on the floor, dressed in thick cotton clothes, and pulled up heavy quilts.

They all stared at the mule, hearts filled with satisfaction.

Soon, Ning Dalang’s bedding had three little ones nestled in.

“Dad, Mom is asleep. We snuck over.”

“…”

Ning Dalang was helpless, pulling the three boys into his arms, tucking their cups in, and instructing, “Go to sleep.”

In his heart, he silently decided: no matter how much he liked it, they could only sleep outside one night—never two.