When Liu Ming'an handed the completed funeral couplet to He Wu, the latter wiped his hands vigorously on his clothes before accepting it with both hands.
Seeing this gesture, Liu Ming'an let out a silent sigh.
He Wu could be said to be the person in this village who most wanted to study and learn to write, but unfortunately, due to various circumstances, he could only choose to put down pen and paper, pick up a hoe, and shoulder the burden of life. Because of that desire for education, He Wu had always shown a respect for Liu Ming'an as a "scholar" that others never had.
"Brother Ming'an, thank you," He Wu carefully folded the couplet and placed it in his bosom, expressing his sincere gratitude to Liu Ming'an.
Liu Ming'an smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "Brother Wu, you're too kind. It was nothing."
He Wu felt immensely grateful and said earnestly, "Well then, Brother Ming'an, I'll head back now. In the future, if you need any help, just say the word, and I'll be there!"
Liu Ming'an nodded, knowing that He Wu was a man of his word and that this wasn't just empty talk.
After He Wu left, Liu Ming'an returned inside and, looking at the empty room, suddenly felt uneasy, as if something was missing.
Human habits are truly frightening things. He had lived alone for so long, yet Jiang Ning had only been here for a few days, and without realizing it, he had already grown accustomed to having another person in the house.
Liu Ming'an picked up the note Jiang Ning had left again, focusing on the words "Don't worry, wait for me to come home." Compared to the earlier words about "going hunting in the mountains," this sentence's strokes were less fluid, much slower, and one could almost see the writer's hesitation.
The image of Jiang Ning's cold face flashed through his mind, and Liu Ming'an smiled softly, guessing that this sentence had been added later by Jiang Ning. His mood lightened a bit, and the heavy stone weighing on his heart seemed to lift slightly.
Liu Ming'an began to read as usual, but today his mind was preoccupied. His eyes unconsciously kept looking out the window, and he frequently found himself staring at the distant mountain, lost in thought. He couldn't absorb a single word from the book.
"Has Jiang Ning returned?" When this thought flashed through his mind for the umpteenth time, Liu Ming'an sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be able to focus on his reading today.
Getting up and going outside, Liu Ming'an saw smoke rising from various places in the village, realizing it was already noon.
Liu Ming'an turned back to the kitchen, bustling about with pots and pans for a while, and eventually produced a pot of rice and two dishes. He set the table and waited from noon until mid-afternoon, but the food had long since gone cold, and there was still no sign of Jiang Ning's return.
Jiang Ning came home in the late afternoon. She descended from the mountain, leaving markers along the way and picking some mushrooms. After coming down, she entered her space, passed through the busy villagers as she had done earlier, and stopped in the woods about two hundred meters from Liu Ming'an's courtyard.
Returning empty-handed and then suddenly producing pheasants, rabbits, and a pile of chestnuts and mushrooms would likely make Liu Ming'an think she was some kind of supernatural being.
Inside her space, Jiang Ning looked at today's harvest with a slight frown. The chicken and rabbits were easy enough to carry, but how was she supposed to bring back this pile of chestnuts and mushrooms? She couldn't possibly carry them all in her arms.
At this moment, Jiang Ning desperately missed the era of plastic bags.
After pondering for a moment, Jiang Ning took off her outer garment, tied the sleeves, and then placed the pile of items on it, using the clothing to make an improvised sack.
When Liu Ming'an heard movement and came out, this was the scene he saw: Jiang Ning with her long hair loose, wearing only her undergarments, her right hand carrying a cage with a grayish, furry creature wriggling inside, her left hand holding a colorful, clucking chicken, and a large, bulging package hanging from her arm.
Liu Ming'an noticed that the chicken's feet were tied with Jiang Ning's hair ribbon, the one he had tied for her that morning. Looking closer, he realized the makeshift sack hanging from her arm was actually Jiang Ning's outer garment.
Jiang Ning had just stepped into the courtyard when she saw Liu Ming'an running out, as if he had been waiting for her. Liu Ming'an was visibly startled by her disheveled and half-dressed appearance, then jogged over, calling out, "Jiang Ning, let me help you with that," his hand reaching for the wild chicken.
Remembering the peck she had received earlier, Jiang Ning took half a step back, avoiding Liu Ming'an's hand, and handed him the rabbit cage instead. "Keep a close eye on these three rabbits. We'll raise them for a few days and then sell them at the next market."
Liu Ming'an took the cage, which was heavier than he had expected, containing three plump rabbits.
Jiang Ning then handed him the makeshift sack. "There are some chestnuts and mushrooms in here. Put them in the kitchen."
Liu Ming'an nodded, following Jiang Ning's instructions. He placed the rabbits in the corridor between the kitchen and the storage room to ensure they wouldn't escape, then went to the kitchen to find a wooden basin to empty out the contents of the sack.
Holding Jiang Ning's clothes, Liu Ming'an noticed several bright blood stains on them. His heart sank for a moment before he placed the garment in the wooden tub he used for washing clothes.
By the time Liu Ming'an finished these tasks and came out, Jiang Ning had already tied the wild chicken to the door latch. Looking at the constantly crowing and flapping chicken, Liu Ming'an said to Jiang Ning, "This chicken is hard to tame, with keen senses. It's rare for anyone to catch one."
Jiang Ning thought he wanted to know how she had caught it, so she simply said, "Don't think too much about it. Just focus on your studies."
After saying this, Jiang Ning suddenly felt like one of those parents who desperately want their children to succeed, only caring about studying hard, getting high scores, entering prestigious schools, making a name for themselves, and bringing honor to the family...
It was unbelievable that she, an assassin, was experiencing this motherly sensation!
"Jiang Ning," Liu Ming'an didn't inquire about how she had hunted, but instead asked with a concerned look as his eyes scanned her from head to toe, "Where are you hurt? Does it still hurt?"
Jiang Ning was initially surprised that Liu Ming'an knew she was injured, but then remembered the bloodstains on her clothes and understood.
"I heal quickly, remember?" Jiang Ning said, sounding as if she were trying to reassure him.
"Just because you heal quickly doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, does it?" Liu Ming'an asked with a furrowed brow.
Of course it hurt, but compared to the injuries Jiang Ning had sustained in the past, this pain from a chicken peck was practically negligible.
Not wanting to discuss this further, Jiang Ning lowered her head and kicked the still-lively tied-up wild chicken, saying in a low voice, "Go boil some water. I'll change my clothes. Later, you can eat an extra piece of meat to avenge me."
With that, Jiang Ning turned and entered the room. The wild chicken flapped its wings, making a low "cluck cluck" sound, glaring at her retreating figure with round, angry eyes.
The table was still set with untouched food, which surprised Jiang Ning. She hadn't expected Liu Ming'an to wait for her return to eat, and it seemed he had been hungry himself.
Third Great Aunt had brought two sets of her daughter's clothes for Jiang Ning. After changing, Jiang Ning looked at the set she had taken off, and worry slowly crept back into her heart.
How did people wash clothes in ancient times? It seemed they had to scrub them by hand, without any laundry powder or detergent.