Chapter 24: Big Cat Is My Friend
Thanks to the old man, Lin Xin finally got to experience an ancient mode of transportation. The old man really did have some background as he claimed. This horse carriage looked completely ordinary on the outside, but it was very comfortable inside. Apart from the poor shock absorption that nearly shook her butt into eight pieces, there really weren’t any other flaws to pick at.
Entering the village, the sky grew even darker, and the air was filled with a dampness mixed with the smell of earth. The upcoming rain was probably going to be no small shower.
“Can your horse carriage waterproof?” Lin Xin absolutely wouldn’t admit she was gloating.
“You stinky girl, can’t you let this old man eat a meal in peace?” the old man grumbled, his little mustache twitching up and down, looking especially amusing.
“That’s not fair to say. Aren’t I worrying about you? Look at the sky—it’s definitely going to rain. Wouldn’t it be miserable if it’s pouring outside and drizzling inside your carriage?” Lin Xin teased him.
“Stinky girl, shut up!” The old man blew out his mustache and glared.
“Fine, I won’t say it, but that doesn’t mean it won’t rain, hmph!” Lin Xin muttered under her breath with her head down.
It was getting late, with heavy rain approaching. The villagers were almost all staying home. Some nosy ones heard the sound of hooves and carriage wheels, opened their doors to look out, and upon seeing the horse carriage stop at Lin Xin’s home, pulled their feet back inside instead of stepping out for the spectacle.
The scene of Lin Lao Er’s ghost manifesting was as vivid as yesterday. Greeting Lin Xin on the road was one thing, but going to her home was out of the question.
Lin Xin breathed a small sigh of relief. She really feared those people crowding around with their prying questions, especially the aunties and elder aunts—their combat power was extraordinarily fierce, and their probing questions were no less sharp than modern paparazzi. She felt she couldn’t handle it, and if she lost control and hit someone, that would be bad.
As for whether they gossiped about her after closing their doors at home, she didn’t care—as long as they didn’t do it in front of her.
Getting off the horse carriage, the old man eyed Lin Xin’s courtyard wall, clicking his tongue: “You stinky girl, you really didn’t lie to me. Your home is indeed pretty poor.”
“I know that without your reminder. Hurry up and come in!” Lin Xin rolled her eyes at him, opened the courtyard gate, and stepped aside to let him through. “The horse carriage definitely can’t come in. What now?”
“Park it outside. What, you think it’ll get stolen?” The little old man said as he strode into the courtyard, immediately coming face-to-face with the big tiger crouching under the eaves.
“I… old… tiger…” The little old man’s body stiffened instantly, his eyes bulging wide, his lips trembling so much his words came out unclear.
He completely ignored Lin Nan, who had run over, hugged Lin Xin’s leg, and whined, “Sis, you’re finally back.”
“Heh heh, I told you not to get scared to death at my home, but you wouldn’t believe me. See? See?” Lin Xin kept teasing him verbally, but her hand pressed against the old man’s back. Wood element ability quietly circulated through his body. Joking was one thing, but she couldn’t let the old man actually get scared into something serious—that would be a sin.
After the initial visual shock passed and with the boost of the supernatural ability, the old man recovered quite quickly—much faster than the little disciple who had been driving the horse carriage behind him. That young man was still leaning against the doorframe shaking his legs!
“Girl, you’re something! You even brought a tiger home. Let’s make a deal: I’ll cover all your medical visits and medicine from now on. Give me that tiger’s bones!” Having recovered, the old man quickly eyed the big tiger with gleaming eyes—this big fellow was a treasure all over in his eyes!
Out of instinct for danger, the fur on the big tiger’s back stood up. It whipped its head around, its yellow eyes staring straight at him. The old man sobered up instantly and, with agility unfit for his age, darted “whoosh” behind Lin Xin.
“Serves you right. You even dare to eye a live tiger. It’s being polite not to eat you.” Lin Xin rolled her eyes. “And you say you’ll cover my medical visits and medicine. Is it that hard to wish me well?”
“I… I’m just used to it! How could I remember it’s alive!” The little old man whined softly in self-defense, looking wronged.
Lin Xin was helpless too. “If you keep clinging to me like this, I can’t make dinner. Do you still want to eat or not?”
“Eat, of course! I barely survived nearly getting scared to death on my rare visit to your home. I need to eat more to calm my nerves.” The old man let go of Lin Xin’s arm, then lowered his head and saw Lin Nan staring at him with a straight face. He immediately broke into a grin full of wrinkles: “Oh, little guy, do you remember this old man?”
Lin Nan kept his straight face but nodded: “You’re the grandfather who bought our big radish.”
The old man was even happier and was about to praise his good memory when the child said seriously to him: “Grandfather, even though you paid a lot of silver for our big radish, you can’t take the big cat’s bones. Without bones, it can’t live. The big cat is my friend, and it’s injured now. I have to protect it.”
A little bean sprout of a kid solemnly declaring he had to protect a big tiger that could swallow him in one bite—this scene was hilariously funny no matter how you looked at it. The little old man couldn’t help but burst out laughing with a “pfft.”
“Grandfather, I’m serious.” Lin Nan said, displeased.
“Alright, Grandfather won’t take the big cat’s bones. That okay now?” The old man got serious too, earnestly assuring Lin Nan. He really didn’t dare and had no means to take them anyway.
“Mm, good. Then Grandfather, come sit! And that uncle, you sit too.” Master Lin Nan fetched two small stools from the kitchen door.
“Good, good, good, sit.” The old man didn’t mind the stools being low and went straight over to sit. His old hands itched to touch the tiger’s sleek fur—it was just too tempting.
The little disciple driving the horse carriage didn’t have his master’s mental fortitude. No matter what, he couldn’t convince himself to interact up close with a live tiger. Thinking it over, he grabbed the medicinal herbs his master had packed and sneaked toward the kitchen.
Seeing Lin Nan greeting them well, Lin Xin picked up the back basket with one hand and entered the kitchen. She hadn’t forgotten why the old man came to her home and quickly started washing rice and vegetables.
The little disciple hugged a pile of things, hugging the wall as he slipped into the kitchen. Seeing Lin Xin look over, he stammered awkwardly: “Y-Young lady, I-I’m here to help you.”
“No need, I’m quick. Young man, go rest outside!”
“No, no, no, I’ll help right here.” The little disciple shook his head like a rattle drum, firm in his resolve.
Lin Xin glanced back at him and caught him peeking out from the door. She understood—the big tiger had scared him.
“Don’t be afraid. The tiger doesn’t bite. Look, Nan Nan is playing with it just fine.” Lin Xin reassured him.
“Y-Yeah, pretty good.” The young man watched Lin Nan lying on the big tiger chatting with his master, a tuft of tiger fur wound around the kid’s little hand. He swallowed hard and gave Lin Xin a thumbs up.
“Then can you help me tend the fire?” Seeing the young man really didn’t dare go out, Lin Xin gave him a task.
“Sure, sure! I often help Master decoct medicine, so I’m great at tending fire.” The young man happily plopped down in front of the stove.
Lin Xin was quick: braised pork, wild chicken stew with mushrooms, stir-fried three silk veggies, sweet and sour ribs, cordyceps old duck soup. In less than an hour, four dishes and a soup were on the table. The aroma wafted from the kitchen door. The old man and young boy chatting in the courtyard, plus the tiger sprawled on the ground like a rug, all sniffed in unison, their gazes glued to the kitchen door.
“Dinner’s ready!” Lin Xin’s voice rang out like heavenly music. The little old man leaped up, dashed to the table, sat properly, and placed his hands neatly on the table—looking as obedient as Lin Nan.
Thanks to ai—feng ni, Yi Xue-db, Ji Jia Xin Xiang, Reader2023072280, Zhan Fang-cA, Reader20231124208007, Sang Xiao Sang, and Yuedu Kaixin for the votes; thanks to Wan Pi—Ai Xin for the tip; thanks to Ying Jie798 for the monthly ticket and recommendation ticket. Thanks everyone! (Some symbols and characters the author just couldn’t type, but the gratitude to the treasures is sincere!)
