Chapter 53: What Tricks Are You Up To Again?
"At your age, you should be studying, but all you do is think about who has better food and clothes! What have you become! Have you no shame!"
He roared.
Ever since his demotion, nothing had been going right for Cao Daqiang.
No one at work respected him, and at home, Liu Yingzi gave him nothing but the cold shoulder.
He now had to rely on the Liu Family for help, so he could only grit his teeth and bear it.
To make matters worse, Liu Yingzi had spoiled his daughter rotten, beyond all reason.
She caused trouble all day, tattled on anyone she disliked, and grew jealous of anyone who had it better than her.
Whenever Cao Daqiang saw her acting this way, his chest would tighten with frustration.
The moment Cao Jiajia saw her father’s face darken, she was so scared she burst into tears.
He, however, didn’t spare her a single glance and walked straight past her.
The news of Shanshan’s return suddenly flashed through his mind.
He stood in the middle of the main room, gazing at the family photo on the wall with a hollow look in his eyes.
The Ling family was too powerful now; their businesses were all over the county.
Perhaps Cao Xueshan’s return was the window of opportunity God had opened for him.
She could gather herbs, cure illnesses, and talk to animals.
Most importantly, behind her stood the Ling family—a veritable gold mine.
’If I can play this right, won’t I be set for life?’
’Besides, blood is thicker than water. What daughter wouldn’t help her own father?’
The corners of his lips pulled into a smirk.
He returned to the room, rummaged through Cao Jiajia’s things to find some clothes and snacks, then turned and headed out.
Meanwhile, Shanshan, a small cloth bag on her back, was getting ready to head up the mountain.
"Shanshan, it can be dangerous on the mountain. Be careful going alone!"
Old Yang, who was squatting on his doorstep at the village entrance and smoking a long-stemmed pipe, looked up and called out when he saw her.
"Don’t you worry, Uncle! I know my way around. I’ve been all over these peaks more times than I can count. What could possibly happen?"
Shanshan looked back with a grin, revealing two small, sharp canines.
’What could possibly happen?’
’She was a Golden Dragon Cub from the heavens, after all!’
’Although she’d lost most of her divine powers, she still retained her innate gifts.’
’She could sense the Spiritual Energy in all plants and understood the language of all beasts.’
’She could even open her Spiritual Eyes three times a day to glimpse the fundamental energies of the world.’
’All the birds and beasts on the mountain recognized her as their master.’
’If anyone was going to have a bad day, it would be anyone foolish enough to cause her trouble.’
But seeing the worry in her dad’s eyes, she walked over and hugged his arm.
"Dad, your leg is going to get better. I’ll definitely be able to heal it."
She tilted her head up, her voice firm.
"I’ve already found several of the main herbs; I just need one more. As soon as I find it, I’ll brew three doses, and you’ll be able to get up and walk."
"Mm-hmm, our Shanshan is the best."
Ling Anxun looked down at her, a gentle smile gracing his lips.
Zhang Yunhua, watching this scene from the window, felt a pang in her heart, followed by a wave of warmth.
’Thank goodness I didn’t stop her from going to the Ling family back then.’
"How about... you let Xiao Zhou go with you?"
Ling Anxun was still worried.
"Just for some company, all right?"
Shanshan had insisted countless times that she’d be fine, but one look into Ling Anxun’s hopeful eyes and she just couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
She could only nod and agree with a wide, happy smile.
"Okay! I don’t mind if Uncle Xiao Zhou comes with me! He knows about medicinal herbs, so maybe he can even help me identify them!"
The two of them, one tall and one small, headed out the door together.
Ling Anxun only looked away after their figures had completely disappeared around a bend in the mountain path.
"Uncle Xiao Zhou."
Shanshan asked as they walked.
"Have you been the one taking care of Dad ever since he got injured?"
"Yes. The day the Captain had his accident, I was transferred back to be his caregiver. I handle everything from changing his dressings to his physical therapy every day."
Xiao Zhou’s tone was placid.
’He spoke so formally, as if he were addressing a superior officer.’
’But Shanshan had seen this sort of thing plenty of times in the heavens, so she didn’t find it strange in the slightest.’
’Weren’t Immortal Officials just as deferential to the Emperor, and Divine Generals to their Marshal?’
She smiled and skipped ahead, her steps light.
The two had just made it halfway into the woods when a figure suddenly darted out in front of them.
It was Cao Daqiang.
He was carrying several bags, big and small, and his face was a mask of anxiety and panic.
"Shanshan, you’re back? This is..."
"Stop right there! Don’t come any closer!"
Shanshan’s eyes turned cold.
Xiao Zhou sidestepped, instantly placing himself directly in front of Shanshan.
His gaze was icy, raking over Cao Daqiang from head to toe.
Cao Daqiang hadn’t expected Shanshan to be with such an intimidating person and was completely taken aback.
He instinctively threw his hands up and stumbled back a few steps.
"It’s you?"
Xiao Zhou’s brow furrowed, and his gaze turned frigid.
"What are you doing here?"
A muscle in Cao Daqiang’s cheek twitched involuntarily.
He, of course, recognized Xiao Zhou as well.
He was the Captain’s personal guard, a position so far above his own that he wouldn’t even dare to look him in the eye.
On top of that, Xiao Zhou had been standing right there when he’d tried to pass off Cao Jiajia as Shanshan.
Now, meeting him again, Cao Daqiang was so ashamed he wished the ground would swallow him whole.
"Uh... I just... I wanted to see how my girl is doing,"
he stammered.
"She’s at the Captain’s house now, eating well, sleeping soundly, and living a hundred times better than you could ever imagine,"
Xiao Zhou shot back without a trace of courtesy.
Rage flared in Cao Daqiang’s chest, but he didn’t dare let it erupt.
He took a deep breath and pulled a small object wrapped in red cloth from his pocket.
"Shanshan, Dad heard you were back, so I went and bought this just for you. I had to go to several shops to find the perfect one. Here, take a look. Do you like it?"
Shanshan peeked out from behind Xiao Zhou’s shoulder, her big eyes sizing him up.
She pursed her lips, sneering inwardly.
’Oh? What kind of trick is this terrible father trying to pull now?’
’Trying to play the victim?’
When Cao Daqiang saw that Shanshan was finally looking at him, he quickly held the gift up high.
"Shanshan, I was wrong before. It’s not that I didn’t want to bring you home! It was Jiajia and her mom... They’re just too much. They made a scene every single day. I’m just one man; I couldn’t handle it!"
His voice trembled as he put on a piteous act, as if he were the one who had been deeply wronged.
"Can you... can you forgive your dad? Please? You’ve always been in my heart..."
Shanshan let out a cold snort and stepped out from behind Xiao Zhou.
She put her hands on her hips and took a defiant step forward.
Xiao Zhou tensed, his right hand clenching into a fist, ready to leap forward and intervene at a moment’s notice.
"It’s not that you were helpless!"
Shanshan’s voice was sharp and clear.
"Don’t think I don’t know! You’re the one who chased after Cao Jiajia’s mom and insisted on marrying her! Everyone in the village saw you, chasing after her more eagerly than a dog chasing a bone!"
"You already had my mom, but you just had to go and find another woman! You made my mom so angry she left and you tore our family apart! That’s how bad you are! And now that you see I’m useful, that I can get you connections to the Captain, you want to dump that mother and daughter? And you have the nerve to paint yourself as the poor victim in all this? You’re so shameless!"
When she finished, she stuck her tongue out at him for good measure.
"I may be little, but I’m not stupid! Don’t even think about trying to fool me!"
The smile on Cao Daqiang’s face instantly froze.
He never would have dreamed that such a little kid could have such a sharp tongue.
Not only did she see through all his schemes and calculations in an instant, but she also exposed them with piercing accuracy.
His temper flared instantly.
He raised his hand to strike her.
But before his hand could fall, Xiao Zhou had already stepped in behind Shanshan.
In the next instant, he seized Cao Daqiang’s wrist in a vise-like grip.
"Shanshan’s surname is Ling now. Before you even think about touching her, you should ask yourself if you’re worthy."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Xiao Zhou gave a sharp twist of his wrist.