Chapter 126: Thieves’ Tracks
The temperature changed quickly in autumn. Just yesterday, Xia Lu Nong and the others were wearing short sleeves with light jackets, but after a night of sleep, the northern wind was howling outside.
As Xia Lu Nong brushed his teeth, the cold wind left his hands and feet covered in goosebumps, even changing the color of the skin on the back of his hands.
Kong Zhi had prepared some water for him to wash his face and nudged him back into the room. “Go change into some long-sleeve pajamas.”
“Okay.” Xia Lu Nong rubbed his arms vigorously. “It’s freezing! The temperature dropped so fast. I wonder how my brother and the others are doing outside?”
“They use their beast forms a lot when they’re active, so they probably won’t feel the cold.”
“True.” Xia Lu Nong prayed, “I hope everything goes smoothly for them.”
He ran to the bedroom, but instead of changing into pajamas, he put on a set of casual clothes and layered a hoodie on top.
Dressed like this, he looked neat and clean, even younger than usual.
Kong Zhi leaned down and kissed him. “That outfit looks great.”
“It’s because I look great.” Xia Lu Nong smiled. “You go wash the vegetables, I’m going outside to check on Xia Hua Jiao.”
Xia Hua Jiao, the pepper tree, stood obediently in the corner of the yard, its crown rustling in the wind.
The other pepper trees swayed wildly as well, dancing in the strong wind.
Xia Lu Nong placed his hand on the trunk of the pepper tree and asked, “Are you cold?”
The tree shook its crown and made a “shoo-shoo” sound, indicating it wasn’t cold at all.
Pepper trees are deciduous, and Xia Lu Nong was a little worried that its leaves would eventually fall off, and it might take a hit from the weather.
However, it turned out he was overthinking it. Not only was Xia Hua Jiao unbothered, but it was also quite excited, swinging its branches around like a hyperactive child.
Xia Lu Nong had originally planned to wrap the lower part of the pepper tree’s trunk in straw for warmth, but seeing its lively state, he couldn’t help but smile.
After patting the trunk to confirm it was fine, Xia Lu Nong went to the backyard to check on the honeysuckle.
Being an evergreen plant, the honeysuckle was unfazed by the cold wind. It even reached out a branch to wrap around Xia Lu Nong’s ankle, full of energy.
Seeing that both of his “little ones” were unaffected by the cold, Xia Lu Nong let out a sigh of relief. With a calmer mind, he started checking on the other plants, which all seemed to be in good condition, their leaves still healthy.
After a round of inspection, he returned to the kitchen, where Kong Zhi had already finished chopping the vegetables.
Seeing him return, Kong Zhi said, “The temperature is just starting to drop, so there shouldn’t be any problems for now.”
“Let’s hope so. After breakfast, should we go check on the pigs and cows?” Xia Lu Nong suggested.
“Now that it’s getting colder, we need to see if anything needs to be done.”
Kong Zhi nodded. “We can also bring some kitchen scraps to feed the chickens while we’re at it.”
Xia Lu Nong made a “no problem” gesture.
With just the two of them at home, breakfast was simple—just some noodles.
Their flour came from the wheat they grew themselves, so the noodles had a great taste.
Even plain noodles in broth were enough for each of them to enjoy a big bowl. Adding some greens, an egg, and a spoonful of chili oil made it even more delicious.
After breakfast, they carried a bucket of kitchen scraps to the pigpen.
Although it was still early, Zheng Ling Guang had already fed the pigs.
Each of the pigs, easily over 100 pounds, looked plump and clean, with their pink skin shining. They were quite an appealing sight.
Standing outside the pigpen, Xia Lu Nong pointed. “We’ll definitely have pork this year. Let’s slaughter the biggest one for the New Year.”
Kong Zhi glanced at the pigs. “For the New Year? Shouldn’t we make some cured pork beforehand?”
Xia Lu Nong shook his head. “Let’s hold off. We’ve already had plenty of cured pork this year. When New Year comes, we can decide if we want to make more if there’s extra pork.”
While they were talking, He Shu Hui arrived.
The shy young man greeted them with a nod. “Brother Kong Zhi, Brother Xia, you’re here?”
Xia Lu Nong smiled. “The weather’s getting colder, so we came to check on the cows. Do you think there’s anything we need to do?”
He ShuvHui glanced at the cowpen and then nodded, making a suggestion. “The ground’s going to get colder, so maybe we could spread some straw for the cows to lie on?”
Seeing Xia Lu Nong’s expression, he quickly added, “But if we don’t have straw, it’s probably not a big deal. I just thought they might feel cold.”
Xia Lu Nong patted his shoulder and smiled. “That’s a great suggestion. We’ll take care of it in the next few days. Anything else?”
He Shu Hui, feeling shy, looked down. “I can’t think of anything else for now.”
Xia Lu Nong encouraged him with a smile. “If you think of anything, feel free to let us know. You can also drop by anytime to hang out.”
He Shu Hui quickly glanced at Kong Zhi and, after responding, said, “I’m off to herd the cows.”
“Go ahead,” Xia Lu Nong said. “We’ll stay here and look around for a bit.”
Xia Lu Nong and Kong Zhi watched as he drove the cows away.
These calves had grown quite a bit, gaining some weight, and were starting to look like young bulls. A group of them being driven out was quite an intimidating sight.
Turning to Kong Zhi, Xia Lu Nong remarked, “These calves have grown so much. Shouldn’t we consider putting nose rings on them soon? Otherwise, they might become hard to control.”
Kong Zhi replied, “We can discuss it when Brother Huo Qu returns.”
Xia Lu Nong nodded, and the two went next door to check on their chickens, ducks, and geese.
Their birds were free-range, wandering nearby, pecking at bugs and grass. The fact that they were allowed to roam freely meant they were healthier, and their meat tasted better.
Today, due to the cold weather, the chickens, ducks, and geese weren’t moving around as much. Instead, they were huddled together under the trees, curling up to keep warm.
The northern wind ruffled their feathers.
The hens, in particular, seemed especially cold. They were all clustered together with their eyes half-closed from the wind, looking rather pitiful and listless.
Xia Lu Nong felt sorry for them. “Let’s herd them back into the coop. If they catch a cold, it’ll be a problem.”
“That works. We’ll tell Aunt Zheng to help feed them at noon.”
After checking on the livestock and making sure everything was fine, they returned home.
It was still early. Xia Lu Nong thought about their plans for the next few days and said to Kong Zhi,
“How about we go out and check on the honeysuckle? It’s been a while since we last visited, and I’m curious how it’s growing.”
Kong Zhi glanced at the time. “Should we bring lunch with us or eat before we go?”
“Let’s bring food!” Xia Lu Nong said excitedly. “We haven’t had a picnic in a long time. How about we take some ingredients with us, cook outside after finishing our work, and enjoy a meal while taking in the autumn scenery?”
Kong Zhi didn’t object.
Looking through the supplies at home, Xia Lu Nong decided to bring a few sweet potatoes to roast outdoors.
Aside from the sweet potatoes, there wasn’t much else of interest at home.
“It’s a pity we didn’t grab a chicken when we were at the coop earlier,” Xia Lu Nong lamented. “We could have roasted it outside.”
Kong Zhi offered, “Wait here. I’ll go catch one now.”
After thinking it over, Xia Lu Nong agreed. “That works. I’ll head over to Brother Liu’s place and trade for some soybeans. We’ve been talking about planting them for ages and still haven’t done it.”
Kong Zhi tilted his head and asked, “Is it still the right season to plant soybeans with this weather?”
Xia Lu Nong responded, “For regular soybeans, it might be too late since it’s getting cold. But with my ability, we should be able to make it work. Soybeans aren’t particularly valuable, so it’ll be easy to trade for a few pounds.”
Kong Zhi no longer objected, and the two split up to take care of their tasks.
Kong Zhi was particularly quick. By the time Xia Lu Nong returned, he had already dealt with the chicken. “What now? Should we take the chicken straight outside?”
“We need to marinate it first, or it’ll be tasteless. Give me a moment, I’ll go grab some lotus root from upstairs.”
They had plenty of seasoning at home, and Xia Lu Nong mixed up a special marinade, rubbing it all over the chicken, inside and out. He also stuffed the chicken’s cavity with lotus root and potatoes.
Once the chicken was marinated, he wrapped it in lotus leaves. Later, they would coat it in mud and cook it in a fire pit as a “clay-baked chicken.”
With their preparations complete, the two were ready to head out.
In the yard, Kong Zhi transformed into a giant golden eagle.
Xia Lu Nong climbed onto his back.
Kong Zhi’s beast form had grown larger and more stable. Sitting on his back was much easier, and Xia Lu Nong could comfortably keep his balance without needing a safety rope, simply holding onto Kong Zhi’s neck with no fear of falling.
Once Xia Lu Nong was settled, Kong Zhi flapped his wings and took off, flying out of the base.
The sentry on the city wall saw their silhouette and made a simple entry in the log.
Kong Zhi flew extremely fast, reaching the foot of the mountain in just over ten minutes.
They quickly located the area where the honeysuckle was growing.
Xia Lu Nong had cleared the weeds around the honeysuckle several times before, but by the time they returned, the weeds had grown back thick and lush, making his earlier efforts seem useless.
Xia Lu Nong climbed off Kong Zhi’s back and sighed. “The vitality of these weeds is just too strong.”
“Let’s cut down the weeds and use them to feed the cows,” Kong Zhi said as he put on his clothes. “If you don’t want to feed the cows, we can burn the weeds and use the fire to cook. Most of them have dried out already.”
“Let’s burn them,” Xia Lu Nong agreed. “We can use the ash to fertilize the soil for planting soybeans.”
After checking the honeysuckle, Xia Lu Nong saw that it was growing well. The vines had spread out and grown long, but the plant had no self-awareness.
It was just like any ordinary plant, growing silently. Apart from being more lush and growing faster than usual honeysuckle, there was nothing particularly special about it.
After carefully inspecting the plant, Xia Lu Nong felt a mix of disappointment and relief. He infused it with some of his energy and left it alone.
The two put on their work gloves and started cutting the grass.
There was a lot of dried-out grass nearby, most of it already withered and yellow.
With each swing of the sickle, a large section of grass was cut down. Xia Lu Nong straightened up and looked around, feeling a great sense of accomplishment.
They gathered the cut grass into a pile, cleared enough space around it, and then buried the mud-wrapped chicken and sweet potatoes in the pile before lighting the fire.
The mix of dry and still-green grass caused the fire to burn slowly, producing more smoke than flames.
As they watched the fire, making sure it didn’t spread, they also worked on digging out the roots of the weeds.
Pulling up the roots was hard work. There was no way to do it lazily—it required steady digging, one stroke at a time.
The conditions in the wilderness weren’t great, and the soil was dry. The roots of the weeds had dug deep, intertwining beneath the surface, making the task of pulling them out a real challenge.
Xia Lu Nong dug for a while and started to pant.
He had decent stamina, but this kind of work was really exhausting.
The two of them worked silently, too tired to chat.
Clearing the roots from a small plot of twenty to thirty square meters took them more than two hours.
Once the roots were cleared, the plot was basically ready.
Xia Lu Nong wiped the sweat from his brow, gasping as he said, “Looks like we killed two birds with one stone—no need to till the soil again later.”
Kong Zhi added, “Once the fire dies down, we’ll sprinkle water on the ashes, then mix them evenly with the soil.”
“Let’s talk about that later. I’m exhausted; I need a break.” Xia Lu Nong, rubbing his back, went over to poke at the fire. “The chicken should be done.”
Using his hoe, he pulled out a large, hardened mud ball from the fire pit, along with several charred sweet potatoes.
The sweet potatoes were steaming hot and needed to cool a bit before they could eat them. Xia Lu Nong started with the chicken.
He cracked open the mud ball, revealing lotus leaves inside.
The leaves released fragrant steam, filling the air with an enticing aroma.
Xia Lu Nong took a deep breath and began to untie the string around the lotus leaves.
His fingertips turned red from the heat, and he had to pause occasionally to cool them off by squeezing his earlobe before continuing.
Seeing this, Kong Zhi suggested, “If it’s too hot, just wait a bit. Come rest first.”
“It’s fine, it’s bearable,” Xia Lu Nong replied, blowing on his hands. “With this strong, cold wind today, it’ll cool down quickly.”
Kong Zhi walked over and gently placed his arm around Xia Lu Nong’s waist. “Let me help.”
“What’s the difference? You’ll get burned too.”
“Not really. If I get burned, it’s just physical pain; I won’t feel bad inside.”
Xia Lu Nong looked up with a smile, playfully nudging him with his elbow. “Be honest, were you a Chinese literature major? You always have a way with words; I can’t keep up with you.”
“I majored in aerospace engineering,” Kong Zhi said calmly. “It’s not about talking to others, but just how I feel around you.”
Xia Lu Nong covered his face with one hand, pretending to be overwhelmed, and bowed in mock defeat. “I surrender! I can’t match your smooth talk.”
Kong Zhi also smiled as he opened the lotus leaves, releasing the savory aroma of the chicken.
Xia Lu Nong immediately leaned over to take a look.
The chicken’s skin had turned a rich, appetizing brown, glistening with oil and emitting fragrant steam. Just the smell was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.
Xia Lu Nong quickly grabbed a pair of disposable gloves. “Hurry, hurry, it’s time to eat the chicken!”
Kong Zhi donned his gloves and began pulling apart the chicken, dividing it into large chunks.
As he did, the aroma became even more intense.
The chicken was perfectly cooked, with juices still clinging to it.
The pale yellow meat looked tender and firm.
Kong Zhi handed a chicken wing to Xia Lu Nong, “Take it slow, watch out for the heat!”
Xia Lu Nong took the wing, “Let’s eat together.”
Xia Lu Nong had always considered the chicken wing the best part.
He took a bite, finding it incredibly tender and flavorful. The sauce was the highlight—just the right balance of salty and spicy, complementing the chicken perfectly.
This was a free-range chicken they had raised themselves, fed on grains, grass, and insects, which made the flavor exceptionally rich. The method of baking enhanced the taste even further, making the skin and meat firmer than if it had been boiled.
Best of all, eating the chicken this way fulfilled that primal desire to take big bites of meat.
After finishing one wing, Xia Lu Nong felt a wave of contentment wash over him.
Kong Zhi handed him the other wing.
Xia Lu Nong waved it off, “You should try it too, the wings taste different from the rest.”
Kong Zhi passed him a large drumstick instead, “Then have the drumstick.”
Baking the chicken made the drumstick just as outstanding.
The meat was tender with no stringy texture, and biting into it released a burst of savory juices, both hot and fragrant.
Xia Lu Nong blew on the hot bite, feeling utterly satisfied.
After finishing the drumstick, he tried the lotus root and potatoes stuffed inside the chicken.
The lotus root was crispy and sweet, while the potatoes were soft and rich. Even though they came from the same chicken, each had its own distinct flavor, but both were equally delicious.
Xia Lu Nong ate until he was almost full and then remarked, “I really am a culinary genius.”
Kong Zhi handed him a baked sweet potato. “Try the sweet potato while it’s still hot.”
The sweet potatoes they had brought were different from regular ones. These were red-fleshed sweet potatoes, much sweeter.
When broken open, the orange flesh steamed, almost oozing with a custardy texture.
Xia Lu Nong took a small bite, finding the taste absolutely delightful.
Not only were they fragrant and sweet, but they also carried that unique smoky flavor that made baked sweet potatoes so special, especially in the cool autumn air—simply perfect.
Xia Lu Nong alternated bites between the chicken, sweet potatoes, lotus root, and potatoes, quickly filling up. Kong Zhi finished what was left.
After eating, Xia Lu Nong felt warm and cozy, his eyes drooping as if he could fall asleep in the autumn breeze.
Kong Zhi said, “You can take a nap on the grass over there, I’ll handle the fire.”
Xia Lu Nong declined, “Let’s finish it together. The sooner we put out the fire, the sooner we can mix the ashes into the soil, and then we can head home for a nap.”
Kong Zhi agreed, “That works. You watch the fire, and I’ll go fetch water.”
Since they were using fire in the wild, they had to be extra careful not to let sparks fly.
Xia Lu Nong nodded. “I’ll wait here.”
While waiting, Xia Lu Nong didn’t stay idle. He used the hoe to pile up dirt around the fire, creating a low wall to keep it contained.
After piling up the soil, when they pour water over it later, the ash with embers won’t be washed away and scattered everywhere.
Kong Zhi soon returned with water, and the two of them worked together to pour it over the fire. Then, they dug up nearby soil and mixed it with the ashes.
Once they had thoroughly checked and confirmed that the fire was completely extinguished, they spread the ash into the surrounding soil.
The ash would serve as the first layer of fertilizer for the soil.
With this fertilizer, the soybeans should grow very well.
The rest was easy. Xia Lu Nong scattered the soybean seeds on the freshly cultivated land, using his ability to accelerate their growth. Afterward, he fetched water to thoroughly soak the soil.
Under the influence of his ability, the soybeans quickly sprouted small, plump shoots and sent their roots deep into the soil.
Xia Lu Nong inspected them, confident that by tomorrow, these soybeans would have grown into tender seedlings.
Satisfied, he yawned and said to Kong Zhi, “Let’s head back for now. We’ll come check on them tomorrow.”
Kong Zhi gently squeezed the back of his neck, “Used up your power?”
“All of it,” Xia Lu Nong leaned against him, lazily saying, “I’m so tired I can barely keep my eyes open.”
“Then let’s go home first. Tomorrow, I’ll bring you back to check on them.”
“Alright,” Xia Lu Nong agreed. “Tomorrow, we can see how they’re doing. If any are too weak, we can pull them up and stir-fry some soybean shoots to eat.”
Xia Lu Nong loved eating fresh soybean shoots, especially the ones that had just sprouted from the ground—green, tender, and refreshing.
He added, “I wonder if my brother and the others will be back tomorrow. If they are, we could take some of the shoots to the cafeteria and trade them for some meat to make hot pot.”
Kong Zhi packed up their tools. “Even if they don’t come back tomorrow, they’ll be back the day after. If you want hot pot, we can wait until they return.”
“Good idea. We still have hot pot ingredients at home,” Xia Lu Nong said. “It’s been so long since we stocked up on them, but we haven’t had a proper hot pot meal yet. It would be a shame not to.”
“With livestock fattened up in the fall and winter, we can take our time enjoying it,” Kong Zhi said, handing his clothes to Xia Lu Nong after taking them off. “Let’s head back.”
As he spoke, he transformed back into a golden eagle, motioning for Xia Lu Nong to climb onto his back.
Xia Lu Nong quickly and expertly climbed on, secured the tools, and hugged his neck, saying, “We’re ready for takeoff.”
The golden eagle let out a cry and took off, flying them straight up the mountain.
It only took about ten minutes for them to return to the base, and by then it was already past three in the afternoon.
Kong Zhi said, “You go take a nap. I’ll head out to check the fields. What do you want for dinner? I can bring some vegetables back.”
“Anything is fine. I’m still full from lunch. Just bring vegetables; we don’t need more meat.”
Kong Zhi nodded, “Alright. Go rest, I’ll wake you when I’m back.”
Xia Lu Nong, drained from using his ability, didn’t argue. Yawning, he headed to his room to sleep.
He collapsed onto the bed, wrapped himself in a blanket, and slept soundly until after six in the evening.
By the time he woke up, Kong Zhi had returned, but his brother and the others hadn’t come back yet.
Xia Lu Nong made a simple dinner, and after they ate and cleaned up, the two went to bed early.
That night, things got intense. Young and full of passion, they didn’t hold back.
The next day, Xia Lu Nong slept in until the sun was high in the sky. Since it was just the two of them at home, he didn’t feel guilty about waking up late.
With the morning gone, they decided to have lunch first before heading back to the newly cultivated land from the day before.
Arriving at the field, Xia Lu Nong excitedly jumped off Kong Zhi’s back, eager to pick some soybean shoots for their dinner or for hot pot tomorrow.
But when he ran over to the field, he was stunned. The plot they had cleared yesterday was now dotted with weeds, but there wasn’t a single soybean shoot in sight.
He was completely bewildered, spreading his arms wide and looking at Kong Zhi in confusion, “Where are our soybean shoots? Did we come to the wrong place?”
Kong Zhi frowned and came over to check.
Sure enough, all the soybeans they had planted yesterday were gone. Even when they dug into the soil, there were no signs of the shoots or beans—just some small round black droppings.
It seemed that some animals had come by during the night or early in the morning and eaten all their soybean shoots.
Kong Zhi said, “Looks like they were eaten. Come take a look at this.”
Xia Lu Nong finally caught on, staring at the black droppings with a frustrated look on his face.
At first, he thought the black spots were ashes mixed into the soil, but they were actually evidence left by the culprits!
