Volume One, Chapter 12: Kuroko, I Am Your Sister-in-Law!

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Xiaocui held the crazed woman’s hands, covered in frostbite, and stepped into the yellow clay house. Seeing the house tidied up neatly, a hint of surprise flashed across Xiaocui’s face. She then pulled the crazed woman to sit on the bed, looked around, and said, “You sit here for now, I’ll go get you a towel.”

After searching inside the yellow clay house for a while, Xiaocui finally found a pitch-black towel. Holding it up, she looked at the crazed woman, who kept her head lowered, and asked, “Sister-in-law, is this the only rag you have here?”

The crazed woman’s cheeks flushed deeply. This was no mere rag, but a face towel she had only used once.

Xu Mo had rinsed it several times but couldn’t get it clean, so he had given up.

Seeing no response, Xiaocui went over to the iron pot where the fire still burned, boiling water inside.

She scooped some hot water with a small jar, then gathered some snow at the door to cool it down, and quickly began cleaning the pitch-black towel.

Though Xiaocui was heavily pregnant, her movements were nimble, and soon the towel was clean.

Holding the small earthenware jar, she approached the crazed woman, wrung out the towel, and began wiping her long hair.

It was greasy and dull.

The crazed woman’s hair was in poor condition.

As she cleaned, Xiaocui chattered on.

Ever since getting pregnant, she had been stuck at home, bored out of her mind.

Though the crazed woman didn’t reply, Xiaocui spoke to herself, and it made her feel happy.

Meanwhile,

Xu Mo went to the village’s old herbalist, the Old Blind Man.

Though called the Old Blind Man, he wasn’t truly blind—just severely nearsighted with presbyopia.

His home was stocked with many herbs, and villagers often came for remedies when they caught colds.

He never charged money, only accepting some food in return.

Xu Mo asked him for some dried jasmine flowers and beeswax.

In exchange, Xu Mo promised to help gather some Solomon’s seal from the mountains.

However, with heavy snow falling now, collecting Solomon’s seal would have to wait until spring.

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After bidding farewell to the Old Blind Man, Xu Mo didn’t rush home but went to Er Tiezi’s house.

Seeing Xu Mo arrive, the whole family was warm and welcoming, especially Uncle Zhaocai, who insisted on gifting him a treasured jar of rice wine.

Inside the house,

Er Tiezi looked at Xu Mo with gratitude. “Hei Zi, if it weren’t for you this time, we’d really be done for. No need for long talk—next spring, when the snow melts, I’ll take you to work at the county’s canning factory.”

After a life of hard labor, Xu Mo had no desire to be a beast of burden in a factory and politely declined.

“Brother Er Tie, I came not only to see you but also to borrow some bullets,” Xu Mo said.

Old Pants had given him only eight bullets, and now only five remained.

So, Xu Mo intended to replenish his ammunition.

“Hei Zi, you’re too polite. I’m injured now and can’t work the fields. Here, take my gun and bullets,” Er Tiezi said.

He glanced at his wife standing by the door and shouted, “What are you waiting for? Didn’t you hear me? Bring Hei Zi the shotgun and bullets quickly!”

“Oh, okay!” Er Tiezi’s wife hurried to fetch the gun and ammo.

“Thanks a lot!”

“Hei Zi, I feel like you’ve changed a lot since you got married and set up your own household,” Er Tiezi said, sizing up Xu Mo sitting by the bed.

“People grow up eventually!” Xu Mo smiled.

“True!” Er Tiezi nodded knowingly. “I heard Big Head invited you to join their team, but you refused? Let me give you some blunt advice. Although you killed the wolf king and saved us before, you know your own limits better than anyone. Take my advice—go join Big Head’s group. He’s a very loyal man.”

Xu Mo knew Er Tiezi meant well, so he gave a vague reply.

Er Tiezi, sharp as ever, noticed Xu Mo’s hesitation and lowered his voice. “Hei Zi, this year’s snow is heavy. We’re short on food, and so are the beasts in the mountains. I’ll tell you in secret—we recently saw droppings from a black bear.”

A black bear in the dead of winter? They don’t hibernate?

Xu Mo raised his eyebrows. If there really was a black bear in the mountains, the danger level just rose significantly.

“Also, the wolf packs rarely leave the deep mountains... that’s why we never sent anyone to watch nearby before. But I feel something’s off this year.”

Xu Mo frowned. In his past life, he had been timid, always hiding in the yellow clay house, oblivious to the outside world. So he wasn’t well-informed about what was happening in the village at this time.

Just then, Er Tiezi’s wife walked in holding the shotgun.

“Brother Hei Zi, here’s the gun and bullets.”

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Xu Mo stood and took the shotgun along with a small bag of bullets.

“Remember what I told you—stick with Big Head’s group for a while. Next year, I’ll take you to the factory to make big money!”

“Alright. Brother Er Tie, you rest up. I’ll be going now.”

“Okay.” Er Tiezi nodded, then looked at his wife. “See him out for me.”

At the same time,

Inside the yellow clay house, Xiaocui, heavily pregnant, widened her eyes standing before the crazed woman and couldn’t help but say, “Sister-in-law, you’re truly beautiful!”

The crazed woman blinked her big eyes, looking both handsome and cute, making Xiaocui want to pinch her cheeks.

“Sister-in-law, those two little dimples of yours are really charming!” Xiaocui leaned close, admiring the clearly visible dimples even when the woman wasn’t smiling, feeling a twinge of envy.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded behind Xiaocui.

Xu Mo appeared, carrying the shotgun, his gaze cold and fixed on Xiaocui with her back turned to him.

Startled, Xiaocui spun around. Seeing Xu Mo with the shotgun and his icy stare, she panicked and quickly said, “Hei Zi, I’m your sister-in-law. You can’t shoot me!”

She patted her large belly. “I’m carrying your Xu family’s flesh and blood…”

Xu Mo hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from Xiaocui and chuckled softly.

Just now, hearing voices inside the yellow clay house, he had assumed Xu An and the others had come to stir trouble, but it was only Xiaocui.

Looking at the crazed woman’s current state, Xu Mo’s eyes brightened. This wife was truly good-looking.

“When I earn some money, I’ll take Weiwei to see the big city,” Xu Mo resolved silently.

Seeing Xu Mo smile, Xiaocui’s tension eased a little, and stammering slightly, she said, “Well, if Second Uncle has nothing else, I’ll head back first.”

With that, she carefully skirted along the wall, avoiding Xu Mo, and hurried outside.

“Slow down!” Xu Mo genuinely worried she might trip and fall.

Hearing this, Xiaocui quickened her pace even more.