Cheng Ying flipped the sheep’s wool on the kang over, then carefully closed her door behind her. Just like the old woman, she locked the door after securing it.

It wasn't that she was stingy about letting people see the wool on her kang; if the whole family saw, they’d all face criticism from the production team. The moment Cheng Ying locked the door, she saw Chi Wu standing silently beside her, staring at her with the same glare reserved for class enemies.

Cheng Ying patted her chest. “You scare people just by standing there silently.” Chi Wu’s small face was grim.

“If you haven’t done anything wrong, you don’t fear a ghost knocking.” Cheng Ying closed her eyes. I’m not going to stoop to the level of a child.

“Are your chores done?” Chi Wu watched her suspiciously. “What are you planning?” Cheng Ying scoffed.

“Hmph, like I’d eat you. Come on, take me out for a walk.” Chi Wu shook his head.

“I’m not going. I have to watch the house.

If the old woman sees I’m gone, she’ll hit me again.” Cheng Ying insisted. “Come with me.

It’s fine.” Chi Wu pulled back. “No way.

Who knows if you’re setting me up?” This kid’s got some sense, Cheng Ying thought. Without wasting another word, she reached out, grabbed Chi Wu’s ear, and pulled the door shut with her free hand.

It just went to show the advantage of stature. Chi Wu was the same age as Cheng Ying, just two months younger, but physically, he was nearly half a head shorter.

Now, that disadvantage really showed. Chi Wu cried out, “Let go!

What are you doing?” Cheng Ying demanded, “Are you coming or not?” Forced by the authority, Chi Wu’s eyes reddened. “I’ll go!

Just—just don’t go near my dad’s sheep pen again to cause trouble!” Cheng Ying coughed lightly, feeling awkward. So, the boy was afraid she would go steal wool again.

“Do you think I care for that place? It stinks and it’s foul.

Let’s go, hurry up.” Chi Wu didn't want to follow behind Cheng Ying, but she just wanted to survey the surroundings, get a sense of the current living environment. On the road, they encountered other children, and their attitude toward Chi Wu was noticeably poor.

Cheng Ying finally understood the kind of life this child was living—he was so ostracized in the village. No wonder his temper was so erratic.

As the two walked, they suddenly heard a rhythmic clanging sound from a distance—bang-dang, bang-dang—as people banged pots. With the sound of the first pot being struck, more and more sounds joined in.

Cheng Ying was bewildered. What was happening?

Surely they weren't putting on a major opera performance? She had only just arrived; she really wasn’t adapted to this.

The moment Chi Wu heard the noise, he shot up, visibly excited. He took a couple of steps, then looked back when he saw Cheng Ying hadn't moved.

He turned and yanked her arm. “Hurry up!” Cheng Ying stared blankly at him.

“What is this?” Chi Wu grabbed her and lunged forward. “Are you paralyzed with fear?

The wolf pups are in the village! Let’s go, let’s chase them!” Cheng Ying’s spine stiffened.

Wolf pups? This is getting too damn fantastical.

She spun around, grabbed Chi Wu back, and sprinted toward her own courtyard with the speed of the wind. Chase after them?

Is this kid an idiot? That’s what Cheng Ying thought of Chi Wu at that moment.

Chi Wu, behind her, nearly tripped. Being small, compared to Cheng Ying, he was clearly outmatched.

“What are you doing? I was going to help scare the wolf pups away!” Cheng Ying pursed her lips and ran back with all her might.

Seeing the wooden fence of her yard, tears of relief almost sprang to her eyes. She had finally found a relatively secure spot.

Having just been reborn, she certainly didn’t want to end up as a wolf’s meal. She dragged Chi Wu inside, slammed the door, and bolted it in a flurry of motions that felt surprisingly natural.

Cheng Ying didn’t even know how she moved so fast; she had never studied this, but she instinctively knew how to use that large wooden bolt. Then she fumbled for the key, opened the door to the east room, kicked off her shoes, and climbed onto the kang.

She peered out through a crack in the window, terrified the flimsy fence wouldn't hold a wolf. She was scared stiff.

If she ever got the chance, the first thing she’d do was tear down that fence and build a solid stone wall. Never mind wolves; it would be best if it could stop an elephant—that would be truly secure.

Chi Wu was half-dragged and unceremoniously dumped onto the kang. He was utterly disgruntled.

“I was supposed to go scare off the wolves! Why are you running away?” He started to climb off the kang to open the door and rush out.

Since he was small, he didn't press the issue of being dragged. Cheng Ying’s voice turned sharp.

“Stay put! If you dare go open that door, I’ll beat you senseless.

With your tiny body, you’d just be out there feeding the wolf pups!” Chi Wu’s face darkened. Why is this person so different?

Why is her thinking so backward? Cowardly.

And she hits people. That was Chi Wu’s current assessment of Cheng Ying.

Though, he realized, he hadn't spoken more than a few sentences to this girl before anyway. “We bang pots from behind to scare the wolves away.

We get two work points for it!” Cheng Ying’s grip loosened. Work points?

“Is it really safe?” Chi Wu rolled his eyes. “What danger could there be?

The sound scares the wolf pups right off.” Cheng Ying looked at Chi Wu. “Why didn’t you say so earlier?

We just ran home to get a pot! Cough, cough.” That transition was a bit abrupt.

Cheng Ying looked at Chi Wu opposite her; his gaze clearly expressed contempt for her actions. But what she did wasn't entirely wrong, she reasoned.

At least she hadn't run back alone; she had pulled Chi Wu back with her. “What are you looking at?

When something like this happens, you should run for safety first. Know that?

Next time, remember that. It’s best to find a safe place to hide first.” That last sentence was pure self-reprimand.

Her dash back today had been impulsive; what if she had run straight into the wolves? “Right, what about those wolves anyway?” Chi Wu was still processing Cheng Ying’s earlier words.

Shunning the collective effort—that was a crime punishable by criticism sessions. “Don’t go saying things like that outside, or people will say my dad instigated you to be bad.” See?

He was still just a ten-year-old boy, aware that their family were newcomers. Any troublesome incident, and people would immediately blame them.

This child had been thoroughly intimidated by that. Cheng Ying frowned and glared.

“I’m asking about the wolves!” Chi Wu explained, “It’s not the first time wolves have come to the village. If you see one, you bang a pot and make some noise to scare it off.

The team rules state that anyone—adult or child—who scares off a wolf gets two work points!” Cheng Ying glanced at Chi Wu beside her. So that was the deal.

But this child needed some guidance. Throwing oneself into danger for a pittance was reckless.

“It depends on the situation, do you understand? Even if you rush out, you need to know what’s actually happening outside.

If a wolf actually dragged you away, would those two work points be enough for your dad to buy you spirit money? We need to understand that wolves carry hazards.

You must assess the situation before charging out. That’s called analysis.” Cheng Ying spoke indirectly, but her reasoning was sound.

Her guidance was quite painstaking. Seeing the child looking at her with the whites of his eyes showing, Cheng Ying rubbed her nose.

Fine, people of this era were full of fiery spirit; she still wasn't quite adjusted to that. She could address educational matters another time.

“How about we go out now and earn some work points?” Chi Wu looked at the shameless woman. “The wolves have already been scared off, why bother chasing them now?

I’m not going. It’s embarrassing.” Cheng Ying’s face darkened.

What were work points? They were currency for grain.

In this era, what did grain represent? It meant not starving, being able to eat your fill.

Anyone who messed with her stomach, Cheng Ying messed with them right back. She fixed Chi Wu with a threatening look.

“Hurry up and grab the pot! If you’re slow and miss out on the points, I’ll boil and eat you in the pot tonight.” Chi Wu stared at the woman whose eyes were practically bloodshot.

“Have you no shame?” Cheng Ying declared with grand fearlessness, voicing a fundamental truth of life. “I want the points!

Now move!” She casually yanked Chi Wu’s ear, snatched a broken iron ladle from the floor of the outer room, grabbed the fire poker, threw open the door, and dragged Chi Wu out with her. Of course, she didn't forget to lock the door to the east room where the wool was drying.

It was just that she wasn't quite familiar with the proper shouting procedure yet. “Hurry up and shout a couple of times!” she ordered Chi Wu.

Chi Wu’s eyes were strained with frustration. Having been raised as a model citizen, he had never done such a thing and couldn't lift his head in shame.

He argued with Cheng Ying in a stubborn stalemate. “I won’t!” Cheng Ying promptly delivered a kick to him.

“You want to end up in the pot tonight, right? Hurry up!” Her voice was sharp and severe this time.

If they didn't get their points now, that potential four points would be lost when the others collected theirs. Cheng Ying truly understood the value of work points, having just learned it.

Her stepfather earned only seven points for watching sheep all day; what was a little shouting and running to the brigade headquarters for the two of them? Chi Wu pursed his lips, stubbornly silent.

This stubborn kid was utterly uncooperative. Cheng Ying wasn't exactly a gentle person, especially when someone completely disagreed with her principles.

She gave Chi Wu’s calf a sharp kick. “Hurry up!

If you don’t shout now, I swear I won’t give you dinner tonight, believe it or not!” That threat worked better than anything else. Chi Wu glared hatefully at Cheng Ying, then shouted toward the sky, “The wolf is here!” Then, without waiting for Cheng Ying’s instruction, he started banging the broken ladle and led the way toward the brigade headquarters.

Cheng Ying coughed a couple of times, then followed, shouting, “Wolf is here!” She admitted it didn't have the same commanding presence as Chi Wu’s shout. Chi Wu’s cry was fueled by rage and humiliation—a performance most people couldn't replicate unless they were pushed to that extreme.

When Chi Wu led Cheng Ying into the compound, they barely made the last batch. Cheng Ying didn't recognize most of the people there, but she wasn't shy.

“Us! Us two haven’t had our points recorded yet!” A much older man glanced over at Cheng Ying.

Chi Wu’s face sank so low it almost touched the ground. He felt every eye fixed on him—what utter humiliation!

Cheng Ying pushed forward, meeting the brigade leader—a person she now knew could issue informal I.O.U.s. Cheng Ying brought out her competitive workplace energy.

“Team Leader, we ran quite far!” Then she looked up at the village official with an expression of deep admiration. With that single sentence, the Team Leader recorded two points for each of them, adding, “Running far doesn't earn you three points.

Keep it up next time.” Cheng Ying’s face immediately split into a grin as wide as a steamed bun. “Yes!” she chirped, then dragged Chi Wu home.

Chi Wu’s current understanding of Cheng Ying was: shameless, uncooperative, ill-intentioned, violent, and cowardly. Cheng Ying considered the chasm between them.

Changing this child’s mind wouldn’t happen overnight. The misunderstanding was rather large, she thought.

The critical point was that the sheep’s wool she had stolen yesterday was used as leverage to force Chi Wu to act as a lookout. Could this still be called a simple misunderstanding?

Cheng Ying mused. At worst, when she got some socks later, she could give Chi Wu a pair.

Children, after all, should be easy to bribe.