Chapter 181 - 181 170 Cooperation

Words : 1327 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

181: Chapter 170: Cooperation 181: Chapter 170: Cooperation Keke drew up the statistics chart mainly to urge the host, “Host, you’ve been too lazy lately; how long will it take to save enough points to buy a potion?” “But I’ve already picked all the flowers and plants nearby the village for your collection,” Manbao complained. She had plucked every plant she could and even broke off branches and leaves from those she couldn’t pluck. She really wanted to be diligent, but there was nowhere left to be diligent about. Sitting on the bed and counting on her fingers, Manbao’s eyes lit up as she said, “Keke, do you have the ability to whoosh somewhere else instantly? That way I could collect a lot more plants.” Keke replied expressionlessly, “No.” Taking a spacecraft was possible, but not the whooshing instant transfer; space transfer technology was currently only applicable to animals and plants, not humans yet. Of course, Keke wouldn’t tell Manbao this to prevent her from getting wild ideas. So, Manbao spread her hands and said, “See, it’s not that I’m not diligent, it’s just that there are no more plants around me to collect.” “Therefore, host, you need to accumulate enough capital to leave here as soon as possible and go to a broader place,” Keke said. “You haven’t read extracurricular books for three days already.” Manbao guiltily shrank her neck, “It’s been too cold lately. Could I wait until it’s a bit warmer to read?” “No!” Keke insisted, “Think about your mother’s health, think about the points needed for the potion.” Manbao reluctantly mustered up a bit of fighting spirit and rummaged through Keke’s stomach, realizing that she had finished all the books she bought recently. Having just been reminded about points by Keke, she was reluctant to exchange points for more books, so she turned her gaze towards the Bai Family’s direction. The Bai Family’s collection was extensive, with most books being accessible to Bai Shanbao, so Manbao had also managed to read quite a few of their books. Under Keke’s supervision, even though Manbao felt sleepy due to the cold, she had no choice but to yawn while holding a book and reading it half-heartedly. But Bai Shanbao was much more honest than her. He would simply curl up in a small blanket on the step and sleep, then listen to Manbao read. When Manbao realized this, she felt indignant and reached to pull his blanket away, “Why aren’t you reading?” Bai Shanbao stayed curled up inside without moving and said, “It’s so cold; I’m not going to read. I’ll read when it’s spring. You can read if you like. Read louder, and I can listen in.” “No, we should take turns. After I finish reading, it’s your turn to read to me.” Bai Shanbao replied, “But I don’t like the book you’ve chosen.” “Which one do you like, then?” “I like ‘Travel Notes in Jiannan’,” Bai Shanbao said. “You read that one to me, and next time I’ll read ‘American Travel Anthology’ to you.” Manbao climbed down from the kang bed, ran to find ‘Travel Notes in Jiannan,’ and also took out her current favorite travel anthology. After comparing the thickness of the two books, she said, “Deal, it’s settled.” Manbao placed her favorite book aside and then opened Bai Shanbao’s favorite book to read to him. Bai Shanbao hadn’t noticed Manbao’s little trick, as he listened to her reading just like listening to a story, delighted. She recognized most of the characters in the book, and for the ones she didn’t know, she could easily refer to ‘Shuowen Jiezi’ to continue reading smoothly. In the beginning, she was just reading monotonously, but as she read on, she found it fun. It was an account by a poet of his travels through the Jiannan region. It contained many strange and wonderful tales and descriptions of animals and plants he had not seen before. Manbao found it really useful and also very interesting. She was engrossed in the book. By the time Ms.Zheng came over with snacks, Manbao was on the kang bed reading with great expression, her little head swaying cutely. Then Ms.Zheng looked at her son. Ms.Zheng couldn’t help but frown as she saw her son curled up in the blanket, fast asleep, with his eyes shut tight, his little mouth slightly open, revealing his rosy cheeks. Ms.Zheng couldn’t resist entering the room. Manbao, absorbed in an exciting part of the book, didn’t notice her until she smelled a sweet fragrance, prompting her to lift her head. Upon seeing the snacks on the table, her eyes sparkled. Ms.Zheng stroked her little head and smiled, “Manbao must be tired from reading. Have some snacks first.” Then looking at her son, Ms.Zheng sighed and called out to him, “Shanbao, come eat some snacks. If you sleep now, you won’t be able to sleep tonight.” Bai Shanbao wasn’t really asleep. At first, he was quite excited to listen to Manbao read, but lying there listening to a book was just like listening to a story. His eyelids grew heavy as he listened. Of course, he didn’t think the issue was with him, so he blamed Manbao, “You’re reading so monotonously; see, it made me fall asleep.” “That’s not true; I’ve been reading very well. It’s only because you’re too lazy that you fell asleep,” Manbao retorted. Seeing the children about to quarrel again, Ms.Zheng quickly interjected, “I had the kitchen make osmanthus cakes and glutinous rice dumplings for you. Try them and see if they’re tasty.” The two children immediately fell silent, reaching into the snack plate on the table. One grabbed their favorite osmanthus cake, the other their beloved glutinous rice dumpling, and like small hedgehogs, they turned into squirrels nibbling away. Ms.Zheng loved to watch them eat. She wiped their mouths with a handkerchief and asked softly, “Are they delicious?” Bai Shanbao and Manbao nodded vigorously. Bai Shanbao even said, “Mother, I love you the most.” Manbao quickly joined in, “Aunt Zheng, I love you the most too.” Although Ms.Zheng knew the children were just flattering her, her eyes crinkled with joy, “If you like it, then eat more.” Bai Shanbao and Manbao were over the moon. They loved eating snacks but the daily amount was fixed, much like Junior Ms.Qian only allowed a maximum of one skewer of candied haw per day. The Bai Family had set a fixed amount for Bai Shanbao’s snacks too, so they always felt they didn’t have enough. It wasn’t until the children had cleared the snack plate that Ms.Zheng belatedly realized she might have made a mistake. Ms.Zheng quickly went to rub the children’s bellies, asking softly, “Are you overstuffed?” Both children shook their heads, with Manbao claiming, “I could eat another plate.” Bai Shanbao remarked, “I could eat two more plates.” Anxiously, Ms.Zheng asked, “Do you still want to have dinner then?” The children shook their heads in unison, “What’s so tasty about rice? We’re happy with just snacks.” That got Ms.Zheng worried. She almost bit her handkerchief in agitation. Today the stewards had come to report the accounts, and the grandmother was calculating the year’s earnings, which is why she had been asked to bring the children some snacks. She thought the children must be quite hungry after school and would have to study in the study room later, so she brought too many snacks in a moment of weakness, and they ended up eating them all. Ms.Zheng guiltily admonished the children, “But you should eat your rice; not eating rice doesn’t make you good children. Next time, there might be no more snacks.”

Chapter 181 - 181 170 Cooperation

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