Chapter 25: Is Your Brain for Dung Beetles to Feast On?

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Fang Ning watched the goslings trying to break out of the pen and thought her father might have guessed correctly: "Maybe, perhaps."

Fang Cinian was speechless. "Are geese really that fierce? So what if they want to eat you?"

"I'm hungry, hungry..." The goslings cried even louder, as if daring someone to let them out.

"Alright, alright, they won't eat you. Don't be fierce." Fang Ning, with a headache from their noise, placated them casually. "How about I go back and get you some food?"

The goslings’ aggression gradually subsided; they no longer looked like they wanted to chase and peck Fang Cinian.

Fang Wenqin, having witnessed the goslings’ fierceness, whispered to Fang Ning, "Ningning, geese eat a lot but grow slowly and are hard to raise. If you want to guard the house, it’s better to keep dogs."

"Geese are fiercer than dogs."

Fang Ning hadn’t forgotten that once a teammate accidentally provoked a flock of geese during a mission and had to flee with hands badly pecked. Because the villagers’ property couldn’t be harmed, even a special forces soldier couldn’t avoid the assault of those big white geese. That scene was deeply engraved in her memory and the comrade’s miserable plight remained unforgettable.

"Really?" Fang Wenqin only knew geese were hard to raise but had never kept any; no one in Futian Village raised geese.

"You’ll soon see just how fierce these geese are," Fang Ning winked.

"Hmph, I say eating goose meat, and they seem to curse my ancestors for it. Fierce or not?" Fang Cinian said, "You’ll know when those big white geese chase after you."

"Then I don’t want to try," Fang Wenqin quickly shook his head.

Fang Ning glanced inside Quanwei Restaurant. "Is Mom not out yet?"

"She’s still in the kitchen. Oh, right, Ningning, Dad is going to buy a live fish first to avoid coming back late and missing the chance to catch one."

"Okay."

"Big brother, I’ll go with you," said Fang Wenchang, usually silent.

"Alright, let’s go together."

As the two brothers walked away, Fang Ning and Fang Wenqin exchanged glances, speechless.

They quickly looked away to avoid awkwardness.

Fortunately, Liang Anrong soon came out, carrying two packs of radish cakes and steamed rice cakes.

Fang Ning raised an eyebrow. "From the Young Master?"

Such generosity—was there some scheme?

"Shopkeeper Lin gave them. I didn’t see the Young Master," Liang Anrong said, then asked Fang Ning and Fang Wenqin, "Second Brother, do you want some radish cake?"

Fang Wenqin shook his head. "I’m not hungry; take it home for Mom and Dad."

"I won’t eat either. Leave my share for Second Brother to cheer him up. Don’t want him to be upset over the coin confiscation," Fang Ning said, adept at handling children.

After a scolding, a sweet treat is needed.

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Fang Cinian and Fang Wenchang soon returned, bringing some herbs.

The group then headed back.

"Ningning, I also taught Quanwei Restaurant how to make the preserved bayberry candy."

"Good."

"Shopkeeper Lin gave me two hundred taels."

"Two hundred?"

Fang Ning suspected the young master at Quanwei Restaurant held a grudge against her, deliberately lowballing her.

The rock sugar preserved bayberries only fetched one hundred taels!

"Yes, but Shopkeeper Lin said the young master is unwell and resting; we’ll settle payment together when we deliver the bayberries."

"The secret recipe for dried bayberries is not for sale, and there’s also bayberry wine."

"Ningning, are you upset?"

"That young master treats me like a child," Fang Ning said.

Liang Anrong couldn’t help but smile.

Fang Cinian grew uneasy thinking about Si Yuheng staying at their home for detox treatment. He mustered courage to say, "Wife, Ningning, the young master said starting tomorrow, he wants to stay at our house for treatment."

"Let him stay then, just remember to have Quanwei Restaurant deliver food daily," Fang Ning was indifferent.

Liang Anrong, however, sensed something wrong. "Stay at home? In the same room as Ningning?"

"Yes."

Liang Anrong’s anger flared immediately. She pinched Fang Cinian’s ear. "Do you know what you’re doing?"

That’s your daughter, not a son!

Letting her share a room with a boy—is that even decent?

"Ouch, ouch..." Fang Cinian winced. "Wife, give me some face; Second and Third Brothers are here."

Fang Wenqin and Fang Wenchang quickly looked away. "It’s nothing, sister-in-law; we saw nothing."

Fang Cinian: "…Are you guys plastic?"

Just as his ear was about to be twisted off, Fang Ning hurried to stop her mother. "We’re in town, give Dad some face, stop pinching his ear."

"Hmph, is your brain for dung beetles? What are you doing?" Liang Anrong was still fuming. "Go back and tell the young master yourself to come to town for treatment! With that delicate constitution, can he live in the countryside?"

"Wife, I told him, but the young master disagreed, saying running around is not conducive to me spotting his symptoms in time," Fang Cinian weakly defended.

"You..." Liang Anrong was about to lose her temper.

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Who’s the doctor here?

How did you end up being led by the nose?

"Mother, since Dad already agreed, let it be. How big a deal is it?" Fang Ning tried to soothe her mother. "Besides, that room is old. Why not discuss with Grandpa and Grandma about moving back to the old house?"

Fang Wenqin quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, move back to the old house. There are two rooms there after some tidying—one for the young master, the other for you to arrange."

Liang Anrong had no desire to argue.

A useless husband like that—who knows when he might sell his daughter off!

So they returned to the village in a low mood.

Fang Cinian knew he had angered his wife and busied himself with attentions, but Liang Anrong just ignored him.

Fang Ning usually stayed out of her parents’ quarrels; she went to speak with Old Fang about moving back to the old house.

Before she could say anything, Old Madam spoke first. "Ningning, tell your parents to move back to the old house. The place you’re living now is too dilapidated. You were truly unruly before. Grandma couldn’t stand seeing you ruin the second and third branches of the family and had to send you away; don’t blame me!"

"No blame, no blame. We were wrong before and won’t be again," Fang Ning said quickly, handing the hundred taels her mother gave her to Old Madam. "Here’s what we earned today, Grandma, please take it."

"Why so much?" The old lady gasped. "How did your mother earn this?"

"My mother came up with new food recipes and sold them to Quanwei Restaurant."

"You don’t have to give me all of it. How about the second and third branches? They can’t rely entirely on your branch. You used to like taking advantage of others; now you’re careless?" The old lady gave Fang Ning a stern look but did not take the money.

"You keep it. The other branches aren’t as capable at earning. Save some for yourselves."

Fang Ning insisted.

This was money Liang Anrong had given to persuade Old Madam to agree to their moving back.

She was determined not to let Fang Ning share a room with Si Yuheng.

A half-grown boy, after all, is still a boy.

"By the way, Grandma, the young master of Quanwei Restaurant will also stay at our house starting tomorrow. Tell Big Sister and Feifei; he’s already betrothed."

Fang Ling and Fang Fei were too innocent. If they grew fond of him, it would be a disaster. Fang Ning was preparing in advance.