Chapter 83: Another Promise

"Indeed, it’s the autumn heatwave lately, so it has been quite hot," Xiao Weiguo replied.

Quan Linglan hurried to change the subject and said to Xiao Weiguo, "Weiguo, since you’re always running around the countryside, can you get those old hens people use especially for making soup? My mother is visiting an elder who just had surgery the day after tomorrow, and she’s hoping to find two old hens for them to make nourishing soup. She’s been fretting over it."

"You’ve asked the right person. Do you need them alive or already slaughtered? I have them ready right now. I’ll bring them with you later, so you won’t have to search all over town," Xiao Weiguo promised confidently.

"That’s great, thank you, Weiguo. I’m not sure if they should be alive or not—I really don’t know much about these things," Quan Linglan said, a bit embarrassed.

"Let’s do two live ones. With the weather so hot, if they’re already slaughtered, you’d have to cook them immediately. Since you’re only using them the day after tomorrow, they’d better be alive," Xiao Weiguo thought for a moment and said.

Seeing Quan Linglan was already finished eating, Xiao Weiguo sped up, and before long, they had eaten everything on the table.

At his age, Xiao Weiguo was growing rapidly and had a big appetite.

After returning the Beibingyang soda bottles, the two left the restaurant together.

Xiao Weiguo asked Quan Linglan to wait for him in a shady spot while he went back to fetch the chickens.

Once he reached a secluded place, Xiao Weiguo used his mind to bind the legs and beaks of two hens, put them in a burlap sack, and transferred them out.

Since his spatial ability had upgraded, Xiao Weiguo could now perform tasks inside the space with only his mind while his body remained outside, rather than having to enter the space himself for every little operation as before.

Previously, he could only transfer out items that already existed in the space. Now, he could tie up the chickens’ beaks and legs inside the space, bag them, and then move them out.

Moreover, while outside the space, he could sense everything within it by focusing his mind. Conversely, if he was inside, he could also sense what was happening outside, whereas before, entering the space left him blind to the outside world.

This made things much more convenient.

Harvesting grain and other chores could now be done while resting with his eyes closed, all from outside the space.

With the sack of two hens tied to the back seat, Xiao Weiguo quickly rode over and then, together with Quan Linglan, headed back to her family’s villa.

They chatted as they rode, and soon arrived at their destination.

Seeing the villa for a second time, Xiao Weiguo still felt a pang of envy.

But he noticed some shards of broken glass at the front door and, glancing up, saw that two more panes on the second floor were broken.

He turned to observe Quan Linglan’s expression and saw she had noticed the broken glass as well—her little face looked troubled, eyebrows knitted together.

"It’s alright, don’t worry. We’ll just replace it. Linglan, find the spare glass, and I’ll fix it right away," Xiao Weiguo said as he entered the house, set the sack in the kitchen, swept up the broken glass at the door, and asked Quan Linglan to look for the spare panes.

In a few swift moves, he had the window fixed.

Seeing the window whole again, Quan Linglan finally brightened a little.

She invited Xiao Weiguo to sit and went to brew him another cup of coffee—cappuccino, remembering that he’d enjoyed it last time.

While Xiao Weiguo waited, Quan Linglan’s mother, Zhao Shuxian, returned home from work.

Finding Xiao Weiguo in the living room, she was delighted.

"Weiguo, it’s been so long! Have you two eaten? Let me make something for you," Zhao Shuxian said, heading for the kitchen, intent on cooking for Xiao Weiguo.

He quickly stopped her, "Auntie, Linglan and I already ate. We just came back from a meal—you don’t need to trouble yourself."

At that moment, Quan Linglan came over with the coffee and said to Zhao Shuxian, "Mom, Weiguo brought something for you—it’s in the sack in the kitchen. Try reaching in and see if you can guess what it is."

Xiao Weiguo smiled at her suggestion—this girl could be pretty mischievous.

"Oh? There’s really no need to bring anything," Zhao Shuxian said as she reached out to feel the sack.

Just then, one of the hens inside, its beak tied, still managed to peck her, startling Zhao Shuxian into jumping back.

Quan Linglan giggled behind her.

"Alright, Linglan, so you’re daring enough to prank your mother now?" Zhao Shuxian said, gently tapping her daughter’s shoulder.

She turned to Xiao Weiguo, "Weiguo, don’t mind her. Linglan is usually quite proper, not this playful."

Behind her, Quan Linglan made a silly face at her mother, her earlier gloom at the broken window completely dispelled.

I just want to be friends with you all—why do you treat our family like this? Is being well-off really such a crime?

Zhao Shuxian untied the sack and, seeing two fine old hens inside, was delighted. The chickens at the market were always poor quality; she’d been worrying about how to find decent free-range hens, and here Weiguo had brought them right to her door.

"Weiguo, thank you so much! How much do I owe you? These are far too generous to accept for free."

Xiao Weiguo replied, "Auntie, don’t worry about it. There’s no need for money this time."

"In fact, I have something I’d like to discuss with you."

But Zhao Shuxian wouldn’t hear of it; she turned and pulled out a large bill from her purse and insisted on pressing it into Xiao Weiguo’s hand.

Xiao Weiguo tried to refuse, but after several attempts, he could only accept it.

The three of them sat down in the lounge area and chatted.

Xiao Weiguo hadn’t forgotten his need to develop new markets, so he said to Zhao Shuxian, "Auntie, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you. I have access to some supplies, but my factory can only use so much, and some goods move very quickly. I was wondering if your family might need some—mainly meat and grains. If so, I can bring some by from time to time, at normal black market prices."

Zhao Shuxian thought it over and said, "Weiguo, I’m just a housewife and don’t really know much about these things. How about this: in a while, I’ll introduce you to some of the elders in the Quan family. They’re the right people for this. What do you think?"

"That would be wonderful, thank you, Auntie," Xiao Weiguo said, dropping the subject and chatting about other things.

When the coffee was finished and it was getting late, Xiao Weiguo stood up to take his leave.

Quan Linglan saw him to the door, hesitating several times as if she wanted to say something.

Xiao Weiguo teased her, "What’s the matter, Linglan? Got a sore throat? You look like you want to say something but keep holding it back."

She shot him a look, then quietly said, "Do you have time this Saturday? I want to visit the zoo. No one ever goes with me, and I don’t want to go alone. My classmates are always talking about how much fun the zoo is."

The day after tomorrow was Saturday, and naturally, he was free. Xiao Weiguo also wanted to take a few days to relax.

Besides, who would refuse an invitation from such a beauty?

"Of course! I’m free Saturday. How about I come here at 8 a.m., and we’ll set out for the Sijiu Zoo from your house?" Xiao Weiguo replied with a smile.

Realizing what she’d just done, Quan Linglan blushed and dashed back inside, leaving Xiao Weiguo smiling at the white gate.

What a shy little thing.

With that, Xiao Weiguo leisurely rode his bike back to No. 98 Nanluoguxiang.

After dinner, the courtyard was buzzing with activity; it took him twenty minutes to get from the gate to his room, meeting plenty of neighbors along the way.