Dream?
Zhang Dan Shui was taken aback. He looked at his mother in confusion as he recalled the days of his youth. Back then, he studied hard because he wanted to become an official and threw those who mocked him back.
But now that he was already an official, he found out that those people still continued to mock him.
It was as if he had to stand at the highest position to make sure that they wouldn't have any say in his life anymore. He was annoyed, especially because he kept on being dragged down by his younger brother. It was to the point that even achieving better result was already hard enough.
"I want you to live well, Mother." Zhang Dan Shui was tired of having his mother suffer in Zhang Family Residence. He wanted to see his mother smile and talk to him cheerfully just like in the past.
Seeing her wooden expression as she tried to hold back was hard.
Madam Pei shook her head. "You shouldn't be too hard on yourself."
"Mother."
"I'll be fine wherever you want me to be. What's important is for you to live the life you want."
Zhang Dan Shui blinked and sighed. He walked closer and hugged his mother as his mind churned. "I understand, Mother."
"Mhm, good boy. Sorry, Mother can't give you a better life." Madam Pei's eyes moistened. She really felt that she was truly a failure as a mother. Even though she had been trying her best to provide for her children, living was so hard.
"It's not your fault, Mother."
The two of them hugged for a while before Madam Pei retreated. She smiled faintly. "I'll prepare food for you. Stay here."
"Yes, Mother."
There were servants, but Madam Pei liked to cook. Because of that, Zhang Dan Shui always liked it when his mother prepared him meal.
As he sat down on the chair, he looked around. The house was rather shabby but it was pretty good. However, Zhang Dan Shui could feel the faint burning spirit inside his heart that wished to kill those who looked down upon him and his mother.
Zhang Dan Shui muttered slowly, "Young Miss… I have made my decision. I'll do my best."
…
Meanwhile.
Old Master Nan didn't immediately bring them back but rather to the small river that branched from Huang River. The tunnel was purposely made for the people here to be able to live well.
"What are we going to do here, Grandfather?" Nan Luo asked curiously.
"Fishing." Old Master Nan took out a spear. "I'll teach you how to catch fish."
Nan Luo: "…" really?
Feng Ao Kuai: "…" can I back down?
Feng Ao Si: "… Grandfather, is it that hard to catch fish?"
"What do you know? Come here and take the spears. The river is shallow but there are some fishes that we can catch! Hey don't you dare to fall! What did you take the previous training as?"
Splash!
"Ah Si! Don't destroy the rock!"
Jleb!
"Eh, the fish escaped!"
"Ah Luo, use more power! You can't gauge the depth properly when you're outside the water, so make sure that you pay more attention."
Nan Hua was the only one who stayed outside. She watched as the other three were having fun and looked at the small river. In the past, she had already hunted countless fishes just to eat. There were times when those people didn't even provide them with food.
They had to earn it by themselves.
Either herbs, fish, other animals. Thanks to that, Nan Hua had poisoned herself from time to time and nearly died countless times. However, she also expanded her knowledge, which allowed her to survive in wilderness even if she was thrown there to survive by herself.
"Hahaha! I caught one!"
"What? How in the world did you do that?" Nan Luo was stunned. He definitely couldn't afford to lose against Feng Ao Si!
Feng Ao Si was smug. "I attacked it relentlessly. Of course, I'll be able to get it!"
"Hmph!"
"Let's have a match who will be able to get more fishes!"
"Deal!"
While the two of them were arguing and competing, Old Master Nan merely laughed. He had already caught three fishes and threw them offshore. He didn't have any intention to participate in their childish argument.
"Ah Kuai?"
It was only now he realized that Feng Ao Kuai was outside the river and had taken some bamboos. There were a lot of bamboos in this place, so cutting one then splitting it to thin and long branch was easy. Right now, Feng Ao Kuai had already created some kind of long fence with those long branch.
Old Master Nan watched as Feng Ao Kuai placed the long fence into the water and waited until several fishes came close. Afterwards, he pulled one side to the other one, trapping the fishes inside.
Using the spear, Feng Ao Kuai proceeded to kill the fishes that were trapped.
"Four fishes." Feng Ao Kuai took those four then placed it near Nan Hua happily.
Nan Hua nodded. While bamboos were not the best material to form a net, it was enough for this small river. Especially because this river was manmade and the ground was rather flat. Even if there were fishes that managed to escape, it would be the small one that could escape through the gap.
"You did good."
Feng Ao Kuai smiled proudly.
Seeing that Feng Ao Kuai managed to catch several fishes easily, Nan Luo and Feng Ao Si were instantly jealous. How could they not think of using other materials to help?
On the second though, the thought would never cross their head no matter how hard they tried to think.
"I got one!" Nan Luo finally managed to guess the trajectory correctly and speared one fish. He proudly brought it to Nan Hua before returning to hunt more fishes.
He and Feng Ao Si still had some business left to settle.
Old Master Nan watched the brats having fun and laughed lightly.. These brats were really something.