C9 Tan Chenya

Some folks even said, "Mrs. Feng, are you really going to take that rabbit? Aren't you afraid the heavens might frown upon you and bring misfortune to your family?"

"Grandma, if you really want to take it, go ahead, as long as you're not worried about any divine retribution," Gu Fanjin said, feigning innocence.

Mrs. Feng was too spooked to take the rabbit now. Could it be that this girl was really something supernatural? The thought made Mrs. Feng's legs tremble, and she felt weak in the knees, almost unable to stand. She swallowed hard, turned around, and tried to leave, but her foot slipped, and she fell flat on the ground.

The crowd burst into laughter as Mrs. Feng scrambled to her feet and hurried away without looking back. After Mrs. Feng left, the others didn't linger much longer. The incident of the rabbit falling from the sky made them feel sorry for the three siblings, but perhaps with some heavenly protection, the Gu family's fortunes might change for the better. Some even wondered why such good luck hadn't befallen their own families.

Before long, the three siblings were gathered around the rabbit, wide-eyed and bewildered. Finally, Junjun spoke up, "Sis, did this really come from the heavens?"

If it wasn't a gift from above, how else could a rabbit fall from the sky? Even Momo looked at her with curiosity. Seeing this, Gu Fanjin cleared her throat, "Well, maybe it was just... a coincidence?"

"But since it landed in our yard, I'll cook rabbit stew for you tonight."

"Really?" Junjun beamed. "We get to eat meat again!"

Seeing their happy faces, Gu Fanjin nodded. After all, the rabbit had landed in their yard, and Mrs. Feng had seen it. If she ever sneaked back to take it, it would be a real loss. Better to feed it to the kids; they were so skinny they could use the nourishment.

Gu Fanjin told them to take the rabbit to the kitchen, but the two little ones carried it to the living room instead. To them, the kitchen without a door seemed less secure than the living room.

Gu Fanjin stayed in the yard, thinking about the young man she had just noticed at the back of the crowd. His features were sharp and striking, like a Greek sculpture, with deep, dark eyes that hinted at a difficult personality. He held a bow and arrow, and she hadn't even seen how he managed to toss the wild rabbit inside. By the time she looked again, he had already disappeared from the crowd.

Tan Family

"Chenxi is back."

"Yeah."

Mrs. Wang wiped her hands and came out of the kitchen, seeing her eldest son had returned from hunting. She quickly called him to eat. He hadn't come home the night before, staying up in the mountains with just a bit of dry food, so she figured he must be hungry by now. She had made him some fresh noodles with scallions and a dash of sesame oil early in the morning.

Tan Chenxi handed his mother the wild chicken he had caught. Usually, he would sell the larger game to the local restaurant in town, but he would bring smaller catches like wild chickens and rabbits home to improve their meals. Mrs. Wang knew her eldest was capable, but she urged him to sell all his catches to save money for a future wife. His younger brothers were already married, and it was just him, the eldest, who was still single, even though he was three years older than the second brother.

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