Teacher by day, Farmer by passion - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: The Test.

Ace stepped out of the house, carrying a few baskets filled with Spirit Apples fresh from the system.

“Yifeng, come help me here.”

“Yes, Master!” The boy immediately halted his sword practice and ran over, his small but sturdy frame brimming with energy.

Ace nodded and gestured for him to follow.

They made their way to the back of the house, where neatly arranged cuts of pork from the previous day’s slaughter were stored.

Each piece was trimmed with precision, each portion weighing around a kilogram or slightly more.

Ace set the apples down and turned to Yifeng. “I want you to take this to the village. Give the pig’s head to the family you respect the most. As for the rest, share it with the other families.”

Yifeng blinked, taking in the weight of the request. It was no small task, especially for a ten-year-old.

Ace watched his expression carefully. “Can you do it?”

Yifeng hesitated for only a moment before his face hardened with resolve. “I’ll do it, Master. I will.”

Ace smiled faintly. “Good. You’ll understand why someday.”

Without another word, he placed everything into a single basket. The load was heavy, but Yifeng lifted it without complaint, adjusting his stance to balance the weight before heading toward the village.

Ace watched him go, a quiet sense of pride settling in his chest.

Where he came from, this would probably be considered child labor..

Shan Yifeng was already at the Major Warrior rank. The weight of the basket wasn’t an issue.

This task wasn’t just physical training—it was a lesson in responsibility, community, and understanding the value of giving.

Ace exhaled, turning back toward the house.

Zhao Yun appeared from a tree as she gave Ace a bow.

“Master Xiao, the Hua family has expressed their gratitude for your willingness to trade with them. As a token of appreciation, they have promised you Gryphon Mountain.”

Ace glanced at her and asked curiously, “Zhao Yun, what do you think of the pork my disciple carried off?”

“It’s exceptional, Master Xiao,” she replied without hesitation.

Ace smirked. “Does your sect want some?”

Zhao Yun was momentarily taken aback.

She struggled to contain the excitement bubbling within her as she asked, “Can we… can we really have some?”

Her voice trembled with barely restrained anticipation, and she found herself unable to close her mouth.

“Yes,” Ace confirmed. “In return, protect this village. Don’t interfere in their way of life, but don’t let them face any life-threatening danger. And one more thing—Liu Hong, the little girl’s mother. If she’s ever in danger, I expect you to step in without hesitation.”

Zhao Yun’s expression grew serious. She straightened before giving a small bow.

“Thank you for your graciousness, Master Xiao. I will return and relay your request to my sect.”

“Good. Also, I’d like your help leading us to Gryphon Mountain later.”

“Understood,” Zhao Yun said, her voice steady. She turned to leave, a newfound respect in her eyes.

__________

Shan Yifeng trudged forward, the heavy basket pressing into his arms, but he didn’t falter. His steps led him to Liu Mei’s home—no hesitation, no second thoughts.

The village had been filled with murmurs about his father’s passing, hushed voices speaking of tragedy, pitying glances cast his way.

But when it had mattered, when he had needed help, no one had stepped forward. No one except Liu Mei’s mother.

And for that, she deserved this.

He reached the door and knocked. It wasn’t long before Liu Hong appeared, surprised to see him.

“Yifeng? What brings you here so early?”

Without a word, he set the basket down and lifted the pig’s head with both hands, presenting it to her like an offering.

Liu Hong blinked. “Where did you get this?”

Her confusion was understandable. Food was scarce, and meat? It was a luxury. A whole pig’s head was an extravagance, a symbol of power, something no one in the village could easily afford.

“Master prepared it!” Yifeng said proudly. “He told me, ‘Go give the head to the person you respect most.’ Take it, Auntie!”

Liu Hong stared at him, startled. “Ah, this…”

She hesitated. Ace had changed—there was no denying that. If he was sending food, maybe he was trying to build a relationship with the village chief. That would make sense.

“You should take it to the village chief,” she suggested carefully.

But Yifeng stood firm, his grip tightening around the pig’s head.

“Master said to give it to the person I respect most, not to the chief,” he said, his voice unwavering. “Take it, or I won’t distribute the other pork to the village.”

Liu Hong let out a breath, realizing there was no convincing him. This wasn’t about politics or strategy for Yifeng. It was simple—honest.

With a small sigh, she finally accepted it. “Alright, Yifeng. Thank you.”

A rare smile flickered across his face as she took the head with both her hands.

Liu Hong looked at the determined boy in front of her and let out a sigh, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Come inside, Yifeng. It’s still early.”

Shan Yifeng hesitated for a moment but nodded, stepping in. The familiar warmth of Liu Mei’s home greeted him, the scent of herbs lingering in the air.

Placing the head on the table, Liu Hong stepped into the bedroom and gently shook her daughter awake.

“Mei’er, get up. Yifeng is here.”

Liu Mei groaned, turning over and pulling the blanket over her head. “Five more minutes…”

Liu Hong chuckled and tugged the blanket away. “No more sleeping. Your friend is here and you have work to do.”

Blinking sleepily, Liu Mei sat up, her hair a tangled mess. She rubbed her eyes and looked at Yifeng. “Eh? What are you doing here so early?”

Yifeng huffed. “Helping Master distribute pork.”

Liu Mei perked up at that. “Pork, yesterday’s pork?!”

Her mother nodded. “Come help Yifeng. You two will be delivering it to the families in the village.”

With a newfound energy only food could bring, Liu Mei hopped out of bed.

Liu Hong began sorting the pork, carefully taking out each portion and handing them to the children. “Here’s where you’ll be delivering them,” she explained, listing the houses one by one.

Liu Hong carefully measured out four kilograms of pork and placed it into a bucket.

“Mei’er, take this to Uncle Long,” she instructed, handing it to her daughter.

Then, turning to Yifeng, she took out another four kilograms and placed it into a separate bucket.

“And you, Yifeng, bring this to the village chief.”

“Three kilograms of meat to grandmother Ceci, she lives with her son.”

“Six kilograms of meat for the second uncle of Yifeng. They have too many kids.”

…..

…..

It didn’t take long before every household received at least a few kilograms of meat.

The village wasn’t large—only 18 families in total—but carrying all that meat had been no easy feat. A single pig could weigh over a hundred kilograms, making the load heavy even for someone as strong as Yifeng.

But fairness wasn’t about giving everyone the same portion. Some families had more mouths to feed, so they received more. It wasn’t equal, but it was fair.

Once the last delivery was made, Yifeng let out a breath of relief. “Thank you, Aunty. You helped me a lot.”

Liu Mei puffed her cheeks. “What about me?”

Yifeng smirked. “You just tagged along.”

Liu Mei gasped, hands on her hips. “I did just as much as you!”

“Nope. I carried more.”

“Only because you stole the lighter ones first!”

“You snooze, you lose,” Yifeng teased, crossing his arms.

Liu Hong laughed as she shooed them toward the door. “Alright, alright. Enough bickering. Go back to your master now.”

Still arguing playfully, the two children marched off, their voices carrying through the morning air.