Chapter 23

When Liu Ming'an handed the completed funeral couplet to He Wu, the latter wiped his hands vigorously on his clothes before accepting it with both hands.

Seeing this gesture, Liu Ming'an let out a silent sigh.

He Wu could be said to be the person in this village who most wanted to study and learn to write, but unfortunately, due to various circumstances, he could only choose to put down pen and paper, pick up a hoe, and shoulder the burden of life. Because of that desire for education, He Wu had always shown a respect for Liu Ming'an as a "scholar" that others never had.

"Brother Ming'an, thank you," He Wu carefully folded the couplet and placed it in his bosom, expressing his sincere gratitude to Liu Ming'an.

Liu Ming'an smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "Brother Wu, you're too kind. It was nothing."

He Wu felt immensely grateful and said earnestly, "Well then, Brother Ming'an, I'll head back now. In the future, if you need any help, just say the word, and I'll be there!"

Liu Ming'an nodded, knowing that He Wu was a man of his word and that this wasn't just empty talk.

After He Wu left, Liu Ming'an returned inside and, looking at the empty room, suddenly felt uneasy, as if something was missing.

Human habits are truly frightening things. He had lived alone for so long, yet Jiang Ning had only been here for a few days, and without realizing it, he had already grown accustomed to having another person in the house.

Liu Ming'an picked up the note Jiang Ning had left again, focusing on the words "Don't worry, wait for me to come home." Compared to the earlier words about "going hunting in the mountains," this sentence's strokes were less fluid, much slower, and one could almost see the writer's hesitation.

The image of Jiang Ning's cold face flashed through his mind, and Liu Ming'an smiled softly, guessing that this sentence had been added later by Jiang Ning. His mood lightened a bit, and the heavy stone weighing on his heart seemed to lift slightly.

Liu Ming'an began to read as usual, but today his mind was preoccupied. His eyes unconsciously kept looking out the window, and he frequently found himself staring at the distant mountain, lost in thought. He couldn't absorb a single word from the book.

"Has Jiang Ning returned?" When this thought flashed through his mind for the umpteenth time, Liu Ming'an sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be able to focus on his reading today.

Getting up and going outside, Liu Ming'an saw smoke rising from various places in the village, realizing it was already noon.

By the time Liu Ming'an finished these tasks and came out, Jiang Ning had already tied the wild chicken to the door latch. Looking at the constantly crowing and flapping chicken, Liu Ming'an said to Jiang Ning, "This chicken is hard to tame, with keen senses. It's rare for anyone to catch one."

Jiang Ning thought he wanted to know how she had caught it, so she simply said, "Don't think too much about it. Just focus on your studies."

After saying this, Jiang Ning suddenly felt like one of those parents who desperately want their children to succeed, only caring about studying hard, getting high scores, entering prestigious schools, making a name for themselves, and bringing honor to the family...

It was unbelievable that she, an assassin, was experiencing this motherly sensation!

"Jiang Ning," Liu Ming'an didn't inquire about how she had hunted, but instead asked with a concerned look as his eyes scanned her from head to toe, "Where are you hurt? Does it still hurt?"

Jiang Ning was initially surprised that Liu Ming'an knew she was injured, but then remembered the bloodstains on her clothes and understood.

"I heal quickly, remember?" Jiang Ning said, sounding as if she were trying to reassure him.

"Just because you heal quickly doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, does it?" Liu Ming'an asked with a furrowed brow.

Of course it hurt, but compared to the injuries Jiang Ning had sustained in the past, this pain from a chicken peck was practically negligible.

Not wanting to discuss this further, Jiang Ning lowered her head and kicked the still-lively tied-up wild chicken, saying in a low voice, "Go boil some water. I'll change my clothes. Later, you can eat an extra piece of meat to avenge me."

With that, Jiang Ning turned and entered the room. The wild chicken flapped its wings, making a low "cluck cluck" sound, glaring at her retreating figure with round, angry eyes.

The table was still set with untouched food, which surprised Jiang Ning. She hadn't expected Liu Ming'an to wait for her return to eat, and it seemed he had been hungry himself.

Third Great Aunt had brought two sets of her daughter's clothes for Jiang Ning. After changing, Jiang Ning looked at the set she had taken off, and worry slowly crept back into her heart.

How did people wash clothes in ancient times? It seemed they had to scrub them by hand, without any laundry powder or detergent.