Chapter 4

Alone, Zhou Jiaxi slightly organized his thoughts, pondering how to make up a plausible story. His mind was like a fully revved engine, but it wasn't as if it would just open up just by thinking hard!

"Xiaojie? I'm asking you a question, where were you just now?" his elder sister said.

"Ah, yes, yes. The other day, I read something about qigong practice online, so I tried it out. It said to practice continuously at midnight, absorbing the moon's essence until you feel the qi. Otherwise, if you skip one night, all the previous days' practice would be wasted. So I secretly practiced for a few days, but yesterday I couldn't take it anymore and fell asleep," Zhou Jiaxi said, blushing, though it wasn't clear if it was from lying or embarrassment. Anyway, they thought it was from embarrassment.

"You actually believe that? What era are we in now?" his elder sister said.

"What can I say, how should I scold you?" his second sister said.

"Hehe, I won't comment on this, but you do have perseverance. It would be good if you could use it for something more positive in the future," his third sister said with a cold laugh.

"Xiaojie, did you have any reaction?" his fourth sister asked.

"You... When I suggested you practice boxing with your uncle, you thought it was too hard. Now you're practicing on your own, what if something happens? Do you want to kill your mother and me? You're not allowed to practice anymore," Zhou's father said, his face full of anger.

"But I'm fine, right?" Zhou Jiaxi mumbled softly.

Zhou's father stood up abruptly.

"Ah, I promise I won't practice anymore. I promise," Zhou Jiaxi quickly assured.

Zhou's father's face finally looked a bit better, but he still huffed and sat down. His sisters also took turns scolding Zhou Jiaxi, but Zhou Jiaxi didn't feel too bad because he knew they were all concerned for him, unlike some people who might say nice things but do something else behind his back.

After eating and being scolded enough, Zhou Jiaxi returned to his room.

This was the Zhou family's ancestral home in the countryside. Zhou's father had seven siblings—four brothers and three sisters. As the eldest son, Zhou's father inherited the ancestral home and a few antiques. The other brothers and sisters also received their shares of the family's assets, which were divided by the patriarch a few years ago to avoid future conflicts.

The Zhou family used to be a large landowner and had officials in both the Qing and Republican eras. Their history could be traced back to the time of the Five Barbarians. Despite the changes in dynasties, some branches of the family moved back, while others moved away. Now, only three branches from the Qing era remain in the village. Due to wars, some branches were cut off, but after the founding of the People's Republic, some people returned to recognize their roots.

Zhou Village, as the name suggests, has many people surnamed Zhou. There are also a few other surnames. This time, the whole family returned because they were compiling the family genealogy, and the sisters also had free time and wanted to breathe fresh air, so they all came together. Fortunately, the ancestral home was large enough to accommodate everyone.

Early in the morning, Zhou Jiaxi, who had woken up early, couldn't resist getting up. After eating the millet porridge cooked by his mother, he went out. His third sister said he was too excited after sleeping so much the previous day, so he got up early. Zhou Jiaxi took a deep breath at the door, feeling his lungs refresh. The air in the countryside was clean, without pollution or city exhaust. He felt a deep attachment as he breathed in.

Today, he had a purpose: to collect some seeds to plant in his space and see how they would grow. He would rely on this for his future, but he still needed to think about the specifics.

He probably couldn't be a farmer at home. His father, who used to work the land, knew the hardships. It was all about the weather. Knowing there was no future in it, his uncles and aunts had all left to work elsewhere, eventually settling in the city and achieving a comfortable life.

If he came back to be a farmer, it would be a slap in the face. Besides, there was no land, and his mother would definitely disagree. There were many better jobs than farming, and she wouldn't let her son come back to farm. It would be a loss of face and dignity.

To say he wanted to live like a hermit, planting and raising fish, how old was he? Had he given up on the world? How would he get married? Who would agree to be a farmer's wife? Even though he knew he would make a lot of money in the future, his parents didn't know. They wouldn't believe him just because he said so, especially given his recent behavior. He needed to plan carefully.

"Forget it, let's not think about it now. The seeds haven't even sprouted yet. Let's see how the plants grow in the space first," Zhou Jiaxi thought, feeling quite helpless.

While thinking, he found himself at his third uncle's house. His third uncle had already gone to the fields, and his grandparents, who didn't want to leave the countryside, lived with his third uncle, who took care of them. The other siblings gave his third uncle money for the elders' living expenses. His third uncle was filial, and his wife was also very considerate, so the elders were well taken care of and in good health.

"Xiaojie, come in. Have you eaten breakfast? Auntie will cook you some eggs," his third aunt said warmly, putting down her work.

Zhou Jiaxi smiled and said, "No need, Auntie. I've already eaten. I had millet porridge when I went out. You can continue your work. I'll go see Grandpa and Grandma."

"Okay, your grandparents are inside. Go see them," his third aunt said.

"Alright, I know."

The elders had already heard the noise outside and called their eldest grandson in. Zhou Jiaxi walked in and saw his grandfather sitting in a rocking chair, smoking, and his grandmother, who had been picking vegetables, put down her work and came over to see her eldest grandson.

Zhou Jiaxi quickly greeted them and chatted with the elders. They were happy to see their grandson and invited him to stay for lunch, calling the rest of the family over. Zhou Jiaxi quickly agreed, but his father had already gone to the village committee and might not be back until the afternoon. He chatted with the elders about other things.

Then he told the elders he wanted to find some seeds, saying a friend's elder wanted to plant some to pass the time. Since he knew Zhou Jiaxi was coming to the countryside, he asked if they had any.

"Yes, once you move to the city, you miss these things. Growing flowers and plants isn't as satisfying. They can't be eaten and are hard to keep alive," his grandfather agreed.

"Go to the cabinet and take some. There are cabbages, tomatoes, radishes, loofahs, eggplants, watermelons, pumpkins, baby cabbages, cauliflower, and greens. Take what you need," his grandfather said to Zhou Jiaxi.

"Okay, thanks, Grandpa. I'll take some," Zhou Jiaxi said happily.

Zhou Jiaxi took a little of each, planning to try planting them and then visit a seed store later. Later, his family also came over, and they chatted and had a hearty meal. The food was very authentic, and although it was delicious, Zhou Jiaxi felt it was a torture. He just wanted to find a quiet place to plant the seeds in his space.

Time always seems to drag when you want it to go fast and flies when you want it to slow down. Zhou Jiaxi waited and ate, drinking a little wine and feeling a bit tipsy. However, his tolerance seemed to have improved. Realizing this, Zhou Jiaxi secretly rejoiced, grinning slyly. His third sister couldn't help but give him a light tap on the head, which made everyone laugh. His grandfather said, "Third girl, you're still the same, hehe." His third sister blushed a bit. Zhou Jiaxi mumbled, "Violent girl, I won't stoop to your level." His sister almost gave him another tap, but Zhou Jiaxi quickly dodged, making everyone laugh even harder. The table was filled with laughter and lively conversation.

Finally, everyone finished eating and drinking, and the family said their goodbyes and went home. Zhou Jiaxi thought, "Finally, it wasn't easy."

Back home, Zhou Jiaxi quickly went to his room and locked the door. The family saw this and couldn't help but laugh. They all went to rest, as they had all drunk quite a bit of homemade rice wine, which had a strong aftertaste. The women had also drunk some sweet wine and were a bit tired.

In his room, Zhou Jiaxi checked everything, pulled the curtains, and turned off the lights before entering his space.

Stepping onto the space's land, Zhou Jiaxi felt excited and quickly called out to the little fairies. Hearing his call, the fairies flew over. The space was vast, and they knew he had come in, preparing to greet him.

"Hello, Master," the fairies said.

"Um, I've brought some seeds. Try planting them," Zhou Jiaxi said excitedly.

"Yes, Master," the fairies replied, standing up.

Zhou Jiaxi took out the seeds, several small packets of different types, and told the fairies not to plant them together. However, they were professionals and didn't need his reminder, but since he was the boss, they all said they understood.