Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation

Chapter 1849 - 1018: Soaring Across the Sky

After eating hot pot, Tang Fu and Chen Siyu had a discussion. God knows what got into them, but they actually decided to go into business together to make money.

Chen Siyu sought some advice: "Jiang Ning, do you have any suggestions?"

Jiang Ning thought for two seconds and suggested: "Bring less capital."

Tang Fu looked Jiang Ning in the eye, her voice soft: "Your heart is too big, always thinking of getting much with little."

Chen Siyu was puzzled: "Isn’t a small horse pulling a big cart a good thing?"

Tang Fu amazingly twisted her words. She argued justifiably: "It’s good because my dad always says that wealth only rewards risk, not effort, labor, time, or any of those things you think are important."

Chen Siyu found Tang Fu different at this moment and was shocked: "Silly Fufu, you just had the shadow of a successful person!"

Tang Fu was dead serious: "I was groomed by my family, so naturally, I’ve got their shadow!"

Saying this, she patted Jiang Ning on the shoulder, offering sincere advice: "Ning, congratulations on seeing through the rules of wealth so early!"

Jiang Ning, who had been watching coldly, couldn’t help but explain: "I told you to bring less money because if you lose, it’ll be a smaller loss."

Tang Fu was at a loss for words, unwilling to admit defeat: "... We’ll see!"

After all, she was an athletic champ!

Jiang Ning didn’t bother with her and rode off on his electric scooter, heading alone back to the River Dam Bungalow.

Along the way, Geng Lu messaged him, asking his plans for the Qingming Festival. Jiang Ning said he planned to visit his old home.

As they chatted, a message came from Ma Jiale in Tongtong Town: "Xue Chuchu, what time are you arriving? I just found out some people have been spreading rumors about you at our school."

"By the way, do you remember the Zhou Yingying incident?"

At the same time, Ma Jiale was in the town’s largest banquet hall, with several male classmates smoking alongside him.

"Jiale, Xue Chuchu is so beautiful. Are you sure you can win her over?" A gray-haired one rubbed his hands, very interested.

Xue Chuchu was already stunning back in ninth grade, back when some little gangsters on motorbikes outside the school would plan to stop her at the mala tang shop for a chat.

But every time after her evening study sessions, Xue Chuchu’s mother would come to pick her up.

Although the gangsters of the 2010s were arrogant, they still restrained themselves, not daring to confront her parents.

Ma Jiale smiled casually: "It’s alright, she’ll definitely come today."

As he spoke, his eyes gradually narrowed.

"If it doesn’t work, we’ll do it like we did with Zhang Yingying."

Upon hearing this, all of Ma Jiale’s pals had strange expressions on their faces.

Zhang Yingying was a year ahead at Hu Temple Middle School; just as pretty. Ma Jiale used every trick to pursue her. Zhang Yingying’s parents came to find him afterward, causing him a lot of trouble.

Later, Ma Jiale got someone to pretend to be Zhang Yingying’s relative, spreading rumors she was in an online relationship, moved in with them, and messed around.

During that time, the whole Hu Temple Middle School was buzzing with this news, and Zhang Yingying was so affected by the gossip that her family eventually moved away from Hu Temple Town.

Even now, people still gossip about Zhang Yingying with relish regarding those rumors.

"If I can’t have her, I’ll ruin her." There was a bizarre light in Ma Jiale’s eyes; if you don’t drink the toast, you’ll drink the penalty.

Didn’t she transfer to City Second Middle School? Then I’ll say she got pregnant and had to transfer. Spread it wide enough, and everyone will eventually believe it.

The few guys listening to Ma Jiale’s tone were utterly apprehensive. With money and means, who would dare offend him?

Far away at the river dam, Jiang Ning was unaware of these events and didn’t care to know.

Who’s interested in an ant’s past anyway?

He stood in the small courtyard; today’s weather was nice, blue skies and white clouds.

Jiang Ning swiped his finger over the storage ring, releasing a teal Spirit Boat the size of a palm. It expanded against the wind, becoming three meters long in the blink of an eye.

Jiang Ning leaped onto the Spirit Boat, touched a finger to it, and the array activated automatically. Light glimmers passed by, eliminating optics, eradicating scent, balancing temperature, and altering the array’s configuration.

All sorts of magical effects practically eliminated the chances of detection by conventional technology.

Of course, with detection methods that have fused multiple sensors, there’s still a chance of being discovered, but the speed of the Spirit Boat, along with Jiang Ning’s experience, was enough to handle such special circumstances.

Jiang Ning went to Hu Qi Mountain first to fetch some Spirit Fruits, then piloted the Spirit Boat to cruise at an altitude of eight hundred meters.

As the Spirit Boat flew smoothly, Jiang Ning leisurely tasted the Spirit Fruits. Covering a seventy-kilometer distance to Hu Temple Town, even when he deliberately slowed down, he still made it past more than half the journey in just five minutes.

At the same time, in the waiting hall of Ancheng International Airport, bursts of commotion arose.

A girl dressed in Adidas and Nike looked at the text message on her phone, sounding disgruntled: "Damn it, says the airspace is occupied by another user. Departure delayed two hours!"

Geng Lu was gnawing on ridiculously priced KFC nearby. She wore a white t-shirt with a striped neckline, her chest puffed like freshly baked bread, full of vitality.

Geng Lu: "This is the first time I’ve encountered this sort of situation."

Within the surrounding murmurs of classmates, there was a trace of dissatisfaction: "Why can other users occupy the airspace whenever they want? Seriously, have they ever considered our feelings?"

Some student with a slight understanding said: "There’s nothing we can do about it. Other users are the true owners of this sky; civilian aviation only gets to use it."

"What? Does that mean civil aviation is like a little brother?"

"What else?"

Geng Lu listened to their conversations, and conveyed what she saw and heard to Jiang Ning.

After hearing this, Jiang Ning stood up from the Flying Boat, directed his phone’s camera downward, and snapped a picture of the vast earth below.

He chose to send it: "Yep, it’s me."

Upon seeing this, Geng Lu’s cheeks radiated with a smile: "You even have pictures like this?"

Her friend with single eyelids, noticing her sweet smile and knowing she was probably in touch with that boy from Yuzhou.

She glanced over and caught sight of their chat log.

The single-eyelid girl clicked her tongue in wonder: "Lu Lu, I gotta say, your classmate is kinda funny, even going so far as to Photoshop a pic just for you."

Geng Lu wasn’t bothered by her peeking, there was nothing shady between her and Jiang Ning.

The light in Geng Lu’s eyes was sticky and proud as she said: "Oh, him, he’s always been a guy with heart."

The single-eyelid girl remained skeptical, only considering her as viewing the world through rose-colored glasses, firmly believing in her passion: "Last time I took a high-speed train, I met that boy in the quiet car, now that’s someone who’s truly cool!"

Geng Lu had heard her go on about him many times. She asked back: "Then why don’t you go after him?"

The single-eyelid girl sighed: "But he already has a super gorgeous girl by his side. I, being the daughter of a shady agency, dare not climb too high."

Geng Lu comforted: "Be more confident; you’re the Holy Daughter of the labor dispatch sect."

The single-eyelid girl rolled her eyes, utterly speechless!

...

Tongtong was devouring her meal at her old home.

Halfway through eating, Xue Chuchu glanced at her phone and suddenly excused herself to take a call at the door.

Afterward, Xue Chuchu looked at the electric scooter, hesitating to move forward.

It was Jiang Ning’s call just now, informing her that he was in the town center and wanted her to keep it from Tongtong to take care of something.

Xue Chuchu knew Ma Jiale had added Jiang Ning on WeChat, so she could roughly guess what Jiang Ning intended to do.

Xue Chuchu and Jiang Ning had been through many things together, and she even felt that Tongtong wasn’t aware of how brutal the other side of Jiang Ning was!

She asked Jiang Ning why, and Jiang Ning replied to eliminate evil and promote good.

However, Xue Chuchu always felt that this way was against human ethics.

Xiao You, holding a chicken claw in her hand, quietly appeared: "Sister Chuchu, are you planning to sneak out to town without telling Auntie?"

Xue Chuchu was startled, "How did you know?"

Xiao You: "Because I am Xue Xiaozhuang’s number one spy!"

"Nonsense..." Xue Chuchu was speechless.

Xiao You pleaded, "Can you take me with you, otherwise my mom will definitely make me do homework this afternoon."

"Then why don’t you go by yourself?"

"Because I can’t ride a moped."

Xue Chuchu fell silent.

"Sister Chuchu, just drop me off at a classmate’s house, please!!" Xiao You was about to kneel to her, "I finally have a day off, and the homework is going to crush me!"

Gazing at Xiao You, Xue Chuchu inexplicably thought of her past self, trapped in her mother’s expectations and adhering to fixed doctrines; in that darkness, at least there was a lively Tongtong.

She is the one person in the world who cannot let Tongtong down.

Xue Chuchu sighed, "Get on."

Xiao You happily got on the bike.

Xue Chuchu rode the moped, gradually leaving the village and driving through open fields.

"Sister Chuchu, what are you going to do in town?"

Xue Chuchu: "To meet someone."

"A bad person?"

"No."

Xiao You was just a primary school student and didn’t understand much.

Xue Chuchu said, "Your mom... hmm, listen to what she says more often from now on."

"Don’t worry, Sister Chuchu, I will definitely be filial to my mom and listen to her in the future, unlike Sister Tongtong."

"Mm, make good friends," Xue Chuchu added.

"Does Sister Chuchu have good friends?"

"Yes."

As the words fell, a figure stood alone beside the lamppost at the intersection.

Xue Chuchu recognized him and immediately pressed the brake. She said, "Jiang Ning."

Prior to receiving his message, Xue Chuchu never expected Jiang Ning would come so quickly and decisively, merely due to an accidentally added contact.

No one had ever treated her like this before.

Xiao You shouted, "It’s you, do I know you?"

Jiang Ning’s memory was evidently extraordinary, "Oh, Mud Sister."

Xiao You was no longer the naive primary student she once was; she was now an average primary student. She called out, "Sister Chuchu, you actually have the same boyfriend as Sister Tongtong!"

Xue Chuchu: "??"

Jiang Ning chuckled, "Not bad, well done."

He pulled out a strawberry bigger than a billiard ball and placed it in the hands of the infuriated Xiao You.

Xiao You was obviously ignorant, staring blankly at the strawberry.

After a while, she couldn’t resist the temptation, took a bite of the strawberry, and the ultimate sweet and sour taste instantly filled her heart, nearly bringing her to tears. It was so delicious!

From now on, Jiang Ning was a good person.

Xue Chuchu watched Jiang Ning easily handle the little girl. She pursed her lips and couldn’t help but wonder if, when she was young, she had come across a ’bad guy’ like Jiang Ning, could she escape his clutches?

Forget it, even now it’s hard to say.

Xue Chuchu, feeling rather gloomy, pushed the moped aimlessly forward, with Jiang Ning walking alongside her.

Xiao You finished the strawberry and looked at Jiang Ning with much kinder eyes. Up ahead was a stall selling candied hawthorns.

Seeing Xiao You staring intently, Xue Chuchu asked for the price. A large skewer of mixed strawberries and grapes turned out to be 6 yuan, which wasn’t cheap.

She asked Xiao You if she wanted one, and Xiao You did.

She then asked Jiang Ning if he wanted one, but Jiang Ning shook his head no.

Xue Chuchu then bought a skewer for Xiao You.

After paying, Xue Chuchu continued pushing the moped forward.

Jiang Ning caught up from behind and placed a skewer of candied hawthorn in front of her, "Why not ask yourself if you want one?"

Xue Chuchu stood still, eyes complicated.

In that moment, a strong impulse to turn and leave surged up within her, for she truly didn’t know how to approach Jiang Ning anymore.

Tongtong... is her most important person.

Jiang Ning helped her secure the candied hawthorn on the handlebar, and he continued to stroll along the street, taking in the sights of the small town.

In this life, he only wished to act freely as he pleased.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated; Geng Lu, delayed from boarding, sent another message.

"Jiang Ning, are you still flying in the sky? Is it cold up there?" she joked.

"I’m buying candied hawthorns," Jiang Ning replied, turning to take a picture of the hawthorn stall for her.

"Did you buy any?" Geng Lu asked.

Jiang Ning: "Mm, bought it for someone else."

In the boarding hall, sipping Coke, Geng Lu gazed at the screen, suddenly feeling a sense of unspeakable discomfort. Jiang Ning always seemed to be the giver, rarely asking anything from others.

For some reason, she suddenly felt his ink-colored eyes held a certain pitifulness that made her heart ache.

Jiang Ning’s phone vibrated again.

He saw Geng Lu had sent a red packet along with a "grinning" emoji: "That’s okay, I’ll buy it for you."