Chapter 25: You're Slacking Off

Yang's mother and his four younger siblings, Ding, were sitting in front of a cave, preparing wild boar meat for cooking. Ba'er and Bei'er, a couple of children, were sitting next to them, eating breakfast. Watching their clumsy behavior, Yang Lan'er smiled and rubbed their little heads. "Take your time eating, my babies."

"Mother, eat your breakfast," the children said with their mouths full, their faces puffed up, smiling and speaking incoherently.

"You guys eat slowly, and when you're full, you'll grow taller. Your mother finished eating early because she's not a lazy bum like you two. Haha!"

The children pouted their lips, feeling quite unjust.

"Ha ha... ha ha." Sometimes, playing with little kids can make one feel happy and relaxed when bored, don't you think so?

After Yang Lan'er and her brother, Yang Cunyi, left the cave, she rolled up her sleeves to prepare for work. Yang Cunyi looked confused and asked, "Sister, what are we going to do? We just came out of the cave. Why aren't we leaving?"

Yang Lan'er replied seriously, "Of course, we're going to work! What else would we be doing?" She had an expression that conveyed "how can you be so stupid," and then with an ominous tone, she added, "Oh! You want to be lazy and not work?"

With a manner resembling that of a landlord treating a worker, what was she thinking? Yang Cunyi was almost in tears, "Sister, my dear sister, aren't we here to hunt?"

"Hunt? Yes, we are here to hunt," said Yang Lan'er.

Yang Cunyi finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Sister, we're cutting down trees to build a house, right?"

"Yes, and we need to cut down trees to make furniture and let them dry first," Yang Lan'er replied.

"Sister, how big of a house do you want to build?" Yang Cunyi asked in amazement.

"At least one room for each member of our family, plus two study rooms, several warehouses, several guest rooms, and a spacious living room for guests. When we buy cows and horses, we need a place to keep them. When we have servants, they need a place to live too," Yang Lan'er explained, and then with a few strong chops and a kick to the tree trunk, the tree fell forward. A few birds flew up from the woods. She laughed and said, "We need to build a big house, don't we?"

Yang Cunyi was shocked and stuttered, "Tha... that means we have to build a very... very big house?"

Yang Lan'er glanced at his foolish appearance and smiled, "Just build a three-courtyard house, that's enough." After speaking, she chose a tall, straight tree trunk and continued to chop it down.

"Big sister, are you planning to live in the valley in the future?" Yang Cunyi wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and asked in confusion.

"Maybe, who knows what the future holds," Yang Lan'er had never considered living in the valley permanently. Ah, having a body that has been washed with marrow-cleansing (Xisuidan) pills is truly different. Her strength, speed, reaction time, and memory have all reached their peak. Chopping trees with her felt like having divine assistance.

When Yang Lan'er chopped down another tree, Yang Cunyi finally screamed, "Big sister, you've chopped down two trees, while I've only chopped down one. How did you do it? Why are you so fast?"

"Because you're slacking off and not putting in enough effort!"

"Big sister, I... I wasn't slacking off."

"Don't make excuses, there's no excuse. Young people should be diligent and hardworking. Laziness and trickery will get you nowhere," Yang Lan'er said with a suppressed laugh.

"...," Yang Cunyi looked obediently at her and buried his head to chop trees. Yang Lan'er almost laughed out loud. That's what you get! You were curious and wanted to follow me, blocking my path to wealth. Otherwise, she would be chopping down fragrant sandalwood trees right now, and she wouldn't be unable to use her space.

Yang Lan'er thought secretly in her heart.

Educational criticism still works. The result was that the two of them had chopped down six big trees in half a day. Looking at the noon sky, she shouted to her fourth younger brother, "Let's go home and have lunch!"

Yang Cunyi said hesitantly, "Oh, big sister, I'm not as capable as you. I've only chopped down two trees." He, as a man, couldn't compare to his sister, a woman!

"...," Did she go too far with her criticism?

"Big sister, you've chopped down so many trees. Aren't you tired? How about you rest in the afternoon, and I'll do the chopping?" Yang Lan'er patted his shoulder and laughed, "I'm fine. You've worked hard enough. Big sister just has more strength than you, so...you know?" She winked at her fourth younger brother.

Yang Sanyi looked confused, "..." Blinking his big eyes, he looked ahead.

"Haha..." Her fourth younger brother is really cute and silly.