Chapter 80: The Boat of Friendship Capsizes in an Instant

Leng Tian made up his mind and formulated a plan: “Sister-in-law, I’ll wait until Eldest Brother returns before going to study. I’ll come back in early February next year when Eldest Brother goes to the Academy. I can’t leave you and Little Brother alone at home—it’s too dangerous.

In two months, I’ll learn some basic skills and two sets of fist techniques. Practicing at home after returning will be just as effective.”

With his great strength, the villagers feared him. If he left Sister-in-law and nine-year-old Leng Yun at home, not only would Eldest Brother worry, but none of the rest of them would feel at ease either!

“It’s fine. With these two snowfalls, the wild vegetables on the mountain will sprout and grow without issue. In the first half of the year, every household still has some stored food. As long as there’s something to eat, there shouldn’t be too much danger. From the end of the winter month until May, you’ll have half a year to study. You can come back then.” Wen Nuan Nuan didn’t seem too concerned. After a moment’s thought, she added, “Learn two more sets of staff techniques. When you return, you can teach Little Brother.”

Later, they could find sturdy wood on the mountain to make a few staffs to carry. There’s quite a difference between close combat and using weapons.

Mainly, swords and knives are regulated by the government. Otherwise, with a machete in hand, the intimidation factor alone would be enough.

Looking at it from another angle, they don’t have them, but neither does anyone else. Among the refugees, having a kitchen knife or a chopping knife is already quite good.

And these, they do have.

Great, no need to compete.

“Practice well. This family will rely on you next year!” Wen Nuan Nuan said sincerely.

With tears in his eyes, Leng Tian promised, “Once Eldest Brother returns, I’ll set off for the city to find a martial arts school. Sister-in-law, don’t worry. I won’t let the silver go to waste!”

Wen Nuan Nuan was, of course, reassured.

“Mm, I’m very reassured and have great confidence in you.”

It’s a good thing when a child is willing to learn. They always deserve proper praise and encouragement.

Studying isn’t the only path.

Take Leng Tian, for example. He’s naturally unsuited for studying but has an immense passion for martial arts and combat skills.

Once learned, it’s a lifelong benefit.

With both younger brothers learning skills now, Wen Nuan Nuan’s feelings before and after were completely different.

Leng Chen is young, and his apprenticeship is more like half-work, half-study.

Leng Tian is much older, and this is genuine learning, similar to Leng Xiao’s situation, so Wen Nuan Nuan wasn’t saddened.

On the contrary, she felt it suited Leng Tian well and suited their family.

“Have you all learned the numbers I taught you?” During the gaps between preparing food these past few days, Wen Nuan Nuan had been teaching the two little ones simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

They had also agreed to use numbers as markers. If they accidentally got separated or were scattered by the crowd on the road next year, they would keep heading toward Jingcheng, marking the way with arrows and numbers to distinguish them from others’ markings!

Numbers from small to large could also help determine if they had taken a wrong turn.

Leng Xiao didn’t need to be told; Leng Chen was already learning simple addition and subtraction at the pharmacy. And these numbers were simple to write with few strokes. Given the learning abilities of those two, they should pick it up quickly once taught.

Among them, Leng Tian learned the slowest, but fortunately, over the past month or so, he had grasped most of it. The rest could be reinforced when he returned.

“I’ve learned them. Every night before sleeping, I go over them in my mind. If I go to the martial arts school, I’ll also recite and write them often so I won’t forget. Sister-in-law, don’t worry.”

“Excellent!”

On the twenty-ninth day of the winter month, the third snowfall in Tongcheng arrived, and Leng Xiao returned home through the wind and snow.

Early the next morning, Leng Tian shouldered a bamboo basket filled with food for himself and Leng Chen, tucked silver into his pocket, and braved the wind and snow to head into the city.

The ground was already blanketed in a thick layer of snow, while the sky continued to scatter goose-feather flakes like torn cotton and pulled silk.

Wen Nuan Nuan gazed at the swirling snowstorm in the courtyard, sincerely wishing things could return to how they were in previous years.

“Natural disasters are unavoidable; what we can do is figure out how to cope with them.” As the voice reached her, a fox-fur-collared cloak was draped over her shoulders.

“Mhm, we can’t rely on the imperial court or local officials. It’s safer to depend on ourselves.” Wrapped in a heavy cloak and wearing a fluffy rabbit-fur snow hat, Wen Nuan Nuan looked at Leng Xiao, who was only dressed in inner garments and cotton clothes, and felt that between the two of them, she shouldn’t be the one needing the cloak.

But looking at Leng Xiao—his bearing as elegant as jade and his posture as straight as pine—he didn’t seem cold at all.

Well, actually, his cool, distant eyes and frosty expression felt even colder than the swirling snowstorm.

Shivering slightly, she turned her head back and firmly chose to look at the snow instead. “We currently have three thousand one hundred taels of silver saved up. We have enough food for the journey, two horses, and a carriage. Leng Tian is learning martial arts, Leng Chen is studying medicine, and Leng Yun is following me to exercise. We should be able to reach the capital without losing anyone, right?”

Wen Nuan Nuan wasn’t actually very worried about whether the four of them could safely reach the capital.

After all, they were the main characters, and in the book, they even managed to get there on foot.

But she was different!

She had changed the route, completely diverging from the original host’s life trajectory, making her a true unknown variable!

And for some inexplicable reason, some of the hardships that should have belonged to the female lead were being piled onto her without rhyme or reason!

How could she not be afraid?

How could she not tremble in fear!

“We will reach the capital without losing anyone.” Leng Xiao gazed at the swirling snow, his voice low and hoarse as he responded.

Then he let out a soft laugh.

This drew a surprised glance from Wen Nuan Nuan.

“Were those strange movements you were doing this morning for exercise?”

“Of course! What’s strange about them? They’re actually quite comprehensive. Didn’t you notice how my legs, arms, and whole body were moving?” Wen Nuan Nuan protested!

“And I run every day too. If it weren’t for this heavy snow, I’d be running right now!”

After returning from the city, deeply aware of her poor physical stamina, she had devised a set of exercise routines for herself.

Every morning after waking up, she would start with ten sets of the Rabbit Dance, which included both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. She considered it the most scientific and simple workout for weight loss.

Yes, she had originally started doing this to lose weight!

Not only could it help with weight loss, but it also helped with body shaping.

Most importantly, every movement in this routine was simple, so even as someone who was terrible at exercise, she had no trouble with it—except for being a bit out of breath.

She never expected that after transmigrating to a remote mountain village, she would still need to pull out this routine and continue with it. Only this time, it wasn’t for weight loss.

After breakfast and a half-hour break, she would also run back and forth three times along the mountain path.

The Rabbit Dance was to build endurance, and running was to improve her escape speed.

Wen Nuan Nuan had a very clear understanding of her own physical fitness. Before transmigrating, she was far from agile—she was just an ordinary person who would sit if she could avoid standing and lie down if she could avoid sitting. Even after arriving here, she often stayed indoors, rarely venturing out.

She couldn’t compare to Leng Xiao or Leng Tian, who could venture deep into the mountains to hunt, nor could she match the agility of Leng Chen or Leng Yun.

Expecting her to learn martial arts in a short time and achieve some level of proficiency wasn’t very realistic.

So Wen Nuan Nuan set a very practical goal for herself: to be able to run, and run fast!

Survival was the top priority.

Not adding to Leng Xiao and the others’ burdens counts as helping, at least I didn’t hold them back, right?

Now, the little boat of friendship has capsized just like that.

Can we still play nicely together?