A response to Hu Dacheng was a big slap.

Wen Ran didn’t hold back her strength and slapped him hard.

Hu Dacheng fell to the ground with a thud.

Hu Ercheng was dumbfounded, "Wait, no—" he stammered, "What’s going on? It’s just business, why are you resorting to violence?"

"You know something?" Wen Ran said with a mischievous smile, "If I weren’t older now with a family, folks like you, I’d usually throw into the river to feed the fish."

Hu Ercheng: "???"

He looked at Wen Ran’s smiling face, and his mind buzzed, feeling like it was about to explode.

Oh yeah!

How did he forget how good Wen Ran’s relationship with the captain was?

Why would Wen Ran side with him and his brother over such a trivial matter?

He scrambled to get up and tried to run.

Too late though.

Wen Ran already knew everything, and keeping both brothers was unnecessary.

She stood up and kicked Hu Ercheng, knocking him out cold.

Picked up two vine ropes and tied them up like piglets.

Meanwhile, a pack of wolves herded over a group of cattle.

Wen Ran randomly picked two.

The cows wanted to resist but smelling the fragrant water in Wen Ran’s hand, they immediately complied.

In ten minutes, Wen Ran cleaned up the mess on the ground.

Even the dismantled beef was taken away.

Not giving any to the wolves—those teenage boys would eat their father out of house and home, those gluttons wouldn’t leave anything.

Even if the cows were left behind, they’d only be enough for a gap between teeth.

Better to give them some sweet water, let them drink it and merrily return to their den.

Two cows.

One to carry the Hu Brothers, the other to carry the beef.

Wen Ran: "..."

Emm, how to put it.

Using a cow to carry beef, can’t be overanalyzed too deeply, it’s really quite creepy if you think about it.

At the foot of the mountain.

Xiao Chenye and the captain found nothing.

Makes sense; the Hu Brothers stole the cows and headed straight uphill, didn’t flaunt it down here, so no one saw, which is rather plausible.

The captain was feeling defeated, "It’s over; our team’s loss is truly substantial."

What could Xiao Chenye say?

He could only offer dry comfort, "Aw, it’s alright, uncle, don’t be anxious just yet, maybe Ranran found something up the mountain."

Captain: "..."

Tears stubbornly refused to fall.

Boo hoo hoo.

At times like this, no news is the best news.

Bringing them uphill wasn’t about hoping to bring them home alive, but to slaughter and eat them.

Boo hoo hoo...

"Damn it," such news is a great headline for the team, soon spreading far and wide.

"Just who is the shameless thief, cattle are our rural lifeblood, who do you think you are!"

The crowd had fits of helpless rage, blamed fate, some even grabbed those at loss and thrashed them to vent their wrath.

The captain was so annoyed his head hurt, "Shut up, all of you! Making noise, what good does it do now!"

He stood up, clapped his hands, frustrated at the lack of help, "Go house to house asking around!"

"What’s the use in asking, don’t even know how long ago, finding them back is indeed a miracle."

"Just follow my advice, whoever lost the cattle, that’s their responsibility."

"Exactly, exactly!"

Responsible?

How to be responsible?

Do you mean, driving someone to their wit’s end?

The folks from the barn now stood afar off, faces blank and resigned.

The captain sighed, resigning himself to fate as he planned to check the livestock station soon, hoping to buy another cow.

A sound came to ear, "Hey~"

Wen Ran smiled, "What’s happening here? Why all the hullabaloo?"

Upon hearing Wen Ran’s voice, the captain felt as if hearing music from heaven.

He jumped up excitedly, "Girl! Have you found them?"

The crowd cleared a path, stunned by the sight of two cows following Wen Ran.

Wait, they only lost one, right?

Where did the second one come from?

Plus, what kind of meat is it exactly strapped onto the cow?

Whatever others wondered, the captain didn’t care, his focus entirely on Wen Ran.

Boo hoo hoo!

The girl he cherished deep within his heart.

Truly proud!

When he saw the piglet-tied men on the cow’s back, his mind spun, "Hold on, what’s going on here?"

He held his head, circling around both cows.

Wen Ran felt dizzy watching the captain’s spins, helplessly handed him the vine rope.

The vine was Cui Lu’s; the other end, around the calf’s neck.

"What’s going on here."

He was so happy he could barely hold his mouth shut.

"Alright!"

Wen Ran patted his shoulder, "I know you’re happy, but don’t get ahead of yourself, let me explain."

She pointed at the beef on the cow’s back, "When I was climbing, I found out our team’s beef unfortunately became lamb skewers."

Captain: "?"

He hesitated between speaking and staying quiet.

Wen Ran: "?"

So ticked off!

Just say it!

"What’s up?"

"Well, I know you’re thrilled, but let me clarify something."

"Hmm?"

"No matter the situation, beef can’t actually turn into lamb skewers."

Wen Ran: "..."

Really?!

Is that even the point?!

Huh?!

Realizing the captain couldn’t grasp the core, Wen Ran sighed, oh this captain.

"Alright, alright," she stepped back, "that was my slip of tongue, anyways, when I climbed up the mountain, the cattle were already handled quite thoroughly.

Died straightforwardly, no saving them. These brothers had their eyes on Shen Qingshu living in the barn."

She shouted, "Is Shen Qingshu here? If yes, come out, let me see."

The crowd stirred somewhat, unclear what Wen Ran meant by ’having eyes on Shen Qingshu.’

Could it be those two youngsters...

Expressions on them abruptly grew ambiguous.

Shen Qingshu showed up.

Skin and bones, standing before Wen Ran, his vigor practically nonexistent.

"It’s me," Shen Qingshu spoke weakly, "sorry for causing everyone trouble."

Trouble?

Not quite.

Only lacking responsible guardians can lead to valuable belongings attracting trouble.

Shen Qingshu now unable to protect himself, fated to be at others’ mercy.

Helplessly lying on the chopping board, awaiting slaughter.

"It’s not your fault," Wen Ran straightforwardly said, "they were shameless, luckily they hurt only cattle this time, and didn’t harm people."

Shen Qingshu felt a spark of realization.

In this young girl’s eyes.

It’s not his fault, she seems to think, he’s even more important than cattle.