The Ruanlin Family had just thought of Wa Yiting's recent visit, which seemed to have ended on a sour note with Ruan Jiaojiao. Believing that Jiaojiao was going out to make amends, they didn't suspect otherwise and let her go, but not without repeatedly entrusting Little Fatty to protect his sister on their way back.
Once out of the yard, Ruan Jiaojiao looked at the outside world with her own eyes for the first time.
It was the busy farming season; the villagers bustled about the fields. When they saw Ruan Jiaojiao, they greeted her with smiles, inquiring if her health had improved.
Ruan Jiaojiao returned the greeting with a smile to everyone, earning herself a series of praises like "What a well-behaved child," until she finally reached the edge of the back mountain.
The back mountain was vast and deep. There were tales that years ago, when people were so poor they couldn't afford enough to eat, many ventured into the deep mountains to hunt. However, some entered and never returned. Later, the government blocked off the middle of the mountain, dividing it into the front and back sections. The front mountain was prohibited, but the back was open to access.
By the time Ruan Jiaojiao and company arrived, there were already seven or eight children waiting, including Wa Yiting.
Wa Yiting was talking with another girl her age. Seeing Ruan Jiaojiao arrive with a group of boys, she paused momentarily. Remembering their earlier unpleasantness, she didn't come over but instead deliberately moved closer to the girl next to her.
While doing so, she also secretly observed Ruan Jiaojiao's expression, knowing that she had always been concerned about this.
Girls of this age possess a unique sense of possessiveness over their playmates.
In the past, Ruan Jiaojiao used to appease Wa Yiting by giving her tasty treats, for fear that Wa Yiting would play with others instead of her.
However, the current Ruan Jiaojiao was not the original one and naturally didn't care, not even sparing Wa Yiting an additional glance. This infuriated Wa Yiting, her face flushed with vexation, yet she was helpless to do anything about it.
"Jiezi, Chizi, why did you bring her here?" One of the boys, clad in a downsized military uniform, asked. He appeared to be about the same age as Ruan Jie and his brothers and got along well with the Ruan Family siblings. His name was Zhao Hu.
The other children were also surprised to see Ruan Jiaojiao, as she was pampered at home and rarely went out, not being of school age yet. They had seldom seen her and only heard about her fair and delicate looks and charming appearance. Now that they saw her, they found the rumors to be true: her cuteness was unlike the children of farming families, she resembled more the town children from the city, clean and pure, instantly likable.
However, they were going up the mountain, and having such a delicate child along might not be appropriate.
Several boys frowned, as if her joining really would cause extra trouble.
"This is my sister. What's wrong with bringing her? It's none of your business," Ruan Jie bristled at the remark and glared at Zhao Hu.
The other five boys joined in the glare, looking almost ready for a fight, which naturally deterred Zhao Hu from saying more. He pouted and pretended to look elsewhere.
As a result, no one else dared to speak up.
"There are lots of bugs on the mountain, let me carry you on my back," Little Fatty crouched down with his plump little body, offering to carry Ruan Jiaojiao, only for Ruan Feng to push him aside. "Sister doesn't want you to carry her. I'll do it. Jiaojiao, is it okay if Sixth Brother carries you?"
Ruan Feng was the eldest son of Ruan Jiaojiao's fourth uncle, eleven years old, in the fifth grade.
Ruan Jiaojiao smiled sweetly at him and crisply turned down the offer.