Chapter Thirty-Eight: Thieves Have Broken In!

After being cooped up at home for ages, Ma Cuicui finally stepped out and, lo and behold, ran straight into her destined one—Meng Xuan!

For three years now, every time Meng Xuan visited Lin Village, he would invariably run into Ma Cuicui, and each time, upon spotting her from afar, he would take off at once. That woman was simply too terrifying!

Earlier that morning on Little Farewell Hill, Ma Cuicui saw Meng Xuan with a young lady. The girl, face full of grievances, walked ahead. The crucial point was, she suddenly seemed to lose all sense and leapt into a trap, as if to force Meng Xuan to submit to her will. What infuriated Cuicui even more was that Meng Xuan actually fell for it—literally—and jumped in after her! She was heartbroken!

Meng Xuan: “...” It was clearly Gu Xiaoxiao who didn't watch her step and fell in, and when he tried to pull her out, she dragged him down with her! Okay???

Unable to contain her “tender feelings” after much pondering at home, Ma Cuicui found herself drifting unconsciously to the Lin family’s gate. It was the hour of the pig; there was no one else about. Very well, she decided, she would wait here for Meng Xuan to come out.

But—“Hello! Miss, you’re blocking my way!” a voice suddenly called from above. Startled, Ma Cuicui looked up to see a row of gleaming white teeth! Half a second later—her eyes rolled back, and she fainted dead away! Once again, her plan had failed! Tragedy!

As for the figure on the wall, that was none other than our formidable hunter, Comrade Gu Yun!

Earlier on Little Farewell Hill, Gu Yun had sensed something odd about this household. That little girl carried a familiar scent—not just her, but also the chubby, ball-like dog in her arms and the duck Meng Xuan was carrying. Even Meng Xuan himself bore a faint trace of it. Could it be from holding the duck too long? But that was beside the point—the crucial thing was that he could tell the treasure was here, in the Lin family!

So he spent most of the night pressed against the Lin family’s courtyard wall, trying to gather some intel. Just as he quietly climbed to the top, he spotted a shadowy figure below. After watching for a while, he saw she was simply sitting on a small stool, not doing anything in particular.

Gu Yun: “...” Middle of the night and she doesn’t sleep—what’s wrong with her?

Stuck on the wall, he finally called out to let her know to move aside.

But—the girl was so delicate that before he could get a second word out, she had already fainted!

Staring at her lying on the ground, Gu Yun decided his mission took precedence. So Ma Cuicui ended up lying by the Lin family’s wall for quite some time.

Gu Yun slipped into the Lin family courtyard, sniffing his way to the old house. Why the old house? Because every time Old Man Lin took his medicine, Fubao would pluck a little piece from the ginseng spirit and toss it in. When it came to the “treasured scent,” no one had more of it than Old Man Lin!

“Dog-nosed” Gu Yun slipped into Granny Lin’s room, swept his gaze around, and even stripped Old Man Lin, but found no trace of ginseng!

Old Man Lin: “...” My dignity! Woe is me!

Finding nothing, Gu Yun wondered—could it be hidden somewhere else? He scoured the place again. Still nothing. Time to check elsewhere!

So Gu Yun made a thorough circuit of the Lin family compound. But when he reached the door to the chubby girl’s room, he was startled to find—

Three pairs of bright eyes fixed on him!

Gu Yun: “...” Where did these three come from???

And so—with a cacophony of frantic barking, quacking, and squeaking, Gu Yun bolted!

If he didn’t run now, the whole household would be awake!

Chased by a rabbit, dog, and duck, Gu Yun scrambled back over the wall, and as he fled, he tossed the unconscious Ma Cuicui onto the wall as well! Mission accomplished, Gu Yun vanished like the wind!

When the Lin family, roused by the commotion, came out to investigate, they found a woman sprawled atop their wall.

Beholding Ma Cuicui’s true face, the Lin family thought: …Was she trying to…steal something???

Thus—Ma Cuicui’s misfortune was complete!