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The commoners, while toiling the soil, were troubled. They lamented the lack of rain and the exhausting effort required to water their crops and feared the impending hardship.

They gazed up at the sky, which remained a clear, cloudless blue, devoid of even a wisp of cloud.

In her moments of leisure, Qiao Mai stood in her courtyard with her hands behind her back, looking up at the heavens.

The river still contained water, and the drought had not yet reached a critical level. They would endure these hardships for now, as the future trials might be more severe.

In the fields, people worked diligently to ensure their crops received enough water. This year, they had planted only sweet potatoes.

It was a crop that required less maintenance and provided sufficient sustenance.

Occasionally, the sky rumbled with distant thunder, yet it wasn’t at Tianshui Town. There were brief moments when dark clouds appeared on the horizon, only to be swept away by the wind, leaving the sky dry.

The wells in Lucky Garden, which drew water from deep underground, continued to supply the household without any interruptions.

However, other villages faced hardships as the water levels in their wells decreased due to the ongoing drought, having only enough to drink.

The water level in the river was also diminishing due to the scorching heat, evaporating quickly and nearly revealing the riverbed.

The situation was growing dire, and it wouldn’t be long before Tianshui Town faced a severe water shortage. In response, Qiao Mai made preparations at home and embarked on a solo journey to the group of mountains in the northwest.

She wanted to search for a water source and explore the possibility of diverting water from the mountains.

As she reached the foot, she observed the surrounding trees and sighed. The locals had a habit of deforestation, and the once-abundant forest had been reduced to mere tree stumps.

She took out a wooden stick from her space to clear a path, all the while observing the growth of the trees along the way to assess the condition of the vegetation and use it as an indicator to locate the water source.

The better the growth of trees and underbrush, the closer she was to the water source.

Unconsciously, she had ventured deep into the mountains.

When she reached the spot where she had disposed of the bodies the last time, only tattered clothes and bones remained.

She kicked a skull away and continued walking forward.

Along the way, she encountered various wild mushrooms, such as black wood ears and silver ears. She tossed them into her space along with the soil and rotting wood.

She would let Greeny handle them; it being the guardian of her space, knowing how to cultivate these plants.

As she delved deeper into the forest, the trees grew thicker and more imposing, blocking the sun. She could feel the moisture in the air, and her keen hearing indicated that the water source was not far off, as the sound of flowing water reverberated in her ears.

Qiao Mai didn’t want to harm the creatures in the forest, so she emanated an aura of dominance that caused them to retreat. Small, sensitive animals remained cautious, keeping their distance from her.

In her space, Greeny secretly captured some of the forest’s inhabitants. They are much needed to maintain the ecosystem’s balance within her space.

When Qiao Mai arrived at a small spring, her expression turned somewhat grim.

This appeared to be the only water source for the forest’s wildlife. The water trickled down from a rock, forming a small stream.

If she were to divert the water from here, what would the local wildlife drink? She sat by the creek and took a few sips from her water flask, closed it, and was about to leave.

To her surprise, she found herself surrounded by animals – birds in the trees, squirrels, and even a few wild beasts – all observing her from a distance.

She waved at them. “You can all disperse now. Just go on living your life here. I’m only here to take a look. I won’t harm any of you.”

As she turned to leave, the animals followed her from behind. She stopped and turned to look at them, and they stopped. It was quite a curious sight.

In the sky, various birds circled above her as if she were the queen of the birds.

“Greeny, what do you think they want?”

“I’m not sure, but they probably think that following you might give them a bright future.”

“Alright, then bring them into the space. But make sure to take care of the vegetable garden and orchard.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. They could never eat all of it.”

“Okay, then go ahead and take them in.”

Qiao Mai didn’t mind, and she wondered if Greeny had used some of its tricks.

Nevertheless, even if it had, she had no intention of exposing it because she knew that Greeny always acted in the best interests of the space.

Greeny opened up a gap in the space and beckoned. All the small animals surrounding Qiao Mai were drawn into it.

With the animals safely inside the space, she was finally at peace. As she was about to leave, she suddenly felt a tug on her pants.

Qiao Mai looked down and chuckled, then reached down to pick up what was tugging at her.

“Oh, it’s a small wildcat.’

She examined the creature. It looked like a cat, but the fact that it had survived in the deep wilderness suggested it might be a young member of larger cat species.

Qiao Mai threw the little wildcat into the space and instructed, “Greeny, take good care of it. Raise it in my garden.”

“Yes, Master!”

When she returned home, she noticed that the Qiao’s Small Eatery and Liu Cold Skin Noodles were still brightly lit.

The townspeople gathered there to eat, drink, and chat, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of bustling urban night markets.

Qiao Mai approached Liu’s cold skin stall, where Liu Hai greeted her warmly.

“Cousin, you’re back?” “Yes, please bring me a bowl of cold noodles.”

“Of course. Please wait.

While Liu Hai prepared her noodles, the staff presented her with a large glass of ice-cold fruit juice.

The townspeople, recognizing her, asked, “Madam Qiao, where did you go?”

“I went to the mountains in the northwest to explore.”

“Oh, isn’t that a dangerous place?”

“I’m not afraid. I have martial skills. As long as I’m careful, there’s no reason to worry.”

“Did you go hunting?”

“No, I was looking for a water source.”

Hearing her words, the townspeople’s expressions shifted, and their meals suddenly lost appeal. Some of them felt awkward.

“If you need our help, just say it. We don’t know much about hunting or digging ditches, but we’re willing to assist.”

“Don’t worry; when the time comes, I won’t hesitate to get your help.”

With their worries somewhat alleviated, the atmosphere lightened. As Qiao Mai enjoyed her cold noodles, she sensed someone sitting across her.

“Madam Qiao, hehe!”

“Family Head Yuan, I see you’ve returned. It’s quite an experience to repeatedly encounter defeat and hardship, isn’t it? I’m almost embarrassed for you. You said you’d never set foot in my home again.”

“I was angry back then, but it passed. I had no choice; Jiaqi is from the Yuan family and succeeded in the imperial examination. He took the Yuan family name. I couldn’t watch our Yuan family gain nothing.”

“Why not take the matter to court, then?”

“Your suggestion is amusing. We were in the wrong to begin with, so we couldn’t possibly win in court. If possible, I would have pursued that avenue long ago.”

Qiao Mai furrowed her brow as she ate her cold noodles, taking a sip of juice to cool the spiciness. Meanwhile, Chief Yuan was nervously clearing his throat beside her.

“What do you want?”

“I don’t have any other asks. As long as he acknowledges his roots, I’m fine with it.”

“But he is the son-in-law of my Qiao family. When he passes away, he’ll be memorialized as part of the Qiao-Yuan family, and we will bury him in our ancestral tomb.”

“As long as he acknowledges us.”

Qiao Mai let out a cold laugh. Chief Yuan no longer displayed the arrogance he had before.

He acted as if Jiaqi couldn’t achieve much without their family. When the Yuan family first settled here, they were a small household with a few members. As they’ve grown and gained influence, they’ve become quite presumptuous.

Even if they’re confident, they’re just a farmer. They’re far behind those who have wealth and power.

When Yuan Jiaqi was still at home, they didn’t help him. Now that he had succeeded, they came crawling to her. How annoying!

“I won’t interfere in this matter. I’ve said it before, as long as he wants to, I won’t stop him.”

“Oh, that’s good enough.”

Chief Yuan stood up and gave her a slight bow before happily leaving.

Qiao Mai raised an eyebrow, observing his demeanor. Could it be that Yuan Jiaqi had relented? If that were the case, she couldn’t help but look down on him.

After eating and drinking her fill, Qiao Mai returned home, changed into fresh clothes, and sat in the courtyard. She fanned herself while relaxing. Yuan Jiaqi arrived and brought a stool, sitting across from her.

“Chief Yuan came to see you?”

“Yes, I happened to be at the Liu family’s cold noodles shop.”

“He also came to see me, but I turned him down.”

“It’s your business to handle. I don’t want to get involved in your affairs with the Yuan family.”

“Today, when you weren’t home, he came with a group of his family members.

They even kneeled in front of me, begging me to return..”