Chapter 103: I have the Little Cattle King
Translator: Lonelytree
Xiao Mingyang’s arrival silenced Xiao Fuqi and Xiao Facai. They lost their backbones.
Xiao Mingyang was not as reasonable and reserved as Xiao Zhengyang. Xiao Mingyang was big and muscular. He was strong and fierce. He was not someone to be trifled with. Many villagers were afraid of him.
In the end, Xiao Lingyu rejected the people who came to borrow the calf on the grounds that the Little Cattle King was tired and needed to rest.
Even though the men were unhappy, they didn’t want to offend Xiao Lingyu. What if Xiao Lingyu refused to loan them the Little Cattle King in the future?
Xiao Fuqi whispered with a dark face. “Why can’t we borrow the calf when the others can? The moment we come, the calf is tired? Just tell us she is stingy. Why the need to find such excuses?”
The others could pretend not to hear him but not Xiao Xiaohui. He huffed, “People need to rest and sleep, but Little Light doesn’t need that? Hmph, Little Light is already so tired, but you people still want to take advantage of him for your own benefit. Shameless!”
Many people’s expressions changed. Xiao Xiaohui was a child, and his father was around, so no one said anything.
After everyone left, Xiao Mingyang looked at Xiao Fuqi’s figure and spat. “How ridiculous is this man?! On the one hand, he goes around slandering big brother’s name, and now he wants to take advantage of us? Preposterous!” He turned to Xiao Lingyu and said, “Yu ‘Er, ignore these people!”
Xiao Lingyu smiled and said, “I will. I was going to reject them anyway.” Xiao Lingyu was not dumb. Xiao Fuqi wanted to borrow Little Light but he still went around talking bad about the Xiao Family. Did he think she was that foolish?
Xiao Mingyang nodded. “Clever girl!” Then, his eyes sharpened as he turned to Xiao Xiaohui. “You brat, you were going to get beaten if I didn’t arrive in time!”
Xiao Xiaohui curled his lips and said, “That won’t happen! That stingy uncle wouldn’t dare to hit me. Plus, I can outrun him. Moreover, eldest cousin is here. I don’t think they dare to hurt me. Once they did, they wouldn’t be able to borrow the Little Cattle King.” Xiao Xiaohui puffed up his cheeks and said confidently, “After all, I am responsible for the Little Cattle King!”
Xiao Mingyang smacked his son’s head. “What nonsense! The calf is your eldest cousin’s! Your eldest cousin decides whether to loan the calf to people or not, not you.”
Xiao Xiaohui didn’t deflate. If anything, he puffed up his chest further. “Hmph, eldest sister dotes on me the most. If I tell her not to loan Little Light, she won’t loan him. Right, eldest cousin?”
Xiao Lingyu smiled, “That’s right. I love you the most. If you don’t want me to loan Little Light to someone, I won’t!”
“See, Dad!” Xiao Xiaohui said happily.
Xiao Mingyang rolled his eyes at his son and said, “I’m not deaf. Alright, your eldest cousin has given you the task to herd the cattle. You need to get to work. If I hear Little and Big Light eating another family’s food, I’ll give you a beating you’ll never forget.”
Xiao Xiaohui retorted, “Dad, that’s where you’re wrong. Little Light is now the Little Cattle King. Any family will welcome him to their field. Why would they ever complain to you?” Xiao Xiaohui grinned wickedly, “I should make them come to beg me. But Dad, don’t worry. I won’t let Little and Big Light eat anyone’s food again… Unless they give me some benefits. Then perhaps I can bring Little Light to their field for a stroll.”
His father immediately smacked the back of his son’s head. “Don’t even think of that! Do your job properly!”
Xiao Xiaohui rubbed the back of his head. He muttered. “Fine…”
…
That night, when Mother and Father Xiao heard about what had happened in the morning, they didn’t look too happy.
Mother Xiao snorted, “This Xiao Fuqi sure is shameless! He often talks bad about our family and how he wants to come to borrow Little Light from us? What a joke!”
Father Xiao didn’t say anything, but he nodded in agreement.
Xiao Lingyu smiled and said, “Dad, I’ve already rejected them.”
“As you should!” Mother Xiao said matter-of-factly, “Unless they come to apologize, we won’t lend them anything. Who cares what they say!”
“Okay!” Xiao Lingyu nodded.
At this moment, there was a knock on the door.
Mother Xiao frowned and said, “I’m sure someone is here trying to borrow Little Light again.” Mother Xiao stood up. Then she turned to remind Xiao Lingyu. “No matter who is it, do not lend Little Light again. Little Light has been worked so hard that he doesn’t even have the appetite anymore.”
Of course, she had to look after their calf. Moreover, Little Light was not a normal calf but the Little Cattle King.
Xiao Lingyu nodded. “Understood.”
Mother Xiao opened the door. She was surprised to find the village chief standing there. “Village chief, please come in!”
The village chief took a look at the room and asked with a smile, “Am I disturbing the dinner?”
Mother Xiao smiled and said, “We just finished, and I was cleaning up. Village Chief, have you eaten? We still have some rice and dishes left!”
The village chief shook his head and said, “Thank you. I’ve already eaten.”
“Village Chief!” Xiao Lingyu greeted.
The village chief smiled and said, “Zhengyang, Yu ‘er, Xiao Facai, and Xiao Lichun relented earlier and decided to rent their land to you.”
Xiao Zhangyang was surprised. “Oh? They’ve agreed?” Everyone knew that they were waiting for the Xiao Family to raise the offer price. They thought the Xiao Family had no choice but to rent their land.
In reality, if they were unwilling to rent, Xiao Lingyu planned to plant around their land. They didn’t have much land anyway, only about five to six Fen.
However, the village chief added. “This is all thanks to your family’s Little Cattle King.”
Xiao Zhengyang nodded. “So that’s why.”
The village chief said, “They can’t borrow the Little Cattle King, but the other families can.” They had been calling Xiao Lingyu stingy, but they needed the Little Cattle King.
After all, the sandy land they owned didn’t produce much. However, they saw how the Little Cattle King managed to revive the fields of the other villagers. After some discussion, they decided to stop the wait and agree to rent their land.. This way, they could collect the rent, and as the landowners, they could lord over Xiao Lingyu to force her to lend them the Little Cattle King.