172 - We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real?

**Chapter 172: Please Don't Be Mad (Two Chapters Combined, 4000 Words)** Early the next morning, when Xiao Mo stepped out of the room, he noticed Jiang Xin emerging with a basin of water. "Xiao Mo, it's time to wash up and eat," Jiang Xin said upon seeing him. She still looked as messy as she had the previous night. Originally, Xiao Mo had suggested she take a bath and offered her some relatively clean clothes to wear, but she refused. Seeing her anxious demeanor, Xiao Mo didn't insist. After a quick wash, Jiang Xin brought out breakfast from the kitchen. The two of them sat in the courtyard to eat together. Breakfast was just a simple porridge mixed with various grains and beans, accompanied by a bit of pickled vegetables. But for two wandering children, having anything to eat felt like a blessing. After breakfast, Jiang Xin cleaned up the dishes with practiced ease. Watching her busy image, Xiao Mo couldn't help but think of the girl in the white dress. He wondered what fate had in store for Ru Xue in that story's end. Although it was just a fictional tale, Xiao Mo found it hard to let go. When Xiao Mo came back to his senses, he noticed Jiang Xin sitting across from him, curiously watching him with her clear eyes. "Why are you staring at me?" Xiao Mo asked with a smile. "What were you thinking about?" Jiang Xin blinked. "I was thinking of a girl," Xiao Mo replied, pulling his thoughts back, without further explanation. "By the way, you mentioned you used to live with Sister A-Zi. What about your parents?" He asked, curious about her past life. Upon hearing his question, Jiang Xin lowered her head, fiddling with the hem of her skirt, "My mother abandoned me. She didn't want me anymore." "Really?" Xiao Mo was taken aback. Jiang Xin rubbed her hands together and slowly began, "When I was five, my mother and I were fleeing from some place. At first, she took good care of me, but as time went on, I could feel her growing more impatient with me. Eventually, one day, I woke up to find some dried food beside me, but my mother was gone." "How did you meet Sister A-Zi after that?" Xiao Mo continued to probe. "I wandered in the mountains for several days. After finishing the dried food, just when I was starved, I met Sister A-Zi," Jiang Xin answered earnestly. "After hearing my story, Sister A-Zi took me in. Besides me, she also adopted four other children. Sister A-Zi taught us how to read and write, how to farm, and even how to hunt. She was skilled in swordsmanship too, but I was too dull to learn it properly." "You all lived in the mountains all the time?" Xiao Mo wondered if this Sister A-Zi was a sword master or perhaps a heroine. "Uh-huh." Jiang Xin nodded, "Sister A-Zi said the world was too chaotic. Only after growing up and gaining the ability to protect ourselves could we leave the mountains. Usually, only the older children would accompany Sister A-Zi down the mountain to sell furs and herbs for supplies." "Did something happen to your Sister A-Zi?" Xiao Mo mused, stroking his chin. From Jiang Xin's description, Sister A-Zi seemed like a good person—not likely someone who would just leave her behind. "I'm not sure." Jiang Xin shook her head. "One day, when I returned from gathering herbs, everyone was gone. I waited for two days and then searched through the forest repeatedly. Eventually, I went farther and farther, until my food ran out. Starving for two days brought me here," she said, lifting her gaze to Xiao Mo. "Thank you for feeding me." "It's nothing, really. We're both in this world alone. Taking care of each other is only natural," Xiao Mo replied, half-jokingly. "But A-Xin, what if your Sister A-Zi doesn’t want you anymore?" "That would be even better," a hint of happiness shone in Jiang Xin's eyes. "What?" Xiao Mo looked at her, puzzled. Jiang Xin lowered her head and slowly explained, "Even though I’d be sad if Sister A-Zi didn't want me, it at least means that she and everyone else are safe. As long as they're alright, it doesn't matter if they leave me behind." Tears welled in her eyes as her long eyelashes trembled slightly. "Besides, I'm really clumsy. I can't do anything right. It’s only fair if Sister A-Zi left me. I’ve caused her a lot of trouble..." "...", Xiao Mo, listening to her, found himself at a loss for words. Last night, she had called him kind. In reality, she was the truly kind one. "Alright then, tomorrow we’ll head into town to see if we can find any news about your Sister A-Zi. For today, come fishing with me," Xiao Mo stood up. "Although I have some money, I can't use it right now. For the next few days, we’ll have to rely on our own efforts for food." "Okay, I’ll go with you," Jiang Xin nodded enthusiastically, following Xiao Mo's lead. The two of them proceeded to a small creek in the mountains, rolling up their pants to catch fish. Fishing was no easy task. Normally, Xiao Mo's third eldest brother handled such work. Xiao Mo, being the youngest, usually cooked and assisted his older brothers. Jiang Xin was equally inexperienced in fishing since she, too, was the youngest in her group, responsible for similar duties. An entire hour passed, and neither caught a single fish. The scorching summer sun bore down on them, and after an hour without success, Xiao Mo felt a surge of frustration. Just as despair set in, a large catfish swam toward him. Swiftly, Xiao Mo grabbed it with a quick movement! "A-Xin! The fish basket!" Xiao Mo shouted excitedly to Jiang Xin. "I'm... I'm coming...," Jiang Xin hurried with the basket, her white feet splashing through the creek. Despite the soot covering her face and the dirt all over her body, her feet were washed clean by the water, revealing their true, fair complexion. Jiang Xin quickly opened the basket, and Xiao Mo placed the large catfish inside, unable to resist salivating. For days, Xiao Mo had been living off his brothers' leftover grain. It had been a long time since he tasted fresh fish. In his mind’s eye, he could already imagine the tenderness of the fish meat. "Alright, let's head back," Xiao Mo said with satisfaction, "Tonight we'll have fish porridge." "Uh-huh," Jiang Xin nodded happily. But just as Jiang Xin was about to step onto the bank, she lost her balance, tumbling into the creek with a splash. The basket flew from her grasp. The freed catfish quickly escaped back into the water, leaving Xiao Mo helpless to stop it. In an instant, the fish was gone from view, and Xiao Mo could only watch it swim away... "I'm... I'm so sorry... Xiao Mo, it wasn't on purpose..." Jiang Xin's face turned pale, her expression filled with guilt and remorse. Knowing the fish porridge was lost, Xiao Mo swallowed hard, looking at Jiang Xin. He couldn't deny that he was a bit upset and disappointed. He had been excited about tasting the fresh fish. However, with the situation as it was, what could he do? The fish was gone, and there was no point in blaming her. "Forget it, the fish is gone. Let's go back; the sun is only getting hotter," Xiao Mo said, waving it off and turning away. "Okay…," Jiang Xin followed him, her head hung low with each step. Several times, Jiang Xin glanced up at Xiao Mo's side profile, her guilt only deepening. She couldn't be sure if he truly wasn't upset with her. Normally, she could easily read people's thoughts. But Xiao Mo was different. To Jiang Xin, his mind was shrouded in an impenetrable fog—impossible to see through. After gathering some wild vegetables, they returned to the courtyard. Xiao Mo pondered how to buy some meat. He needed it for his growing body, but he couldn’t just show up as a beggar with gold, even broken pieces, without drawing attention. While Xiao Mo was deep in thought, Jiang Xin suddenly stood in front of him. "What's wrong?" Xiao Mo asked puzzled, looking at the girl before him. "Xiao Mo, do you... do you want to hit me a few times?" Jiang Xin clasped her small hands over her heart, timidly gazing at Xiao Mo. "What?" Xiao Mo was taken aback. "Why would I hit you?" "Because I lost that big fish," Jiang Xin said, lowering her head. "I told you it’s fine; it wasn’t intentional. I won't hit you," Xiao Mo replied with a smile, surprised she was still dwelling on the matter. "If you don't want to hit me, you can scold me," Jiang Xin seemed a bit persistent. "It would make me feel better, and whenever I did something wrong, once my mother scolded or hit me, she wasn’t as angry anymore." "There's no need," Xiao Mo waved dismissively. "I won't hit or scold you. Don’t overthink it. Go on and cook; I’m starving." "Oh... okay..." Jiang Xin, with her head lowered, walked toward the kitchen, but kept glancing back at Xiao Mo every few steps. She felt convinced that Xiao Mo was indeed upset but just didn’t express it. In the afternoon, Xiao Mo continued to ponder in the courtyard about how to deal with the tainted gold, while Jiang Xin occasionally glanced his way. The more she observed him, the more certain she became that he was brooding. Sister A-Zi used to be like this when she was upset too. Otherwise, why would Xiao Mo remain silent? Not long after, as night descended and they finished a simple dinner, Xiao Mo took a bath in the courtyard before retiring to bed. However, needing to relieve himself deep into the night, he got up and noticed Jiang Xin’s door slightly ajar. Perplexed, Xiao Mo approached and peeked inside, discovering Jiang Xin was nowhere to be found. "Could she have felt so guilty over one fish that she ran away?" His heart skipped a beat. He had tried so hard to gain her trust. If she left, who knew how long it would take to find her again? Xiao Mo hurriedly dashed out of the courtyard, hoping she hadn't gone far. "A-Xin! Where are you?" "A-Xin, come back, I really don't blame you!" "A-Xin... that fish has already swum back. If you don’t believe me, come out and I’ll show you..." "A-Xin..." He called into the woods, but no response came. When Xiao Mo pushed through the shrubbery and reached the creek once again, he was greeted by the sight of a little girl with her sleeves and pants rolled up, standing with her feet in the creek. The moonlight bathed her in a gentle glow, casting a soft halo around her. The water soaked her clothes, washing away the dirt, and most of the soot had been cleansed from her face. In the moonlight, the vision before him was that of an elegant, porcelain-like young girl. Xiao Mo figured it must be the "Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart" providing some mysterious benefit, making her appear akin to a young lady from a noble family. Otherwise, how could someone constantly exposed to the elements and uncertain meals appear so fair and delicate? The water level of the creek at night was slightly higher, reaching up to the little girl's thighs. Even though it was summer, the night’s creek water was chilling to the bone. However, the girl seemed unbothered as her eyes remained focused on the stream, the lovely lights of the stars flickering in them, full of determination. She repeatedly lunged into the creek, sending water splashing again and again. Xiao Mo witnessed the girl fail four times already, her clothes becoming entirely soaked and clinging to her slender frame. As Xiao Mo moved closer to see what Jiang Xin was doing, the girl once more plunged into the stream. This time, as she emerged, she was holding a large, struggling catfish! The fish wriggled vigorously, but she held it tightly with all her might. She finally placed the catfish in a nearby basket, quickly securing it with the lid. Relieved, the girl wiped the water from her forehead. "A-Xin," Xiao Mo called out. Jiang Xin looked up at the sound of Xiao Mo’s voice. Upon seeing him, her eyes lit up brightly. Carefully placing the basket holding the catfish onto the bank, she clambered out of the creek, clutching the basket tightly, and ran to Xiao Mo. "Xiao Mo, why aren't you asleep? Why are you by the creek?" Jiang Xin tilted her head inquisitively. "And what about you? Why are you in the mountains in the middle of the night?" Xiao Mo countered. "I was catching fish," Jiang Xin responded matter-of-factly. She then lifted the basket with the fish high in the air. "See, Xiao Mo? I caught the fish back for you..." "So..." Her eyes sparkled like a galaxy of stars. "Will you please not be mad anymore?"