Chapter 50: So You Won't Even Show Me a Little Respect?

At night, Bai Xi lay awake, troubled and unable to sleep. She gazed up at the moonlight through the transparent glass on the rooftop, her stomach growling in protest, which roused her to sit cross-legged in frustration.

“Truly, a tiger fallen to the flatlands is mocked by dogs!” she muttered. She was, after all, a nine-tailed fox spirit—how had she ended up in such a state?

This time, though Bai Xi cursed, there was neither wind nor lightning, nor even the rumble of distant thunder. It was as if the heavens had already forgotten her indignation.

Little Black, hearing her words, tilted his head in puzzlement. I’m being bullied? No, I haven’t been bullied by dogs. In this village, every cat and dog who sees me tucks their tail and flees.

Bai Xi’s lips twitched; she shot Little Black an irritable glance and spat, “Fool!” Then she lay down again.

Little Black, rejected and confused, was about to ask what was wrong when he suddenly stood alert, carefully scanning the surroundings. He thought someone might have appeared just now.

He looked at Bai Xi, who lay on the bed without reacting, then glanced around again, hesitating but ultimately saying nothing. It must have been a mistake—no one could evade his senses, especially since his master hadn’t noticed anything.

His master had been unhappy these past days; it was best not to say anything that might make her angry.

At that moment, the shadow that Little Black had inadvertently sensed briefly appeared against the night sky, then vanished in a blink.

As dawn crept in with a gray haze, thunder boomed repeatedly overhead, and lightning flashed on and off. Everyone thought a torrential rain was imminent, but when daylight broke, the thunder and lightning ceased, and the blazing sun rose instead.

Such strange weather left everyone dumbfounded.

Yet Chen Daliu hesitated only for a moment before ringing the bell, summoning everyone to rush to the fields for harvest.

Even without sunlight, the work could not be delayed—people could wait, but the rice in the paddies could not.

The urgent harvest began in earnest.

Even seven-year-old children strapped on baskets and followed the reaping teams, gathering ears of rice left in the fields.

Those scattered grains might seem insignificant, but gathered together, they could fill half a basket.

When Chen Zhaodi found a moment amid the bustle to cook for Bai Xi, she saw her sitting on the round stone stool beneath the treehouse, resting her chin in her hand and occasionally glancing up at the sky. Her expression was oddly satisfied but tinged with puzzlement.

“Granny, why are you sunbathing here? The sun is so fierce—what if you faint from the heat?”

“It’s nothing,” Bai Xi waved her hand, signaling Zhaodi to go about her business. Casually, she added, “I’m waiting to see whether it’ll rain.”

She stared at the sky as if daring it to ignore her; she wanted to see if the heavens truly meant to slight her.

Chen Zhaodi looked up at the sun, wiped sweat from her cheek, and asked, “Granny, can you really tell if it’s going to rain?” With the sun so strong, rain seemed unlikely.

Bai Xi snorted, “Anyway, it mustn’t rain these days.” She had always known, and could once choose when it rained. Now, all she could do was curse in her heart and complain in the dead of night.

After speaking, Bai Xi paid Chen Zhaodi no further mind, turning upstairs for a drink of water.

She’d been sitting for nearly an hour, sweating under the sun, and needed to cool off.

Little Black trotted after her, while Chen Zhaodi remained bewildered.

After cooking for Bai Xi, Chen Zhaodi hurried home for her own meal.

After lunch, no one rested; instead, they grabbed sickles and shoulder poles and rushed back to the fields.

But then, at what should have been the hottest time of day, the sky suddenly turned dark.

Bai Xi, who had been napping, sensed the change and opened her eyes. Little Black looked at her and whimpered, “Master, it seems like rain is coming.”

Bai Xi, hearing this, angrily threw aside her thin blanket and climbed out of bed, barefoot, her pale feet padding down from the treehouse. She stood atop the round stone stool, hands on hips, glaring at the sky.

“Is this ever going to end? Try raining if you dare!” She’d been waiting so long to eat fine grains.

Chen Rui happened by, carrying water to the fields, and was startled by the scene. “Granny, what are you doing?”

She looked up at the sky, worry in her voice. “Granny, it seems like it’s about to rain.”

Bai Xi said sourly, “If it rains, I’ll be furious.” Everyone knew Bai Xi bore grudges; such disrespect would not go unpunished, even if her hands were tied now. When she returned, she would settle the score.

No sooner had Bai Xi finished speaking than the gloomy sky seemed to tear open, sunlight pouring through the cracks in ever-increasing streams.

Chen Rui was dumbfounded, staring at the sky, then at Bai Xi, utterly confused.

Seeing the sun return, Bai Xi’s face brightened with delight. Noticing Chen Rui still standing with the water jug, she casually said, “Aren’t you going to water the fields? Go on, the rain has stopped.”

Chen Rui obediently answered and sprinted to the fields.

Bai Xi called after her, “Tell everyone to work quickly, no dawdling!”

“Alright, Granny, don’t worry,” Chen Rui replied.

In the fields, people were stunned as well. Expecting rain, they had their thatch mats ready to cover the harvested rice.

But the sun had returned.

Everyone looked to Chen Daliu, waiting for his instructions.

The weather was so capricious—should they continue harvesting the rice or not?

Chen Rui arrived with water and saw everyone standing with their tools, unmoving. She curiously asked her mother, “Mom, are we finishing work early today?”

“No,” Zhang Xiu answered distractedly, shaking her head. “I don’t know what’s going on with the weather.”

Sunny one moment, cloudy the next; it was hard on them, unsure how to proceed.

Chen Rui remarked, “It won’t rain; Granny said so.”

Zhang Xiu wasn’t paying attention, replying, “What would a child know?”

“I don’t understand, but Granny said it wouldn’t rain.”

Not far from Zhang Xiu stood Chen Zhaodi, who overheard the exchange and quickly called Chen Rui over.

“Rui, did Granny tell you it wouldn’t rain today?”

“Yes, I just brought her water and happened to run into Granny. She said so.”

Chen Rui continued, “Granny was furious just now, didn’t even wear shoes. She said if it rained, she’d be angry…”

“Granny was very angry?”

“Yes,” Chen Rui nodded.

“Was Granny standing on the stone stool, huffing?”

Chen Rui nodded again. “She also said the rain had stopped and told you all to hurry up and work, no wasting time.”

Chen Zhaodi, recalling Bai Xi’s odd behavior these past few days, wondered if the weather was linked to Granny’s mood—could Granny truly…?

With that thought, she dared not delay and ran straight to the village chief.

“Chief, I need to tell you something. These past few days, Granny…” It hadn’t been clear before, but after hearing Chen Rui and combining it with her own observations, Chen Zhaodi had formed a suspicion in her heart.