Chapter 81: Bai Xi Faces Defeat

Little Black followed closely beside Bai Xi, and upon hearing these words, he hurriedly turned around, sniffed carefully, and vigilantly scanned his surroundings with his tiger eyes.

"Master, I found nothing!"

Not only Little Black, even Bai Xi had noticed nothing unusual. Just as Bai Xi was about to ask again, she saw Chen Yi pointing in her direction, wailing in distress and grievance, "Boo... wah... the mushroom is right above your head..."

He had been so confident, determined to find the big mushroom so that his grandaunt could teach his parents a lesson and make them apologize. Who would have thought that the big mushroom he’d dreamed of catching turned out to be his grandaunt’s umbrella?

As he recalled all the beatings he had endured, his grievances welled up; Chen Yi immediately felt pitiful and wronged. Moreover, his grandaunt was holding the umbrella herself and didn’t reveal its true nature to him, instead playing along as if she genuinely wanted to see the big mushroom with him.

He had actually been tricked by a five-year-old girl—who said that cute, pretty children wouldn’t deceive others? And it was his grandaunt, a grown-up, who had fooled him!

Chen Yi felt utterly humiliated, his bottom still faintly aching, and his crying grew even more sorrowful.

"On my head?" Bai Xi was taken aback for a moment, then immediately looked upward. But apart from the umbrella, there was nothing atop her head.

Just as Bai Xi was about to vent her frustration, she heard Chen Yi sobbing, "…the big mushroom, the umbrella, so… boohoo… the big mushroom I saw was actually an umbrella..."

Chen Weiguo and Fang Ya quickly followed their son’s words to notice Bai Xi’s umbrella, and upon reflection, recalled earlier events.

So, the big mushroom their son saw running around was actually his grandaunt walking in the rain with an umbrella?

His grandaunt was small and short; on a rainy day, holding an umbrella, with the downpour so heavy, it was indeed possible that from afar, it looked like a giant mushroom moving.

Their son had just arrived in the countryside and seen the enormous tree house. At first glance, the lifelike mushroom-painted umbrella could easily be mistaken.

Chen Weiguo looked at his heartbroken son, then at his wife, feeling awkward and unsure how to respond.

Fang Ya felt no less embarrassed. She had been so angry at her son’s repeated misbehavior that she hadn’t stopped her husband from punishing him. Now, seeing this, her son wasn’t exactly wrong—it really was a walking big mushroom!

"Well…" Chen Weiguo scratched his head awkwardly, unable to find the right words, so he stepped aside, pretending to be distracted by the villagers.

"Little Yi, don’t cry anymore." As a mother, Fang Ya was more sensitive. She quickly squatted down, wiped Chen Yi’s tears, and apologized softly, "Mama, mama is sorry. Don’t cry…"

Bai Xi now saw clearly what was painted on her umbrella.

So, the big mushroom Chen Yi spoke of was her umbrella?

Had she been fooled by a little brat?

Indeed, children’s words could not be trusted!

Bai Xi was so frustrated she didn’t want to say a single word, unwilling to admit she had been bested in such a matter.

Foolish little human!

Little Black was so furious that he raised his head and let out an indignant tiger roar at Chen Yi, instantly startling him into silence.

How could Little Black not be angry? Because of Chen Yi’s senseless words, his master had ordered him to search for the mushroom spirit, and he’d searched every corner of Niuluo Village, even the pond, where villagers thought he was trying to catch fish.

If it weren’t for being Bai Xi’s pet, and the villagers often sharing his hunted game, he’d surely be called a fish thief.

He had status in the village, yet to be misunderstood so was a blow to his pride.

And to make matters worse, his master doubted whether he was a real spirit beast because he couldn’t find the mushroom.

It was one thing for his master to dislike him—she’d never abandon him—but this human child had tricked his master.

To fool both mistress and servant in one go—truly unforgivable.

"Master!"

Little Black turned to Bai Xi.

"Let it go, he’s only a child," Bai Xi understood Little Black’s meaning.

Strictly speaking, Chen Yi hadn’t done anything wrong. Seeing him cry so pitifully, after a beating, it would be unreasonable to punish him further.

Bai Xi, after all, was almost a deity, magnanimous in temperament. Besides, she was considered an elder—how could she bear to fuss over a child?

And thinking of the beef jerky Chen Weiguo’s family had gifted her, which she hadn’t finished yet, she couldn’t condone Little Black just because of one misunderstanding.

In truth, if Chen Weiguo hadn’t already punished Chen Yi, Bai Xi would have been annoyed enough to secretly instruct Xiao Shun and the others to find a chance to teach Chen Yi a lesson.

"Yes!"

Little Black was unwilling to let Chen Yi off so easily, but since his master had spoken, he had to obey.

Still, he ran up to Chen Yi, bared his teeth and growled fiercely, successfully stopping Chen Yi’s renewed sobbing.

When Little Black approached, Chen Weiguo and Fang Ya were nervous, knowing Little Black was intelligent, but he was still a beast—what if his wild instincts prevailed...

But Little Black merely frightened Chen Yi, then turned away with disdain.

Chen Weiguo swore he could see contempt in Little Black’s tiger eyes.

Seeing her son still sniffling, Fang Ya soothed him for a while, then threatened, "Little Yi, stop crying. If you keep it up, Little Black will come bite you."

Just then, Chen Rui passed by carrying a wooden bucket, meant for grandaunt’s use later, when she would pick the fish with the fewest bones.

She slowed her steps, hesitated for a moment, then turned and said, "Auntie, don’t worry, Little Black won’t bite people." As she spoke, Chen Rui muttered inwardly that Little Black, raised by grandaunt, was clever enough—everyone in the village knew it, and no one would use him to frighten children.

Little Black, being used as Bai Xi’s cushion, glanced at Chen Weiguo’s family, a line of crows flying across his tiger mind. Did they take him for some low-level animal without intelligence?

Using him to scare people—did they get his permission?!

Bai Xi seemed to sense Little Black’s displeasure and absentmindedly patted his head, warning, "Stop twisting around. If I fall off later…"

Though she didn’t finish her sentence, Little Black immediately stopped moving.

As the fish-catching began, joyful exclamations were heard from time to time.

"Grandaunt, look, I got the first catch!"

"Grandaunt, grandaunt, I caught a big one—perfect for tofu fish soup!"

No sooner had one voice finished than another chimed in urgently.

"Grandaunt, look, this fish must be six or seven pounds," a boy of ten held up a big fish, offering it proudly to Bai Xi on the shore.

"I’ve got a big one too—must be ten pounds, surely the king of fish!"

Voices of harvest rang out, one after another.