Wolf-Raised Cub with a Space: Surviving the Disaster Years

Chen Shaobei glanced impassively at Commander Lu.

These imperial guards should have been off-duty today, yet he had managed to bring them along to help clear Shen Ningning’s name.

’It seems Lu Shaoyuan really cares for Shen Ningning,’ he thought.

’If Mo Lingwei were to find out...’

’Chen Shaobei really wanted to see the look on his face.’

"Miss Shen, since the matter is resolved, we should be going now." Chen Shaobei cupped his hands in a farewell gesture.

The little girl nodded hurriedly, her voice soft and sweet. "Thank you, Brother Chen Shaobei!"

"You’re welcome. Do you need a ride back to the academy?"

Lu Shaoyuan immediately stepped forward. "She’s coming back with me."

Chen Shaobei pursed his lips and glanced at him, then said, "Very well. Farewell."

He and his bearded general mounted their horses and galloped off, with a troop of soldiers following closely behind.

Shen Ningning walked up to Commander Lu. "Commander, thank you as well."

Commander Lu looked down at the little girl.

’She really is as delicate and lively as they say,’ he thought. ’So young, with a palm-sized face, shimmering dark eyes, and tender, fair skin. Anyone who saw her would feel the urge to protect her.’

’No wonder his younger brother is so taken with her.’

Commander Lu smiled faintly. "It’s all thanks to you, young lady, that my younger brother, Ah Yuan, was able to escape from those human traffickers. It was only right for me to help today."

Lu Shaoyuan never expected his brother to just publicly announce the embarrassing incident he had been trying to hide.

"Brother!" ’If word got out, people would laugh at him,’ he thought. ’He was already this old, yet he’d been abducted by human traffickers and had almost not made it back.’

Shen Ningning blinked, realization dawning on her.

She looked at Lu Shaoyuan. "Oh, so you were in that group of children that was rescued!"

Lu Shaoyuan’s face flushed with embarrassment. He turned his head away and mumbled a sullen "mhm."

Then he said irritably, "Brother, hurry up and go. We’re heading back to the academy."

Commander Lu chuckled. "Miss Shen, why don’t you get into the carriage first? I need to have a word with Ah Yuan."

"Okay!" Shen Ningning leaned against the carriage shaft, lifted her short little legs, and huffed and puffed as she tried to climb aboard.

Wu Zuchang, standing behind her, gave her back a little push.

Shen Ningning made it up easily. He then copied her, leaning against the carriage shaft and clumsily lifting his leg.

’This silly brother really copies everything I do!’

With her hands on her hips, the little girl felt a bit sheepish as she urged, "Brother Zuchang, you’re so tall! Just use a little strength and you’ll get right up!"

’I can only climb like this because I’m short right now. I’ll be taller in the future, hmph!’

Wu Zuchang obediently scrambled onto the carriage, then gave Shen Ningning a goofy grin.

"Little girl is so cute," he said.

Watching the two of them interact, a hint of warmth appeared in Lu Shaoyuan’s gaze.

Before he could dwell on the thought, Commander Lu pulled him aside.

"Ah Yuan, don’t forget what you promised me."

"What promise?" Lu Shaoyuan pretended to have forgotten.

Commander Lu’s expression turned cold. "You can’t waste any more time in a small place like Guangyang County."

"You originally stayed in our hometown in Guangyang County to keep Grandmother company. But it’s been a full year since her passing. You should be returning to the Capital City."

"Mother and I have discussed it. After the new year, we’re sending you to the National Academy."

Lu Shaoyuan grew anxious. "So soon? Why didn’t you ask me before making a decision!"

"How many times have we asked you? And don’t you just brush it off every single time?" Commander Lu’s tone was resolute. "Mother is soft-hearted, but I refuse to let you run wild."

Lu Shaoyuan fell silent, his eyes filled with resentment.

Commander Lu frowned. "I’m off-duty today. You asked me to come and intervene on Shen Ningning’s behalf. I was initially reluctant to get involved, but I only agreed because you promised you would consider my proposal."

"You already gave your word. A man’s word is his bond; you can’t go back on it. Besides, if Shen Ningning found out you were the type of person who breaks his promises, do you think she’d still want to be around you?"

Lu Shaoyuan waved his hand impatiently. "I get it!"

Shen Ningning watched as Lu Shaoyuan stormed into the carriage.

His expression was grim, and the little girl had no idea what was wrong.

Commander Lu arranged for two imperial guards to drive the carriage, taking Shen Ningning and Lu Shaoyuan back to the academy.

"Lu Shaoyuan, are you in a bad mood?"

"No," Lu Shaoyuan replied sulkily.

"Oh..." Shen Ningning didn’t press him, turning instead to play an idiom-guessing game with Wu Zuchang.

After watching her for a while, Lu Shaoyuan couldn’t hold back any longer. "Shen Ningning, let me ask you something. If I left, would you come to the Capital City to visit me?"

The little girl blinked her round eyes. "The Capital City isn’t far. I can go when I’m free. Are you leaving? Where are you going? When will you be back?"

Hearing her rapid-fire questions, Lu Shaoyuan’s expression suddenly brightened.

He crossed his arms and chuckled smugly. "Never mind. You wouldn’t understand even if I told you. It’s nothing."

Shen Ningning pouted. ’He’s so weird,’ she thought.

By the time they returned, it was dusk.

As they stepped out of the carriage, the anxious figures of Wu Cui and Qian Siniang appeared at the entrance.

Shen Ningning hadn’t expected them to be there so soon. Judging by their expressions, they had clearly already heard that Wu Zuchang had been taken to the government office.

"Zuchang!" Qian Siniang cried upon seeing them, rushing over.

She grabbed her son, scanned him from head to toe, and finally pulled him into a relieved embrace.

"Thank goodness you’re okay. But how did this get to the point of involving the government?" Qian Siniang directed this last question at Shen Ningning.

Her tone held a hint of accusation.

Lu Shaoyuan, standing beside Shen Ningning, briefly explained what had happened.

He said with a stony face, "If it weren’t for Shen Ningning, Wu Zuchang would be suffering in a jail cell right now."

Qian Siniang said protectively, "When our Zuchang has his tantrums at home, I always watch him carefully. He never gets the chance to hurt anyone. He comes to the academy just once, and this is what happens."

Lu Shaoyuan, who had a short temper, felt his expression turn icy. Just as he was about to say more, Shen Ningning tugged on his sleeve.

The little girl looked at Qian Siniang and said, "Then perhaps Brother Zuchang shouldn’t come here anymore."

With that, Shen Ningning turned to enter the academy.

Wu Cui immediately gave Qian Siniang a gentle nudge.

"Oh, Ningning," Qian Siniang hurried in front of her, squatting down with a placating smile. "Don’t be angry. I wasn’t blaming you. I was just afraid we were causing you too much trouble."

Uncertain if he understood what was happening, Wu Zuchang took the initiative and tugged on Shen Ningning’s sleeve.

"Little girl... Brother... not trouble. Eat little..." he said timidly.

Shen Ningning couldn’t bear to see him like that. "Uncle Wu, Aunt Wu, you should take Brother Zuchang home for now. I’m staying at the academy until tomorrow."

"Yes, of course. In a couple of days, we’ll visit you in Xiangyun Village," Wu Cui said with a placating smile.

Shen Ningning and Lu Shaoyuan went into the academy.

Wu Zuchang grew frantic. "Little girl! Little girl! Sister!"

Qian Siniang and her husband had to drag him away by force.

They placated him with half-hearted promises. "Stop shouting, stop shouting. You’ll see your sister in a few days."

After they left, Shen Ningning’s small figure reappeared at the gate.

Her round, innocent face held a complex expression as she watched the family of three grow smaller in the distance.

Lu Shaoyuan came to a stop beside her. "What are you thinking about?"

"I was just wondering... one day, when the Wu family’s lies are exposed and they’re punished, what will happen to Wu Zuchang?" ’After all, he’s the only one who is a good person with no ulterior motives.’

「That night.」

Shen Ningning was as busy as a bee in the Immortal Realm.

Wielding a small hoe she had brought from home, she worked up a sweat tilling the soil around the Cloud Tree.

"Phew..." The little girl leaned against the large tree to catch her breath.

She had tilled the soil around the Cloud Tree, pulled out the weeds, and given it some proper care.

With the sun shining brightly, Shen Ningning sat on the steps, holding a bowl of sweet pear soup and taking big gulps.

She gazed out at the backyard she had already filled with plants.

Pear trees, loquat trees, and cherry trees stood in neat rows. Next to them, the Cloud Tree was lush and verdant, its fluffy clouds growing almost as big as her head.

"One... two... three..." The little girl counted the clouds.

There were about twenty clouds on the single Cloud Tree. She was sure that once they grew a little bigger, they would produce a heavy, long-lasting downpour, just like last time!

Shen Ningning could already picture her wolves having a grand time, rolling around in the rain.

’Once the clouds are ripe, I’ll take them out to make it rain!’

After finishing her work, the little girl felt hungry. She went to eat the glistening barbecued pork, pan-fried vegetable dumplings, and a bowl of bok choy and tofu soup that her grandmother had made.

Only after eating until her little tummy was perfectly round did she leave the Immortal Realm and return to her room.

However, it was now the middle of the night, and she could see many torches moving about outside.

Mr. Huang seemed to be leading a group of people in a search. Curious, Shen Ningning walked to the door and peeked outside.

"Shen Xuezhi! Where have you been?" ’They’re looking for me!’

The little girl froze for a moment, then opened the door. "Teacher, I’m here."

Hearing her voice, the crowd gathered around.

The Attendant Student looked puzzled. "That’s strange. I just checked your room, and Shen Xuezhi wasn’t inside."

Shen Ningning felt a pang of guilt. "I was just lying in bed getting ready to sleep... I was under the covers, so maybe you just didn’t see me clearly..."

The Attendant Student scratched his head. "That’s possible."

After all, propriety dictates that men and women be separate, so he hadn’t pushed the door open to look inside.

Shen Ningning quickly turned to Mr. Huang. "Teacher, it’s so late. Why was everyone looking for me?"

Mr. Huang said, "The Crown Prince is here. He is waiting for you in the front courtyard."