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

Wu Cui said, "My family used to be landlords, but we fell on hard times after a disastrous year. Still, my father left behind some savings."

"Among them was a family heirloom, meant only for the children—a longevity lock. I put it on Ningning right after she was born."

’A lock?’

Shen Ningning thought of the little Ruyi pendant tied to her waist.

’Could they be the same thing?’

She looked up at Grandma Qin, but the older woman’s face was calm, revealing no particular expression.

After a moment of silence, Grandma Qin said, "Show me around your village. Ningning, you stay here and get to know Zuchang."

Shen Ningning glanced at the drooling Wu Zuchang and secretly pouted.

’Why would Grandma give such an order? Does she... does she believe Qian Siniang and Wu Cui are my parents?’

Grandma Qin left with the couple.

Wu Zuchang stared at Shen Ningning, drooling all the while.

The little girl hid behind her chair, but he just tilted his head to keep looking at her.

Finally, Shen Ningning couldn’t take it anymore and said softly, "H... Hello..."

Wu Zuchang immediately broke into a goofy grin.

He turned and ran off, though she didn’t know where.

Seeing him gone, Shen Ningning hurried to the doorway.

Chief Wang was talking to some villagers. She reached out with her small hand and pulled him into the courtyard.

"Uncle Officer, do you also think they’re my parents?"

"Miss Shen, I already investigated them before coming here," Chief Wang said. "Four years ago, this couple came to the government office to register that they had lost a daughter."

If they were lying, why would they have thought to report it to the authorities four years ago?

Shen Ningning’s chubby little face was puffed up, her dark eyes filled with confusion.

"But I don’t think they’re my parents."

She still remembered the dream she had when she fell into the valley.

Although the Wu family’s courtyard here in Xitai Village was quite large, the room her mother lived in in her dream was as big as this entire house and yard combined.

Besides, she clearly remembered the calligraphy scroll in the room with the words "A Tranquil Heart and Mind."

Her father had been a tall man, and when he held her, there was a writer’s callus on the middle finger of his right hand.

But Shen Ningning had just carefully observed Wu Cui’s hands.

They were the hands of a farmer through and through, with calluses on the web of his thumb and on his palms.

Chief Wang understood Shen Ningning’s unease.

He reached out and patted the little girl’s head.

"Their description of their lost daughter was very similar to you, which is why I brought them to Xiangyun Village to see if you were their daughter."

"If it doesn’t match your memories, you don’t have to force yourself to accept them. But if we can find Miss Shen’s parents, it would naturally be a wonderful thing."

Chief Wang meant well.

He found Shen Ningning to be clever and adorable, and thought it would be wonderful if she could be reunited with her birth parents to be doted on.

「Meanwhile.」

Inside the largest house in the village, Deng Fugui stood by a window, peering outside.

He vaguely saw a familiar figure in a nearby courtyard—it was Shen Ningning!

Deng Fugui couldn’t hold back and immediately started to run outside.

But his mother, Wang Qiao’er, grabbed him.

"Where are you running off to?"

"Mom! That’s Little Wolf Sister! I want to go see her!"

"You’re forbidden! Hasn’t that Little Wolf Girl caused us enough trouble?" Wang Qiao’er’s face was full of resentment and anger.

Deng Fugui was anxious, but he didn’t dare disobey his mother.

He could only press himself against the window and continue to peer outside.

He was overjoyed.

He and his mother were now living in a large residence bought by his mother’s cousin. Wang Qiao’er forbade him from returning to Xiangyun Village, so Deng Fugui thought he would never have the chance to see Shen Ningning again.

He never thought he’d be able to see her again here.

"Mom, is that Uncle Wu’s house over there?" Deng Fugui asked, confused. "Uncle Wu only has a foolish son. When did he lose a daughter?"

Wang Qiao’er was counting silver with her head down.

Hearing this, she said impatiently, "How should I know? Your uncle did mention their family lost a child, but I think that was five or six years ago, wasn’t it?"

"Five or six years ago? Little Wolf Sister is only four and a half! She definitely can’t be Uncle Wu’s daughter!" Deng Fugui said urgently.

Wang Qiao’er looked up and scolded him, "Mind your own business! That Shen Ningning was just found by Grandma Qin. Who knows if she’s really four and a half? What if Grandma Qin is old and misremembered?"

"I’m warning you, don’t go causing trouble, and stay away from that Little Wolf Girl! Don’t make problems for your uncle!"

Deng Fugui gritted his teeth and looked out the window, his eyes fixed longingly on Shen Ningning’s small figure.

Chief Wang still had matters to attend to at the government office, so he had to head back first.

Just then, Grandma Qin returned from her tour with Qian Siniang and her husband.

Qian Siniang trailed beside Grandma Qin, her tone sycophantic. "Grandma Qin, if you’re willing to stay too, my husband and I will definitely serve you as if you were our own mother."

But Grandma Qin’s tone was calm. "There’s no need. My own unfilial son has already broken my heart. I don’t want to live with anyone else besides Ningning. I’d rather go back and raise Little Si’er."

’Little Si’er?’ Qian Siniang was confused. ’Who is that?’

Grandma Qin didn’t bother to explain, simply waving to Shen Ningning in the courtyard.

"Ningning, come here. Grandma wants to have a private word with you."

The little girl scurried over and threw her arms around Grandma Qin’s arm.

On her round little face, her dark eyes welled with anxiety and fear. "Grandma, don’t leave me."

Grandma Qin pulled her aside.

"How could Grandma ever leave you? This couple is definitely not your parents!"

"When I brought you back, there was a silk handkerchief tucked into your swaddling clothes. But I just asked that Qian Siniang, and she has no memory of it at all."

"If they truly treasured their daughter as much as they claim, how could they not remember that?"

"Besides, your surname is Shen. It was engraved on the Ruyi pendant, so that’s the name your birth parents gave you. But to protect you, I told everyone that I made up your surname."

"Even if this couple didn’t question your name, one of them should at least be named Shen!"

"At first, I thought they might be human traffickers. But after walking around the village, I found that the Wu family has indeed lived in Xitai Village for three generations. The villagers all know them well, so it doesn’t seem like they’re lying about who they are."

"Chief Wang wouldn’t lie. Wu Cui and Qian Siniang probably did lose a daughter back then, but it absolutely wasn’t you. Now that we’ve figured things out, Grandma has made it all clear to you."

"But if you like this couple and want to stay, Grandma is still willing to listen to your wishes. Ningning, what do you think?"

Shen Ningning shook her head frantically and was just about to speak.

But she heard a soft call from nearby.

"Girlie, girlie~"

She turned to see Wu Zuchang waving at her.

He was hiding behind the corner of the house and even made a "shushing" gesture, as if he were deliberately avoiding Qian Siniang and her husband.

The little girl glanced at the couple, who were talking to Chief Wang as he was about to leave.

Shen Ningning walked toward Wu Zuchang, with Grandma Qin following warily behind her.

She was afraid the Wu family’s foolish son would hurt Shen Ningning.

Wu Zuchang grabbed the little girl’s wrist and led her directly to the well in the backyard.

He frantically turned the crank on the well, and soon, he pulled up a wooden bucket containing a bundle.

When he opened it, it was full of gold ingots!

Shen Ningning and Grandma Qin were both stunned. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"This..."

Wu Zuchang grinned foolishly as he took out the gold and stuffed it all into Shen Ningning’s arms.

"Pa and Ma hid this. Said... said a noble gave it to them. Girlie, you... you buy things. All for you."

Suddenly, Qian Siniang’s call came from the main courtyard: "Ningning? Grandma Qin? Where did you two go?"

Footsteps approached the backyard.