TSWPF -Chapter 404 Human Nature

Li Qingning saw the man in black return to the mountain again. She ran up to him nervously and asked, “How’s my brother-in-law?”

All this time on the mountain, they had been on edge, fearing that something might happen to him…

The man in black reached out, scooped Li Qingning into his arms, gently tapped her little nose, and said in a soft voice that her brother-in-law was fine, the danger had passed, and they could go down the mountain.

“Really?”

Seeing Li Qingning’s wide, round eyes, the man in black scratched his head and couldn’t help pinching her little nose again. “What? Don’t believe me? Huh?”

Li Qingning looked at him, pulled down his mask, and smiled at his handsome face. She nodded and said she believed him.

“…“

Once again, he confirmed: this little girl really judges by appearances.

“Uncle, thank you,” Li Qingning said seriously, her small face solemn as she expressed her gratitude to the man in black.

Seeing her acting so mature, the corners of his mouth twitched. “Little girl, do I look that old?” Hearing her call him “uncle” made him feel a little stifled.

He didn’t want to be called uncle.

Li Qingning shook her little head. “Not old.”

He was the most handsome, the most dashing person she had ever seen.

“Since I’m not old, then what should you call me?”

“Brother?”

The man in black smiled again and nodded. “Brother sounds much better than uncle.”

Li Qingning furrowed her small brows, a little troubled. “You’re much older than my brother… I think I should call you uncle.”

“…“ The man in black almost spat blood. He looked at her and smiled, then began to explain. At the end, he asked if she understood.

Li Qingning said, “I understand.”

“Really understand?”

“Really understand.”

“Good. Now, say it for me,” the man in black said eagerly, hoping to hear her call him “brother.”

Li Qingning did not disappoint. She said clearly, “Brother.”

Actually, she didn’t quite understand why it mattered—just a form of address. Why did he have to explain it for so long and insist that she call him brother?

Oh well. Since he saved her brother-in-law, she might as well let him be happy!

If the man in black knew what Li Qingning was thinking, he really would have spat blood.

He wasn’t a mind reader—he didn’t know her thoughts. But hearing her call him “brother” now made him smile, his eyes crinkling with joy.

“Remember, I’m your Dark Brother.”

“Okay…”

Seeing her nod, he smiled again, pulled up his mask, and turned to face Mr. Luo and the others who had come out.

He nodded at them. “The enemy has been subdued. You can descend the mountain.”

Hearing this good news, Li Qingling let out a big sigh of relief and sincerely thanked the man in black.

Though she didn’t know who he really was, she could tell he was highly skilled. With his help, things were much easier.

The man in black gave a cold, slight nod and repeated, “Descend the mountain.”

Before Li Qingling and the others could react, he carried her and turned to leave, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Mr. Luo worriedly asked who exactly the man in black was and whether he would harm Ningning.

That little girl was so naive—she would help count money even after being sold.

He was genuinely worried she might be abducted.

Li Qingling gently shook her head. “He’s probably not a bad person. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to save Brother Zhimou.”

When the man in black left Ninghua Mountain to rescue Liu Zhimou, under their pressing questions, Li Qingning recounted everything about how she came to know him.

Who would have thought it would be so coincidental—during such a crisis, she encountered someone she had once saved.

It brought a huge turning point to the situation.

“I feel like he’s not a good person. Ningning should avoid getting too close to him.”

Li Qingling nodded. She would find a chance to talk to the little girl.

“All right, let’s discuss things back home,” Elder Xue spoke. “Zhimou is probably anxiously waiting. Let’s quickly go back and report that we’re safe.”

Li Qingling agreed and called out, “Ah Bai!”

Ah Bai came running and lowered itself before her. Once Li Qingling climbed onto its back, it ran steadily down the mountain.

When they returned home, they saw the courtyard full of injured people.

Liu Zhimou quickly walked over upon seeing Li Qingling and the others. “Wife…”

That single word carried so much emotion that Li Qingling’s eyes reddened. She climbed down from Ah Bai’s back, took his hand, and asked if he had been hurt.

Liu Zhimou shook his head gently. He had been well protected and had not been harmed by the enemies.

Seeing the injured villagers lying in the courtyard, however, he felt deeply guilty.

“What… happened here?” Li Qingling asked, looking at the injured villagers with concern.

Liu Zhimou, full of emotion, recounted everything. Li Qingling was moved as well—she hadn’t expected the villagers to protect Liu Zhimou so wholeheartedly.

It seemed that Liu Zhimou’s sincere dedication to the villagers had earned their gratitude.

“Grandpa, Dahe, we’ll need your help now,” Li Qingling said to Elder Xue and Dahe. “The villagers were injured protecting Brother Zhimou. We have to treat them properly.” Thankfully, no one had died—otherwise, how could they face the villagers’ families?

“Don’t worry. With me, it won’t take long—they’ll be running around again soon,” Elder Xue said, taking Dahe to help treat the villagers.

Liu Zhimou held Li Qingling’s hand firmly, urging her to rest in the courtyard.

He worried that her heavy pregnancy would make such exertion too tiring.

Li Qingling didn’t refuse. She nodded, acknowledging that she was indeed tired and needed to rest. She couldn’t push herself too hard in her condition.

“I’ll speak with the villagers briefly, then leave,” Li Qingling said, letting go of Liu Zhimou’s hand. She bowed to the villagers and thanked them loudly for believing in and protecting Liu Zhimou.

The villagers felt warm inside upon hearing the county lady’s gratitude. They waved their hands, saying, “It’s what we should do.”

They felt proud that they had protected the county magistrate.

Li Qingling thanked them again before returning to rest in the courtyard with her big belly.

After Li Qingling and the others left, the villagers started chatting among themselves.

“Did you see that? She came down from the back of a white tiger!”

“I saw! I saw!” Others agreed. “Does the county magistrate raise a yellow and a white tiger at home?”

The bravery of the yellow tiger was still fresh in their minds, turning their fear into respect.

“No wonder the county magistrate’s tigers are so powerful.”

“No, no, no. There are three tigers. Didn’t you see the smaller one?” someone interjected.

“Yes, three. Looks like the child of the yellow and white tigers.” It looked beautiful. If only it wouldn’t bite, I’d want to hold it and play.

“The county magistrate is amazing—raising three tigers. If I had one so brave, I’d wake up laughing even while asleep.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen tigers that understand human nature! I’m not afraid of them anymore.”

“Me too…”

“Me too…”

The villagers echoed one another.

Hearing this, Liu Zhimou secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had worried the villagers might be scared of Ah Huang and the others, but they weren’t.

He didn’t even get a chance to say the reassuring words he had prepared.

He sincerely appreciated the villagers’ understanding.

“Ah Huang and the others were raised from a young age. They won’t bite randomly, so don’t worry,” Liu Zhimou explained, even though the villagers weren’t afraid.

Curious, the villagers asked where he found the tigers. Liu Zhimou smiled and told them, eliciting amazed reactions.

“How come we never get such luck?”

“Sir, earlier we heard tiger roars from Ninghua Mountain—was that from your tigers?”

“Yes,” Liu Zhimou nodded. Seeing the villagers’ expressions, he spoke gravely: “There are wolves on Ninghua Mountain. My tigers were warning the wolves not to cross their territory and harm people.”

The villagers praised the tigers again, impressed by how well they protected everyone.

“Do not go up Ninghua Mountain—it’s dangerous, understand?” Although the mountain had many wild animals, he really didn’t want anyone to risk their life.

The villagers nodded. They wouldn’t be reckless enough to climb the mountain.

Seeing this, Liu Zhimou breathed a small sigh of relief. It was good that the villagers could heed his advice.

The villagers, still fascinated by Ah Huang and the others, kept asking questions. Liu Zhimou patiently answered them, indulging their curiosity out of gratitude for their protection.

The villagers were amazed, thinking to themselves: how can these tigers understand human nature so well? Could they be magical?

Hearing these stories, even they felt tempted to raise a tiger themselves.

“Sir, does your tiger have other offspring?” someone asked.

Liu Zhimou shook his head with a smile. “No, Diandian is an only child—a rare single birth.”

He wondered if that’s why Diandian was so clever.

It was a pity…

The villagers sighed regretfully.

“Dear villagers, let me say a few more words,” Liu Zhimou said, raising his voice. “Because Ah Huang and the others were raised from a young age, they understand human nature and won’t bite. Remember this carefully. Wild tigers do not understand human nature. If you encounter one, run away immediately, understand?” He didn’t want the villagers to misunderstand and think all tigers were safe.

“Understood…”