Chapter 481: Chapter 481

Huang Yan grinned as she fumbled a chicken out of the snake-skin bag, saying, "This is the old hen that my mom asked me to bring over for you. Stew it and nourish yourself well."

The old hen’s claws were tied up and it flapped twice in Huang Yan’s hands.

"Quick, take it back," Mai Qiqi hurriedly said. "I’m not lacking anything to eat or drink here, isn’t this Aunt Huang’s egg-laying chicken?"

Village Chief Huang said, "You’ve helped us so much, and we don’t know how else to thank you. All we can do is bring you some food. Please don’t disdain it."

"It’s not about disdain. I really don’t need this food; I understand your good intentions. You should take the chicken back to lay eggs."

In the end, the village chief still left the chicken behind, and father and daughter ran off like they were chasing a wolf, fearing that Wan Chu’er and Mai Qiqi would catch up with them.

Looking at the old hen lying in the living room, Chuanqi and Hunter crouched curiously beside it, chattering away. Wan Chu’er asked Mai Qiqi, "What should we do?"

Mai Qiqi smiled and said, "Then let’s kill the chicken and have meat."

Hearing that the chicken was to be slaughtered, neither Chuanqi nor Hunter agreed, both pleading with eyes wide, "Godmother, please don’t kill this chicken, okay?"

So, the old hen became Chuanqi and Hunter’s new favorite. Get full chapters from novel※fire.net

Two days later, unable to hold back any longer, Mai Qiqi drove again to the Huangjia Gully Hope Primary School.

Huang Yan was very happy to see her, pulling her straight into the classroom of first and second graders, "You’ve come at just the right time, watch a class for me, I’ll go teach the third graders."

"Ah..." Before Mai Qiqi could respond, Huang Yan had already entered the third-grade classroom, so she had no choice but to swallow her words and enter the classroom.

Seeing Mai Qiqi enter, Xiao Huaili’s eyes instantly brightened, and Erya also pursed her lips in a smile. Mai Qiqi winked at the two of them.

After the first period ended, Huang Yan brought her to the teachers’ office, where an extra clean desk stood bare of anything.

Huang Yan smiled and said, "This desk is for you. From now on, when you come to the school, you can sit here."

Zhang Yuhuan and Lin Xiaozhi echoed, "Mr. Mai, you are the fourth teacher of the school and a member of our big family. Everyone remembers you. When you have time, come teach the students painting, music, and sports. All the students are thinking of you."

Mai Qiqi had not expected that people at the school would reserve a desk just for her. She touched the clean desk and looked up at Huang Yan and the others, feeling a warm glow inside her heart.

At noon when school was out, Mai Qiqi specifically called Xiao Huaili and Erya, "Come on, have lunch at the teacher’s house today. After class in the afternoon, I’ll take you back."

Xiao Huaili, holding his sister’s hand, demurred, "Mr. Mai, I had our lunch prepared in the morning. We can eat once we get back. If we wait until the afternoon, it will spoil."

Mr. Mai had been good enough to them, siblings. They couldn’t always take advantage of Mr. Mai’s kindness.

Mai Qiqi had anticipated the boy’s reluctance, and with a smile, said, "Alright then, but for lunch, the teacher will add some dishes for you." She led them to the car.

From the car, she took out four cans of fish and two sticks of sausage, "Don’t refuse. It’s either come home with the teacher for lunch or take these, one of the two." Mai Qiqi said with a deliberately stern face.

Xiao Huaili, mature beyond his years but still a child of about ten, couldn’t dare to say more when he saw Mai Qiqi’s stern face. He didn’t want to upset her, so he took the cans and sausage, and with his sister, gave Mai Qiqi a deep bow.

"Thank you, Teacher."

"Mhm, let’s head back."

Just a short distance out of the school, the siblings spotted several people approaching menacingly from afar. Leading the group was Zhang Gouzi’s wife, followed by Zhang Xiaoqiang and his two uncles.

Xiao Huaili felt a sudden urge, and quickly moved his sister to the side of the road near a wall. "Erya, don’t go anywhere, wait here for your brother," he hastily said before turning back to run towards the school.

Once inside the school, he saw Mai Qiqi’s car still parked in its spot, though Mai Qiqi was not in the car.

He shouted anxiously, "Mr. Mai!"

Hearing Xiao Huaili’s call, Mai Qiqi stepped out from the office. "What’s the matter, Little Lizzi?"

"Mr. Mai, Zhang Xiaoqiang’s family is heading this way, and they’re armed; looks like they’re here to start a fight. There are four of them, Mr. Mai, you better hide."

At the mention of Zhang Gouzi’s family, a flash of disgust passed through Mai Qiqi’s eyes. After a moment’s thought, she guessed they were here for her, probably suspecting her since Zhang Gouzi hadn’t been home for days. It seemed they knew about the things Zhang Gouzi had done!

A wise man does not fight when the odds are against him, she understood that well.

Being alone, it was natural to avoid confrontation and to deal with them later.

Mai Qiqi went to her office to grab a few things, then headed towards her car, instructing Xiao Huaili as she walked, "You and Erya should also hide. That family has low standards; they might take their anger out on you if they see you."

Xiao Huaili nodded vigorously, urgently urging Mai Qiqi to get into her car and leave.

Seeing Mai Qiqi’s car start, Xiao Huaili thought quickly and ran straight to a section of the school’s enclosing wall, climbing up to the rooftop in a few moves.

He planned to climb down from behind the classroom, but upon looking towards the school gate from the rooftop, he saw the three people from Zhang Gouzi’s family had stopped Mr. Mai’s car.

Xiao Huaili got incredibly anxious. He had intended to help Mai Qiqi and took a few steps in their direction, but realizing he was too young to match those people, he quickly thought of a plan and climbed over the wall, running as fast as he could towards the village chief’s house.

"Village Chief, Village Chief, Principal..." Upon reaching the village chief’s doorway, Xiao Huaili started shouting loudly.

"What’s going on, Little Lizzi?" The village chief’s family, hearing Xiao Huaili’s panicked voice, all came out.

"Hurry, they... they’ve blocked Mr. Mai... Mr. Mai is trapped," Xiao Huaili said breathlessly.

Village Chief Huang’s face immediately turned stern. "Who? Who are they?"

"It’s... it’s Zhang Xiaoqiang’s mother and two uncles, and... they’re carrying sticks." Xiao Huaili was beside himself with urgency, "Please, go have a look."

Upon hearing this, both Village Chief Huang and Principal Huang turned pale. Blocking someone with a weapon was a grave matter!

Village Chief Huang immediately said, "I’m going right now. Yanzi, call the military unit, Yanzi’s mother, go and gather people, get as many as you can, and send them directly to the school to find me."

With that, he rushed towards the school, Xiao Huaili looked on and quickly followed the village chief.

The village chief walked with long, fast strides, and Xiao Huaili had to jog to keep up.

At the school gate, as Mai Qiqi’s car was just driving out, they saw Zhang Gouzi’s wife and two other fierce-looking men. Mrs. Zhang saw Mai Qiqi’s car and immediately started shouting loudly, brandishing a hoe as she lunged towards Mai Qiqi’s car.