Grayish-white clouds drifted across the blue sky, casting a gloomy pall, yet the rain had ceased.

A sudden cheer erupted from the village: “The rain has stopped!”

“Heaven, it’s finally stopped! Our grain was almost gone…”

“Mom, come quick! The rain has stopped!”

Cen An smiled too. His first Gloomy Rain Period in this world had passed safely.

The Gloomy Rain Period has passed, but it does not mean rest. Or rather, its end marked the beginning of the busiest time.

Yu Fei and the others didn’t rush to leave; there was still much work to be done in the little shack.

Though the mudslide hadn’t damaged the shack, it had deposited a thick layer of mud and debris that the rain had washed loose, leaving the outside a muddy mess.

Yu Fei and Tian Yuan fetched tools to clean up. Unable to go outside, Yu Lin flicked a seed from his palm. It landed and instantly sprouted into a strangler vine.

“Come to think of it, I’ve been meaning to grow a strangler vine for Brother Cen for ages!” he said with a grin. “It recognizes its master—doesn’t even need crystal cores. Easier to care for than a Piranha plant.”

The Piranha plant shook its head in displeasure, insisting it was far more useful—it had caught two mice today!

The strangler vine swung its eight tendrils, diligently clearing the mud from the floor, and even flashed Cen An a heart sign from afar.

Cen An responded slowly, “Ah, thank you…”

For some reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling these plants were all a bit… odd.

After clearing the muddy water outside, Tian Yuan brought in the mortar and pestle to pound the remaining rice and wheat.

The group bustled about inside and out, then started clamoring for Cen An to cook something delicious.

He could only sigh helplessly and ask, “What do you want for lunch?”

“Something we’ve never tried before,” Yu Lin volunteered first.

Tian Yuan suggested, “How about I prepare the deer?”

The half-deer he’d brought remained untouched. With temperatures plummeting lately, it had been left outside to freeze.

But delaying further was impossible—the thaw had begun. If they didn’t process the meat soon, it would spoil.

Cen An thought for a moment. “How about roasted venison? We can make some sugar cakes too.”

None of them had tried it before, but that didn’t stop them from nodding wildly in agreement. Living here these past few days, they’d been completely won over by Cen An’s cooking.

Yu Lin cheerfully raised his hand. “Need to knead dough, right? I’ll do it.”

Whether from the good food or something else, his health had improved significantly in the past few days. He could now get out of bed and had even learned dough-kneading from Cen An.

Xiao Yi glared at him, clutching the dough-mixing bowl tightly. This guy was so mean, always trying to take his tasks.

“Alright, Tian Yuan handles the venison. Xiao Lin and Xiao Yi knead the dough. Fei takes care of the side dishes.” Cen An assigned tasks with practiced efficiency. “It’s getting late, everyone. Pick up the pace.”

The group sprang into action immediately, bustling about with fervor.

Cen An himself retrieved four iron ingots from a wooden crate. He cast a recipe for an iron griddle.

He’d meant to make it the day they grilled fish, but forgot. Today was his friends’ last night staying here—it deserved to be perfect.

Deer meat tastes best charcoal-grilled, so he fired up the charcoal stove, burning three or four dozen pieces of charcoal.

Tian Yuan was highly skilled at butchering game. Within minutes, half a deer was cleaned and prepped. Following Cen An’s request, the most tender slices from the rump were cut paper-thin. Holding one up to the sunlight, it was almost translucent.

Cen An couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up. “Great knife skills. That’s perfect. Ready to eat.”

“Huh? Isn’t this raw?” Yu Lin was very curious.

“That’s the point—grilling it yourself keeps it fresh and tender.” Cen An’s first encounter with grilled venison was in Dream of the Red Chamber. Back then, he’d vowed that once he had money, he’d try it himself.

Little did he know he’d never get rich, but he did end up time-traveling.

He placed the charcoal in the hearth and lit it. “Let’s not eat at the table tonight. We’ll gather around the hearth instead.”

Though the rain had stopped outside, the temperature hadn’t risen yet, and it was still cold. Gathering around the hearth was much warmer.

Platters of sliced venison were brought in, accompanied by various dipping sauces.

Cen An had experimented just two days prior, making a chili sauce with chili peppers and soy sauce fruit, which everyone had praised.

“Dinner’s served!”

A sizzling hot iron plate was lightly greased with lard. Thinly sliced venison was laid upon it, sizzling and curling up instantly—ready to eat.

Dip it in the chili sauce, take a bite…

Saliva immediately welled up in your mouth. So delicious!

Even Yu Fei, who was practically half-mute, couldn’t help but speak up. He asked Tian Yuan, “Is venison hard to find?”

Tian Yuan was genuinely surprised to hear him talk and nearly choked. “Man, you really have no common sense. The venison is secondary—it’s all about Brother Cen’s dipping sauce. I’ve eaten plenty of venison before, but none tasted this good.”

Yu Fei’s dark gaze shifted toward Cen An.

Cen An was familiar with him by now. He knew that despite his gloomy appearance, he wasn’t actually malicious. If pressed for a comparison, he was like a black cat—mysterious and seemingly sinister—but in reality, just lazy and socially inept.

He said, “I’ve prepared everything for you. Take it with you when you leave. Though the new batch might be a bit spicier than this one.”

Yu Fei’s eyes narrowed slightly—a sign of his delight.

Roasted venison was warming, and Cen An feared it might be too heavy for children and patients. He sliced the last bit of pork belly, roasted it until tender, and placed it on Xiao Yi and Yu Lin’s plates.

Yu Lin accepted it with a smile and said to Xiao Yi, “Having a brother like this isn’t so bad, right?”

Xiao Yi didn’t utter a word. He quickly glanced up, then slowly ate the piece of meat.

Roasted venison deserved a little liquor, but none was available. Herbal teas, however, were plentiful.

Cen An brewed a large pot of sparrow tongue bud tea and another of mint tea. In the end, he discovered blending the two tasted best! The sparrow tongue bud tea was sweet, the mint tea refreshingly cool. Together, they resembled a glass of sweet iced water—perfect for accompanying grilled meat.

Each poured themselves a cup, thoroughly enjoying it.

It must be said that ability users truly have hearty appetites. Even Yu Lin, who was ill, ate as much as Cen An and two people combined. They managed to polish off two-thirds of the meat from half a deer.

Seeing the meat nearly finished, Cen An placed the prepared sugar cakes into the iron skillet. No oil was needed; they were simply baked slowly over low heat.

When the cakes puffed up and tiny sesame-like dots appeared on their surface, they were done.

Too lazy to fetch plates, he used the spatula to serve them directly to everyone.

“This is my first time eating sweet pastries!” Yu Lin exclaimed in surprise. He’d watched Cen An make them and knew they contained sugar filling.

The baked pastries had a crisp outer shell. Tearing one open revealed the sweet, syrupy filling oozing out.

“Whoa!” Tian Yuan quickly took a bite, wincing from the heat but refusing to let go. “Delicious! So fragrant!”

Yu Lin nodded in praise. “It’s not just plain steamed buns dipped in sugar! So sweet!”

Yu Fei never offered praise, but his eating pace was never slow.

With a pot holding twenty or so pancakes, this group managed to devour all but six.

Cen An was somewhat speechless. He’d deliberately made extra, intending to pack the leftovers for them. Well, now each could just pocket one and leave.

After finishing the venison and topping it off with the sweet cakes, they drained two pots of herbal tea until it lost its flavor. Outside, it was already afternoon.

“Cen Ge, I set a few traps in your yard. They can catch large animals or people—don’t forget.”

Cen An scanned the area in the direction Tian Yuan indicated and nodded.

Tian Yuan’s traps were different from his. His traps only caught animals; if a person accidentally triggered one, they could simply lift the lid and escape. Tian Yuan’s traps were far more vicious—whether animal or human, triggering one meant losing a limb.

Those granted permission to enter the yard wouldn’t trigger the traps. But sneaking in… what good could come of that?

When it was time for the group to take their leave, Cen An emerged from the house carrying large and small bundles.

A third of the venison remained, salt-cured for them to take. Everyone got some—even Xiao Yi received a small piece.

The previous harvest of white radishes hadn’t been sold yet. Cen An packed ten for each of them. With the abilities users’ strength, they’d manage to carry them home.

Each person received one of the previously smoked chickens, ducks, or rabbits.

A small sugar cookie went into each pocket—there weren’t many left, but they could satisfy a craving.

There was also chili sauce. Tian Yuan and Yu Fei got a large jar, while Yu Lin and Xiao Yi received a small one. “This is too spicy; it’s not good for children or the sick to eat too much,” Cen An explained gently.

Tian Yuan looked at the items in his hands. “Is this a gift?”

The concept of farewell gifts didn’t exist in this world. Due to resource scarcity, they rarely even treated people to meals.

But it must be said, this feeling of being remembered was rather pleasant.

Thus, when they saw the gifts Cen An had prepared long ago, their expressions softened.

Cen An hadn’t had many friends before, so he didn’t bother with formalities. He simply brought things he thought they might need. “You’ve been away from home for so long. When you suddenly return, you won’t find anything to eat. Take these and eat. When you finish, come back and ask me for more.”

Yu Lin took the items first, smiling. “Thanks, Brother Cen.”

Cen An shook his head. He wasn’t stingy with friends. He pulled out three more fruits and handed them to him.

Yu Lin reached out to take them, the familiar texture making him pause. “These are… wind-cold fruits?”

“Mutated Wind-Cold Fruit,” Cen An emphasized. “It won’t cure windchill, but eating it guarantees muscle stiffness.”

Yu Lin chuckled. “Wow, sounds tailor-made for me! Thanks, Brother Cen… Um, is the little rabbit I gave you still around?”

Cen An didn’t understand the reference but replied, “It is.” The little rabbit, along with the wooden whistle given by the dog owner, was safely tucked away in his backpack.

Yu Lin chuckled. “Keep it close to your body, okay? Don’t put it in any strange places.”

Strange places… Before Cen An could process it, the others had already waved their goodbyes.

They lived in the same village, not far apart. Had Cen An not brought so much food, their farewell wouldn’t have taken this long.

Cen An shook his head and turned to head home. He still had work to do!

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

With three adults and one child gone, the little shack seemed to fall silent instantly.

Cen An paced the courtyard twice, mentally mapping out his next tasks. The Strangler Vine trailed behind him, sneaking around like some kind of pervert or stalker, constantly trying to grab his sleeve…

From inside the house came the crunching sound of chewing. Without looking, Cen An knew the Piranha plant had caught another mouse…

He rubbed his temples. Well, it wasn’t exactly quiet…

The farm’s sweet asparagus and bok choy had only ripened this morning. The sharp cold snap had ultimately stunted the vegetables’ growth, halting the sweet asparagus’s development at one point.

Fortunately, thanks to the system’s mysterious intervention, they hadn’t withered.

Cen An harvested both the bok choy and sweet asparagus.

【Congratulations! You have gained 750 EXP】

【Congratulations! You have gained 1800 EXP】

Instead of rushing to plant the next batch, he opened the system interface:

【Farm Name: Harvest Farm

Level: 2

EXP: 5950/10000

Wealth: 723 Crystal Cores

Land Owned: 2

Fish Pond: Unlockable with 1000 Crystal Cores

Livestock Shed: Unlockable with 3000 Crystal Cores

Backpack: Axe x1, Hoe x1, Pickaxe x1, Iron Sword x1, Baby Bok Choy x150, White Radish x129, Sweet Asparagus x150, Wooden Whistle x1, Straw Rabbit x1】

Over seven hundred crystal cores!

Two hundred of them came from Yu Fei and the others.

Lately, almost every morning when he woke up, he’d find handfuls of crystal cores scattered on the table. When he asked, they just said it was rent…

Cen An stopped asking questions and simply collected them all. Absorbing so many crystal cores would be burdensome anyway, so he’d just grow extra vegetables to share with his friends later.

Closing the system interface, Cen An pondered for a moment before heading out to the small market.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

The small market was bustling with people. After being cooped up at home for so long, everyone was in need of supplies.

Today marked the first day after the rain stopped. With the mountain conditions unclear and unsafe to climb, everyone had flocked to the small market, hoping to trade for useful items.

“Huh? How much for this?” Cen An crouched down and asked as he passed a stall.

It was a slightly worn sewing kit containing three needles and two spools of thread.

The vendor, a weathered woman, replied immediately, “This is fine thread, young man. Look at these needles, too—they’re quality. They were part of my wedding trousseau. If my child weren’t starving, I’d never part with them…”

Cen An nodded. “So you’re looking to trade for food? Just grain? Or any kind of food?”

“Any food will do,” the woman said, licking her parched lips. “One portion of grain, two portions of vegetables.”

Cen An used the bamboo basket as a screen to take out five small cabbages. “Is this enough?”

The woman’s eyes lit up. She glanced around quickly. “Enough! More than enough!”

With that, she tucked the greens into her bosom and walked off without even glancing back at the stall.

Cen An stood stunned. Looking down, he finally understood: the stall was merely leaves spread on the ground. Aside from a half-worn sewing kit, there were only a few scraps of cloth—barely worth anything.

Behind him, someone chuckled, “Brother Cen is so kind. These five cabbages will feed a whole family.”

Cen An turned to see Wang Lie, accompanied by Ji Yong’an and another ability user, also smiling. “What brings you here?”

Wang Lie grinned. “After the Gloomy Rain Period, we’ve all run out of stock. As soon as the rain stopped, we rushed over to see if you’d set up your stall.”

They knew their place well—unless it was urgent, they rarely visited Cen An’s home.

“Brother Cen, do you have any bok choy or white radishes now?”

“Both are available,” Cen An nodded. “I also brought a new kind of vegetable. I stocked up this time, just in case you couldn’t get enough.”

“New veggies?” Wang Lie asked, his voice tinged with excitement and caution. “The little market’s crowded. Why don’t you come with me to the base instead? Don’t worry, it’s not the Ability Squad’s base. It’s the one Sister Qu helped us find.”

Cen An thought for a moment before nodding in agreement.

Surprisingly, this base wasn’t in the village itself, but in a small grove of trees nearby.

Cen An followed Wang Lie and the others out. Along the way, he saw many people cutting down trees and transporting timber.

Noticing his curiosity, an ability user named Wang Jin explained with a smile, “They’re building houses. All the dwellings in Yongning Village are wooden structures. With ample lumber, construction goes quickly—they’ll be finished in half a day.”

Cen An nodded. That was good news.

But for some reason, it seemed like many people recognized him. Along the way, several people smiled and greeted him. One elderly woman even insisted on pulling him over to offer him wild fruits.

Cen An awkwardly smiled and brushed it off, quietly asking, “Why do they all know me?”

Wang Lie stifled a laugh. “Brother Cen, do you know how many people your wind-cold fruit and that bucket of water you gave to Team Leader Shi saved?”

Cen An frowned. “How many?”

Wang Lie counted on his fingers. “In past years, though many fell ill during the Gloomy Rain Period, most people managed to get through it. Only the weak elderly, children, and the sick were at risk. This year is different. The Gloomy Rain Period hit with unprecedented ferocity—not only did the rains fall harder, but temperatures dropped a full ten degrees below normal. On top of that, mudslides washed away a third of the village’s homes, leaving many people without shelter.”

“Sister Qu tallied it earlier—over three hundred villagers have fallen ill these past few days, with seventy or eighty in critical condition. If it weren’t for the two hundred wind-cold fruits you distributed and that barrel of medicine later, can you imagine how many would have perished this year?”

Wang Lie’s face held a smile, yet he sighed. “The villagers are ordinary folk, but they know who helped them. Brother Cen, if they weren’t afraid of embarrassing you, they would’ve brought food to your house ages ago.“

Cen An quickly waved his hands. ”No, please don’t come! Those wind-cold fruits were traded for by everyone using their dry rations—they weren’t given by me. I can’t accept such kindness.“

Wang Lie chuckled. ”I know. Sister Qu already stopped them for you.”

Behind them, several ability users exchanged amused glances. Their Brother Cen really was… how to put it? He possessed a distinctly clear-cut gentleness.

Meaning, Brother Cen probably saw himself as having clear boundaries, but to others, he truly was… very gentle.

A kind of peaceful gentleness rarely seen in this world anymore.

Passing through the villagers’ logging area, they ventured deeper into a forest nearly as large as the village itself.

Deep within the woods stood a small wooden cabin and a small courtyard enclosed by a bamboo fence—the base Wang Lie and the others had mentioned.

Cen An hadn’t expected the base to be so hidden. Was it really wise to let an outsider like him know about such a secret place?

The few ability users, however, seemed unconcerned. Before even reaching the doorway, one bellowed, “Brothers and sisters, come out and see who we’ve brought!”

The small wooden door swung open with a clatter. Qu Yue’s voice cut through the air: “Which little brat is shouting… Oh my, it’s Xiao Cen!“

The abrupt shift in tone made one worry she’d strained her voice…

Qu Yue cleared her throat. ”Come in quickly, Xiao Cen.”

The small cabin instantly overflowed with ability users—men and women, about a dozen in total. At a glance, it seemed everyone except Shi Long’s people was here.

Cen An even spotted Li Wei—he’d made his way to Qu Yue’s place after all.

A crowd of ability users, both familiar and unfamiliar, swarmed around him. “Brother Cen!”

“Is this Brother Cen? He looks so… I mean, he seems so dependable!”

“Where’s the food? Where’s the food?”

“Brother Cen, I’ve missed you so much!”

Honestly, in that moment, Cen An almost thought he’d stumbled into a spider’s den…

Forcing a laugh as he followed the crowd inside, Cen An noticed the small wooden hut and bamboo fence were brand new, clearly built less than a month ago.

He shot a questioning look at Wang Lie, who whispered, “Remember when you told Sister Qu Shi wasn’t trustworthy? Right after that, she had us build this base.”

A wave of warmth washed over Cen An. He knew Qu Yue cared deeply for him, but he never imagined she’d choose to believe him over Shi Long…

“Sister Qu, I…”

But Sister Qu flipped her hand, pulling him close. She examined him from head to toe, frowning. “You’ve lost weight! Old Zhao, where are the milk cakes I told you to bring? Pack them for Xiao Cen. Don’t forget to bring them later. And that roe deer we hunted this morning—take it over there—”

From behind the house came Zhao Wu’s voice, audible even from a distance: “Got it, honey! I’m packing it up right now!”

Cen An’s heart, brimming with emotion, instantly turned to a mix of laughter and tears. He hadn’t eaten particularly well throughout the entire Gloomy Rain Period—how could he possibly be thin?

This was probably what they meant by a certain kind of thinness: “When someone loves you, they see you as thin no matter what.”

But another person emerged from the house, smiling and calling out, “Brother Cen.”

“You’re… Liao Wanwan?” The visitor was none other than Liao Yongzhi’s daughter, Liao Wanwan.

Liao Wanwan looked much better today than the night she’d sought Ceng An’s help. A light smile graced her face. “I never got a chance to thank you. My father is doing much better now—he’s regained consciousness. We’ve just run out of the little cabbages at home, so I thought I’d come buy some more.”

Ceng An was genuinely happy for her. “You’re welcome.”

Behind the group, someone trailed slowly, seeming less enthusiastic.

Someone nudged his shoulder. “Hurry up, Yangze! You missed out on the last few batches. You’d better grab some this time. Trust me, the soothing ability really works!”

“Oh, really?” Qi Yangze gave a half-hearted chuckle. “Maybe.”

After expressing their welcome, it was time to get down to business.

As usual, Cen An pulled out some bok choy and white radishes from his basket. “These two items were already available before. You can check the quality of this batch.”

Ji Yong’an, quick-witted as ever, waved his hands hastily. “No need, Brother Cen! Your produce is always fresh and crisp—no need to inspect…”

Before he could finish, Wang Jin smacked him on the back of the head. “Are you stupid?! Free veggies? You’d better get them while you can!”

His expression turned serious as he addressed Cen An sternly, “Alright, Brother Cen, I’ll inspect this batch… Ouch!”

Behind him, Wang Lie mimicked the gesture and slapped him too. “You idiot! Free food like this—like it would ever come to you!”

Everyone burst into laughter.

Laughter aside, Wang Lie squatted down, took a couple of serious bites, and gave Cen An a thumbs-up.

Brother Cen never disappoints—even the produce saved through the Gloomy Rain Period is this fresh and tender.

Cen An smiled. He wasn’t worried about these two dishes; with the system’s backing, they were sure to be perfect.

His real concern was the sweet asparagus. This crop had high production costs, meaning a higher selling price. If people couldn’t accept it, he’d have to grow it just for himself in the future.

With that thought, he pulled out a sweet asparagus spear. “This is our new crop—sweet asparagus. See if you’d like to try it.”

Sweet asparagus resembled the asparagus from his past life, likely earning its name from that similarity. Its skin, however, was thinner and a tender green, appearing soft, crisp, and fresh.

When harvesting earlier, Cen An had sampled one. It crunched delightfully with a sweet, sugary flavor—somewhat like sugar cane, yet without any fibrous bits or the astringency of raw vegetables.

It was delicious enough raw, but he wondered how it would taste cooked.

Wang Lie took the tender vegetable and, as usual, began to taste it.

He was sensing the energy within the vegetable.

The others quieted down, watching him expectantly.

Both bok choy and white radish could soothe supernatural abilities. Would this sweet asparagus have the same effect? Or perhaps an even stronger one?