Happy Little Farmer
Chapter 722

Chapter 722: Chapter 722

What can an elderly man with poor recognition skills do when he can’t make out who’s who?

Of course, choosing to offer some good-natured understanding is the way forward.

Ji Dong’er definitely wouldn’t dare to have any sort of opinion about Mr. Fan.

"Uncle Fan, did you manage to subdue that locust tree?" Ji Dong’er asked curiously, her wide eyes brimming with the desire for knowledge.

Mr. Fan tossed the locust branch to Yang Fan, suddenly letting out a faint sigh and said, "How could it be that easy? That thing simply didn’t want to fight me. At this moment, it might be going through some critical timing and can’t spare its attention."

"That thing is terrifying and cunning. With just a couple of probing moves, it immediately retreated. I couldn’t even figure out its actual strength. If we were to truly go head-to-head in a life-and-death struggle, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to deal with it. This is a tricky situation. I need to go back and think it over. Worst case scenario, I might have to call backup."

"What exactly is that old scoundrel up to, that it can’t even spare its energy to deal with me?"

Mr. Fan muttered to himself before suddenly turning to look at Ji Dong’er. "Little girl, you’re the River God. You should know a thing or two about the monsters within your territory, right? What’s the background of that thing?"

"Uncle Fan, it feels like you’re putting me in a tough spot. I’m just a fledgling River God, new to the role. After taking office, I still need to pay my respect to these local bigshots. How could I know such things? What I do know is that this locust tree has been rooted in Li Mountain for over a thousand years. Its roots have dug deep underground and fused with the mountain’s core. That’s about all I know," Ji Dong’er replied.

Mr. Fan tugged at his beard and shook his head in disdain, saying, "You’re just as useless as this kid here. You’re already the River God, for crying out loud. These monsters are under your jurisdiction, and when the situation calls for it, you have to show them who’s the boss. How can a dignified River God let these things walk all over you unchecked?"

Ji Dong’er pulled a pitiful face and gave Mr. Fan a pleading look. She whispered weakly, "But they’re stronger than me! I don’t have any backing, not even a helper to call on. I... I can’t be tough."

Mr. Fan shook his head helplessly. "No ambition."

Ji Dong’er hung her head low in frustration.

Yang Fan, silently taking the collateral damage, obediently kept his mouth shut.

Truth be told, he thought he was progressing at a decent pace. He had already cultivated four strands of Inner Qi.

But in Mr. Fan’s view, Yang Fan’s so-called progress clearly didn’t match the young man’s own assessment.

As they spoke, the three of them descended the mountain.

Ji Dong’er quietly made a funny face at Yang Fan before announcing her departure.

She was heading back to the river.

Yang Fan waved goodbye to Ji Dong’er and watched her disappear into the vast night sky, stepping onto a crimson streak of light. Only then did he and Mr. Fan turn toward Yun Miaoyi’s home.

Mr. Fan seemed to have something on his mind and suddenly chuckled, saying, "So, how did I do? Was I right or not?"

"What?" Yang Fan asked, puzzled.

The statement had no context; he couldn’t even begin to guess.

"The girl came back, didn’t she?" Mr. Fan said proudly.

Yang Fan then remembered that Mr. Fan really had said something of the sort earlier.

"You’re experienced and knowledgeable, wise beyond measure. It’s only natural for you to get it right. Getting it wrong would be unusual," Yang Fan replied.

Mr. Fan suddenly let out a loud shout, his expression exaggerated as he looked Yang Fan up and down with disbelief. "The sun must be rising in the west today! You’ve actually learned to butter people up? Incredible! And not only that, you’re doing it with substance! That’s even more unbelievable."

Yang Fan thought something had gone wrong.

The old man’s dramatic flair startled him out of his wits.

"Old man, I’ve always been good to you. You just haven’t noticed," Yang Fan said faintly.

"Really?" Mr. Fan snorted and said indifferently, "Stop spewing nonsense. The good you say you show me—where is it? But the disrespect you show me? That, I see very clearly."

"Dragging me out of bed in the dead of night to fight monsters—this is what you mean by being good to me?"

"Old man, I think you shouldn’t take it to heart. We barely get a chance to act during the day, and when I can’t handle it, I have no choice but to call for your help. As your disciple and legacy inheritant, if anything were to happen to me, wouldn’t you be in a bind too?" Yang Fan said with a grin.

"Get lost!"

Mr. Fan huffed, flinging his sleeves with indignation.

Yang Fan chuckled awkwardly and shifted the topic to the Old locust tree. "Old man, what’s really going on with that tree? It feels like you’re holding something back when you talk about it."

"That thing is powerful. Don’t go poking at it. Your grandpa managed to come back today mostly thanks to luck. If it really went all out, I wouldn’t stand a chance," Mr. Fan said.

Yang Fan furrowed his brow: ???

"Old man, why are you insulting people now?"

"You don’t acknowledge me as your grandpa?!" Mr. Fan turned his head and snapped.

Yang Fan paused, suddenly understanding.

Alright, alright, so this is one of your little traps, huh?

Fine!

The ginger really is spicier with age.

Yang Fan had no illusions about the distinction between the "grandpa" Mr. Fan referred to and the "grandpa" Yang Fan envisioned. But he couldn’t afford to differentiate—they were both "grandpa," no matter how he looked at it.

If he hesitated even slightly, this old man would have ample reason to obstruct him from seeing Fan Sisi.

"Acknowledge? How could I not?" Yang Fan replied firmly. "Of course, I acknowledge it! As long as you’re okay with it."

Mr. Fan snorted and then grinned slyly, "Alright then, let me hear you call me grandpa."

Yang Fan: ...

This old man really was bored.

"Grandpa," he muttered, tilting his head and sounding utterly unenthusiastic.

"What’s that? Didn’t you eat, or are you just unwilling?" Mr. Fan snapped.

"Grandpa!" Yang Fan drew on his Dantian for extra breath and shouted loudly.

"Ah, got it. Next time, don’t shout so loud. My ears almost got blasted off. You’re such an unfilial grandson," Mr. Fan grumbled as he rubbed his ears.

Yang Fan: ???

Alright now, that’s just excessive, old man.

Mr. Fan chuckled twice, patting Yang Fan’s shoulder and said, "You’re not bad, grandson, you’re not bad at all."

Yang Fan glared at Mr. Fan with a dark expression. "Old man, that’s enough now."

"I’m your grandpa; you’re my grandson. What’s wrong with that? If you don’t want my granddaughter anymore, you don’t have to acknowledge me as your grandpa." Mr. Fan laughed heartily.

Yang Fan stared at Mr. Fan in utter exasperation.

Great, now he’d figured out how to retaliate.

"You win, old man, I surrender," Yang Fan said weakly. "I’ve got it figured out—looks like that Tree Demon really didn’t do much to you. It probably didn’t even lay a finger on you."

"Listen to yourself. Are you saying you wish it had attacked me?" Mr. Fan tilted his head and said.

"I don’t mean that! I’m just saying you’re truly strong, old man! Too strong!" Yang Fan said earnestly.

Ridiculously strong!