books44 Chapter 283 The World of Famine Relief (2)
Chapter 283 The World of Famine Relief (2)
"Little sister, wait a moment, I'll go boil some water." Zhou Sanya didn't say anything, and as for telling the family, the children all tacitly avoided mentioning it.
Zhou Sanya silently boiled a small pot of water, and Wangyou threw a pill into the water. After it boiled, the group drank some from the small bamboo tubes next to them.
"We'll secretly take these back to Dad and Mom," Wangyou said after Zhou Sanya filled the remaining water containers.
The children carefully placed the bamboo tubes down, then climbed out of the cave and cautiously returned home.
When Zhou Lao Er and his wife saw that the children had found water, their first reaction was to take it to their parents.
"Father, if you walk out of here today, I won't give you any good things anymore," Wangyou said, sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) with a blank expression as she looked at the couple.
The little boy, even though he was very serious, looked very cute. But for some reason, Zhou Lao Er and his wife felt that what the child said was true, and for a moment they dared not move.
What's different about Wangyou? Zhou Sanya, who often takes care of her, has discovered a lot. This little sister is very well-behaved and smart, but she's usually too lazy to talk to people.
"Your grandparents are your elders!" Although Zhou Lao Er said this, he still put down the bamboo tube.
“You treat them like your own parents, but they don’t treat you like their own son. If you send this bucket of water over, not only will you not get any thanks, you might even get a scolding. In the end, Grandpa and Grandma will definitely give the water to either your eldest uncle’s family or your third uncle’s family,” Wangyou said with certainty.
“That’s right, Dad. Grandpa and Grandma don’t like us. It’s fine if we give the water we went through so much trouble to Grandpa and Grandma, but what’s the point of giving it to Uncle and Third Uncle?” Although Zhou Tieniu was simple-minded, he was very clear-headed in this situation.
“Yes, honey, I won’t see you off. I came back from the bathroom earlier, and the eldest and third wives are having special meals with their parents!” He Dani said, mustering her courage.
Upon hearing He Dani's words, Zhou Lao Er deflated like a punctured balloon, his spirits completely gone. "Keep it, no need to see me off."
"Father, Mother, each of you take a bamboo tube and drink it quickly!" Wangyou urged. "There's medicine to prevent and treat the virus in here."
"Okay, sure." The couple didn't refuse, each picked up a bamboo tube, and drank all the water inside.
"Little sister, are you really a celestial being reincarnated?" Zhou Wuya asked again in a low voice.
"Yes, I forgot to drink the Meng Po soup when I descended to the mortal realm, and then I remembered everything." Wangyou said in a serious tone. This was the same story she used to fool Zhou Sanya before, and now she used it to fool everyone.
"When will it snow here?" Zhou Lao Er asked impatiently.
"It won't rain here for the next three years. Next year, Peach Blossom Village will probably have to prepare to flee the famine. But nothing is peaceful anywhere. At the end of the year, various vassal kings will rise up in rebellion, and foreign tribes will take the opportunity to invade from the south. It will take many years before things stabilize," Wangyou said, giving a general overview.
"God is not giving people a way to live!" Zhou Lao Er believed it immediately. After all, most children over one year old can't speak steadily, let alone analyze these things.
"Father, Mother, if we could separate from the family or sever ties, would you be willing?" Wangyou asked earnestly.
"Wangyou, do you know something bad?" Zhou Dazhu was a bit deep-thinking, so he asked the question.
"Yes, Zhou Baozhu will save someone on her way to escape famine. That person will eventually kill everyone except Zhou Baozhu's family, including our family."
"Can't you remind me?" Zhou Lao Er wasn't keen on separating the family property.
“Dad, they won’t believe us if we tell them. They’ll just think we’re exaggerating.”
"Then can't we reveal that you're an immortal?" Zhou Lao Er asked in a low voice.
"Dad, if you tell anyone else, I can just abandon you all." Wangyou said without any attempt to hide her feelings. She wasn't some kind of poverty alleviation ambassador. She could let her own parents and siblings go, but what were the rest of the Zhou family?
“Dad, don’t hurt my little sister. The people in the village are all wicked. The eldest and third wives, as well as Grandpa and Grandma, treat us badly. Didn’t you see they’re cooking special meals for us? We can only eat thin porridge. And the grain we’re eating is what Dad and Mom grew themselves,” Zhou Dazhu said with dissatisfaction.
"But how easy is it to sever ties and divide the family!" Zhou Lao Er doesn't want to divide the family, but he can't.
"As long as Father and Mother agree, this matter can be easily resolved," Wangyou said confidently.
"Little sister, what should we do?" Zhou Dazhu asked, his eyes shining.
"Second brother, do this..." Wangyou mumbled a bunch of instructions, then took out some large meat buns from her spatial storage and told them to eat them quickly.
Now no one doubted that Wangyou was a reincarnated immortal. The group wolfed down the buns and had a rare good night's sleep.
The next day, the old lady, with her slanted, triangular eyes wide open, stood at the door of the second room and started cursing again, calling her lazybones and saying things like, "It's so late, why aren't you out looking for something to eat?"
Zhou Lao Er and the others stood up. "San Ya, Wu Ya, take good care of your sister. We're going out."
When Zhou Lao Er went out, he looked at his mother's big, thick figure, and then at his own family, who had been working from morning till night, yet were still as thin as sticks.
Looking back at his elder brother and younger brother's rooms, which were tightly shut, Zhou Lao Er was utterly heartbroken. How come he hadn't noticed these things before?
Faced with Old Lady Zhou's curses, Zhou Lao Er remained silent and, as usual, took his wife and two sons out to find something to eat. Only then did Old Lady Zhou leave, still grumbling.
As soon as Zhou Lao Er and the others went out, they whispered the things they had discussed the night before and then went up the mountain.
……
"Not good! Not good!"
"What's wrong? Lai Er's wife, you're the one who's wrong!"
"Oh dear, this is really bad! Your second son went up the mountain to find food and was attacked by a wild boar, your second daughter-in-law was hit by a car, and your two grandsons are also badly injured!" Lai Er's wife sang, recited, acted, and performed all sorts of martial arts moves. She said she came to deliver the news, but in reality, she was mostly there to watch the show.
"What the hell? The second son's family was attacked by wild boars? Where are the wild boars?" Old Mrs. Zhou's focus was very prominent. Zhou Lao Er, who had just been carried down the mountain by the villagers, heard his mother's words and completely gave up.
"Oh dear, the leg is broken. You have to go to the county to find a doctor. I can't treat it!" The only doctor in the village, Dr. Zhao, took one look and backed away.
When everyone looked at Zhou Lao Er and He Dani, they were in a terrible state. The two younger ones were in the same condition, with various abrasions on their bodies, but none of them were fatal.
"Grandma, my parents were attacked by wild boars while they were looking for food for Grandpa and Grandma. Grandma, you can't abandon my parents, our family!" Zhou Tieniu knelt down and cried loudly.
Hearing the commotion inside, Zhou Sanya and Zhou Wuya also ran out crying while holding Wangyou.
"Dad, Mom, eldest brother, second brother, you left perfectly fine, how did you come back like this? Grandma, please get my dad and mom treated! Grandpa Zhao said they can be cured as long as we go to the county!" Zhou Sanya cried and shouted, emphasizing every single word.
"Yes, Grandma, you always say we're a family, you won't abandon my parents, right?" Zhou Dazhu cried out.
"I don't want anything to happen to Dad and Mom, and I don't want anything to happen to my brother!" Zhou Wuya started wailing too. As for Wangyou, she didn't need to say anything; she just wailed along with her.