Chapter 917 Self-Preservation

Song Chunxue remained silent for a long time.

Watching men of all ages eating steamed buns and drinking water with gusto, I couldn't describe the feeling in my heart.

The eldest brother ran to the kitchen and scooped out some water until they were full.

They held the steamed buns in both hands, poured the last crumbs from their palms into their mouths, and blew on the crumbs that accidentally fell on the ground before picking them up and eating them.

"Thank you so much, ma'am. We haven't had such delicious steamed buns for days."

"Thank you so much, your steamed buns are really delicious."

Although not white, the dough for the flatbread is made from wheat flour, which wealthy families would use to feed their pigs.

Song Chunxue felt extremely heartbroken, but she suppressed her desire to help them and saw them off at the gate, watching them walk away along the mountain path.

The sun has already risen high; it should be about an hour and a half before noon.

Song Chunxue returned to the house, drank tea and ate fried dough sticks, feeling very uncomfortable.

"Boss, you must keep a low profile from now on and not attract so many people. Even if they do come, don't give them too much good food, or you'll become prey for the wolves, understand?"

The eldest son nodded, and Xu Dahong sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) holding the child, still feeling lingering fear.

“Dahong, from now on, when you’re at home, keep the door closed and stay outside as little as possible. Especially in April and May, more and more people will go hungry.” Her voice was calm. “Fortunately, this year’s harvest is pretty good. We got lentils in May, so everyone can fill their stomachs.”

"Eldest brother, you usually stay at home. You need to practice self-defense and kung fu more. Fourth brother can also play a game of finger-guessing now, you can't fall behind either, it can save your life in a critical moment."

At this point, Song Chunxue sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"If I had known, I wouldn't have given them silver and melon seeds a few days ago. I was only thinking about dealing with the immediate matter and forgot that one should not flaunt one's wealth."

She looked at the eldest brother and said, "However, I can give you a suggestion so that you can have someone to look after you on the estate."

"What's your plan? Tell me quickly," the leader realized the seriousness of the situation. "Who should I turn to?"

“Wang Zhiyong and Wang Zhiheng are back, right? Take some silver and wine and go visit them one by one. Say nice things and tell them that everyone in the village thinks they are loyal and righteous.”

"Last time they went to Wuquan Mountain in Jincheng, I gave them some silver. They will remember this favor. In the future, if you encounter any problems, go to them and keep in touch."

"Never be enthusiastic towards people you shouldn't be; keep your distance, understand?"

Song Chunxue earnestly and patiently gave the couple advice on everything, from what to say to people they met to what to wear and how to eat, emphasizing the importance of keeping a low profile.

There's no rush to relax a bit once everyone's lives have improved.

Last night, she discussed with her eldest son that when the children are older, they would go to the county to support their education and let them move to Zhuanglang County to live.

If the eldest son doesn't trust others to farm, he can frequently travel back and forth, since having grain in his hands is more important than money.

Xu Dahong prepared lunch, while Song Chunxue looked after the children and watched her eldest son feed the livestock and poultry outside, giving him instructions from time to time.

I don't know how much she took in, but Song Chunxue said everything she could, covering every detail and no matter how small.

In the afternoon, Song Chunxue specially brought some fine tea, snacks, and rock sugar to Li Mengchun's house.

She went to see Li Mengchun's father, asking him to ask his children and grandchildren to help their eldest son if he encountered any problems.

The old man already knew that someone had come to his door that morning. He was initially indifferent, until Song Chunxue took out a handful of silver melon seeds and handed them to him.

“Uncle Li, my eldest son is a bit naive, and I’m worried about leaving him alone on the estate. But I’m practically a monk now, and my heart is set on spiritual practice here; it’s hard for me to stop. I hope that if anything serious happens, you can offer him some advice and say a good word for him. Everyone on this estate supports you.”

Li Mengchun's father also had two sons, who, although living far away, were always very helpful. His nephews were also all reasonable people, one of whom was a scholar.

Li Mengchun's father is the eldest in the Li family. His second and third sons are very successful and have also left this remote mountain village. They often come back to visit their father.

The Li family is very united; even if only one person lends a helping hand, the eldest son's situation will be better.

She used to disdain doing these things, but now she does them with ease and without any burden.

Seeing the benefits, Old Man Li was very happy, his smile was impossible to hide, and he touched the silver melon seeds with great affection.

"Don't worry, since you've asked, and I've taken your benefits, everything's easy to discuss." He said cheerfully, "You little rascal, even in your old age, you still know how to give people benefits. It's true that cultivation makes a difference."

"Alas, it's a pity I'm too old. Only now do I realize that everyone comes to this world to cultivate themselves. It's too late."

He gripped his cane, his eyes clouded.

"You've had it tough, raising so many children and still managing to embark on the path of cultivation. It seems the higher-ups have chosen you." He said earnestly, "Don't worry, we'll have to rely on you in the future."

Song Chunxue smiled and offered him tea, saying, "You are very insightful, and your words carry weight."

She used to deeply resent the Li family's gossip; basically, all the rumors about her were spread by them.

In the summer, the whole family would sit under the apricot tree to cool off, chatting about this and that, and they would always find something to say about her, a widow with no one to help her.

Now, she doesn't care at all.

Everyone gets talked about behind their back, and she's no longer afraid of what people say. After all, she's no longer the Song Chunxue she used to be; she's no longer someone they can belittle at will, but rather someone they envy and are jealous of.

She didn't care.

Unexpectedly, Li Mengchun's father was very talkative and wouldn't let her leave, pressing her for details about her experiences over the years.

Whether it's Jincheng, Liangzhou, or the capital, he can say a few words about it, often mentioning historical figures.

Song Chunxue then learned that the old man had been a scholar in his youth, but his sons were of different lengths. Li Mengchun, who stayed by his side, married a shrew, ruining his lifelong reputation.

Before they knew it, they had been chatting happily, and Li Mengchun's father even invited Song Chunxue to stay for dinner.

"You must stay for this meal. I'll praise you after you eat here." Old Li winked at her. "She scolded you today. Let's see what she says now."

Song Chunxue understood that Old Man Li was referring to Li Mengchun's wife, and after weighing the options, she decided to stay and have dinner.

No matter how lawless Li Mengchun's wife was, she dared not disobey her highly respected father-in-law in the slightest.

After all, the moment he opened his mouth, his nephew and son's spittle could drown her.

If it weren't for Li Mengchun protecting her, she would have been dragged out and beaten to death by now.

Dinner was wontons.

There was hardly any meat, just a small amount of fried food and shredded radish. This was Li Mengchun's wife's true attitude towards her.

When eating dumplings, you have to be mindful of the situation. Li Mengchun's wife outwardly smiled at her and urged her to eat well, but in reality, she was telling her that if she knew what was good for her, she should leave on her own.