Ning Hao adjusted the orientation of the baby carrier straps on his back and quickly caught up with his nephew.

Several times I wanted to ask my nephew for help, but what came out of my mouth was, "Little Ka, are the things heavy? Do you want Uncle to help you carry some?"

Xiao Ka glanced up at his uncle, then quickly lowered his head again. "No need, I can handle the weight. Go see if my brother needs any help?"

After his brother and sister-in-law passed away, his nephew became increasingly indifferent, rarely speaking to him except when he initiated conversations.

Looking back at his wife who was glaring at him, Ning Hao could only stop and wait for his wife and children behind him.

After Captain Xiao finished talking with the people in front and stood by the roadside waiting for the rest of the group, Ning Hao quickly went over and asked, "Captain Xiao, how did it go?"

Captain Xiao looked at the man in front of him and said, "It's hopeless. They won't raise your child for free. Besides, if you raise the child well, he will be an asset to you in the future. It's not a loss for you."

Ning Hao said with a bitter face, "We know that too. The children will grow up in a few years. But you know how hard it is to find food these days. And for kids who are only a little over 30, their appetite is more frightening than that of adults. The family really can't afford it."

Captain Xiao said, "You know you can't afford this, so why should Pinghe Village take on this mess? Besides, the children are your family. How can you live with yourself abandoning them like this?"

Ning Hao put the things on his back on the ground and shook his numb arm. "They are so powerful. It's better for the child to stay with them than with us. I just want to find a way out for the child."

Captain Xiao looked at him with a half-smile, "You seem to have another son, right? Why don't you just say you'd abandon your own son?"

Feeling a little uncomfortable after Captain Xiao hit the nail on the head, Ning Hao braced himself and asked again, "Could you put in a good word for me? Xiao Ka is such a well-behaved kid."

Captain Xiao saw that the words were so clear, yet the person in front of him was still pretending to be confused. "You, as the uncle, treat your nephew like this? Do you think they would raise your child for no reason? If they really take him in, can you guarantee that the child will be treated well in the future?"

Ning Hao was stumped by his barrage of questions. Yes! As the child's own uncle, he was now considering abandoning the child due to various life circumstances. What about others? If they faced difficulties in life, would they take their anger out on the child?

Ning Hao gritted his teeth, hoisted the things off the ground onto his back, gave Captain Xiao an apologetic smile, and continued walking forward with his back hunched.

Captain Xiao watched as the others walked away before letting out a silent sigh. Ning Hao was already considered a relatively conscientious person; at least he had been taking care of his nephew for so many years. Although no one fed him properly, at least the child hadn't starved to death.

The journey that followed seemed to confirm their earlier suspicions. They walked for several days without encountering any villages or signs of human habitation. If it weren't for the dilapidated walls they came across, they would have had the illusion that they were in a deep jungle.

You might encounter some animals ahead, but the further you go, the fewer small animals you'll meet.

"It seems those animals haven't returned to this area yet, which is good news amidst the misfortune." During her rest, Yun Liping looked at the lush green grass around her and was now in the mood to appreciate the surrounding scenery.

Yunqi looked around. There used to be some buildings here, but they collapsed due to the earthquake, and with so much dust accumulating over such a long time, moss and weeds grew everywhere. "The drought here must have been quite severe before, otherwise there wouldn't be no one here."

Liu Yuqing walked over to Gangzi and asked him to help watch the fire.

After further conversation, everyone finally learned that Gangzi's full name was Zhou Yonggang, but he couldn't say his exact age, only that he should be over ten years old.

His grandmother had taught him some basic knowledge, but it was only some ancient poems and simple arithmetic. When he was asked to write a few words, he didn't even know how to hold a pen.

Because of life's experiences, coupled with the successive loss of his closest relatives, Gangzi is even more sensible than some adults. These past few days, he has been trying his best to help everyone and even trying to control his diet so as not to cause trouble for others.

Seeing such a sensible and self-disciplined child, everyone from Pinghe Village who came here liked him. They even threw some snacks they had at home into his arms every now and then. In just a few days, he filled the small backpack that Yunqi had prepared for him to the brim.

Because the child was so sensible, many people from the village who had accompanied him on this trip were tempted to take him into their own homes, whether as a son or a nephew, it would be a good choice.

"However, everyone should try to eat vegetarian food as much as possible in the days to come." Liu Yuqing glanced at the distance as she said this.

Yun Qi and Yun Liping both noticed her little gesture and covered their mouths, secretly laughing.

After so many days of showering her with attention, Wu Tianxi finally managed to break through Liu Yuqing's defenses and enter her heart. In the past few days, Liu Yuqing had been unconsciously paying attention to Wu Tianxi. They couldn't remember how many times they had seen Liu Yuqing looking in Wu Tianxi's direction.

Feeling the gazes directed at them, Wu Tianxi quickly handed over his work to his brothers and eagerly came over.

Gangzi, who was originally sitting by the fire, quickly stood up and moved closer to Yunqi and the others.

Gangzi's quick wit and quick thinking amused Yunqi and Yunliping, who laughed heartily. Gangzi, not understanding what they were laughing at, simply touched his newly shaved head and began clearing away the weeds around him.

Yun Qi whispered to Yun Liping, "It seems we'll have to prepare for another happy occasion when we get back. You've just acquired another niece-in-law."

Yun Liping said, "From now on, we should still address each other separately. Just thinking about Yuqing calling me 'aunt' gives me goosebumps. If she actually does call me that, I'll be in a terrible predicament."

Yun Qi was amused by her words, "Why don't you die comfortably? What kind of death is this? You should be content. You've gained a generation for nothing. You should be secretly happy."

Yun Liping immediately retorted, "If that's really the case, then you should also call me 'Auntie,' as if we're a generation older than Wu Tianxiang. You call him Brother Wu, so if we follow his line of succession, you should also call me 'Auntie.'"

Yun Qi had really forgotten about this matter. Yun Liping had married Wu Ge's uncle, who was a generation older than him.