Chapter 45 Refugees
As we approached the twelfth lunar month, the snow fell heavier and heavier, and there was a trend of closing the village.
In order to prevent the villagers from being trapped, Su Changxi braved the wind and snow and went from house to house to recruit people to clear the snow.
The happiest people at this time are the children who have warm clothes. They can wear thick coats and roll around in the snow like balls. Those who are too poor to have clothes to wear can only lie in their quilts and listen enviously to the laughter and playing outside.
Han had prepared new thick coats for the whole family early on. Even before the New Year, Su Zhan and Su Ming couldn't wait to wear them out to show off.
Su Tai felt it was too cold and dry outside, so she huddled in the kitchen to warm herself by the fire, not wanting to move at all.
Unexpectedly, the two brothers came back in just fifteen minutes after they went out.
Su Tai poked her head out from under the stove, her eyes full of confusion, "Why are you back? Aren't there any children coming out?"
"No, sister. Many people died at the entrance of our village." Su Zhan looked solemn.
Su Ming was obviously frightened. He sat quietly next to Su Tai, leaning against her without saying a word, completely losing his usual toughness.
Su Tai's heart trembled, and she hugged Su Ming tightly to comfort him, patting his back repeatedly, "Whose family is missing?"
Su Zhan shook his head. "At the entrance of our village, they are dressed in rags, not like people from our village. Dad said they look like refugees, young and old, there should be some alive, I don't know what's going on."
Su Tai was in a heavy mood, worried that Su Ming would get a fever from the shock, so she quickly gave each of them a bowl of hot water with maltose in it.
“Sweet?”
The two brothers nodded in unison.
Su Tai smiled lovingly and patted their heads. "Sit over there and warm yourself by the fire. Help elder sister to burn firewood. I will make you some white flour cakes. We only have a little oil left. You should be quick. If parents come back, you won't be able to eat them."
Now the two brothers had no time to think about anything else. Their minds were full of white flour cakes and their saliva was almost flowing.
In order to divert their attention, Su Tai specially picked a cabbage from the Earth Time and Space, fried the cabbage, wrapped it in dough, and baked it into pancakes that were fragrant and delicious. Not to mention Su Zhan and Su Ming, even Su Tai herself couldn't stop eating it.
After taking another sip of the cabbage soup, the three of them ate so much that their stomachs were full and they were burping, but they kept savoring the taste.
Su Tai was afraid that they would get sick from eating too much, so she asked them to go into the house and play wooden cards.
The so-called wooden signs are thin wooden boards made by oneself, which are square and small, with flowers, plants, insects and birds engraved on them. Each person has eighty of them, which can be paired or played against each other. There are various ways to play with them, and they are specially used to kill time.
Su Tai played two games with them before Su Chunlin and Han came back.
She hurried out.
"Mom and Dad, there are some hot cakes and soup in the pot. Let's eat some first."
The couple rubbed their hands and followed Su Tai into the kitchen.
As soon as Han entered the room, she sighed and groaned, "What a sin! So many people died at once, I guess we have to report it to the county government."
Su Chunlin's face was solemn. "I don't know if those little ones can be saved."
Su Tai couldn't help but ask, "Dad and Mom, what's going on?"
Han thought that her daughter would be married next year and would no longer be a child, so she did not hide it and told her everything.
"Today, your father and his family went out to sweep the snow and found more than a dozen people in the thatched hut at the entrance of the village, both old and young. The four elderly ones were all dead, and there were two very young babies who could not be saved. The others were still alive and are temporarily living in our old house.
The village head is going to the town to find the town official and the doctor. My parents will have to go over to check on the situation soon. You stay home and keep the door closed."
Han looked so worried that she didn't even notice that she was eating white flour cakes.
Su Chunlin noticed it and looked at Su Tai in confusion. Su Tai did not look him in the eye, but turned and left the kitchen.
In the old house.
Su Chunlin and Han walked back and forth in the three rooms anxiously, fearing that someone had died.
Just at this moment, Liu Tiechui brought Doctor Li over.
Han hurried forward to greet them.
When Doctor Li was treating the patient, Liu Tiechui kept his lips pursed the whole time.
After Doctor Li came out, he asked anxiously, "How is it?"
Doctor Li lowered his eyes, his eyes full of compassion, "Poor them! They probably haven't eaten for several days, their bodies are in a bad condition, and they have been frozen in the ice and snow for so long, they are lucky to be alive. I prescribed medicine for them, and they need to be well taken care of during this period, hey."
Su Changfu took out a wallet and handed it over, "Doctor Li, please keep this money first. If it's not enough, tell me again."
Doctor Li pushed the money back and said, "I know these people are not from your village. You have done your best to take them in and help them find a doctor. I cannot accept this money."
Liu Tiechui nodded and said, "We don't know where they came from yet. We can only place them in Dongmen Village for the time being. Mayor Su, I'll leave these people to your care. I'll arrange for their medical treatment and medicine. We'll talk about everything after they wake up."
It's not that there are no refugees here, nor are there no families who are so poor that they can't survive. Before winter comes, these poor people will be resettled in the Ci'an Hall in the town or transferred to the county town. The county government will arrange jobs for them, provide food and cold-proof clothing to help them survive the cold winter. It is very rare to see so many people freezing to death on the roadside.
After Liu Tiechui and his group left, Su Changxi began to explain the situation door to door, hoping that everyone could share some food rations to help those in need.
Although the villagers had a hard time, they were still simple and kind, and saved a little from their own food rations.
Su Changxi ran for a whole day and saved up 100 kilograms of food.
Su Chunlin went back home.
After Su Tai knew the situation, she gave him ten kilograms of flour. "Dad, didn't you say we still have a child? The child has a weak spleen and stomach and can't eat anything too hard. You can take this flour with you first."
"Good girl!" Su Chunlin praised and rushed into the snow with food in his arms.
Under the care of the villagers, those people finally woke up one after another the next day.
The villagers who received the news ran over to take a look.
Su Ming insisted on going, so Su Tai had no choice but to accompany the two brothers.
The old house was already crowded with people, three layers inside and three layers outside. Because it was Su Tai's home, the villagers automatically made way for the three siblings when they saw them, and the three of them were able to enter the house smoothly.
The small main room was now as crowded as dumplings.
Su Changxi looked at the two reserved women, then at the skinny man, and asked slowly, "Where are you from?"
The man fell to his knees before he could say anything. "We are from Yangang County. We can't live like this anymore! Wuuuuuu! We can't live like this anymore!"
The two women burst into tears and grief.
The desperate cries were heard by everyone, and it felt as if a huge rock was pressing on their hearts.
Su Changxi quickly helped the man up and said, "It's nothing that you can't overcome. If you have anything to say, just get up and talk. Although our village is not rich, we can still help you."
"Thank you so much, benefactor." The man kowtowed to Su Changxi repeatedly.
The two women also knelt down and kowtowed.
The scene was in chaos.
(End of this chapter)
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