“Look at those kids…” Liu Dazhuang’s voice lowered, carrying a rare gentleness.
As everyone watched the children playing, a gentle yet bittersweet smile appeared on their faces.
Where there are children, there is hope.
Even the usually harsh Liu and Wang women, upon seeing those healthy and lively children, showed a hint of surprise and envy, their resentment fading.
"If only... if only this famine hadn't happened..." Old Wang murmured, but didn't finish his sentence.
Yes, if it weren't for this famine, their children and grandchildren would be playing and frolicking in the village without a care in the world.
This ordinary scene, at this time and place, has become the most luxurious and heartbreaking picture.
Many people's eyes welled up with tears as they watched.
The suffering of the past few days seemed to find an outlet at this moment, turning into silent heartache and longing for the peace of the past.
Jiang Chan also looked at the children.
Xiao Tao watched intently, her little hand unconsciously gripping Jiang Chan's fingers, her eyes filled with pure longing.
However, a chord in Jiang Chan's heart was gently touched for a moment.
Her face showed little emotion, only a deeper scrutiny.
The children's rosy cheeks, clean clothes, and carefree play—in a year of famine where the land was barren and corpses littered the fields?
In this heavily fortified and heavily guarded village?
It's so harmonious.
The harmony was eerily harmonious.
It's so harmonious...it doesn't seem real.
Her gaze swept over the jagged wooden spikes on the high walls, over the exceptionally clean village road, over the unchanging, overly enthusiastic smiles on the faces of Old Man Weng and the men around him, and finally settled on the innocent, playing children.
...
Old Man Weng led the people of Liushutun inside, introducing the place as he went, his smile unchanged.
"Fellow villagers, our Wengjia Village has been able to survive until now entirely thanks to the protection of the Mountain God." Old Man Weng pointed to the faint mountain shadows in the distance. "Therefore, there is a rule in the village that any guests who come to stay, if they are couples, must stay separately. They cannot share a room. This is out of respect for the Mountain God, so as not to offend the spirit."
A small commotion arose in the crowd.
Should the couple sleep separately?
Li Laosan and Wu Shi exchanged a glance, and Wu Shi's eyes showed some unease.
Liu Dazhuang and his wife also frowned.
Jiang Fu and Jiang Shou didn't care; they only cared about food and water.
Village Chief Chen quickly agreed, "We understand! When in Rome, do as the Romans do! Manager Weng's willingness to take us in is already a great favor; we understand these rules!"
He turned to the crowd and said, "Did everyone hear that? Couples live separately; it's their rule, so everyone should follow it!"
Old Wang nodded, "Yes, respecting the gods is a serious matter and cannot be taken lightly. The rules must be followed."
Although the others had some reservations and felt unsafe sleeping separately, they thought that as long as they had water to drink, a place to sleep, and the opportunity to exchange food, what were these small requests?
They all nodded in agreement:
"Yes, yes, that's right."
"Thank you for your help, Mr. Weng."
"Anywhere I can rest is fine!"
Smiles returned to everyone's faces, and their steps became lighter.
They got closer to the group of children playing.
The children are still playing house.
The little boy who was "preparing the food" just now is now holding the food together with his two little hands, making it into the shape of a bowl.
He handed the "bowl" to the other three children.
The three children took the "bowl" and tilted their heads back as if they were drinking water.
"Gulp, gulp..." One of the children even imitated the sound of swallowing.
After drinking the "water," the three children suddenly slumped to the ground, making "uh..." sounds, as if they had fainted.
The little boy holding the "bowl" grinned, revealing a gap in his mouth where he was missing a front tooth.
He squatted down, grabbed a child's ankle on the ground, and dragged him along forcefully until they reached the base of the wall.
The movements were very skillful and effortless.
"Oh my, look at them!" Aunt Zhao exclaimed. "These children are so sensible! They even know how to take care of the 'sick' person! So well-behaved!"
Several villagers nearby chimed in, echoing the sentiment:
"Yes, yes, that's clever!"
"Wengjia Village teaches well!"
"Look at that energy, how efficient he is!"
They just wanted to please the host and make them happy.
After all, we're living under someone else's roof.
Jiang Chan's brows furrowed slightly.
She watched the little boy drag the person away; his movements were swift and efficient, devoid of any tenderness in caring for a patient.
That looked more like dragging... goods?
A strange feeling flashed through her mind.
Just then, Aunt Zhao exclaimed loudly, "What a good child!"
The sound attracted the attention of the group of children.
They all raised their heads in unison, looking at the group of ragged, emaciated people from Liushutun.
One of the chubby little boys, his eyes wide open, suddenly pointed at the crowd and shouted excitedly in a clear, childlike voice:
"So many fat sheep! So many fat sheep today!"
The air froze instantly.
The younger villagers looked at each other blankly.
"A fat sheep? What are you talking about?"
"Is the kid just talking nonsense?"
Where are the sheep?
But the faces of Village Chief Chen, Li Laosan, Liu Dazhuang, Butcher Zhang, and several other elderly and knowledgeable villagers changed instantly.
Fat sheep?
Those who roam the streets and in bandit dens often refer to merchants and passersby who are about to be slaughtered as "fat sheep"!
How could such slang come out of the mouth of a child who is only a few years old?
The smile on Old Man Weng's face froze for a moment.
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