Dr. Zhang, standing to the side, also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
People who commit suicide, especially those who are determined not to live.
Reviving someone is the simplest step; the most difficult thing is getting someone who wants to die to want to live again.
It seems the three old men are alright now, so their efforts weren't in vain.
He quickly instructed Tao Hongying and the others, "Cook some rice porridge, it's easy to swallow, let the three of them have some to eat first, once their stomachs are full, they won't be so likely to think about the left."
Tao Hongying led a few women over quickly, took out the rice for the children, added water, and started cooking it.
Doctor Zhang gave Li Laosi another half-bottle of ointment, saying, "Apply it to their necks twice a day; it will help the swelling go down quickly. But it's best if they don't travel today; they need to rest."
Everyone nodded quickly, and then gently carried the old men to the straw mats in the middle of the camp.
The village chief and the other three old men breathed a sigh of relief, but their legs were too weak to move. They were helped to a group by Uncle Zhao and the others to rest.
Without the elders to lead the way, the able-bodied men of the village gathered together for the first time to discuss taking turns caring for Uncle Zhao and his two companions as they crossed the mountain.
Growth always begins when the person you rely on falls!
The elderly usually make the decisions, and the children just need to follow along and do their work.
The suicides of Uncle Zhao and his two brothers have made everyone realize that the elderly are just ordinary people, or even more vulnerable than they are.
At this moment, all the men tried their best to stand tall, shield themselves from the wind and rain, and protect the old and the young.
They were going to rest here for another day, so Li Laosan brought a few men and made several sleds.
It is larger and sturdier than the previous simple sled.
The wood, after being heated by fire, takes on a curved shape, making it easier to pull along and saving a lot of effort.
Not only can a few old men sit comfortably, but it's also no problem to put a few children in or carry some luggage baskets.
The old men drank their porridge, silently watching all this, tears falling into their bowls, happy and gratified.
Dr. Zhang sat to one side, clicking his tongue in envy.
"You guys are really ungrateful. With such good juniors, you should be trying to live a few more years, instead of hanging yourselves? If I had your kind of luck, I wouldn't be wandering around like this."
The village chief was close to the Li family and knew a bit about Doctor Zhang's background, which was why he had just seen him quickly bring his old brothers back to safety.
At this moment, he tried to persuade him to stay, saying, "That Dr. Zhang should stay in our village a little longer, it would be better if he stayed to retire."
Doctor Zhang waved his hand, "We'll talk about it later."
After saying that, he looked at the busy Li family members with a bitter expression.
Along the way, he still couldn't find out who the hidden master of the Li family was. Could it be that Young Master Ye really recovered without any medicine?
Jiayin sat among the old men, holding a small wooden horse in her hand, patting one here and touching another, trying her best to comfort them.
She had no idea that Doctor Zhang was secretly trying to expose her...
The boys, Jiaxi and Jia'an, stopped going out to play and stayed close to the old men.
This was a task given to them by their family: to watch over the old men and not give them any more opportunities to be alone...
The day passed especially quickly amidst everyone's busyness.
Uncle Zhao and his two companions ate and slept, then ate and slept again. They also applied medicine to their necks, and their complexions quickly improved.
At night, their snoring is deafening.
It was clear that he had put his mind at ease and slept soundly.
People of all ages breathed a long sigh of relief as they listened to the snoring.
Humans are not plants or trees; how can they be without feelings?
They didn't have much contact in the village before, but after the Li family moved here, they ate and drank together, fetched water together, patrolled the crops together, and even went on a journey to escape famine together.
The old men are never idle; they gather firewood, boil water, look after children, and keep watch at night.
They have long been an integral part of the group.
No matter what difficulties we encounter, it seems that with the old men around, we have a backbone, and it seems that the difficulties are not difficulties at all.
Because this family has both the elderly and the young, it is complete.
If the old men were gone, everyone would feel like a piece of their heart was missing.
And because of this missing piece, their unwavering sense of security is about to collapse...
Before dawn the next day, everyone was already getting ready.
Before the old men even woke up, breakfast was already prepared and the water had been boiled.
Daqing and the donkey were fed, and the luggage was tied to the sled.
The old men were a little unaccustomed to it; they sat around the fire eating and seemed somewhat at a loss.
Jiayin, carrying a bowl, walked unsteadily to the side, trying her best to share her salted egg yolks with the old men.
"Eat, I'll eat."
The old men could no longer hold back, and tears streamed down their faces.
The village chief wiped his eyes and laughed, scolding, "Useless old man, making a child worry about you, what a good-for-nothing!"
Uncle Zhao and the others wiped away their tears, glared at him fiercely, ate the egg yolk in large bites, drank the porridge, and then stood up briskly.
"You're the one who's useless! Back in the forest, who was bitten by a snake and screaming in terror? I was the one who carried you out!"
"Exactly, they only have one more leg than us now, what's there to be proud of?"
"Once you're in the woods, this is our territory. Don't expect your brothers to take care of you anymore!"
The three old men's voices were still a little hoarse, but their backs were ramrod straight.
It was rare to see the village chief make a fool of himself, so everyone burst into laughter.
Uncle Zhao and the others went over to thank Doctor Zhang, and then discussed that they should first collect herbs before heading into the mountains.
At least we need to make some insect and snake repellent. Otherwise, it's a little better near the mountains, but once we go deeper into the forest, even without tigers or wolves, mosquitoes alone can drive us crazy.
Doctor Zhang readily agreed. Considering that few people in the village knew medicine, he suggested selecting two bright young men to learn from.
The villagers were naturally delighted and began to discuss it amongst themselves.
After everyone finished eating, Uncle Zhao and the others tore strips of cloth from their tattered clothes and taught everyone to tie up their trouser legs and sleeves so that they could walk more easily and prevent mosquitoes and ants from getting in.
The little ones were bundled up as tightly as possible, and the boys were repeatedly told not to run around.
Follow instructions in all actions, including telling an adult when you need to urinate, and then go together.
With everyone working so hard, their spirits were high, and young and old alike were united as one, eager to carve through hundreds of miles of mountains as soon as possible.
With everything packed and ready, everyone gazed silently at the mountain before them, falling into silence.
The village chief took a deep breath, raised his fist, and shouted loudly.
"Let's set off, traverse the hundred-mile mountain range, and forge a path to survival!"
"Let's go! Let's go!" The old and young clenched their fists, shouting as if they were going to war, to embolden themselves and to declare their stubbornness in not bowing to fate!
Just as everyone took a step, before their feet even touched the ground, they suddenly heard someone cry out.
"Village chief, wait for us! We're with you, please take us with you!"
Everyone stared in astonishment, mouths agape, at the group stumbling towards them, their eyes filled with disgust and anger!
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