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After all that commotion, it was now completely dark. Tang Yue and the other children walked ahead, while Lin Cuicui and Old Li followed behind. As they walked, Tang Yue explained the proper techniques for firing a gun to them.
As they spoke, each of them had been given a fully loaded gun.
This was the first time the three children had ever actually touched a real gun. The cold touch in their hands gave them a sense of security.
The children suppressed their excitement and fear of the unknown as they listened to Tang Yue's explanation.
Their home wasn't far from the mountain, and before long, the group passed the cowshed and headed up the mountain.
They didn't go deep into the mountains. Instead, Tang Yue took her family to the cave where Tang Nan and Tang Dong had been captured last time.
The cave was halfway up the mountain, on the other side. It was some distance from the village, although the gunfire could be heard. But it was much better than living in the village.
Before she even reached the vicinity of the cave, Tang Yue noticed someone following her. Without turning around, she peered out and was momentarily surprised.
She initially thought it was a spy sent by Xiao Rizi to keep an eye on her, but it turned out to be Lu Zhanheng, who lived in the cowshed.
Lu Zhanheng noticed something different about Daobei Village when the village chief gathered the villagers that night. Later, relying on his years of combat experience, he quietly blended into the crowd and overheard Tang Yue telling her about her family.
Lu Zhanheng never expected that Tang Yue's family had gone through so much, but such a family deserves even more respect.
Moreover, to avoid implicating the villagers, they refused to let anyone help them. However, Lu Zhanheng couldn't bear to watch this family perish, so after everyone else left, he hid near Tang Yue's house.
After that, she followed the family up the mountain. Tang Yue knew that Lu Zhanheng had come to protect them. She wanted to dissuade him, but given Lu Zhanheng's temperament, even though she hadn't known him much, she knew he wouldn't listen.
Rather than doing that, it's better to accept Uncle Lu's kindness openly and generously.
Parting the grass, the entrance to the cave was revealed. Tang Yue went in first. The cave wasn't very dry, but since it hadn't rained for the past two days, the situation was relatively normal.
"Come in, everyone."
Tang Yue had already taken out the kerosene lamp and matches, and the dim kerosene lamp illuminated the small space in the cave.
Old Li walked around the cave for a short while and, finding no poisonous snakes, insects, or rodents, felt much relieved.
Old Li picked out a few flat stones and was about to put them together. Tang Yue came over to stop him, "Grandpa, have you forgotten what skills I have?"
As they spoke, they placed two beds on either side of the cave. One was for Tang Yue and Lin Cuicui, and the other was the one Old Li usually slept on with his three brothers. Nothing on the beds had changed.
He took out a large piece of cloth he had just bought that day, cut two holes in each of his feet, and hung it along the protruding part of the cave wall, thus dividing the small cave into two rooms.
Old Li felt good. "It's getting late, let's get some rest. The spies might come over tonight."
"Okay, Grandpa, you should rest now."
But knowing that spies were coming to their house, how could any of them sleep? However, to reassure each other, neither of them made a sound while lying in bed.
Tang Yue knew everyone was awake, so she stopped pretending and got out of bed, walking out of the cave. About 200 meters down a small hollow, Lu Zhanheng was swatting mosquitoes off his body.
"Uncle Lu, what are you doing here?"
Unexpectedly, he was discovered by a little girl, and he stood up abruptly.
"What time is it? Why aren't you asleep yet?"
"A little kid like you won't grow tall if you don't sleep." These were Lu Zhanheng's thoughts to Tang Yue. He sensed that this little girl seemed particularly concerned about her height, and he absolutely couldn't say it aloud.
Tang Yue sighed, "Uncle Lu, you shouldn't have gotten involved. It's too dangerous."
Lu Zhanheng looked annoyed. "What are you saying? I don't understand. By the way, why are you still on the mountain in the middle of the night?"
Tang Yue didn't want to waste time arguing with him. "Uncle Lu, when the villagers came to my house today, I saw you at the very back."
The reason Tang Yue made the effort to check each person's information was that she wanted to remember the people who wanted to help her family that day.
After hearing Tang Yue's words, Lu Zhanheng knew he couldn't hide it any longer. He laid his cards on the table.
“Your whole family, old and young, how can you fight against spies? Don’t worry, I’ve dealt with those beasts a lot before, Uncle Lu will protect you.”
Tang Yue sighed, "Uncle Lu, you're in a bad situation right now, it's best if you don't get involved."
Lu Zhanheng only let out a "humph" through his nose!
Knowing she couldn't persuade him, Tang Yue stopped trying. She casually pulled a gun out of her pocket and handed it to Lu Zhanheng, along with a box of bullets.
Lu Zhanheng was shocked when he received the item. Putting everything else aside, just by touching the pistol, he knew that this was not something that China could make.
It wasn't the homemade guns that ordinary people had.
Lu Zhanheng stared at Tang Yue, "Little girl, where did you get this thing?"
Tang Yue shrugged. "Doesn't Uncle Lu know that those spies tried to assassinate us? Since we're here, we should leave something behind before we leave."
"So, this is?"
"Yes, just like you think. I got it from those spies."
Lu Zhanheng didn't know what to say. "You didn't hand it in?"
"Give it to whom?" Tang Yue pretended not to understand.
Lu Zhanheng didn't want to expose the young girl, but he seemed to understand Tang Yue's actions. The whole family was constantly in danger; how could he feel at ease if they didn't have something to protect themselves?
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