Chapter 16 People and Emotions
Tianbao can feel the confusion and depression at home, but cannot resonate with them.
She also didn't know what she would face next.
For her, it was probably that her family would take her to another place to continue living, and she would either live or die.
It doesn't matter.
The results make no difference.
If she could die, it would be exactly what she wanted.
This weather is really cold.
Without a house to shelter from the wind and snow, and without a brazier to keep warm, even though Tianbao was wearing a new coat and was held in the arms of an adult, his face was still frozen stiff and he was shivering.
Su Da and Su Er went to the government office to receive their exiles. The whole family took some simple luggage, put Old Man Su, Tian Bao, and the three kids on a wooden cart, and set off in silence.
Old Mrs. Su was the one in the family who seemed to be the quickest to calmly accept reality. Even so, when she turned her head and looked at her former home that was getting farther and farther away, she couldn't help but burst into tears.
Old man Su sat on the wooden cart holding Tianbao, staring blankly in the direction of home. He seemed to have aged ten years.
"Dad, Mom, the government won't send anyone to escort us personally. We have to get to Yongzhou by ourselves within the specified time limit, otherwise we will be punished." Su Da said in a muffled voice.
Old Lady Su nodded and said hoarsely, "Let's go."
Yongzhou is a thousand miles away from Dahuai Village. Apart from the dangerous journey, it would take them two months to get there if everything goes well.
The deadline given by the government was to arrive before March at the beginning of spring, so they did not have much time.
Walking along the muddy path in front of their house to the village entrance, the whole family was stunned when they saw the crowd waiting there.
He is the village chief of Dahuai Village and has dozens of villagers.
"Brother Su, sister." The village chief's surname was Guo, and he was a few years older than Old Man Su. He walked in front of the wooden cart and pulled out a small cloth bag from his bosom and stuffed it into Old Man Su's hand. "This village has never had such a big incident before. Don't take what the villagers said to heart. We don't really mean any harm. Now that you're gone, I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to meet again. This is a small token of our gratitude. We hope you... have a safe journey."
"Brother Guo, this won't do! Take the things back!" Old Man Su touched the cloth bag and found that it contained silver and money. He hurriedly wanted to take it back, but the village chief held his hand.
"Don't refuse at this time. Yongzhou is very far away, and you will need money on the road. Just let us do our best, okay?" The old village chief's voice gradually choked and his eyes turned red.
At this time, the villagers who were hesitating in the back also began to come up one after another. Some said nothing, while others said goodbye sadly in a few words. Everyone was carrying things in their hands and putting them on the wooden cart, and soon the wooden cart, which was not big to begin with, was filled to the brim.
There were still-warm steamed buns, jars of pickled vegetables, pancakes wrapped in oil paper, sun-dried wild game, freshly mended shoes, and specially sorted clean clothes, etc.
Even the chatterbox who had just had a huge argument with Old Lady Su came over and stuffed a bag of dried vegetables into Old Lady Su's hand. With red eyes, she grumbled, "Our family is so poor. I've searched the house thoroughly, and the only non-perishable items I can use are some dried vegetables that I dried in the sun after the winter. Take these with you. ... Just treat all the nonsense I said as shit and don't take it to heart. I'm not saying anything bad about you, but you also have a stubborn temper and don't give in. It's okay to argue with me, but you have to change your ways when you get there. If you meet a tough guy, you'll have to keep your head down."
Old Lady Su's throat was blocked, and she smiled through her tears, "Okay."
All the grudges and grudges are resolved at this moment.
After a simple farewell, the family continued on their journey. The Dahuai Village hidden under the white snow fell behind them and gradually disappeared from view.
"Dad, Mom, can we ever come back?" Su An and his two younger brothers clung to the back of the wooden cart, looking towards the direction of Dahuai Village and crying loudly.
"Yes, I will come back."
Having said that, adults know in their hearts that this is just a white lie to comfort children.
They will never come back in this life.
…
Dahuai Village belongs to Ningshui Town, Yuzhou.
Wulipo outside the north of the town is the only way to Yongzhou.
Liu Yuelan and He Daxiang's family members were waiting here to see them off.
The two young women burst into tears as they did not expect to see such a situation when meeting their relatives.
"We only learned about such a big thing after someone from Dahuai Village came to inform us. We were worried that we would miss you if we rushed to Dahuai Village, so we came here in advance to wait. We happened to run into the Liu brothers waiting here too." The people who came from the He family were the He father and mother, both of whom had red and swollen eyes from crying.
Mother He brought a large package and piled it onto the already overflowing wooden cart. "We don't have anything special at home, just a bag of cassava flour. It's edible, at least. Please don't be offended, in-laws... Daxiang, this damn girl is very carefree and naive. I know you're all good to her, so I'll have to ask you to continue to bear with her..."
He's mother was so choked up that she could hardly finish a few words.
He Daxiang looked at her parents, who were hunched over in thin, patched shorts standing in the cold wind, and cried so hard that she couldn't speak.
Old Lady Su stepped forward, took He Daxiang into her arms, and said in a trembling voice, "Don't worry, my dear parents-in-law. I will treat any daughter-in-law who marries into my family as my own daughters, no matter if it's Daxiang or Yuelan. Don't say anything unbelievable. Given our family's current situation, I'm very grateful that you still have the heart to come and see me off. It's my Su family that has implicated Daxiang and Yuelan."
"Mom, don't say that. I've never regretted marrying into the Su family!" He Daxiang wiped her tears. Liu Yuelan also stepped forward and said, "Since we're family, there's nothing wrong with getting involved. We can still live well in the border areas!"
The ones who came from the Liu family were Liu Yuelan’s elder and second brothers.
Seeing that their sister was determined to stand with the Su family, the two men suppressed what they were about to say.
The two of them also brought some things with them, including half a bag of charcoal they had made themselves, which was considered a precious item.
Before leaving, the eldest son of the Liu family quietly slipped a few dozen copper coins into Liu Yuelan's hand. "This is what the second son and I saved from doing odd jobs. Your sister-in-law doesn't know about it, so you can use it for emergencies. My parents weren't feeling well, so I didn't let them come. I originally wanted to take you home as a way out, but you're determined and won't listen to our advice... Go ahead. Don't worry about the family. The second son and I will take good care of them."
Finally, the two brothers even went to the front of the wooden cart and took a look at their niece whom they had never met before.
Tianbao also looked at them with his bright eyes.
Tianbao didn’t understand the pain of separation from loved ones, but she felt a little stuffy in her chest.
She doesn't seem to like seeing her grandparents and parents cry.
The wooden cart started moving again, and the wheels made a creaking sound as they rolled over the snow.
The people standing there watching gradually turned into small black dots and finally disappeared into the vast sky and earth.
The air remained heavy.
Tianbao turned his little head in the cradle, frowned for a moment, and then moved his little hands slightly.
The familiar thud of something falling to the ground made the Su family adults, who were walking forward with their heads down, freeze collectively.
Everyone slowly lowered their heads.
Sure enough, the familiar and beautiful pear fruits were rolling on the snow at my feet.
“…”
This scene inexplicably broke everyone's depression.
"Tianbao, my dear! Don't be naughty!"
"...Mom, doesn't this sound like our little ancestor is trying to cheer us up?"
"Is this something you can play with? What nonsense! Pick up the things!"
There was a commotion, and the depression that had been weighing on the Su family since noon disappeared briefly.
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