Good times always pass quickly.
The third year of famine finally arrived, and the cycle of four seasons became a two-season alternation.
The snow melted in late spring, and the hot summer arrived immediately.
The people did not expect any rain. No matter whether they prayed to the gods or offered sacrifices to the spirits, there was no sign of rain.
Seeing the well water level dropping rapidly again, people were frantically trying to store water.
Not to mention the stagnant water that had been sitting there for so long and smelled foul, the people fighting over it had no idea how many people had been killed or injured.
This time, the Mao family learned their lesson. When the water level in the well dropped again, they quietly cleaned it out every night. When some villagers remembered and wanted to come and grab the well again, they found that the well had dried up.
After living there for a few days, people gave up. Mao and his men quietly poured some more water into the well, hoping to draw out more water.
That day, even the village wells ran dry. Wen Xi's family, let alone Wen Xi's, was in trouble. The village chief, knowing this was doomed, mobilized the people to fetch water from the county, having heard that several wells there were still alive. Now under government control, each person could receive a bowl of water. So, every day before dawn, the village would organize a group to fetch water.
It might be okay when you go there, but the scorching sun when you come back makes you have to choose between dying of thirst or dying of sunburn.
So after a few days, some people gave up, preferring to wait for death at home or go to the woods, hoping to dig up some moist soil to hold in their mouths. Of course, the extremely hungry would eat it.
Every day, people died of thirst and hunger. Some died on the road, some died in bed, and some died in the woods with their mouths full of soil.
Some people who value friendship even shed their own blood to quench their family's thirst.
Seeing that the time was almost up, how could Wen Xi be willing to give up?
I looked back at my brother who had already fallen into a coma, and the others who were too thirsty to have any strength left.
There was still plenty of food at home, but no water. Wen Xi couldn't help but want to hit herself when she thought about it. Why didn't she cook all the food during the winter and store it in the coffin? What's the point of storing a coffin full of water? How much could she possibly store?
Now, how can I eat this dry flour? My mouth is dry, even my saliva is dry, and I choke to death when I eat it.
Wen Xi licked her lips, which were dry and bruised, and walked over to Mao, who was guarding her younger brother.
"Mom, I'll go with you to the county to get water tomorrow morning!"
Mao finally opened his eyes with difficulty:
"No, Qiangzi was robbed the day before yesterday. Look at how his legs were beaten. He can't even get out of bed now!"
Since we started going to the county to get water, Qiangzi has been the one who goes. Even though there's only a bowl of water, a few sips can keep a person alive.
I just didn't expect to be robbed the day before yesterday. Although several people discussed going to Ye Erniang for refuge. It happened to be in the county, so it was convenient to get water every day. However, the government did require that only one person from each village and each family could go to the city to get water.
Wen Xi said in embarrassment:
"Mom, we can't just wait to die!"
"Then I'll go. I'm the adult. I can't let you go. It's not safe. There are people out there who are eating people."
Wen Xi held down the agitated Mao:
"Mom, have you forgotten my secret? I can hide the water. And I'll follow the villagers when I go. I'll have my master escort me back. It just so happens that she hasn't been here for a long time, and I don't know if something happened. I might as well check on her."
Mao stared at Wen Xi blankly and murmured:
"Xi'er, you will definitely come back safely, right? If you... Mom will go with you." As she said this, she burst into tears.
The human body is truly strange. Even with such severe dehydration, it can still produce tears. Wen Xi looked at Mao's tears and couldn't help but lick her lips. So thirsty...
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