Liang Shuyan couldn't understand why her mother had changed so drastically. How could this be so different from her mother's personality?
Fleeing from famine wasn't scary. With the system's warning, she had already prepared everything she needed. She didn't have much to carry. Considering her mother-in-law's mobility issues, she specially bought a donkey cart from the system. This way, her mother-in-law and children could all ride on the donkey cart, which was much faster than an oxcart.
In the courtyard, the whole family, young and old, were carrying large and small bags, waiting for the old lady. Li Zheng and the others also stood at the door urging her: "Hey, Grandma Jin, this is no joke. If the flash flood comes, our whole village will be flooded. If you don't leave now, the whole village will be doomed!"
Zhao Erniu was anxious and hurriedly went out to say some nice things to Li Zheng: "Please wait a moment, my grandma doesn't want to leave no matter what, and my mother is trying to persuade her!"
Li Zheng waved his hand: "Alright, try to be as fast as you can, otherwise it will be too late to run!"
Liang Shuyan was puzzled by the old lady's behavior. In the courtyard, the whole family was waiting for her, but she was holding her trunk tightly and refused to leave. What should she do?
Just as the flash flood was about to engulf the village, the old woman left without saying a word.
"Mother, do you want our entire village to be buried with us? If we don't leave now, it will really be too late!"
Liang Shuyan couldn't just endure it like this. Even if she could wait, Li Zheng and the more than twenty households of villagers couldn't wait. She quickly entered the space. She wanted to find out why the old lady refused to leave.
Unexpectedly, because the old lady was reluctant to leave the old house and had feelings for the old man, if she really left, she probably wouldn't even have the chance to guard the old man's grave!
"This is the old woman's spirit causing trouble. Obviously, her spirit has taken control of my mother's mind. If we don't wake my mother up soon, this old woman's spirit will harm the people of this village sooner or later!"
Liang Shuyan shut down the system and shouted at the old lady, "Mother! What time is it? Didn't you want to treat the sick and save lives? Why are you thinking about my father-in-law's grave soil at this critical moment? Look, the flash flood will soon submerge our village, and the whole village is waiting for you!"
At this moment, the old woman suddenly opened her eyes: "There's a flood? Then, aren't we leaving?"
Liang Shuyan burst into tears of joy: "Mother, you were so worried about me!"
Without having time to say anything to the old lady, Liang Shuyan knew that it was the old lady's own spirit that was controlling her mother's mind, which was causing this.
As they stepped out of the courtyard, Jin Dashan and Jin Erniu saw the old lady come out and happily said, "Mom, my grandma is finally willing to leave!"
Li Zheng and his group couldn't get up, so they stood at the door and shouted, "If Old Lady Jin doesn't leave, we'll abandon your Jin family. After all, I can't risk the lives of dozens of villagers to wait for an old lady."
Li Lanfang cleared her throat: "Sorry to keep everyone waiting!"
Seeing that Liang Shuyan and her family had all come out, Li Zheng said, "In that case, let's hurry up and leave, or it will be too late!"
Erniu led the donkey over, drawing surprised looks from the crowd. Some people in the crowd began to discuss, "This donkey cart must cost at least ten taels of silver. Aunt Dashan, where did you get the silver to have a donkey cart?"
"That's true. Where did they get the money to buy that donkey cart?"
Aunt Liu chimed in from the side, "You guys don't know yet, they've been living a good life for a while now. The other night, I was filling the kang (heated brick bed) when I smelled the aroma of meat coming from her house. It's probably because this widow Jin has finally woken up and knows how to live frugally!"
Liang Shuyan naturally ignored this. She put the children on the donkey cart, which didn't have much stuff on it. Jin Dashan blushed and stepped forward, saying, "Mother, you, my grandmother, and the children can all ride on the cart. We don't have much stuff anyway, and the cart is just sitting idle."
Liang Shuyan thought to herself that Jin Dashan was treating her like a useless old woman. She frowned slightly and said, "No need. I'm still quite mobile and can walk easily. How about this, we'll take turns sitting for an hour, and whoever can't walk anymore can rest for an hour!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Liu quickly said, "Mother, does that mean everyone will get a turn?"
"certainly!"
Jin Erniu looked displeased: "What are you thinking? This donkey cart was prepared by Mother for Grandma. Mother doesn't even ride in it. Let's see which of you is shameless enough to squeeze into a cart with Grandma and the children?"
Jin Erniu's words shattered Liu's illusions instantly.
Jin Sanwang happily said, "Mother, don't we need someone to drive the carriage? Then Sanwang will be a free driver!"
Of the three Jin brothers, Jin Sanwang is the smartest. Look at what he said; Jin Dashan and Jin Erniu had no rebuttal. Jin Dashan spread his hands and laughed, "Alright, since only the third brother knows how to drive the carriage, then the third brother can drive."
They had just left the village when the floodwaters submerged the entire village!
Some elderly people in the group stood on the hillside and saw that their old houses, where they had lived for many years, had been flooded. They couldn't help but burst into tears. The scene was truly heartbreaking.
Li Zheng was somewhat at a loss. Seeing this scene, he kept wiping his eyes with his sleeve. After hesitating for a while, he said, "I can understand how you all feel. The old house where we have lived for so many years has been flooded all of a sudden. We have lost half of our life's memories. Fortunately, we are all safe!"
Old Liu, a villager, leaned on a cane and sighed, “Your generation can’t understand the feelings of our generation. When we first arrived in Guoshantun, there was only one family. We settled down here, raised children, and that’s how Guoshantun became what it is today. Back then, everyone ate together, worked together, and no one complained. If anyone had a problem, everyone would help out!”
As the oldest man in the village, Old Liu's words were based on fact. Thirty years ago, when it was still Guoshantun, he and his group fled famine here, raised children, and never expected that now, thirty years later, they would have to flee famine again. All those memories from thirty years ago vanished in an instant with the arrival of the flood!
Li Lanfang then picked up on Liu Laohan's topic: "That's right, I remember when we first arrived at Guoshantun, one night we were enjoying the cool air after dinner when a wolf rushed in. Everyone panicked. If it weren't for you and a few other men from the village helping to drive the wolf away, I... I'm afraid I would have been dead by now!"
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