Her hesitation was noticed by the people behind her. An old woman hesitated and said, "Girl, don't you want to fetch water?"
Xiao Nan glanced back at her and handed the bucket to her.
The woman couldn't believe it at first, but then she came to her senses and hurriedly poured the water in the bucket into her own jar, fearing that someone else would snatch it away.
Xiao Nanhui wanted to speak up to remind him, but he remained silent.
If there is a way to find cleaner water, who would suffer here?
Xiao Nanhui took the barrel from the old woman and tossed it lightly. It landed hard on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust that made the two people at the well cough. When the dust cleared, they looked down and saw three broken barrels. When the man, axe in hand, angrily looked up to find the man who had just fetched water, there was no sign of Xiao Nanhui among the shriveled, withered figures.
******************
Most of the largest families in East City have now moved to West City. Only a family surnamed Tian is still holding on to their old nest, but it looks like they won't last more than a few months.
Wealthy families dug private wells in their courtyards, each requiring a substantial annual payment to the government. In the past, when the government still had some influence, unregistered private wells were strictly prohibited. But starting about a year ago, even the county magistrate fled with his family, and the city gradually descended into chaos. Wealthy families who could afford security managed to avoid disaster, but those who didn't react quickly were overrun by the water-starved mob. The few families with wells initially fought back desperately, but were eventually killed or wounded. Even those who survived became refugees within the city, constantly searching for water.
Panic spread throughout the eastern city of Suyan. The five original wells in the city were drained one after another, and it was difficult to draw water from the newly dug wells. When there was no rain for several months, the corpses of the dead refugees in the city piled up into mountains. If it were not for the dry weather, malaria would have broken out long ago.
Xiao Nan thought quickly in his mind and stretched out his arm to stop a woman.
The woman was just standing behind her in the queue and was the one who had given her some water. Now, seeing Xiao Nan coming back and stopping her, a look of fear involuntarily appeared on her face. She hugged the water jar tightly in her arms and stammered, unable to speak.
Xiao Nanhui knew what she was thinking and whispered, "I don't want your water."
The old woman was stunned. She really didn't know what this person who behaved strangely again and again was going to do, and she still didn't dare to get angry.
"How long have you lived in this East City?"
The old woman hesitated for a moment, then replied in a hoarse voice, "It has been there since birth."
Xiao Nanhui nodded. "I want to ask you something. There's a family in the city called Tian. Do you know where they are?"
The old woman raised her dull eyes, as if she didn't know why the other party asked, and only replied dully, "In the past, the big families all lived in the northwest of the city, probably at the intersection of Kuan Street and Miao Lane."
Xiao Nanhui nodded and turned to leave, but when he saw the water pitcher in the woman's hand, he couldn't help but say, "This water needs to be boiled before drinking."
The old woman didn't move, still staring at her blankly. Xiao Nanhui walked a long way out and looked back, but she was still standing there.
Xiao Nanhui sighed to himself, turned around and walked towards the northwest of the city.
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