Chapter 18: Begging for food is coming to your doorstep
On the way back, Zhao Xingshan kept complaining about the current prices.
"Xiang Yu, if you can't do it, don't try to be brave. Come, uncle will help you."
"No need, Uncle Xiang, I can do it alone," Xiang Yu walked in front of the group, his steps steady without even slipping.
The wind and snow obscured the figures of several people, leaving footprints of varying depths in the mountains.
The rice on his back was heavy. Xiang Yu thought of the couple who had just sold rice at a high price. There was always someone greedy for money.
"Dad, I've been watching the news recently and many people are saying that this heavy snow may last for a long time. If you have cash at home, buy some food now and stock up at home."
After hearing this, Xiang Yu turned his head and looked at Xiang Yi. Zhao Xingshan also agreed. These two people were quite far-sighted.
If you don't buy now, the price will go up later, and even after the riots start, the money will be just a piece of waste paper.
"Xiao Yu, do you want to join us later?"
"No need, Uncle Xiang. I've already bought some in the village. It's enough for me alone."
Xiang Yu refused directly. Now, half a month had passed, and the rice planted in the space had begun to bear ears. Look at those clusters of golden ears of wheat.
If the harvest is good, she will have enough food to eat for the next three years.
After walking through the snowdrifts, the few people looked at the car parked on the side of the road and put the purchased food in the car. They had to return to the rice shop next.
Xiang Yu did not follow them. After putting the rice in the car, he drove back to the village.
There was a roaring fire in the house. Xiang Yu took off his coat and sat by the fire. His nose, which had been red from the cold, gradually returned to normal.
After feeling much warmer, Xiang Yu stood up and wanted to turn on the light in the room. The switch made two clicks.
Xiang Yu looked up at the light bulb that didn't respond at all, and the next moment he immediately realized that the power was out.
Even the internet was out of service, and there was no signal at all when I turned on my phone.
Looking at the sky gradually getting darker, Xiang Yu took out the flashlight from the space and loaded the batteries.
He took out the kerosene lamp from the kitchen attic. The wick had become dim, so Xiang Yu rolled a new wick and put it in.
After the kerosene lamp was lit, the room suddenly became much brighter.
It was almost evening when Xiang Yu heard the sound of a car coming from next door. It should be Uncle Xiang and his family returning.
But after they returned to the village, waves of shrill cries were heard throughout the village.
Xiang Yu leaned on the sofa bed and listened carefully for a while, and found that the crying was almost all from women and children.
"My man went out with you guys, how come you are all fine, but he is like this? I don't care, you must be responsible."
"Dad, Dad, wake up," the cries of the two attracted most of the people in the village.
Xiang Yu listened to the crying and shouting outside the house, turned off the kerosene lamp, and lay on the sofa bed, listening quietly.
“Aunt Wang, are you being unreasonable? Your husband went out with us, but we separated after we arrived in town.”
"If he becomes like this, go ask Xiang Laoliu. He followed Xiang Laoliu."
Zhao Xingshan's voice rang out, and several people echoed him.
"I don't care. You all have to take responsibility for this matter. Otherwise, how will we, an orphan and a widow, survive?" the woman's voice suddenly became louder, as if she had found her backbone.
"Village chief, please give us your judgment..."
The incident lasted for several hours before it died down. The next morning when Xiang Yu was sweeping the snow, he learned about it from Xiang Cheng.
It turned out that Xiang Wu, who had gone to the town with them to buy things yesterday, was stabbed several times after leaving the mall. His body was covered in blood and he died.
After calling the police, all the roads were blocked and the police couldn't come at all. They were also busy investigating many cases recently and couldn't take care of Xiangjia Village.
Moreover, the supermarket's food supply schedule has changed, from Monday to Wednesday to only Monday.
If I miss Monday and there is no food at home, I will have to starve for a week.
Xiang Yu was not surprised by this. Even if the government had more grain reserves, it would not be enough to feed so many mouths.
And this is in a small town close to the countryside; the food supply in the city is probably even tighter.
As the recent snowstorms have become increasingly severe, the villagers who are clearing the snow have gradually begun to complain. At the beginning, only one person from each household could come to clear the snow.
There are only a dozen people here now. After the power outage yesterday, everyone in the village went to the back mountain carrying their backpacks.
There were originally eight people in their snow-clearing team, but now there are only four left. They worked until the evening to complete the work that could be completed by noon.
When they were about to leave in the evening, the village chief stopped them and said, "You don't have to continue clearing the snow tomorrow. Go back and have a good rest."
The village chief said helplessly that there was absolutely no other way at the moment as several surrounding villages and towns had lost power.
Moreover, the temperature has dropped a lot recently. After staying outside for a while, he felt that his body temperature was gradually dissipating.
With the shovel propped up in the snow, Xiang Yu saw from afar a figure standing in front of his yard. It was too far away to tell whether it was a man or a woman, but the figure looked a little thin.
When I got closer, I found that it was a woman, and she looked familiar. The woman heard the sound and turned her head to look at Xiang Yu.
"Xiang Yu, why are you back so late? I've been waiting for you for a long time," the woman's eyes and eyebrows looked somewhat similar to Xiang Yu. It was her mother Wu Yue, whom she had not contacted for a long time.
After the two divorced, Wu Yue abandoned Xiang Yu, who was still an infant, and married a man from the neighboring village.
Xiangjia Village is not far from that village, so it was not difficult for Wu Yue to know the news of her return.
Now Xiang Yu has grown up. It would be a lie to say that she doesn't hate them both. "Xiao Yu, you are also a woman. You should be able to understand your mother's decision..."
Wu Yue cried as she approached Xiang Yu, who took two steps back. "Ms. Wu Yue, I understand your decision. Just pursue your love bravely and don't bother me."
There is no such thing as a visit without a request, not to mention that for so many years they have been passing the buck when it comes to their responsibilities to her.
"If you have anything to say, just say it."
Wu Yue felt Xiang Yu was looking at her as if she were a stranger. Thinking of her son waiting for dinner at home, she didn't want to be polite with Xiang Yu anymore.
"Xiang Yu, after all, I was the one who gave birth to you. Now your brother hasn't eaten for two days. Didn't you go to town to buy food today? Give some to your brother."
She spoke in a righteous tone, as if Xiang Yu owed her money.
With a chuckle, Xiang Yu burst out laughing, "Auntie, who are you? You come to my doorstep to beg for food. Do I know you?"
Nineteen years, a full nineteen years, the village where Wu Yue married was only an hour's drive from Xiangjia Village, but she never said she would come to see me.
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