Chapter 12 Mo An is critically ill
Molly didn't return until dark, but news came from the mountains that someone had been attacked by wild animals.
Under the eaves, Ji Hefeng lit a kerosene lamp and saw the brigade leader Zhao Weiguo and several villagers carrying five people down the mountain in succession on a makeshift stretcher made from a door panel.
"Has anyone seen Molly?" Ji Hefeng asked.
"Did your sister-in-law go to the mountains too?"
It was Zhao Xiaoyong who answered; Ji Hefeng had his leg broken by the wall because he was saving him.
Ji Hefeng hummed in agreement, his heart sinking.
Zhao Xiaoyong: "Which mountain did your sister-in-law go to?"
Ji Hefeng shook his head. "I don't know. What kind of wild beast did those people encounter?"
"It's a herd of wild boars. I heard there are more than a dozen of them, each with huge steel tusks, and their bristles are so sharp they could hurt a person." Zhao Xiaoyong was both frightened and excited.
That's all meat. If the brigade organizes a team to hunt wild boar in the mountains, won't they have meat to eat?
Were those people seriously injured?
"One of them had his stomach pierced, but the others weren't seriously injured. The captain arrived just in time; as soon as the hunting rifle fired, the wild boars ran away. Unfortunately, he missed."
Zhao Xiaoyong's words were full of longing for meat: "Brother Ji, I hope you're not injured. Brother Jian'an said you're a sharpshooter in the army, hitting the bullseye every time. If you were to hunt wild boars, you could definitely take them all down."
Ji Hefeng didn't hear what Zhao Xiaoyong said; his mind was filled with the image of Molly's hurried departure.
"I'm going to find her."
Ji Hefeng, leaning on his cane, headed into the darkness.
"Hey, Brother Ji, don't go!" Zhao Xiaoyong quickly took a few steps and grabbed Ji Hefeng's cane. "You can't go up the mountain like this. If you're worried, I'll go back and get a few people to go into the mountains with us to look for you."
"Who are you looking for?"
Molly emerged from the darkness, carrying a basket on her back and a bundle of kudzu weighing about twenty pounds in her arms.
"Molly!"
"sister in law?"
Molly huffed and puffed as she carried the things home. She didn't feel tired at all, but she had to pretend.
"What's that, sister-in-law? Let me help you." Zhao Xiaoyong took the kudzu root from Molly's hand and blurted out without thinking, "Sister-in-law, what are you doing digging up these tree roots?"
Could it be that the rumors are true, and that Brother Ji's wife not only has a problem with her left arm, but also has mental issues?
It's a pity that such a good man like Brother Ji has to marry such a woman.
"It's not a tree root, it's a kudzu root."
Ji Hefeng corrected him, and with one hand on his cane and the other holding a kerosene lamp, he moved closer to the kudzu root so that Zhao Xiaoyong could see it more clearly.
"Wow, it really is kudzu root! Where did you dig up such a big kudzu root?" Zhao Xiaoyong exclaimed excitedly, his eyes filled with envy.
Ji Hefeng: "In the mountains."
Zhao Xiaoyong was speechless and secretly rolled his eyes. Did he not know that they were in the mountains?
"I was just asking, I'm not going to steal my sister-in-law's things."
"We couldn't steal it, we dug it all up." Molly wasn't lying; she really did dig up all the kudzu roots underground, leaving only the vines.
"Sister-in-law is really lucky. There are so many kudzu roots, it must weigh over a hundred pounds, right?"
He could only lift that huge basket with all his might, and he couldn't understand how his sister-in-law, who was so petite, could carry it back.
A hundred or so pounds of kudzu root could last a couple of people for over twenty days if they ate four or five pounds a day. If they added wild vegetables, they could last two or three months without any problem.
This Molly isn't as useless as the rumors say.
Ji Hefeng was also taken aback when he heard the number of over 100 jin.
"I'm going to cook now. Is he going to stay for dinner?" Molly asked, referring to Zhao Xiaoyong.
"No, no need, I'm going home now." Zhao Xiaoyong said and ran off.
These days, eating at someone else's house is considered disgraceful.
For dinner, Molly ate three bowls of mixed grain and kudzu root porridge.
"Don't go into the mountains these next few days," Ji Hefeng said.
Molly: "Why?"
She also plans to go deeper into the mountains to find some wild fruits to dry.
"A herd of wild boars appeared in the mountains today, and five people from the brigade had to be carried out of the mountains."
"A herd of wild boars!"
Molly's eyes lit up.
"Yes, those wild beasts are probably returning one after another. From now on, we should go into the mountains in groups and not go deep into the mountains."
"Okay, I understand."
Was it his imagination? Why did he sense a perfunctory tone in his voice?
The next day, after Molly ate breakfast, she began washing and peeling the kudzu roots. Ji Hefeng helped her; while he couldn't do much else, peeling the roots while sitting in a chair was no problem for him.
Molly discovered that Ji Hefeng's hands were not only long, but also very dexterous; the kudzu root peels he cut were of uniform thickness, almost perfectly even.
Molly, on the other hand, was not as agile as Ji and Feng when it came to doing chores because she was missing three fingers.
Molly let Ji Hefeng do the peeling, and took charge of slicing the fruit herself, then dried the slices.
After all the kudzu root slices were finished, eleven winnowing baskets were full.
"We've run out of water, I'll go get some more." Molly picked up two buckets and went out.
"Can't you rest for a while?" Ji Hefeng murmured. Ever since Molly came to his place, she has been busy all the time except when she is sleeping. He has never heard her complain of being tired.
Molly was stopped before she could reach the river.
"Molly, Molly, I've finally found you!" Mo Honghong gasped for breath as she grabbed Molly.
Since returning from the town's health center that day, Molly hadn't seen Mo Honghong. Today, when they met again, Mo Honghong's big belly had disappeared, and the bruises on her face had faded considerably.
"Your brother is dying, please go and save him!"
Without exchanging pleasantries, Mo Honghong led Mo Li away.
Molly's bucket fell to the ground. She only had time to ask someone to take it back for her and tell Ji Hefeng that she was going to the Mo family brigade.
On the way, Mo Li learned from Mo Honghong that her younger brother Mo An had a high fever and was unconscious. Mo Gaofeng did not take Mo An to see a doctor. Mo An, with his feverish body, crawled out of the house and stopped Mo Ershu, who was passing by, asking him to come to Xiaonan Village to find his two older sisters.
"Uncle Mo is here too, but he went to the head of Xiaonan Village. I was lucky to run into you."
Molly was worried about her younger brother, so she quickened her pace, leaving Mo Honghong far behind.
Mo An has had a fever for three days. The first day it was a low-grade fever, the second day it was a high fever, and today it is a high fever again. The fever makes his whole body ache, and he has been confused and unconscious several times.
He woke up several times during the night and told Mo Gaofeng that he was sick, but Mo Gaofeng didn't care. He thought it was just a fever and he could get through it.
As a result, his fever worsened, and some experienced elders in the village said he wouldn't survive.
She and her sister had only been away from the Mo family brigade for a month, and now they're dying?
Molly was both anxious and angry, and her footsteps left an afterimage. If anyone saw her, they would probably be scared half to death.
It's nearly 20 miles, but Molly will arrive in less than half an hour.
After a month away, the Mo family seemed unchanged, except for being a little dirty and messy.
Molly kicked the door open and rushed into the room, where she immediately saw Mo An lying on the bed, barely breathing.
"Xiao An!"
Molly gasped, but the person on the bed remained motionless.
"Let's go to the health center."
Molly wrapped Mo An in the blanket, picked him up and carried him out.
"stop!"
Mo Gaofeng blocked Molly's path.
“Xiao An is sick, I need to take him to the clinic.”
“We don’t have the money to pay for his medical expenses. Besides, his illness is too serious; it’s incurable,” Mo Gaofeng said, frowning in disagreement.
Mo'an was his first son, and he naturally loved him when he was born. However, Mo'an was too weak and fell ill time and time again, costing the family too much money. If this continued, he would drag the family down.
He has another son, and he has to think about his other son.
"Get out of the way!"
Molly had a cold expression.
“I told you we have no money at home!” Mo Gaofeng’s face also turned cold.
"If you don't have it, I do; if you won't treat it, I will. From now on, I'll take care of him, and it has nothing to do with you!"
After saying that, Molly shoved Mo Gaofeng aside and left without looking back.
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