Chapter 42 Chocolate
Old Lady Wang now hated Lu Yao and the others to the core, but the pain from her fingers made her realize that if she wanted to avoid being bothered by those officers and soldiers who looked down on others, she had to stay away from those bastards.
Humph, let them be proud for a few days.
If she gets the chance...
There was a vicious glint in the old lady's eyes.
Another burst of delicious food wafted from the soldiers. It was the aroma of meat. Old Lady Wang swallowed her saliva and urged Shen Yulian and the others, "Are you ready yet? You're all taking so long, are you trying to starve me to death?"
The people busy around the fire looked at each other, their eyes revealing annoyance and impatience.
The eldest brother's severance of ties with the Shen family had more or less some impact on them. They didn't expect that after leaving the Shen family, his life would not become more difficult, but better, which made them envious.
I heard the old lady's angry curses, and something flashed through my heart.
Shen Yulian clenched her fists. No matter what the cost, she would leave the Shen family, a place that eats people without leaving any bones.
"You dead girl, did you hear that? Why are you still in a daze?" Old Lady Wang grabbed a stone and threw it at Shen Yulian: "Want to learn from those bastards? I'm telling you, no way!"
Shen Yulian dodged the stone, and Old Lady Wang was furious: "You two are trying to go against me, aren't you?"
"Mom, don't be angry," Wang Yalan comforted the old lady. "They've been used to a life of luxury for years. It's natural that they can't adapt to such a sudden change. They'll be fine after a while."
The old woman is becoming more and more arrogant and annoying. If she didn't have money on her, she would have wanted to dump him and live a simple life with her son.
"I have to teach this selfish thing a lesson, so that he won't learn bad things." Old Mrs. Wang signaled her not to worry, she was fine.
Shen Yulian ignored Old Lady Wang and moved a little further away from them.
She finally understood that as long as she stayed with the main force, these people were just cowards who looked strong but were weak inside, and would not dare to do anything to them openly.
Those people would only bully their weak and lowly "family members". As long as she was tough, they would be unable to do anything to her.
She took the cakes that had been distributed and sat with her mother at a distance. She then picked a large leaf, washed it by the stream, and rolled it into a cone shape, which she used to collect some water to take back.
"Mom, you can eat this with the bread." With water, it is not only not so dry, but also more filling.
Zhao Ruolan has not been in a very good condition these days. Even if she didn't help push the cart today, her body was a little overwhelmed. Shen Yulian felt sorry for her aunt and refused to let her do anything.
The Shen family will naturally not let them go. If they can't deal with those two stubborn guys who are born to rebel, how can they deal with these two bitches?
Unfortunately, Shen Yulian is no longer the pitiful little girl who dared not say or do anything. If she is forced into a corner, she will bite people.
Ignoring the cursing and rage of those people, he took his aunt to a place that was close to the officers and soldiers but a little distance away from them.
really,
The world is quiet.
Zhao Ruolan was originally worried that those people would not give up, but she did not expect that the problem could be solved so easily. Looking at her daughter who looked haggard because of worrying about her, something flashed in her eyes.
After lunch, the exiles took a short rest in the aroma of the officers and soldiers' barbecue. After they had packed up, they set off again.
I thought no one would cause any trouble this time, but unexpectedly something happened at the Shen family again.
It turned out that everyone was physically exhausted from pushing the cart all the way without eating or resting properly. Even though they had to push the cart again under the old lady's coercion, they almost overturned it because they did not have enough strength.
"What are you doing?" Old Mrs. Wang wiped the sweat from her son's forehead, feeling distressed. "If you can't even push a cart properly, what good are you?"
When the older people like Shen Yu and Chen Hui heard the old lady say this, they could only remain silent.
They didn't do it on purpose, so why would they say that? If you have the guts, just do it yourself!
They hadn't eaten or slept well these days and had to work in shackles, so they were now in a bad mood.
"Grandma, it's not that we don't want to, it's just that we don't have the strength." Chen Hui's voice was weak and he was still panting.
"He's tall and strong, but I think he just doesn't want to work!" Old Lady Wang didn't care: "The Shen family has raised them all for so many years, and in the end, they can't be relied on at all."
"Grandma, we were shackled and hungry, and we did our best to make it this far."
Chen Zhao didn't care who the other party was. Why should they be treated without any response even though they had put in the effort?
Everyone in the group said they had no strength left, but they had to hurry. Seeing the soldiers coming towards them, Old Lady Wang shuddered and unconsciously put her hand on the handle. "You guys are going to die, hurry up and help."
The old lady had already taken the lead, so how could Shen Yaoming and his mother, as well as Shen Shifu and his son, who had been shuffling around, remain calm? They all stepped forward to help, even occupying the positions of Shen Yu and Shen Hui.
Shen Yu, Shen Hui and others were surprised at how things turned out, but they were very happy in their hearts.
They imitated Shen Yaoming's previous pretense, putting their hands on the cart and pretending to be exerting great effort, but in fact they were supporting the cart to rest.
Shen Yaoming wanted to use the same trick again, but reality gave him a hard slap in the face.
What else can I do under the stare of officers and soldiers?
I had to push the cart honestly.
A light flashed in the eyes of Shen Yu, Chen Hui and others. They looked at each other, then quickly lowered their heads to hide the emotions on their faces.
They seemed to have found a way to resist these people...
—————————
Lu Yao and Rong Yanhui didn't even glance at the commotion at the Shen family's side. They walked in the group with their children, forming their own group.
Without the restraint of shackles, the two men would pick up the two children and let them rest when they saw they were tired.
Xiao Yunhao was a little embarrassed and said that he had grown up and could no longer be held by his parents, as this would damage his image.
No one knows a child better than his or her parents. How can Rong Yanhui and Lu Yao not guess their child's little thoughts?
Rong Yanhui didn't give him a chance to show off his strength and directly picked him up. Little Yunhao was afraid that his father was too tired, so he quickly pressed himself against his chest and put his arms around his neck, so that he would seem less heavy to a certain extent.
"What did Daddy and Mommy say before?" Rong Yanhui didn't forget to persuade the child. "You're just a kid. If you think too much, you won't grow taller. When Daddy and Mommy are old and need you to carry us, you'll be too short and lack the strength. Wouldn't that be very sad for us?"
“…”
Little Yunhao felt insulted. He puffed out his chest and said, "I'm sure I can grow very tall, taller than my father and even taller than my uncle."
Rong Yan replied with a smile: "Then you have to work hard."
The little guy nodded heavily, but didn't say anything about going downstairs and walking on his own.
Lu Yao also smiled and said, "Haohao, you have to work harder."
"Mom, I also want to grow tall and beat up the bad guys." Yueyue always remembered what happened that night. When she grew up and became strong, she would be able to protect her parents, and those bad guys would not dare to bully them anymore.
"Okay, our Yueyue and brother will grow tall and strong." Lu Yao coaxed with a smile.
"I don't want a strong one," Xiao Xinyue immediately refused, "I'm a girl."
This is how the old ladies in the village praised Tiedan, but Goudan said he was just fat and not good-looking.
"So our Yueyue loves beauty." Lu Yao kissed her on the cheek. "When we get there, mother will give Yueyue a nice hairstyle."
Little Xinyue was overjoyed, "Mom, when can we get there?"
Love of beauty is human nature, and little girls are no exception.
Lu Yao thought for a moment and said, "Probably the chirping of cicadas."
"How long will the cicadas last?" Little Xinyue couldn't remember and quickly asked for help: "Brother, do you know?"
"Cicadas are just cicadas. They appear when the weather gets hot," Yun Hao couldn't help but tease, "Silly sister."
"I'm not stupid," Xiao Xinyue retorted, "I'm a big, uh, big, big fish."
Haohao was confused: "Sister, what are you talking about?"
Yueyue hummed, "Yueyue is very smart."
Yun Hao said innocently: "But, but brother doesn't understand."
"Brother, stupid!"
Yun Hao: “…”
Lu Yao and Rong Yan couldn't help laughing as they watched the two children's interaction, but they were worried about the little one getting anxious, so they had to suppress their laughter and asked, "Did Yueyue want to tell her brother that you only look not very smart on the surface, but you are actually very capable?"
"Yeah," Xiao Xinyue nodded repeatedly, "Mom is so smart."
He actually knew what she was thinking.
"This is called 'great wisdom appears foolish'. It refers to a very wise person who, because he does not show his wisdom, appears foolish on the surface. It can also be called 'great wisdom appears foolish'."
Lu Yao explained it carefully to them, and she couldn't help but think of the math genius from a certain university. At the time, many platforms were pushing news about him, and netizens' comments were more amazing than the last. She remembered one of them very clearly:
[Looking at the photo I thought he looked like a fool, but after reading his profile, I'm sorry, I'm the fool.]
True geniuses focus on things that interest them and never care about the opinions and evaluations of the outside world. Perhaps this is why they can stand at the top.
The two children nodded to indicate that they had taken note.
Seeing how well-behaved they were, Lu Yao was so curious that she fumbled in the package for a while, took out a few black meatballs, fed them to the three of them one by one, and gave the last one to herself.
When the meatballs entered their mouths, the three of them's eyes lit up, but they tacitly didn't say anything.
"This is a pill my uncle prepared. He said taking one can replenish your energy when you're tired on the road," Lu Yao introduced in a low voice. "He asked someone to make this specifically. You have to buy it outside."
There were indeed no chocolate beans in this era.
As for the reveal? My uncle is in the capital, so far away, he's safe. By the time they get together again, so much time has passed, the two children will surely have forgotten it long ago.
She is really smart, Lu Yao thought proudly.
Rong Yan turned his gaze and watched Yao Mei coax the two children. His mouth was filled with a rich sweetness, smooth and tender, with a hint of bitterness that not only did not affect the taste, but made it even more wonderful. He held it in his mouth, waiting for it to slowly dissolve. As it spread to every part of his body, he felt as if something had been injected into him. The energy he had lost due to consumption slowly returned to his body, and he felt less tired.
"This is good stuff," he said.
Lu Yao nodded, moved closer to him and whispered to him what this thing was, what it was made of, and what effect it could have if eaten when exhausted. Rong Yanhui was amazed and couldn't help but sigh again and again, saying that world was really wonderful.
Lu Yao smiled proudly, that’s a must.
Unfortunately, the world has been destroyed and we can never go back to that time of beautiful memories.
And she couldn't go back.
Her gaze fell on the two children and her own man. She met the man's gaze with tenderness and affection, and could even see her own reflection in his eyes.
She thought that even if she could really go back, she would probably choose to stay here.
Unless they can be with me.
For her, home is where her lover and children are.
She used to often hear them talk about or see the phrase "falling in love with a city because of a person" on the Internet. At that time, she couldn't understand this feeling. Now, she probably understands the feelings of the person who said this.
Rong Yanhui sensed the change in the mood of the person next to him, and his eyes darkened. "Will you dream again in the future?"
Lu Yao was stunned for a moment when she heard the man's words, and couldn't help but laugh: "Some things require chance, the right time, the right place, and the right people. They can't just happen if you want them to."
"Then..." Rong Yanhui hesitated for a moment, "What if there is a chance that it can be realized?"
Lu Yao finally reacted and understood what the man meant. She rolled her eyes at him in annoyance and said, "What are you thinking about all day?"
"Your assumption is not valid." Seeing that the man was still worried, she was a little amused and said, "My hometown is where my heart is. Wherever you and the children are, that's where my home is."
"Really?" the man was delighted.
Lu Yao rolled her eyes again: "Fake!"
She finally understood that this man was just teasing her to hear something nice.
Rong Yanhui had a silly smile on his face. "I'm very happy." He tugged at Lu Yao's sleeve with his other hand. "Sister Yao, I'm really happy. So am I."
Xiao Yunhao listened to his parents flirting with each other with an expressionless face. Should he continue to pretend that he heard nothing or talk to his sister to show that his attention was not on them?
He is obviously just a six-year-old child, why does he have to endure so much o(╥﹏╥)o
The family of four carried nothing and were not burdened by shackles. They walked at the front of the exile team, and no one heard their interactions.
You know what, time flies by while we walk and talk.
Before the sun set, they finally arrived at the inn where they would rest for the night.
The area of this post station is similar to the previous one, but it is a bit shabby overall. However, for these exiled prisoners, it is already a very good treatment.
With yesterday's experience, they approached the post station and found a place to sit on the ground without the postman greeting them.
I was really exhausted after this day.
Lu Yao and Rong Yanhui were not burdened by shackles, and they had replenished their sugar, salt and energy during the journey, but now they were also very tired.
I don’t know what happened to the two children’s feet.
Lu Yao expressed her concerns to the two children, who were very well-behaved and sensible. They shook their heads, saying that today was much better than yesterday.
Well, it's better than yesterday, but it still hurts.
She rubbed the two children's heads distressedly and said, "Mom will take care of you later."
"Um."
"Um."
The two little ones nodded, and the pain was gone after their mother applied the medicine.
Unlike them who were living in harmony and caring for each other, the Shen family was on the verge of a huge quarrel.
Of course, this loud noise was an exaggeration. They no longer dared to challenge the authority of the officers and soldiers. Even when they were teaching their own family a lesson, they deliberately lowered their voices.
But in just one afternoon, the masters of the Shen family were exhausted.
Old Mrs. Wang only pushed it at the beginning and didn't help afterwards, but she was still very tired.
But she did not treat her illegitimate children any better because of this, nor did she feel that their lives were not easy.
In her opinion, these were not her family members, and it didn't matter to her what happened to them.
Old Lady Wang smacked her legs and waist while glaring fiercely at Shen Yu and the others who were also slumped on the ground: "Waste, useless things, you can't even push a cart properly."
If it weren't for these useless people, she and her son and grandson wouldn't be so exhausted.
Shen Yu said innocently, "Grandma, we were very strong." He stretched out his hands, his palms red and blistered. The shackles had rubbed the skin on his wrists, and there were traces of blood. "These are all caused by pushing the cart."
Shen Yu started the conversation, and the others also raised their hands, silently refuting her words and proving with facts that they were not lazy.
Mrs. Wang's heart was suddenly blocked by something. She patted her chest and said bitterly: "Well, you two have become more capable, and now it's only me, an old woman, who is annoying."
Everyone nodded silently in their hearts, it was extremely annoying.
"Grandma, don't get me wrong, we are all very filial to you."
Shen Yaoming was panting heavily and only recovered after a long rest. He tried to act more natural, and his smile was sincere. "Please rest for a while, and you will be able to finish your meal soon."
After a tiring afternoon, he no longer cared about the red tape. For him now, having a place to sit down and rest, a cup of water and a bowl of rice was everything.
Seeing her grandson like this, Old Lady Wang felt so distressed that she immediately took his hand and said, "Come on, grandma will take you to eat something good."
She doesn't have to wait for the food to be distributed. She can just spend money to prepare better things for her son and grandson now.
Seeing this, Shen Shifu and others stood up and followed.
I must eat more today, otherwise I won’t be able to make up for what I consumed.
As for the others, huh, none of them have worked as hard as her grandson, and yet they still want to eat well? They’re dreaming!
She's lucky enough not to have these people to settle accounts with.
For the rest, you’ll just have to hope for the best.
~~~~~~~
Soon, the postman brought dinner.
Today's dinner is finally not the same old black-faced steamed buns and porridge, but coarse grain steamed buns with a bowl of vegetable soup.
Well, it is called coarse grain steamed bun, but in fact it is a steamed bun made from various coarse grains mixed together. It tastes rough, but it is still enough to fill you up.
And that soup, it was really soup, there wasn't even a grain of rice in it.
Lu Yao and the others didn't complain at all. They smiled at them and thanked the postman who distributed the food. They ate seriously, but she quietly replaced the soup with a similar seaweed soup.
Perhaps it was because of their cooperation, or perhaps someone secretly told them something, the postmen treated their family better.
After dinner, he and I returned to the assigned room and stayed at the very edge as usual.
Lu Yao packed up her things, and Rong Yan went back to borrow a wooden basin from the postman, filled it with water, and worked with his wife to replace the clean water with saline solution.
Although they still walked a lot today, fortunately, they put on Band-Aids, so the blisters on the two children's feet were not as serious as yesterday. On the contrary, Lu Yao and Rong Yan had more blisters today than yesterday.
Looking at the children's little feet, the two finally felt relieved. They should pay more attention in the next few days and believe that they will recover soon.
Soak, remove shoes and socks, clean and disinfect, apply medicine, bandage...
Practice makes perfect.
After trying it the night before, Lu Yao became more skilled at doing these things today.
After they finished soaking their feet, the big brother next door asked them to borrow a wooden basin. Rong Yanhui still did not refuse, but today, she did not do it herself. Instead, she went to talk to the official who lent her the basin. After obtaining the other party's consent, she gave the wooden basin to this shy, oh no (according to Yaomei, this is social anxiety) timid and honest man.
The family of four finished cleaning and lay down on the bed to go to sleep.
Tomorrow, there is still a long way to go.
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