Chapter 543 Extra: Abnormal Phenomena in the Mountains
"Who are you?" an old woman asked, peeking through the crack in the door.
He did not lower his guard when he saw a family of seven standing at his door, plus a horse-drawn carriage.
"Auntie, hello, we were sent by the town mayor." Lin Luoxi softened her tone when she saw the wariness in the old woman's eyes.
"Oh, then come in!" Upon hearing that the town mayor had sent people, the old woman lowered her eyes and pondered for a while before actually opening the door to let Lin Luoxi and her group into the courtyard.
"Auntie, where are your family members?" This yard is so big, surely there isn't just one old woman here!
Lin Luoxi and Xie Hanchuan looked around the courtyard and tentatively asked.
"Madam, my sons are home, busy in the kitchen," the old woman said to Lin Luoxi, her wrinkled face showing that she seemed to understand what Lin Luoxi meant.
"Mother, what is this?"
Inside the house, the eleven or twelve-year-old boy, who had heard the commotion, ran out and, upon seeing that there were guests in his home, looked shyly at his mother.
"This was sent by the town mayor. He's probably worried we won't make it through this cold weather..." The old woman's eyes softened with affection as she looked at her son.
"Oh, hello everyone. It just so happens to be our lunchtime. Why don't you stay and have a meal with us?"
After hearing what the old woman said, the old woman's son warmly invited Lin Luoxi and the others to stay for dinner.
"This, this isn't appropriate!" During times of great famine, no one is having an easy time, and Xie Hanchuan had no intention of eating at someone else's house.
“Great! We’ve been traveling all day and we’re thirsty and hungry.” Lin Luoxi looked towards the kitchen and agreed.
"Wife?" Xie Hanchuan didn't expect Lin Luoxi to agree to stay for dinner. He turned his head and glanced at Lin Luoxi beside him.
"Please wait a moment, everyone. I'll go in and see if my eldest son and the others have finished."
The old woman was surprised that Lin Luoxi would agree to stay for dinner. Thinking that there were hardly any grains of brown rice left in her own jar, she reluctantly walked towards the kitchen.
"Please, have a seat!" The young man didn't think too much about it, took out his own stools, and invited Lin Luoxi and the others to sit down.
"Hehe, okay, but I think your family doesn't have much food. Let's go up the mountain and see if we can hunt something."
Lin Luoxi said something to the boy, then led Xie Hanchuan toward the mountain at the entrance.
They told Xie Zhili and the others to wait for them to return at the old woman's house.
Lin Luoxi felt at ease leaving Xie Zhili and the others' skills at the old woman's house.
"Wife, why do you suddenly want to stay for dinner?" Xie Hanchuan asked with a puzzled look on his face as they walked.
"What? I just want to know how they managed to survive for more than four months of continuous heavy snow?"
Lin Luoxi was simply afraid that this family, relying on the young and strong laborers in the family, would survive this cold, snowy day by eating people like those murderers before.
"Hey, look, the rabbits and the silly roe deer are out..."
Xie Hanchuan was somewhat skeptical of what Lin Luoxi said, but his attention was quickly drawn to the rabbits and roe deer that rushed out.
Lacking suitable hunting tools, Xie Hanchuan broke off tree branches and shot them at the running rabbits.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..." The branches imbued with internal force pierced into the running rabbits and even hit a silly roe deer.
Watching Xie Hanchuan excitedly run off to retrieve his prey, Lin Luoxi frowned in deep thought.
Logically speaking, it's not yet springtime, when flowers are in bloom and snow is melting, so why have all these rabbits come out?
"Wife, let's go down the mountain and have them bring these rabbits over to eat." Although they hibernated in their burrows for four months, these rabbits were not thin at all; on the contrary, they were incredibly plump.
"Hmm!" Lin Luoxi's thoughts were interrupted by Xie Hanchuan, so she simply stopped thinking about it and followed Xie Hanchuan down the mountain.
"Oh, you're back. The meal is ready."
"Wow, you guys are so amazing! You actually managed to catch that cunning rabbit..."
When Ah Bao saw the five plump wild rabbits in Xie Hanchuan's hands, his eyes widened and he almost drooled.
Four months! They only get to taste minced meat once a month. Now that he sees so many plump rabbits, it's no wonder he's craving them, especially since they're still growing.
"Hey buddy, come over here and take these rabbits to be processed. We're having rabbit meat today."
Xie Hanchuan also noticed the boy's greedy look, glanced at Lin Luoxi, and then gave the rabbit and the silly roe deer in his hands to the boy, Ah Bao, to deal with.
The old woman who had called Lin Luoxi and Xie Hanchuan to dinner earlier became more sincere and less wary when she saw Xie Hanchuan give the prey to her third son to process.
"Ah Long and Ah Hu, there are so many wild game, just take three of them, and leave a few for our distinguished guests."
The old woman gave instructions, and upon hearing that there were rabbits, two boys around fifteen or sixteen years old ran out to help process the rabbit meat.
Lin Luoxi glanced at the two young men who had come out to help process the wild game. Their cotton-padded clothes were not thin and fit well, but their faces were sallow, probably because they hadn't had any oil or fat for the past three months.
"Auntie, it's alright. We were hungry at noon today, so we'll finish cooking everything and have a good meal together."
Hearing the polite old woman, Xie Hanchuan smiled and stepped forward to stop the boys who had chosen two rabbits and a silly spore.
I followed three teenagers and helped them process wild game.
"Auntie, your three sons are hardworking and good-looking. Do you have any potential marriage partners?"
Xie Hanchuan went to process the wild game, leaving Lin Luoxi alone. Lin Luoxi could only find a topic to chat with the old woman.
"Alas, in such a year of great disaster, it's good enough to just survive. As for marriage, I don't even dare to think about it."
"In order to survive, they pawned all their valuables to buy food and warm clothing..."
Fortunately, they were willing to spend the money to buy warm clothes. Otherwise, those who thought there wouldn't be much snow this year and didn't buy warm clothes would have frozen to death at home.
The old woman's face showed even more wrinkles when she talked about arranging marriages for her three sons.
"Indeed, no one has a good time during years of great disaster!"
"Oh, right, Auntie, we bought some warm clothing on our way here. Wait here, I'll go get it for you right away."
Lin Luoxi got into the carriage, took out warm cotton clothes and quilts, and carried them down to give to the old woman.
"Auntie, this is a small token of our appreciation." After saying that, Lin Luoxi handed the cotton-padded coat and quilt to the old woman.
"Well, thank you so much." The old woman hugged the warm cotton clothes and quilt, and finally a slight smile appeared on her face.
Xie Hanchuan and the three teenagers were also quick to process the wild game. In half an hour, the wild game was made into a spicy dish and served on the table.
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