Everyone knows that meals will be provided at the construction site, so they don't bring much food on the way.
The number of cakes that Song Dekui took out was just right; it wasn't an over-bringing, but rather something specially prepared by the village head's wife.
He only put it in his son's satchel so that the group could share it on the road, fearing that Granny Gu would scold them again.
Song Zhenping rubbed his hands together, refusing to accept the gift, and said awkwardly, "I'm not hungry, thank you, Uncle Kui."
He lived in Xiaoshi Village until he was nineteen years old, and he rarely ate food from other people's homes. Firstly, if Granny Gu and the others found out that someone had given him food, not only would he be beaten and scolded, but the kind-hearted person would also be disturbed.
Secondly, having eaten and stayed at the village head's house had already caused trouble.
He and Xiao An usually eat two meals every three days, so they're used to this kind of hunger.
Song Dekui glared: "You didn't eat last night, and now we have to travel. Who will care if you faint from hunger while traveling?"
While Song Zhenping was still hesitating, Song Liyun had already taken the dry food: "Uncle Kui, I won't stand on ceremony. From now on, I'll treat you to the best restaurants, with plenty of good wine and food." She didn't mention the restaurant she owned in the county town.
To be honest, the original owner of this body had always done chores like washing dishes and ate leftovers. Even if it was a mixture of delicacies and seafood that had been heated together, it was still pretty much like pig swill.
Song Dekui was just saying it casually. When he heard that Song Liyun wanted to invite him to the best restaurant in the future, he chuckled and said, "Okay, I'll remember that. If it's inconvenient for you to go to a restaurant alone, then you'll have to have your nephew-in-law have a drink with me."
Song Liyun replied without hesitation, "Of course. If your nephew-in-law is unwilling, I'll pull his ear and send him away."
Song Zhenping was shocked and hurriedly looked around, afraid that if others heard Song Liyun saying such things, they would say that she, a young lady, did not know shame.
Song Dekui, however, laughed so hard his eyebrows flew up; he loved to talk nonsense.
He ran away to town to become a castrator because he felt stifled at home. Now that he heard Song Liyun not acting coy, it was exactly to his liking. If it weren't for the difference in their seniority and gender, he would have wanted to become sworn brothers with her.
With the cakes in hand, the four of them began to eat heartily, while Song Dekui casually tried to make Xiao An talk.
The child remained silent the whole time, leading Song Liyun to suspect that he had autism.
At other times, I would like to check it carefully.
She wasn't in the mood for that right now.
It's impossible to hide the fact that someone took all their belongings when they left.
At this point, the Song family should have discovered and reported it to the authorities, and he needed to leave immediately, find a place to change his identity and start a new life.
Without telling Song Li-yun and Song Zhen-ping, Song Li-yun used the excuse of escaping an arranged marriage while performing corvée labor to plunder the Song family and leave Xiao-shi Village, never intending to return.
According to Song Liyun's thinking, no matter what dynasty or era, no matter how strict the laws, there will always be some sparsely populated areas.
As long as he and his two brothers leave Xiaoshi Village and head into the mountains to avoid household registration management, they can live a comfortable life.
But plans can't keep up with changes. She didn't expect that Song Dekui would come to take care of her brother and sister after being instructed by Song Lizheng.
If I were to secretly abandon him and run away now, leaving another person to live in fear, it would be unreasonable and morally wrong.
As Song Liyun bit into the soft, sweet-smelling millet pancake, she wondered: When did I become so soft-hearted?
In the end times, you can leave whenever you want without any worries, but you've only been here a few days, how come you've changed your mind?
Never mind, this pancake is pretty good, let's eat our fill first.
There are hundreds of people on the road, and the authorities will definitely cause chaos if they try to find me. It's not too late to leave then.
Having figured this out, Song Liyun began to pay attention to the food in her mouth again.
This pancake was freshly made this morning. With her limited culinary knowledge honed in the apocalypse, she couldn't tell what kind of dough was inside. She only noticed that it was crispy on the outside and fragrant! So delicious!
None of them were delicate. Even the quiet Xiao An ate by stuffing his mouth and swallowing, finishing a millet cake in no time.
Feeling obligated to those who pay the bills, Song Liyun decided to mention that she wouldn't be returning to Xiaoshi Village.
If the three of them suddenly disappear, Song Dekui will be mentally prepared and won't have to report the case again.
Just as he was about to speak, he saw billowing dust coming from the direction of the county town, followed by exclamations and commotion.
Everyone stood up and looked in that direction. After only a few minutes, the noise grew louder and louder, and some people even started pointing and backing away.
Song Dekui couldn't stand a commotion, so he jumped up and ran ahead, not forgetting to check on his three siblings as he went: "Don't wander off, I'm going to see what's going on over there, I'll be right back!"
Song Liyun frowned, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart: it must be that Song Lao Er reported the case, and the county government was investigating people.
As soon as Song Dekui left, she whispered to Song Zhenping, "Brother, I think it's Song Defu who's come after us!"
Song Zhenping, who was still looking around, suddenly changed his expression: "Yun'er, hurry up and go to the county town to find the owner of that restaurant you used to work for. Beg him to take you in again. Don't go home."
Song Liyun couldn't help but roll her eyes; what he said was the same as saying nothing at all.
If it really is the county government arresting people, then going to the county town would be like walking into a trap.
Song Liyun shook her head and whispered, "We're all leaving. Brother, you and Xiao An can't go to do corvée labor. Let's go somewhere else. Even if I escape, Song Lao Er won't let you off the hook."
"Then, what should we do? Tell me!"
Song Zhenping wasn't stupid. After only a moment's hesitation, he gritted his teeth and agreed. If his second sister ran away from the wedding, he would definitely be punished if he went back.
He was also a nineteen-year-old young man, and hating constraints and yearning for freedom was in his nature.
From the moment Yun'er mentioned her idea of escaping marriage by performing corvée labor at the village head's house, Song Zhenping's world changed, as if it were the first ray of light shining into a dark prison.
Now, this light will give him a bright future.
Song Liyun leaned over and whispered quickly in his ear. Song Zhenping's eyes widened, and finally, he swallowed hard, his face showing difficulty: "Yun'er, this is...too difficult. I heard that they are checking travel permits and household registration books everywhere. If you are caught as a vagrant, you will go to jail!"
During the most difficult time in Xiaoshi Village, he thought about taking Xiao An and escaping into the deep mountains, but he never thought about becoming a refugee.
Now that my second sister is back, I can avoid the Xue family's marriage by performing my corvée labor.
In the future, the village head will separate his family from his second uncle's family, and they will clear land and sell firewood, so that they can make a living.
Being a refugee... that means there's no hope of ever getting ahead.
"It's either life or death, there's only this one path. You've heard the village head say that it's very difficult to relocate people; no village is willing to give its land to outsiders."
If we separate from the family and stay in Xiaoshi Village, what will my second uncle think? Will he and my stepmother let us off the hook? They'll come over every few days to cause trouble. Can Xiao An stand it?
Moreover, they are elders, so they can still control our marriage.
This time I'm marrying Master Xue, what if I marry you a fool next time? And Xiao An needs to grow up too, I can't keep running away from my wedding every time.
If we move to another place, at least we'll have a chance to survive.
Song Liyun, disguised as the wolf in sheep's clothing, began to patiently analyze the situation.
She believed that if Song Zhenping could readily accept running away from his marriage, he could also readily accept becoming a "vagrant."
Freedom is addictive; once you take the first step, you'll want more.
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