They were so exhausted they collapsed. I wonder how sick they are. I guess the two girls ran out in the middle of the night just to avoid being tortured.
However, Lin Xiu and Lin Zhu were still members of the Lin family, and it was impossible for them to escape from this family unless they got married or were sold.
Aunt Hua, who was holding Lin Zhu, sighed. The Lin family not only didn't care, they didn't even plan to look for her, and they didn't care about the little girl's life or death at all.
It was Lin Anniang, who was bedridden, who noticed that her daughter hadn't returned for a long time. Taking advantage of Aunt Hua passing by, she made a commotion in the house and asked her to look for the two children, which led to the scene of the villagers going out to search for them.
"You two brats, you actually know how to come back!" Old Mrs. Lin turned around and saw Lin Zhu's figure. She immediately widened her eyes and walked out with a stern face.
"What happened to Lin Xiu? Why did Aunt Hua bring her back? Did she do something indecent?"
"Pah! You old woman, are you poisoned?! You can't stand to see the third wife's daughter doing well? If Lin Xiu's reputation is ruined, neither of your eldest or second wife's daughters will escape!" Aunt Hua was so angry she almost jumped up.
The old lady was still somewhat unconvinced, but seeing her husband's warning look behind her, she shrank back a little.
"Grandma, you're not allowed to talk about my sister like that!"
"My sister went to the mountain god temple to pray to the mountain god goddess, and my mother will get better soon!"
Lin Zhu rushed out like a small cannonball, glaring angrily at the old lady with her wide, dark eyes.
To everyone's surprise, the old lady laughed, revealing her missing front tooth.
"You brats, you're praying to the Mountain Goddess? Where's there a Mountain God Temple around here?!"
The old lady had also fled here during the famine. She believed that she had lived in Linjia Village for so long, but she had never seen any mountain god temple.
Even if it really exists, it hasn't gained any fame over the years; it's just a dilapidated temple that nobody believes in!
Aunt Hua didn't know either. She had married into the village from the next village and the farthest she had ever been was the county town. How could she dare to go to a place like the deep mountains and forests?
Instead, Old Master Lin pondered for a moment and then nodded.
“There is indeed a mountain god temple on the highest barren mountain near us, but it was built a hundred years ago and hardly anyone worships it. I didn’t expect you two little girls to know so much.”
“Even if you go to pray to the mountain god, that’s no excuse for disappearing for two days without working. Put Lin Xiu down.”
Grandpa Lin's voice gradually became serious.
Just as everyone was hesitating, a series of heavy coughs came from a small, dilapidated room next door.
"Xiuer, Zhuer, is my daughter back?" Lin Anniang struggled to her feet, supporting herself against the wall as she took a step.
However, after lying down for so many days, she no longer had the strength she once had and collapsed to the ground.
Fortunately, the small, dilapidated house was quite cramped, and she only rolled over once before she saw the villagers at the door.
"Xiuer, Xiuer, what's wrong?"
Seeing her unconscious daughter, Lin Anniang panicked.
With her pale face and the flickering torches in the night, Lin Anniang looked like a female ghost emerging from the darkness, making even the old lady Lin shudder.
"You're not dead, what are you calling for? Who are you trying to scare?" the old woman said fiercely, patting her chest.
Aunt Hua was very quick-witted. She quickly took a few steps forward into the small, dilapidated house and placed the child in her arms on the only bed in the house.
The house was very dilapidated, with drafts coming through the corners of the walls, making the room seem even more eerie.
The villagers didn't dare linger and left quickly.
Lin Anniang gave a pale smile and weakly embraced her daughter.
Lin Zhu also gripped her mother's fingers tightly, her little face puffing up.
The old lady outside snorted and turned to go into the main room.
"Grandma, Grandma!" The little grandson's voice came from behind.
The old lady turned her head and looked at the boy gently: "My dear grandson, are you hungry? We'll have something to eat first, and tomorrow morning, Lin Xiu will cook for us, so you won't have to eat your mother's pig swill."
However, her little grandson climbed onto her lap and whispered, "Grandma, I saw the roast chicken!"
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