Tao Wanniang's kettle always emptied during the day and was full again at night. The family members were no longer surprised, since it was all given to them by their father underground.
After walking for three days, we finally emerged from the mountain valley and began to encounter more people in the outside world.
"Remember, don't show your food in public. You all need to be more careful, put away your useless sympathy, and put me first in everything."
"Also, keep all your weapons within easy reach. If anyone bullies us, we must fight back. Remember, kindness is often taken advantage of. In this world, you have to be ruthless to survive."
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Tao Wan's mother gave her son and daughter-in-law some instructions.
"Our destination is the provincial capital; we can't afford to be delayed on the way, understand?"
The four adults nodded hurriedly. They were really lucky to have Tao Wan's mother. Although they were fleeing famine, they had steamed buns, enough water, and meat to eat.
So much so that when they encountered people on the road who were so hungry they were gnawing on tree bark and eating clay, Tao Wanniang and her group seemed to be in much better spirits.
Although their clothes were worn out, their faces were clean and their lips were not chapped. Most importantly, they were able to bring three young children with them.
Children cannot go hungry, and if you have children with you, you must have food to eat. Therefore, Tao Wan's group of people were particularly eye-catching as they walked on the dirt road.
"Mom, I'm a little unsteady on my feet. Their eyes look like they want to eat me alive," Ling Dahu, who was pushing the cart, said in a low voice.
"What's the panic? Hang up the wolf's head! Remember, we are hunters from the mountains, we make our living by hunting!"
Tao Wanniang calmly said that she had anticipated this situation.
"You've all eaten and drunk your fill, why are you afraid of these starving, emaciated people?"
"You two brothers are really wasting your tall stature. Show some manly courage! Your wives and children need your protection!"
Tao Wanniang was very blunt, saying that the Ling brothers, despite their tall stature, were not very brave.
"Big sister, please have mercy and give me some food."
An old woman with a hunched back, leaning on a cane and carrying a broken bowl, approached Tao Wanniang's cart, her face pale and sickly.
"Get out of the way! We have elderly parents and young children to support, we don't have any extra food to give you!"
"Big sister, I call you big sister, look at me, my clothes can't even cover my arms, my pants are down to my knees, and look at this, look at this~"
Tao Wanniang tugged at her clothes, feigning misery, and said, "They're all holes, gnawed by rats. At least you have clothes without any holes. How dare you ask us for food?"
Tao Wanniang felt a pang of sadness. She was called "Auntie" by people in their twenties and "Big Sister" by people in their forties and fifties. How old did she think she was? She was only thirty-six!
The old woman was speechless after being directly confronted by Tao Wan's words. She subconsciously glanced at her own clothes and realized that they were indeed more presentable than the other woman's.
“Look at my eldest grandson. Do you know how old he is? He’s five years old, but look at him. His arms and legs are like tiny beans. He doesn’t look three years old at all. We are poor. Our children are so poor that they are barely alive. We really don’t have any extra food.”
Tao Wan's mother pulled over Gouwa, who was sitting on the cart with her, and started talking.
Ling Dahu, who was driving the carriage, was shocked. How could his mother talk such nonsense so matter-of-factly!
The old woman couldn't respond to Tao Wan's words for a moment. Looking at Gouwa, who was staring at her with wide eyes, she silently stepped aside.
Tao Wanniang was taken aback; she had thought of many more tragic and desperate scenarios.
The cart continued to be pushed. Tao Wanniang turned around and saw the old woman walking to the side of the road with her back bent, holding a little girl of about ten years old.
"Qiao'er, Grandma is not capable enough to walk any further. Let's walk a little more. Even if we need to sleep, let's find a place to sleep!"
"Grandma, Qiao'er isn't hungry, Qiao'er can walk~" The little girl's clothes seemed to float, and her face was so thin that she looked unrecognizable.
"Mom, why don't you give them a ride? They look so pitiful."
Before Tao Wanniang could agree, Ling Dahu had already stopped and was looking at her expectantly.
This damn sympathy!
Tao Wanniang glared at Ling Dahu. Which of these refugees wasn't pitiful?
"Go ahead and carry it. With just your mother, me, and your son, your legs are already weak from pushing the cart. If you add an old woman and a young girl, how can you still manage to push it?"
Tao Wanniang said sarcastically, "I'm not the one complaining about being tired!"
“Mother, I can do it.” Ling Dahu’s eyes lit up, and he winked at Wang Hongyu beside him.
Looking at the old man and the young man, Wang Hongyu felt a tightness in her chest. How could she not guess what her husband was thinking? If Ling Dahu hadn't been honest and kind, she wouldn't have married him in the first place!
"Mother, let's help as many as we can. If it's too much, I'll help push too," Wang Hongyu said, helping Ling Dahu.
"Ha!" Tao Wanniang sneered, without saying anything more.
But Tao Wan's lack of objection meant agreement, so Ling Dahu quickly called the old man and the young man over.
“Auntie, where are you going? We’re going to the provincial capital. Can we give you a ride?” Ling Dahu said directly.
Tao Wan's mother's teeth ached from hearing this. This silly son of hers! She immediately looked around and saw some people making a move.
"Go on, you silly boy! You're not afraid of getting tired, but I'm afraid of getting sunburned!"
Tao Wan's mother exclaimed, "This world is full of suffering! After gnawing on tree bark and eating clay, our bellies are bulging with hardness. When will this ever end!"
"Go, hurry up and get out of here. You two, don't crowd me and my grandson, or don't blame me for kicking you off the road."
"Thank you, thank you all!"
The old woman and her granddaughter were truly too weak to walk. They hadn't eaten for days, and she shamelessly begged for food, but in this world, who has extra rations?
"We're going to the provincial capital; my son is there. Thank you!"
"Sister, you said your son lives in the provincial capital. It's been a year and a half since the drought started, and they haven't come to pick you and your child up yet?"
Tao Wanniang spoke up, and her words were rather blunt.
"I'm not trying to be mean, but I think they don't want you over there!"
"You're talking nonsense! My dad wouldn't abandon me!"
The little girl was thin and bony, but had a fiery temper. Even when the old woman was holding her, she immediately retorted.
"Ha, little girl, you don't understand. Don't you understand, older sister?"
Tao Wan's mother wanted to teach her son and daughter-in-law to be more careful. The old woman and the young man looked pitiful, but what they said might not be true.
The old woman was silent for a while, then suddenly pulled Tao Wanniang's hand and handed her a hidden bracelet.
“Young lady, this sandalwood bracelet is something I got from a temple before, and it was blessed by a high monk.”
"You helped me and Qiao'er this time, and I have no way to repay you, so I'll give you this bracelet!"
Tao Wanniang didn't want it in the first place. On the way to escape famine, could the bracelet be eaten or drunk?
But when she saw the shiny bracelet, a thought suddenly struck her.
[Small-leaf sandalwood bracelet, three taels of silver, would you like to exchange?]
"Since you're so sincere, then fine, we'll treat you to a meal."
Tao Wanniang didn't immediately exchange the bracelet; she was satisfied as long as she knew it could be exchanged for three taels of silver.
"We still have some dried steamed buns on hand. We usually just soak them in water to drink. When we're in a secluded place, we'll give you some too. Life is tough these days, so let's help each other out if we can, right?"
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