"Alas, there was no other choice, so we’ll temporarily settle in the house within the valley for now."
"What a coincidence? We also plan to stay there tonight," Meng Shaode said enthusiastically.
"Come, brother, let's look out for each other on the way, and we'll make plans once we arrive."
Along the way, Uncle Wu and Meng Shaode chatted.
Ajiu gathered that this Uncle Wu was originally a constable from Guo County.
Therefore, he received official news much earlier than ordinary people in other regions.
However, he didn't flee with his own family first. Instead, he risked being labeled a rebel and notified everyone household by household. Thus, the people of Wu Village in Guo County were the first to receive news of the mutiny.
But, along the road, because his elderly mother was frail and his wife was pregnant and not in good health, they couldn't keep up with the main group from Wu Village.
Within two months, he was left behind. In Uncle Wu's own words, he woke up one morning and found the main group had disappeared.
Later, he encountered refugees from Xinghua Village. As his wife's pregnancy progressed and his elderly mother was a burden, he was abandoned again.
He was even beaten by a few strong men from Xinghua Village, who threatened to kill him if he followed them again.
Hearing this, Ajiu looked at Uncle Wu with sympathy, feeling too ashamed to admit that he was also from Xinghua Village for a while.
"I've also seen refugees. On the surface, they seem friendly, but in reality, as long as they have enough to eat, who cares about others?"
This was Xiao Yanyan's remark.
Clearly, he had also encountered such situations. It was only because he was homeless, had no one, and understood nothing that he was almost beaten to death with a hammer in the middle of the night to be eaten for meat.
It was a pity that he was unharmed, but the hammer broke.
"What this young brother says is very true," Uncle Wu quickly apologized, as if he had found a kindred spirit.
"Bah, people's hearts are truly dark. It's alright, brother, we'll be together from now on." Meng Shaode was filled with anger upon hearing this. He never expected people's hearts to be so thoroughly corrupted.
"Aren't you afraid that I, your younger brother, will be a burden?" Uncle Wu's eyes were filled with emotion. It was only by hiding in the mountains that he had managed to survive.
However, after eating loess for two days, he realized that it was inedible. In despair, he even thought of sacrificing himself to feed his family.
But he thought that if he died, his family would have even less hope. So, he just endured and lived on.
"We are both unfortunate souls. What burden or not? We'll live one day at a time. We'll worry about tomorrow when it comes," Meng Shaode said with a sweep of his broad arm, his tone full of magnanimity.
Around dusk, the group arrived at the houses nestled in the mountain hollow.
Ajiu noticed that the houses here were all made of wood and had high steps.
It was likely that there used to be water here, and the houses were built so high to prevent dampness.
The interiors were messy, and the roofs had many leaks. Most were two-room structures with pointed roofs and no courtyards.
It seemed her guess was right. The residents here had been forced to leave by the drought before they even heard the news of the mutiny.
"I'll go check if there's anything left in the kitchen."
Cai Lihua was also worried that the plucked wild pheasant would spoil in the hot afternoon sun.
So, she decided to cook anything useful to eat, and it wouldn't go bad.
"Who? Is that Da Lei?" The voice was very weak.
The people inside did not dare to open the door immediately, peeking out through the cracks in the wooden door.
"Madam, it's me. I've met good people."
Uncle Wu instantly washed away the gloom from his face, as if afraid his dejection would affect the woman.
With a creak, the door opened.
"You're finally back." The woman's face was sallow and yellow, more haggard than Ajiu had been after several days without food.
Ajiu immediately saw the disheveled woman. Her patched sleeves had some dried bloodstains, and she was so thin that her belly looked disproportionately large.
"Oh, sister-in-law, you're due to give birth soon, aren't you?" Meng Shaode said, looking anxious. Her arms and legs were as thin as bamboo poles, giving the impression that she couldn't support her large belly.
"You..." A flicker of fear flashed in the woman's eyes.
"We are from Xinghua Village. Don't worry, we..."
"Ah?"
Before Meng Shaode could finish speaking, the woman's already sallow face turned deathly pale, and her body went limp. She fainted from fright.
"Adi." The man rushed forward and carried the woman into the house.
Ajiu quickly followed them inside: Beep! The Spiritual Spring System Benevolence Program has been activated. Would you like to claim your newcomer gift package now?
"Who?" Ajiu exclaimed, startled, and looked around.