"Mother, it's not Shaokang's fault. It's this daughter-in-law's fault. Please eat a few bites."
Luo Xiuying, terrified, quickly apologized.
"Mother, didn't I come out of your womb? You're saying this wicked woman is starving you, doesn't she deserve a beating?" Saying that, he moved to kick her.
Wang Shi's eyes snapped open, looking as if she finally understood.
Before her foot could even extend, Wang Shi's wooden staff seized the opportunity and jabbed precisely at Meng Shaokang's groin.
In pain, Meng Shaokang immediately sat on the ground, breaking out in a cold sweat.
Luo Xiuying's hand trembled in fear, and the bowl overturned on the ground: "Mother, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'll make you a new one right away."
"You are so incompetent that you only know how to bully women. Having a son like you, I am too ashamed to show my face."
Wang Shi's voice was deep, not at all like a quarrelsome old woman, although her method was a bit vulgar.
A Jiu was also stunned, watching. What was Grandma thinking? Usually, she doted on her own son the most, and her daughter-in-law was practically nothing in her eyes.
As soon as these words were spoken, Luo Xiuying, who had just gotten up, was stunned and slowly turned to look at her mother-in-law.
Meng Shaokang stared blankly at his mother, his expression changing rapidly.
A Jiu noticed that everyone in the family seemed to be becoming so unusual.
"You, come here."
"Me?" A Jiu suddenly snapped back to reality, pointing at her own nose. If it weren't for the fact that Grandma had saved her yesterday, she wouldn't have had the courage to get close right now.
A Jiu cautiously shuffled closer to her, her large eyes sparkling with a radiant glow, her small mouth tightly pursed.
"Grandma, what is it?"
"Among this group of people, I only see you with a trace of spiritual energy. It seems you are a child with good roots. Tell me, have any spirit beasts appeared nearby?"
"Ah?" A Jiu's mouth opened wide, and she plopped down on the ground: "Grandma, what are spirit beasts?"
Wang Shi's eyes suddenly widened: "Hmm? You dare say you don't know? Yesterday, when I grabbed your wrist, I clearly felt traces of spiritual energy within you. How could you not know?"
"They've gone mad, more than half of this family has gone mad," Meng Shaokang muttered with trembling lips, as if he had experienced a terrifying nightmare.
"Speak quickly." Wang Shi suddenly grabbed A Jiu's wrist and pulled her closer:
"Could it be that you are also a high immortal descending to earth for tribulation?"
"Ah?" A Jiu had no time to be scared now. Wasn't Grandma possessed, she was clearly insane.
"Hey, hey, hey, Mother, what are you doing? Don't scare A Jiu."
Meng Shaode, having finished tidying up and seeing this scene, quickly stepped forward and pried away the hand holding A Jiu's wrist.
"Mother, don't worry, your son will pack up and set off immediately. When we get to Nanming, I will definitely find the best doctor for you. Please don't worry."
Saying that, he directly hoisted the small old lady onto the ox cart with his strong arms.
Wang Shi wasn't angry. She looked at her mount, a sigh escaping her lips. This mount had no spiritual energy, and with a look of utter despair, it tightly closed its eyes.
"A Jiu, pack up and let's go."
Meng Shaode busied himself, packing all the eating utensils from the cave into a basket and piling them onto the cart.
He arranged them to surround the old lady, leaving only half her shoulders and her head exposed.
He then made two gaps, stuffed Gou Dan and Shi Tou inside, and then drove the ox cart crookedly out of the mountains.
This time, A Jiu did not lag behind the group. She walked alongside the ox cart.
From time to time, she cast a side glance at her Grandma.
She had closed her eyes again, her hands resting at her sides, unseen, no longer holding the two grandchildren she once cherished as treasures.
She wondered if the spiritual energy she claimed to have was due to the spring water.