At this time, seeing a pomegranate was a treasure few could obtain, no matter how hard they tried.
Even so, Grandpa Niu still refused to agree.
"Child, you don't know, refugees are not allowed into the city. It's to prevent public anger. Think about it, ever since refugees came to the Nanming region, have there been few troubles? First, robbery and looting, then demons and monsters, so this rule was established."
The old man spoke with a troubled expression, but still glanced at the large pomegranate in the girl's hand.
He wanted to eat it, but he was a man with one foot in the grave, his waist buried in loess. Even if he starved to death, it would be a life well-lived.
But this pomegranate, like the watermelon, represented hope. He truly hoped that heaven would be kind and send a rain in his lifetime, so he could bury this hope in the soil again.
Then he could die with no regrets.
Thinking this, the old man tenderly adjusted the lamp wick, shielding it with his hands, preventing the outside wind from blowing on it, which would only hasten its burning. This was the last bit of oil.
"If Grandpa Niu says it can't be done, it's alright. I'll think of other ways. This pomegranate is still for Grandpa to eat."
A Jiu smiled and pressed the pomegranate into the old man's hands.
The old man took it and stared blankly at A Jiu, "Grandpa couldn't help you, and you're still giving it to Grandpa?"
"How did you not help me? If you hadn't taken us in, we might have been taken away by the soldiers tonight."
A Jiu couldn't let this simple old man bear any unnecessary burden. She smiled like a three-year-old child.
"You are a good child, grateful for kindness. If my granddaughter hadn't died, she would be about your age."
As he spoke, Grandpa Niu's eyes dimmed. He murmured, looking at the pomegranate in his hand:
"Back then, the mountains were full of pomegranates. She used to eat pomegranates without spitting out the seeds, ha ha."
He let out two dry laughs at the end, as if he could still see his granddaughter crunching on pomegranates.
Grandpa Niu also felt uncomfortable accepting favors, so he left the oil lamp for them:
"Afraid the two children might be scared when they go to the toilet at night, so I'll leave it for you. But it's the last of the oil, there won't be any more after this."
With that, the old man, trembling, took the pomegranate and went out, stumbling into the main room in the dark.
"Grandpa, wait." A Jiu chased after him.
"Something else?" Grandpa Niu turned and looked at A Jiu.
"Grandpa, do you have a stone mill?" A Jiu asked.
"Yes, every household has these things. In the early years, when we had bean harvests, we used them to press oil and make tofu."
Grandpa Niu seemed to recall his granddaughter, his words tinged with melancholy.
"That's perfect, Grandpa. I have more than half a bag of tea seeds, picked from the mountains along the way. If you don't mind, you can use them to press oil tomorrow. It can be eaten and used for lighting."
A Jiu had finally found the right person. She had been worrying about where to find a stone mill for her dried tea seeds.
"Tea seeds?"
"Yes, Grandpa, tea seeds. The kind used to press clear oil. The oil is yellowish-green and very bright."
A Jiu gestured excitedly.
"Good, good, good, that's wonderful. That's great." Grandpa Niu's face regained its smile:
"Tomorrow, Grandpa will stir-fry them and press the oil. But you can't tell anyone about this, it's easy to attract thieves."
Ah, this can't be said either. A Jiu thought about it, it made sense. In this day and age, let alone oil, people even fought over water.
"Jiu'er won't say."
Grandpa Niu went into the house and closed the door.
A Jiu could hear his voice.
"Old woman, I'm so old and I didn't expect to see watermelons again. Fortunately, we've never done anything with a guilty conscience in this life. Perhaps the heavens see my plight and sent a good girl to comfort me. Rest assured, over there.
Take good care of our granddaughter. In a few more years, this old man will join you."
A Jiu curiously peered through the crack in the door.
She found four spirit tablets placed on the wall of the main room. Grandpa Niu placed the pomegranate in front of one of them, muttering,
"Ya'er, eat. This is your favorite pomegranate."
The whole family is dead? A Jiu gasped, no wonder Grandpa Niu had so many rooms in his house, yet only he and Old Niu lived there.
"Girl Jiu'er."
Ma Junlan in the east room called her softly.
A Jiu entered the east room and closed the door. Ma Junlan then said with a worried frown,
"What should we do? If we can't get into the city tomorrow, do you have any other ideas?"