Chapter 24
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Seeing that Village Chief Hu was frightened, Old Madam Wang did not keep him in suspense. Instead, she said, “Village Chief, I think it’s better not to let too many people know about this.”
There was only so much beans here. It looked like a lot, but in fact, there was not much. When everyone found out, it was inevitable that they would want to ask for some.
A few days ago, when everyone lived in the cave, their family’s stock was basically finished.
That was meant to save everyone’s lives. There was no choice. It could be considered as repayment for helping them find Ah Yu.
Now that everyone had returned home one after another, even if the Wang Family was the reincarnation of Buddha, they should not continue to help the villagers.
Otherwise, they would have to starve to death.
Village Chief Hu pondered for a moment. “That’s reasonable. I won’t tell them—the villagers have been having a hard time these past few days, but they also know that you definitely haven’t had a good time either, so they won’t come to ask for it. If someone really does that, I won’t let them off!”
One could not keep asking for things just because someone was kind.
Even the kindest Old Master Hu did not really agree to everything.
As the saying went, help the desperate, not the poor.
“Village Chief, it’s not that I’m ruthless. Our family has a lot of people. Even if we eat these beans, it might only be able to last us for a few days.” Old Madam Wang sighed and said, “This thing looks good, and I don’t intend to eat it directly. When the snow melts for another two days, the path to town should be clear. At that time, I’ll borrow your donkey cart. I’ll get a few boys to bring this to exchange for some coarse grain. If we’re lucky and get more, we’ll distribute more to the village.”
Village Chief Hu waved his hand. “No need, no need. Now that the road is open, they’re probably going to exchange for food as well. It’s just that I don’t know how much they can exchange for. The winter was really bitter, so there might not be much food in town. Just keep it for yourself. Don’t think about helping people all day long. It’s not like they’re all old and sick. How can they starve to death?”
Village Chief Hu took one last look at the soybeans. They were really fresh and tender, and they looked especially good. He really wanted to ask for a stalk and exchange it for food. However, he was afraid that he would cause trouble for the Wang Family if he brought them back, so he did not ask.
Before he left, Little Ah Yu waved at him. “Grandpa Village Chief, take care!”
Village Chief Hu turned around and looked at the little kid who was smiling until her eyes curved into little crescents. His face was filled with wrinkles as well. He replied, “Aye, alright.”
After Village Chief Hu left, Old Madam Wang put Little Ah Yu down and let her sit at the side to play.
She walked forward and slapped Wang Chuanman on the shoulder. “What are you waiting for? Hurry up and carry the things back. You’re just like your father, a wooden stick!”
Old man Wang: “…” What does this have to do with me?
There were more than 20 soybean vines. Ah Yu went back and forth for almost four hours. The main reason was that the vines were very long and there were many bean pods. She had to go into the spatial pocket and work very hard to pluck them out.
Meatball wanted to train her, so it did not tell her that she did not have to pluck them herself. She could have gotten Meatball to help her finish the job instantly.
Ah Yu hugged the soybean vine with her small arms and used all her strength to pluck one.
Just like that, she plucked 20 stalks out. Little Ah Yu was about to cry. Because she remembered that they were for her mother and the others, she gritted her teeth and persevered.
Actually, she was very tired. When she returned, she still felt very tired.
But now, seeing the smiles on Grandma and Father’s faces, she became happy.
She suddenly felt that she was not tired at all!
The three adults carried the vines back to the courtyard and occupied nearly 20 square meters of land.
Madam Feng was cleaning the courtyard when she saw what they had brought back. She was dumbfounded. “What is this? Why does it look like soybeans—”
“These are soybeans!” Madam Zhang rushed out of the kitchen and grabbed a handful of soybeans. She peeled them and placed one in her mouth. “They’re so fresh and tender! Mother, where did you find them? This weather can actually grow such things?”
“Eat, eat, eat, just stuff everything into your mouth. It won’t poison you to death!” Old Madam Wang wanted to dig out the bean in Madam Zhang’s mouth. But Madam Zhang chewed and swallowed it.
Old Madam Wang :”…”
Madam Zhang: “Hehe, Mother, your daughter-in-law will serve you for the rest of her life. I’m very lucky. I won’t die from poison!”
The others returned one after another and were a little stunned to see the soybean vines in the courtyard.
As the farmers knew, soybeans only matured in October. It was only the first month of the year. Why were there soybeans already?
Old Madam Wang could not be bothered to explain to these people and told them to shut up.
Then, she asked everyone to pluck the pods. There was no need to peel them. They would bring them to the town to exchange for food in two days.
When they found out that they were going to exchange it for food, although everyone was greedy, they did not dare to say anything.
It was more important to fill the stomach.
The bean pods were plucked and placed into three large baskets. Everyone weighed them in their hands. There were probably more than 300 catties of beans, including the shells.
Old Madam Wang locked everything in the house. Then, she took out a pottery bowl and picked out ten bean pods. After thinking for a moment, she picked out five more and placed them in the bowl.
She handed the bowl to Madam Feng. “Take it out and grind some beans. Cook some soy milk for Ah Yu to drink. Also, make her a pancake from the bean dregs.”
Such a small bowl of food was naturally only enough for a child.
Old man Wang’s family had a small millstone. A few years ago, a few men in the family went to the mountains to carry stones and returned to slowly grind them.
It was not exquisite, but it was practical.
Madam Feng took the bowl and did not say anything. She immediately went to grind the beans.
Ah Yu stretched out her small hand and blocked in front of Madam Feng. She whispered, “Auntie, we have to eat with everyone. Ah Yu doesn’t like to eat alone.”
Grandma liked to make food for her alone, but it was only for her. There were fewer for other people.
Now, as long as she ate alone, she felt embarrassed.
Her brothers would definitely drool over her bowl again.
Madam Feng squatted down and looked at her with a smile. “These beans are good for your body. After drinking the soy milk and eating the bean paste biscuits, you’ll grow taller and prettier, just like your brothers.”
Little Ah Yu asked, “Then did they grow up after eating it?”
Madam Feng paused and said, “…Yes, we’ve all eaten it, so we’ve all grown up. Now, only Little Ah Yu hasn’t eaten it in our family, so I’m making this for you alone. I want you to grow up too.”
“Oh, I see.” Little Ah Yu came to a realization and nodded. “Then I’ll definitely eat well!”
If she grew up, she would be able to do more.
Wang Wulang listened at the side and swallowed his saliva.
He had drunk soy milk before. It was the year before last. There were new beans at home, and Grandma made tofu pudding generously.
Everyone received a pot of soy milk.
There was no taste at all, but they just felt that it was very fresh, so fresh that they wanted to swallow their tongues. Later on, after eating the tofu pudding, they felt that it was not as delicious as the soy milk.
Madam Feng’s movements were agile. Soon, she finished making the soy milk and baked a small cake with the bean dregs, placing it in front of Ah Yu.
Because she was the only one to drink it, the soy milk was not mixed with much water, and the taste was especially strong.
While Ah Yu drank soy milk, her brothers surrounded her and looked at her eagerly.
“Is it good?” Wang Wulang asked.
Little Ah Yu nodded.
“Is it sweet?” Wang Liulang asked.
Little Ah Yu shook her head and nodded.
It was a little sweet and bitter.
“Little Sister Ah Yu, when you’re done, can I clean up the bowl for you?” Wang Qilang planned to lick the bowl.
Little Ah Yu understood that her brothers were hungry.
But these were soy milk and bean cakes for her to grow tall. She had to grow taller too. She could not share them with her brothers.
Little Ah Yu thought for a moment. There was still some spirit water in the spatial pocket.
As Meatball screamed, Little Ah Yu ran back to the kitchen and shortly after, she brought out a bowl of spirit water.
She raised it in front of her brothers. “Ah Yu will drink the soy milk. Brothers, you drink the water! We’ll all grow taller!”
The brothers were speechless.
What could they do with this little sister? They could only dote on her.
However, what contradicted the scene of harmony of the Wang Family was the Shanyang Village two mountains away.
The village chief of Shanyang Village had a very sinister expression at this moment. In front of him were three crying men.
Tonight, one of their three families was going to sacrifice a child.
One of the men howled, “Village Chief, if you don’t help us, we really have no way out! My mother died of hunger and my wife was crushed to death by the snow. Our family only had one son in three generations. You know this. Our son can’t be replaced!”
The man beside him had bloodshot eyes as he shouted angrily, “Your son is your lifeblood, but isn’t our Ergou’s life important to us as well?! The snow has already melted and the path to town is about to be cleared. Can’t you all just tolerate for a while? Why do you have to eat our child! You’re heartless!”
Hearing the words “eat our child”, the expressions of everyone present changed.
The village chief of Shanyang Village slammed the table with a loud bang, causing everyone to tremble.
“Now you know how to feel heartache? Why didn’t you feel that earlier?! Other people’s children were sacrificed for you, but when it came to your family, you felt that your flesh hurt? You couldn’t take it anymore?! I’ve already said this before. You people can do things that even animals can’t! You can do the eating, but you can’t afford to sacrifice anything. Are you still men? Ah?!”
The village chief stomped his feet in anger. “What a sin! This is the sin that you placed upon yourselves!”
The men who had been silent all along suddenly looked up and said, “The government will investigate this matter, right? That day, the people from Hu Family Village came over and caught you in the act.”
The village chief said patiently, “There are people from their village in our village.”
They would not dare to report it to the officials. If they did, the people in their village would not have a good ending!
“But that day, that young man was not from their village. His skills were so good that he broke four of my brother’s ribs…”
If that person went out and leaked the news, they would not be able to get away with it.
Someone else said, “I heard that they recently picked up a child from outside their village…”
A child…
The eyes of the three men kneeling below turned cold.
A child that was picked up could not be closer to them than their own children.
“Village Chief, why don’t we—”
The village chief narrowed his eyes and recalled that Hu Family Village had only given them 50 catties of food. Their village had not even had enough for a single meal.
“To Hu Family Village!”