TSWPF -Chapter 74 Alarmed

Early the next morning, the villagers began to stir. Everyone carried large and small bundles on their backs, gathered their families, and assembled at the threshing ground. The village chief looked around but didn’t see Liu Zhimou and the others. Frowning, he sighed inwardly. It was a time for fleeing; he couldn’t control everything.

“Let’s go…” he shouted to the villagers, stepping ahead first. The villagers followed him, forming a long line as they moved out of the village.

Aunt Huang, however, hadn’t seen Li Qingling and the others and was worried. She had her husband take the children ahead first and followed afterward.

Before her husband could say anything, she slung a large bundle on her back and ran toward Li Qingling’s house.

“Xiaoling, are you home?”

Li Qingling, hearing Aunt Huang’s voice, hurried to open the door. Seeing her panting with the heavy bundle, she was surprised. “Aunt Huang, what’s happened? Shouldn’t everyone already be on the road? Why are you still here?”

Aunt Huang took a few deep breaths, leaned against the doorframe, and looked at Li Qingling. “We’re all about to leave. Why haven’t you packed yet?”

Li Qingling was moved inwardly, realizing Aunt Huang was worried about them. “Aunt Huang, you know our situation. If we were to really go along with the evacuation, anything could happen. It’s safer for us to stay. There might still be a chance.” With two small younger sisters at home, they couldn’t go along anyway.

Aunt Huang fell silent for a moment, thinking of Li Qingling’s family situation. “Alright then! I’ll go first. Be careful.” She turned to leave.

Li Qingling called out to her, ran back inside, and grabbed a pack of buns, handing them to Aunt Huang to eat along the way.

Aunt Huang pushed them away, saying she had food at home.

“Take them. I made plenty,” Li Qingling insisted, shoving the buns into her hands. “Be careful on the road. Eat quietly so no one can snatch your food.” Everyone was fleeing; food was scarce. If someone saw others with food, desperate and starving, they might try to steal it.

Aunt Huang nodded with reddened eyes, took the buns, and ran off.

Watching her leave, Li Qingling felt an inexplicable sadness. Would they ever meet again?

She sighed softly, closed the courtyard door, and went inside. Looking at the children, she asked, “Is everything packed?” They would also go to Song Mountain today.

The village had become empty. Staying any longer would make them too conspicuous. Leaving today was the best choice.

The children, sensing the serious atmosphere, nodded quietly.

Li Qingling nodded with satisfaction and began checking if anything was missing.

“So many things to pack. You can’t carry it all in one trip, right?” Liu Zhimou looked at her.

Li Qingling wanted to bring her chickens and rabbits to Song Mountain. So many of them—how could she carry everything at once?

“It’s fine. I’ll just make another trip,” she answered without turning back. She couldn’t bear to leave the animals behind. Bringing them to Song Mountain would allow them to be raised freely, and they could occasionally slaughter one for food.

Hearing this, Liu Zhimou felt uneasy letting her go back alone.

“No need. Just let the chickens roam here. Don’t bring them over. The bigger chickens and rabbits can all be slaughtered and preserved as salted meat for later.”

Li Qingling hesitated for a moment, frowning. They had already slaughtered most of the chickens and rabbits last night. Only a few remained. She had thought of slaughtering them all at once, but with the heat, the meat would spoil. That’s why she had left some alive, to be slaughtered as needed.

“No, let’s stick to the previous plan.” Knowing Liu Zhimou worried about her, she comforted him: “Don’t worry. Even if the King of Nanyan attacks, it won’t be that fast! We’re in such a remote place, maybe they won’t even reach us.”

Seeing Li Qingling’s stubbornness, Liu Zhimou didn’t say more but silently resolved to carry extra supplies when they left.

Li Qingling relaxed, stood up, and went to cook. After the meal, they would depart. Liu Zhimou helped as well.

The meal was hearty, with chicken and rabbit. Li Qingling urged the children to eat quickly; once done, they were ready to leave.

She fed Li Qingning some steamed egg pudding. Luckily, her younger sister could now eat solid food, no longer dependent on goat milk. Otherwise, she wouldn’t know what to do.

After eating and resting for half an hour, they prepared to leave for Song Mountain.

Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan each carried a younger sister, while Li Qingling and Liu Zhimou took clothes, food, and cooking pots.

Li Qingfeng looked around at the house they hadn’t lived in long, eyes red, choking up. “When can we come back?” he asked.

Li Qingling stroked his head. “After this disaster, we’ll return.”

Even as she spoke, her heart was uneasy. She didn’t know how long this disaster would last, or if they would survive.

Her mood grew heavy.

Seeing her like this, Liu Zhimou squeezed her hand firmly, silently promising he would stay by her side no matter what.

Li Qingling felt comforted and smiled at him. Locking the main gate, the family set off.

Avoiding the main road, they took remote paths. Walking and resting intermittently, it took them five full hours to reach Song Mountain.

Li Qingling breathed deeply and smiled—finally, hope appeared.

“Alright, we’re at Song Mountain. Let’s rest, eat a little, then head in.”

She put down their belongings, helped the children with their younger sisters, and said a few encouraging words.

The children were obedient and well-behaved, which pleased her.

“Sister, is Ah Huang here?” Liu Zhirou tugged at Li Qingling’s clothes, looking up with her small face.

Li Qingling crouched and kissed her cheek. “I don’t know. How about Rourou call for Ah Huang and see if he comes out?” Ah Huang sometimes disappeared for days, and she was used to it now.

Liu Zhirou shouted at the top of her lungs: “Ah Huang! Ah Huang! Are you here?” Her little voice echoed through the mountains.

Her throat dried with no sign of Ah Huang. She looked dejected. “Ah Huang isn’t here.”

Li Qingling patted her head, about to comfort her, when a tiger-like rour echoed.

Moments later, a familiar voice came rushing down the mountain. Liu Zhirou’s eyes lit up as she excitedly called for Ah Huang.

Ah Huang ran up, licked her face, making her giggle, then ran to greet others before returning, looking at Li Qingling with bright eyes.

Li Qingling hugged him. “We’re staying here now. You’ll have company.” She treated him like a child and explained everything.

Ah Huang seemed to understand, roaring happily.

At home, Li Qingling had forbidden him from roaring to avoid scaring the villagers. Here, on his territory, he could roar freely.

“All right, enough roaring. We’re tired. Let’s eat first, then head deeper into the forest,” Li Qingling said, patting Ah Huang’s head. She was done with dried food and wanted a proper meal. They had plenty of chicken and rabbit.

Li Qingling and Liu Zhimou cooperated and quickly prepared a meal.

The children’s mouths watered at the smell.

After eating only buns during the journey, they were starving. The aroma made their stomachs grumble.

“Come eat!” Li Qingling called, scooping some chicken and rabbit for Ah Huang.

Ah Huang only ate raw food in Song Mountain; when with them, he always ate cooked food.

They were all used to this.

After a satisfying meal and some rest, they continued deeper into the forest.

At the cave Li Qingling had found, she told the others to stay below while she went to inspect it. She feared wild animals might have entered.

Liu Zhimou warned her to be careful. She nodded, taking her bow and arrow. Entering the cave, it looked just as it had last time.

She checked the stored food—it hadn’t decreased. She finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Everything’s the same. Nothing’s changed. I’ll clean it up; you all come up later,” she said to Liu Zhimou and the others, then went inside.

Liu Zhimou stayed below with the children, letting Ah Huang watch them, and then climbed up to help.

Li Qingling smiled. The space was large enough for the whole family.

Seeing the stockpiled food in the corner, Liu Zhimou’s eyes widened. “You… secretly stored this much food?” They could survive the drought with this.

“Yes. We spent all the money at home.” She had painstakingly brought it all here. “You won’t blame me for spending it all, will you?”