Chapter 65: Saving Lives ◇

◎ It's been quite some time since we've seen that mother and son, hasn't it? ◇

The entire family didn't have a strong impression of Widow Zhao, to the point that even Grandma and Mrs. Chen asked in confusion, "Who is she? We've never heard of her."

Almost everyone in the village had come to the feast today, but no one had seen this person.

However, Yu Lian had a better memory and vaguely recalled her Second Uncle mentioning her before.

Aunt Mei immediately recounted what San Shu's wife had told her, adding, "They say that person is not someone to be trifled with. I'm afraid that if something happens, it might drag our family into trouble. That's why I thought I should tell you, Lian."

Yu Lian nodded, praising Aunt Mei for her attentiveness and consideration. Feeling somewhat pleased by the compliment from a younger generation, Aunt Mei was encouraged to continue, "People say that when things seem abnormal, there must be a reason behind it. For as long as our family has been here in Upper Village, we've never seen that mother and son, regardless of whether it was a major or minor event. Today, when we're hosting a feast, her son shows up alone, and not just anywhere, but specifically at the back door of the kitchen. That's what made me suspicious."

Yu Lian shared the same feeling. After pondering for a moment, she suggested, "It might be late, but I'm worried about potential trouble. If it's convenient for you, Father, could you gather a few villagers and go check on their house?"

Hua Zhan naturally agreed without hesitation. The twins also clamored, insisting they were little men now and wanted to join the trip. Hua Zhan didn't object and promptly set off with his twin sons.

Their home was situated by the river, a fair distance away from the village center. However, Hua Zhan was skilled in martial arts and moved swiftly. The twins lagged behind, shouting "Dad, wait for us!" amidst their excitement.

Hua Zhan turned around, each hand carrying one of his sons, hastening toward the village center.

Although he was a man of martial prowess, he was also thoughtful and considerate. Even with two sons by his side, he understood the importance of avoiding any semblance of impropriety. Realizing that Widow Zhao was a formidable figure with an abundance of controversies surrounding her, he took the precaution of enlisting several villagers along the way. Among them were the brothers Hua Sanshu and Hua Dashu, and as they passed by the village head's residence, he even called upon the Village Head to join their group.

The village chief made no mention of his conflict with the Hua Zhan family. Previously, due to the village school issue, the widow Zhao had caused a ruckus at his home, creating such a scene that she almost killed herself by banging her head at his doorstep. As a result, the village chief found the widow Zhao displeasing to the eye. In his heart, he didn't want to go, but as the leader of the village, it would be improper for him not to investigate if a villager was in trouble. What could he do if he didn't go himself?

She might as well send her second son along for the trip. That unfortunate son had worked for free at Hua Zhan's house for several days and now had the audacity to speak well of them – he was clearly siding with outsiders!

Hua Tongluo accompanied them, and as they were all grown men, they were joined by the widowed Zhao, who was an unmarried woman. Dashu and Sanshu, in turn, called upon their respective mothers and wives to come along, making for a lively procession heading to the widow Zhao's residence.

Though it was already dark, summer nights were not for early sleep, and most villagers had just finished their afternoon meal. They were lounging in their courtyards to escape the heat. Upon noticing the group approaching their gate, one of them hurried out to inquire about the matter.

Sanshu explained, "Today, the son of Widow Zhao spent some time in Uncle Mu's kitchen. Miss Yu Lian, out of concern, asked us to come over and check if everything was alright."

Some villagers found this peculiar. "Hasn't it been quite a while since we last saw that mother and son? Could something have truly happened?"

Lately, the village had been preoccupied with agricultural work, followed by the construction and land clearing for Yu Lian's family home. Consequently, not many had paid attention to her household.

Upon hearing this, many began to reflect and realized that indeed, they hadn't seen Widow Zhao for quite some time.

"Even if she avoids socializing, she still has to work, picking mushrooms and wild vegetables, weeding the fields, or washing clothes by the river. All these tasks require her to go out. So how come no one has seen her?"

The more they discussed, the more villagers felt that something was amiss. Though they didn't have a close relationship with the widow Zhao and their paths rarely crossed, they were all part of the same village. Besides, it wasn't easy for a widowed mother with an orphaned child. Their pace quickened, and a few more people joined them along the way, drawn by curiosity and concern.

The widow Zhao's house wasn't far, situated in the heart of the village. Upon arrival, Dashu's wife and his mother rushed to knock on the door, but after a while, there was no response, nor did anyone open up.

This raised alarm among the villagers. Suddenly, with a loud crash, Hua Zhan, sensing something was wrong, kicked the door open.

Everyone instinctively rushed inside.

The widow Zhao's husband had passed away early, followed by her in-laws. Her husband's relatives and siblings, having divided their properties, no longer cared about them and even tried to seize what little she had left, including the fields and houses her late husband had owned. Fortunately, the widow Zhao was not someone to be trifled with, and she managed to protect her possessions.

Her humble abode consisted of a small courtyard and house. After kicking open the gate, they entered the yard, and a few steps further led to the inner room. There was no separate kitchen; instead, the cooking stove stood right in the main hall, with pots, pans, and bowls haphazardly piled on a dilapidated wooden table. Not even a standalone cupboard could be found.

On one side should have been a dining table. Hua Zhan, observant as he was, gently touched the tabletop and discovered a thick layer of dust, indicating that no meals had been cooked here for days, at least not on this table or the stove.

The sight startled the villagers. The interior of the house was pitch black, devoid of life or light.

Dashu's wife was as courageous as any man, albeit impulsive. Sensing something amiss, she bravely ventured inward. To the left of the main hall were two separate rooms; one was occupied by Widow Zhao herself, while the larger one was for her son, who needed a quiet space to study.

Both Dashu's wife and Sanshu's wife knocked on the doors separately but received no response. They then decided to push them open and enter.

The inner rooms were equally pitch black, and for a moment, all they could hear was a faint, feeble cough from Widow Zhao's room. Her voice echoed, "Is that Tian'er? Tian'er...you're back?"

Only after lighting a fire torch did Dashu's wife step inside.

Upon entering, a pungent odor of dampness filled the air, exacerbated by the lack of ventilation in the room.

"Is that Sister Zhao?" Dashu's wife asked, "What's happened? Can you get up and speak?"

Moving closer, the torch illuminated Widow Zhao's face - deathly pale with a tinge of dark blue, a sight that startled Dashu's wife. She quickly asked, "What's going on? Are you ill? Why haven't you called a doctor?"

Hearing Dashu's wife's voice, villagers started trickling in. They saw Widow Zhao, emaciated and pale, clearly suffering from an illness for some time. Yet, despite her frail condition, her beloved son was nowhere to be seen attending to her.

Regardless of how much people disliked or criticized Widow Zhao, she had always doted on her only son, sparing no expense to provide for him, even working tirelessly to afford scholarly tools for his education. How could he not be at her bedside during her illness?

Annoyed, Dashu's wife asked, "Where is Hua Tianqu? Where has that boy gone? Leaving you to suffer like this?"

Widow Zhao coughed dryly, attempting to speak but failing to produce any sound for a long while. Feeling sorry for her, Dashu's wife hurriedly fetched a glass of water and helped her drink it. Only then did Widow Zhao regain her voice, speaking slowly, "Tian'er is a good child. When there was no food at home, he went out to find some. Later, he said he was going to the mountains to search for medicine for his mother..."

Her tears began to fall, and it was a wonder where a nearly dehydrated person found so many tears. They kept streaming down her face. "I couldn't persuade him, I couldn't persuade him... He's so young, where would he even look for medicine?"

Widow Zhao looked at everyone in the room. At such a weak moment, who cared about dignity? She pleaded with them, "Please, go and look for Tian'er... He's been gone for so long, hasn't returned. What time is it? Is it dark already? Please, help me..."

Sanshu's wife suddenly recalled the scene at Yu Lian's kitchen. The child had stood behind the kitchen, possibly planning to find something to eat for his sick mother. Upon returning and discovering that his mother was still ill, he must have decided to search for medicinal herbs for her.

"Where's the village's barefoot doctor?"

Widow Zhao didn't respond... Dashu's wife lit a firebrand and approached to shine it on her, only to realize that she had fainted from exhaustion. Touching her forehead, it felt scorching hot.

She immediately shouted, "Quick, save her first! Who can run fast and fetch the doctor? Dashu, you gather a few men and head up the mountain to look for Hua Tianqu. Inform Second Uncle and the village chief, ask them to mobilize the villagers."

It was already so late... A twelve-year-old boy, weak as a kitten, wandering alone in the mountains could encounter unimaginable dangers.

Although they hadn't seen any fierce beasts recently, there was no guarantee that one wouldn't appear in the middle of the night in the mountains, right?

Sanshu was swift on his feet. He immediately dashed off to the barefoot doctor's house. The village's doctor lived at the village entrance, next to Butcher Zhang's house. It wasn't too far or too close from the village center. If he ran quickly, he could reach there in half an hour.

By the time the village head arrived with the others, the barefoot doctor was being hastily carried on Sanshu's back, still clad in his pajamas with no time to change.

Sanshu pushed the man into the house, urging him to examine the patient promptly.

Outside in the yard, the village head stood with a somber expression, coordinating the village elders to search the mountains for the missing person. The advantage of a clan-based village became evident as everyone mobilized without complaint, even the typically idle Hua Sanduo and his companions. All were determined to locate the child swiftly.

The village head instructed, "Half of you go up the mountain to search, while the other half look around the village and the neighboring areas. Whoever finds them first, rush here to give the news. It's still early, we don't want this search dragging on until midnight; that would only complicate matters."

With the village head's orders, the elders sprang into action, scattering to search for the missing individual.

The barefoot doctor emerged, panting, and said, "You wait until the illness is critical before seeking a physician? This is not ideal. There's a particular ingredient missing from the treatment, and it might not even be available at the local pharmacy. We might have to venture to the county seat for it."