Chapter 216: Hunger

Chapter 216: Hunger

Aunt Guo responded, "Who's to blame? If you were nicer to your elder sister, would it be like this?"

Some nodded in agreement, while others felt Su Zhaodi was heartless for not helping her younger brother during such difficult times.

Xu Daniu and Su Laibao fell silent.

"Mom, I'm hungry."

"Mom, I'm hungry too."

Three children, thin as twigs, squatted on the ground, holding their bowls and crying out that they were hungry.

They had just eaten, but they were hungry again because the meal had no nutrition at all.

Xu Daniu's eyes brimmed with tears. What could she do about the hunger? She couldn't find a single grain of food. "If you're hungry, go back to sleep. It'll be better when you're asleep. Dazhu, take your younger siblings back home."

Dazhu obediently stood up and led his younger siblings home.

Aunt Guo sighed and tidied up before heading back as well.

When she got home, Su Gensheng told her about the package they had received from the military.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? It must be from Zhaodi!"

Aunt Guo hurriedly went to open the package.

"It's cornmeal, dried sweet potatoes, beans, and brown sugar! The couple was amazed at the sight of these items."

Su Gensheng said, "No wonder it's so heavy. I've heard things are rough in the cities, but Zhaodi still sent us food..."

Aunt Guo saw the letter buried underneath and said, "Quick, read what it says."

Su Gensheng opened it and read, then said, "Zhaodi said we should keep half of the food and give the other half to Su Laibao."

Aunt Guo, recalling what Xu Daniu had said at the communal dining hall, remarked, "She was talking bad about Zhaodi, but now the food has arrived. This food is precious nowadays! Zhaodi isn’t worried we’d keep it all for ourselves."

Su Gensheng glanced at her. "Would you keep it all?"

Aunt Guo stretched her neck. "I'm not that kind of person!"

"Exactly. Alright, let's divide it and send half to Su Laibao. When our days get better, we'll send some food back to Zhaodi's family. It's a great kindness for them to send us food during such times."

"I understand." Aunt Guo nodded and brought out the grain bags to divide the food.

As she divided it, she said, "I should have treated Zhaodi better. Taking her food now makes me feel guilty."

Su Gensheng sighed. "Our family can't help much anyway. Talking about it now won't change anything. We'll see what the future brings."

Aunt Guo quickly finished dividing the food, including half of the brown sugar.

This was a rare find; you couldn't even get it at the commune store anymore. Brown sugar was so scarce that you needed a note from the hospital to get it.

Due to malnutrition, many young girls and wives in the production team hadn't had their periods for months.

"This brown sugar should go to our youngest daughter. She's been weak since giving birth, and her lips are still pale. Let her use it to regain her strength."

Su Gensheng nodded. "You should take it to her tomorrow."

Aunt Guo tied the other half of the grain bag tightly and asked, "Are you going to deliver it, or should I?"

"We should go together. I'll also take the opportunity to do some ideological work with them. I'm afraid they'll finish the grain in just a few days after receiving it."

The couple slipped out into the night and headed towards the Su family's place.

At that time, not many people were moving around the village. Moving made you hungrier, so it was better to just sleep.

The couple didn't encounter anyone else along the way, and soon, they arrived at the Su family's house.

Just as they were about to knock, chaos erupted inside. "Younger sister, younger sister, what's wrong? Don't scare your mom!"

"What's happening? What's happening?"

Su Gensheng and his wife exchanged glances and quickly knocked on the door.

The one who opened the door was the elder son, tears streaming down his face. "Waaah... Uncle Team Leader!"

Su Gensheng asked urgently, "What's going on?"

"Younger sister is suffering from unbearable stomach pain."

Aunt Guo walked in. "Did she eat something she shouldn't have?"

The couple entered the bedroom, where Xiao Mei was lying on the bed, clutching her stomach and wailing in pain. Xu Daniu, holding her, was anxious.

Seeing Su Gensheng and Aunt Guo, Su Laibao grabbed at them like a drowning man reaching for a lifeline. "What should we do? Think of something, Team Leader!"

Aunt Guo brushed him aside, sat on the bed, and pressed down on Xiao Mei's rock-hard belly. "What on earth did she eat?"

Xu Daniu said nervously, "The same thing as us. We all ate at the canteen in the evening, and there was no other food at home."

The second son said, "She ate mud."

Xu Daniu glared at him. "Did you see it? Why didn't you stop her? That mud isn't edible. Eating too much will cause blockage, and she could die!"

The second son stepped back, crying. "We were hungry."

Children, unlike adults, couldn't control their hunger. When extremely hungry, they would even put mud in their mouths.

Aunt Guo lifted his shirt, and his belly was also swollen. "You ate it too."

The second son nodded.

Aunt Guo said, "Quickly give them water and find a way to make them excrete."

Xu Daniu, anxious, asked, "What if they can't excrete?"

"If they can't poop, you'll have to make them! Stick your fingers down their throats or poke their butts! If it really doesn't work, go to the clinic and get some laxatives."

Xiao Mei kept her mouth tightly shut, refusing to vomit. Xu Daniu, desperate, tried to pry open her mouth. "Open your mouth! Are you trying to drive me crazy?"

Seeing this, Aunt Guo snatched the bag of grain from Su Laibao's hand, opened it, and showed it to Xiao Mei. "See? Your aunt sent this grain for you. Get whatever's in your stomach out, either by puking or pooping, and your mom will give you some steamed buns and sweet red sugar water to drink."

Younger sister finally opened her mouth when she saw the food.

Xu Daniu's tears fell one by one—was it for the bag of grain, or for her own daughter?

Su Laibao reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of dried sweet potatoes. "It’s really from my sister!"

Aunt Guo shot him a glance. "You think I gave it to you?"

No way—I wouldn’t have given any even if we had some, especially now when no one has anything left.

Su Laibao shoved a piece of dried sweet potato into his mouth, then squatted down and sobbed, "My sister hasn’t forgotten us."

Su Gensheng kicked him. "Think of the kids first before stuffing your face!"

Su Laibao gave each of his two sons a piece of dried sweet potato.

"Eat when you’re hungry, but not too much!"

"We’re starving right now!"

After a lot of effort, Xu Daniu finally got the younger sister to vomit and pass some stool. Seeing that the younger sister's stomach no longer hurt, Su Gensheng addressed the family: "This bag of grain is crucial. Give the kids some every now and then, but don’t use it all up quickly. Stretch it out—it could last a long time. As you can see, the fall harvest looks uncertain. Things could get even tougher ahead."

Su Laibao: "My sister..."

Before he could say more, Aunt Guo cut in. "Your sister’s struggling too! Haven’t you heard that even city folks are going hungry? We can’t grow crops, so how do you think they’re managing? This food doesn’t just appear out of thin air! They saved it from their own mouths. Do you honestly think there’ll be more? You’re dreaming!"