The Daily Life of Farming and Raising Children in Ancient Mountain Residences

Chapter 169: Untitled (Insect)

The distance back to the cave wasn’t far, and the kitchen door was open during the day. Shen Ning had lit the fire, added water to the pot, and when she turned around, she saw Shen Jin and Shen Yin. She rushed out to greet them, seeing that they were as emaciated as Shen Tie. She craned her neck to look behind them.

Before she could ask about Tianya, the nearby Chen family had already come over after hearing the news. Seeing the emaciated Shen Jin and Shen Yin, they were stunned, barely able to recognize the brothers, who looked no better than those on the brink of death during the drought years.

Mrs. Chen opened her mouth but couldn’t find the words to speak.

Sang Luo handed Shen Jin and Shen Yin to the An Ning siblings. “Take Xiao Jin and Xiao Yin inside to sit down and give them some water to soothe their throats. I’ll go with Aunt Chen to see who else is coming.”

Shen An and Shen Ning nodded in agreement.

Sang Luo and the Chen family walked a few steps away, and they could still hear Shen Ning’s low voice as she led people to the cave. “It’s only been three months, how did you get like this? Didn’t Big Brother send you jerky? And didn’t Wen Yin’s father exchange grain for you? Where’s Tianya? Hasn’t she come down yet?”

Sang Luo sighed softly.

The Chen family looked back and saw that the children had already reached the cave entrance. Only then did Mrs. Chen quietly ask Sang Luo, “I heard from Lu Erlang that Qiyang County fell, and Xiao Jin’s three brothers came over. What about Shen San and Mrs. Li, and Tianya?”

Sang Luo shook her head. “I don’t know the specifics yet.”

…

When the Xu family members were being led down one by one with ropes by Shen Lie, the Shi family, Zhou family, and Lu family all arrived, running.

Concerned about the situation outside, they didn’t move from their spots, asking about it on the spot. Shopkeeper Xu explained the situation but, out of concern for the children, didn’t go into too much detail about the Shen family’s third branch, giving vague responses.

Only then did the people in the valley learn about the outside events.

That day was difficult for any family in the valley. The homes they were forced to abandon had truly fallen. Countless villages in Shili Village and Qiyang County had become ghost towns. When peace returned, how many could go back?

The fact that Shen Jin’s three brothers and the Xu family had survived was already a stroke of great luck. Many others, less fortunate, had either perished or were trapped in dire situations.

After the sorrow came relief. They were grateful to be safe in this small valley, having narrowly escaped disaster. Their loved ones had prepared early and taken refuge in the mountains.

For families like the Xu and Shen families, being able to rescue a few relatives was even more fortunate. Mrs. Xu, holding her son and daughter-in-law, and embracing her two grandsons, was both laughing and crying.

Living was all that mattered. Just being alive was better than anything else.

The old lady, upon hearing that her family was rescued by Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, wanted to bow and thank the two young men. Aunt Chen, quick to react, held her up immediately.

Those like Mrs. Gan, Shi Erlang wife, Feng Liuniang, and the Zhou mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, who had relatives outside, couldn’t help but ask Shen Lie and Chen Dashan about the situation in the mountains. Hearing that most people had retreated further in by the third or fourth day, they finally felt at ease.

Shi Erlang said, “Then won’t it be harder for us to leave the valley in the future?”

It was less than two days’ journey to the inner area.

Chen Dashan thought for a moment and shook his head. “That two-day journey is not easy. There are more wild beasts than outside. Unless they’re hunters familiar with the traces of wild animals, it’s not easy for ordinary people to go in. The outer area is big enough. As long as there aren’t large numbers of bandits, there’s enough food. Most people won’t go further in for a while.”

Even those who ventured deep were not necessarily without casualties, often living in constant fear.

Shen Lie said, “We should try to hunt more frequently and go deeper into the inner areas.”

Shi Erlang was puzzled, “Isn’t it more dangerous to go into the inner areas?”

Shen Lie nodded, “It is more dangerous, but it’s manageable. My point is to avoid going towards the outer areas as much as possible. Leaving those wild animals in the outer areas serves as a natural barrier for our valley. When the situation outside isn’t dire, people will be deterred by the presence of wild animals. If no one ventures in, our valley remains safe. If the situation becomes critical and many people retreat into the mountains, the wild animals will also retreat, preserving resources for others hiding in the mountains.”

Sometimes, humans can be more terrifying than wild animals. If we can maintain natural barriers, we should.

Everyone agreed with this, especially given the reports of cannibalism outside.

Knowing the situation outside, the Xu family and Shen Jin’s brothers needed to settle in, so everyone returned to their homes.

Sang Luo and Shen Lie stayed behind, finally having a chance to talk privately.

Sang Luo looked at Shen Lie, “Shopkeeper Xu was quite vague earlier. What’s the situation with Shen Jin’s family?”

Shen Lie sighed and told Sang Luo everything he knew.

On their way back, he had found opportunities to privately ask Shen Jin about how they entered the city, lost their grain, and what happened to Tianya. He learned it all.

The only consolation for Shen Lie was that Tianya was eventually sent out by Wang Meiniang and didn’t suffer the worst fate.

He understood why Mrs. Li was determined to kill Shen San. If Shen San didn’t die, none of Shen Jin’s brothers might have survived.

Sang Luo had no good feelings towards Shen San and Mrs. Li. After hearing this, she only sighed for Tianya and the state of the world.

She knew that in chaotic times, human lives were as insignificant as grass, and that cannibalism occurred, but the true severity of it was something she had only read about in books. Growing up in the 21st century, she had never personally experienced such horrors.

At this moment, Sang Luo felt fortunate. Fortunate that she had needed an identity and that Shen An and Shen Ning were obedient enough for her to stay in the leaky hut of the Shen family. Fortunate that after observing Shen Lie’s character, she chose to stay a second time when he returned.

Otherwise, she couldn’t imagine what she would be facing now.

While Sang Luo was processing the information about the outside world, Shen Lie, after a moment’s hesitation, began discussing future plans for Shen Jin and his brothers.

Sang Luo listened quietly, raising her eyebrows as he went on.

He set out the principles first, clarified responsibilities, subtly conveyed Shen Jin’s attitude, and finally sought her opinion on sharing some of his hunted game and rations with his three cousins.

Careful and nervous, yet clear and logical.

Sang Luo didn’t respond immediately. She simply stood there looking at Shen Lie, curiously asking, “How many times did you go over this in your head on your way back?”

Shen Lie was taken aback.

Sang Luo laughed, “I don’t think we’ll starve, protected by such vast mountains and with you guarding us.”

Her main concern would probably be figuring out how to diversify their diet.

She glanced at Shen Lie and smiled, “So, it’ll be hard work for you to hunt more often in the future. And thank you.”

Shen Lie was stunned by her thanks, but Sang Luo didn’t elaborate. She just said, “Let’s go. Xiao An and An Ning should know by now.”

They’re probably crying their hearts out.

…

As Sang Luo expected, Shen An and Shen Ning’s eyes were slightly swollen.

Shen Lie didn’t have much interaction with the youngest, Tianya. But Shen An and Shen Ning, especially Shen Ning, had practically raised Tianya from when they were still children themselves. Learning that Tianya was gone hit them hard.

Sang Luo didn’t offer any comfort; there was no comforting this. They needed time to accept it.

She actually wanted to say that they should be grateful for splitting from the main family and that Shen Lie returned in time. Otherwise, the first to suffer would have been Shen Ning, then Shen An.

Shen Ning might not even have met the same end as Tianya. She could have become another Wang Meiniang even sooner.

Sang Luo never saw the limits of Shen San’s depravity, and Mrs. Li, who was good to her own children, wasn’t kind to Shen An and Shen Ning.

But now, they were gone, and they had faced their karma. Saying anything would only upset Shen Jin’s brothers, so she refrained. Instead, she patted Shen Ning’s head, “Alright, have you been keeping an eye on the water in the pot? Be careful it doesn’t boil dry.”

It’s better to work than to cry and dwell on things.

Hearing Sang Luo mention the water in the pot, Shen Ning wiped her tears and hurried to the kitchen.

Shen Jin still felt nervous around Sang Luo. She didn’t pressure him, letting Shen An lead the younger ones to wash their hands and faces in preparation for eating. Meanwhile, she looked at the two-tier bed, considering how to accommodate the large group before they could organize the cave above.

She was grateful they had built a platform bed. With summer here, one person could sleep on each side of the platform.

…

While Sang Luo figured out how to arrange the small cave, the Xu family—Shopkeeper Xu, Wei Lingzhen, Xu Wenqing, Xu Wenhong, and Uncle Xu—were standing in their own cave, dumbfounded.

They never imagined living in a cave could be like this, with so many variations in bed arrangements.

Xu Wenyinn’s eyes sparkled as she held her mother’s arm, “Mom, isn’t it pretty? Grandma and I made this bed curtain together.”

The Xu family’s cave had only two beds. Although the cave was larger than Sang Luo’s, it was irregular, winding around. Sang Luo utilized the natural shape of the cave, carving out a small room for the old lady and Xu Wenyinn at the very back.

With just the two of them, they didn’t need a two-tier bed. But Xu Wenyinn had envied the Shen family’s platform bed, so Sang Luo designed a similar one for her. It had a low bed frame against the wall, with a mattress and mat on top, looking very clean and fresh.

A rod was installed at the head of the bed for hanging a mosquito net, resembling a modern princess bed canopy.

On the remaining space of the platform, there were two floor cushions and a small table, useful for daily rest. Underneath the platform was a storage cabinet. Because Xu Wenyin envied Shen Ning’s bed with steps, Sang Luo specially added two steps to this platform.

Originally, the idea was to maximize storage space and satisfy Xu Wenyin’s small wish. As a result, the platform was high enough to insulate against moisture, effectively turning it into a tatami mat. Now that Shopkeeper Xu and Wei Lingzhen had arrived, a mattress could be spread on it, turning it into a bed for the couple.

As for Wei Qinghe, Wang Yunzheng, and Xu Wenbo, they were accommodated with a narrow-at-the-top, wide-at-the-bottom bunk bed. A standing cabinet next to the bed provided storage, solving the housing problem for the three of them.

The kitchen and furniture were novel and unlike anything they had imagined.

Wei Lingzhen nodded repeatedly as she walked around, “It’s beautiful, such clever design.”

Xu Wenyin beamed, “Sister-in-law Luo helped us with the design. Every family’s bed in the valley is beautiful!”

Shopkeeper Xu patted the platform, smiling, “Mrs. Sang always has ingenious ideas.”

Grandma Xu, smiling, finally said, “From now on, you two will sleep on this platform. We’ll make a two-tiered bed like Qinghe’s for Uncle Xu and Wenqing and Wenhong to sleep on.”

Shopkeeper Xu looked around. If they added another bed, there would only be room for a narrow passage. He said, “Won’t it be too crowded? Shen Lie mentioned there’s a small cave where Wenqing, Wenhong, and Uncle Xu could stay with Xiao Jin and his brothers.”

Grandma Xu gave him a look, “I said for you to stay here, so stay here. What’s wrong with being crowded? Which family here isn’t crowded? You haven’t seen the Shen family’s small cave. This valley was originally found by the Shen and Chen families. Back then, Sang Luo was allowed to pick her cave first to accommodate us, and she chose the smallest one. Now they’ve got three more kids, making it even more cramped. I say we give the Shen family this small cave and not crowd them anymore.”

The young couple was still sleeping in separate beds.

Xu Wenyin, who frequently visited the Shen family and whispered with Shen Ning every day, knew which bed Shen Ning slept on. Naturally, she had mentioned it to Grandma Xu in their chats.

An Ning slept on the upper bed with her sister-in-law.

…

Thus, Grandma Xu knew everything.

Since there was an extra cave now, there was no need for their family to squeeze in anymore. She didn’t care how Shen Lie and Sang Luo used it; she just wanted to officially give the cave to the Shen family to feel at ease.

Shopkeeper Xu didn’t understand his mother’s intricate thoughts. However, upon learning that the Shen family had taken the smallest cave, he immediately dismissed the idea of having his sons stay in another cave.

“Alright, I’ll go inform Shen Lie.”

He went to the grain shelf, found two unopened bags of rice, and called Wei Qinghe, Uncle Xu, and Xu Wenqing to help carry the rice to the Shen family.

Gratitude for saving their lives couldn’t be measured by two bags of rice or even two hundred bags. Bringing rice was just a small gesture of their appreciation, knowing that the Shen family now had three more mouths to feed.