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

Chapter 194: The Root

“If Big Brother hadn’t come back, the first to die wouldn’t have been Tianya. The first to go would have been Second Brother and Sister. Father… how could Father be soft on Second Brother and Sister?”

He spoke subtly, and while Shen Tie didn’t understand the underlying meaning, Shen Yin knew immediately. His breath grew heavy, and his body involuntarily shivered.

Shen Jin wasn’t trying to scare him. He knew that if Shen Yin wasn’t brought to his senses now and made to understand clearly, the seeds of those foolish words would take root in his heart, which would be the most dangerous.

Seeing that Shen Yin was absorbing what he said, Shen Jin continued, “In fact, Sister might not have even made it to the county town. Or even earlier, when we were still in the village, she might have been sold for food due to the lack of provisions, just like Meiniang’s sister.”

His voice faltered here. In a moment of emotional overflow, he had said a lot, but now, with a calmer demeanor and Shen Tie present, he dared not go into details about how Tianya was sent back by Wang Meiniang and what her condition was like.

In reality, even if their mother would protect them, would she protect Xiao An and An Ning? Not only would she not protect them, but it was also unknown if she would have sought buyers along with their father. This was a matter Shen Jin, as a son, was unwilling and afraid to consider.

“Second Brother was a boy and not as easy to sell, but even in the county town, he would have faced the same fate as Tianya. Once Second Brother and Sister were gone, it would have been our turn.”

“So do you understand now?”

“The family was already split. The two households had actually severed ties. Given what our parents did, it would be normal for Big Brother and Sister-in-law to not care about our survival. The reason we are alive is that Big Brother and Sister-in-law did not hold our past against us, because they still considered us their younger siblings, and because Sister-in-law had a kind heart. In such a world, where even children can be sold for food, they still took us on as a burden.”

“So you need to wake up. Don’t let the malicious words of such people stir up trouble in your heart. Don’t follow their thoughts or become like them.”

“If you follow her line of thinking, you’ll end up twisted, becoming someone as loathsome as she is. And what about the kindness Big Brother and Sister-in-law, Second Brother, and Sister have shown you? Where does that stand now?”

He pushed his empty bowl toward Shen Yin and loosened his grip on the other hand, placing the hawthorn slices and banana chips next to the empty bowl. He asked Shen Yin, “Can you still stomach this medicine and the food, meat, vegetables, and dried fruits we eat every day?”

“We can stay here peacefully in the valley, without starving or freezing, without having to eat dirt or worry about being targeted by desperate people…”

“Back in the county, you and Shen Tie were not in a good state. You didn’t know that the people surrounding our hut after our parents died were partly watching for fun and partly eyeing us. You knew nothing.”

“I was afraid of scaring you, so I didn’t dare to say anything. Even now, I still don’t dare to speak, but with Tianya gone, you should understand what those people wanted when they surrounded our hut. You don’t know how Shopkeeper Xu saved us and how those people followed us. You don’t know anything.”

He wiped his tears and spoke somewhat incoherently, “Why did Shopkeeper Xu help us? Why did Uncle Xu risk coming to our village every day? Why could we trade mountain chickens for food and money to treat our mother? It was because Big Brother kept asking the Xu family to look after us. Without Big Brother, we would have long been dead, maybe before we even got to the city, or in the county town, facing the same or even worse fate as Tianya. We would not be living this kind of life now.”

Shen Jin began to cry as he spoke.

Shen Yin also cried, saying, “Brother, I understand now. I won’t think like that anymore.”

Shen Tie didn’t fully understand why Big Brother was so upset. The barrage of words like a storm had left him confused. All he could grasp was that he needed to show his understanding. He pulled at Shen Jin’s sleeve, saying, “Brother, don’t cry. I remember how good Big Brother, Sister-in-law, Second Brother, and Sister were to me.”

Perhaps this was the greatest comfort for Shen Jin at that moment. He smiled faintly and nodded, “Yes, remember it. Remember it for a lifetime.”

“We almost died in the county. Such days should not be forgotten just because things seem better for a while. If we don’t remember the hardships, we will forget the kindness.”

As Shen Jin spoke and cried, many of the words that had previously been just a sense in his heart were now flowing like water, moving from blockage to clarity.

It was only at this moment that Shen Jin truly realized what his inner torment was.

It wasn’t just the nightmare in the county or the suppressed feelings that Wang Chunniang had exposed. More deeply, it was his inability to face his past self.

Only by truly experiencing the near-starvation could he understand the cruelty of his parents. But was cruelty limited to his parents alone? Was he not also cruel? During those months after the family split, did Sister-in-law, Xiao An, and An Ning’s lives really fare better than his did in the previous months?

Xiao Yin and Xiao Tie were still young, but wasn’t he also young?

At that time, he never imagined that his parents would let Shen An and Shen Ning starve. He had given them food and would always provide more every few days. Life in the village was still manageable, and he had no real understanding of starving people. He gave with a smile, never truly treating Shen An and Shen Ning as family.

What he had always known but never dared to face was his past self. The better Big Brother, Sister-in-law, and Xiao An and An Ning treated him, the less he dared to confront that past self.

Thinking about his own breakdown and cursing Wang Chunniang for living such a good life while he didn’t deserve it, Shen Jin buried his face in his dampened hand. Did he deserve it?

He didn’t deserve it either.

The recognition, which had long rooted itself in his heart but was suppressed, finally broke through the barrier at this moment, exploding with a crash in Shen Jin’s heart and ears.

—

The abscess had not yet been squeezed, causing extreme pain, but the Lu family’s abscess had no chance to be drained.

When Shen An left, Lu Dalang took a few steps forward to plead, but Mrs. Lu didn’t give him a chance. She demanded that Lu Danniu, who had only been quietly crying, repeat verbatim the crazy words spoken by her mother.

Lu Danniu couldn’t manage to say a word and kept her head down, unable to speak.

Mrs. Lu looked at her for a while, nodding. “You’re obedient, but you’re still unwilling to speak. Is it too difficult to say?”

Seeing Lu Danniu still silent, Mrs. Lu was also tired. “Fine.”

She nodded and stood up, saying, “We can’t delay the farming season. It’s time to harvest the rice. This is all you can do in the valley.”

With that, she truly left. If not for her slow and stooped walk, one might have thought she didn’t care at all.

But the more Mrs. Lu acted this way, the more terrified Lu Dalang became. Distracted, he followed his parents, watching them numbly cut the rice. Several times, he nearly dropped his sickle on himself. Every time the sun sank lower, he felt increasing fear.

When the farming work was done and they returned to the cave, Lu Dalang didn’t even eat the evening meal before kneeling before Mrs. Lu. “Mother, please spare Chunniang just one more time. I’ll keep her mouth shut from now on, okay?”

As soon as he said this, Wang Chunniang in the small cave looked over.

Was Wang Chunniang afraid?

At first, she was scared, but seeing Lu Dalang act this way, threatening to silence and deal with her, she inexplicably felt a twisted sense of relief.

This was her man. If she had thought he would save her last time, she would be a fool to believe it this time.

Lu Dalang wasn’t saving her; he was just dealing with her to save himself and avoid being driven out. She should have seen that earlier.

Wang Chunniang became calm again, leaning against the cave wall on the narrow bed. As she watched Lu Dalang kneeling and begging the old woman, she smirked, feeling a perverse satisfaction.

Cry and beg; none of it is good. Why should she be the only one suffering?

—

Lu Dalang had now turned to plead with his father, repeating the same pleas.

“How should I spare her?” Mrs. Lu, exhausted from the day’s work and having not had a sip of water, asked hoarsely.

She didn’t wait for him to answer, only sighed. “Old Dalang, everyone must be responsible for their own actions, and even for their own inactions. You can’t always expect others to accommodate you, be lenient with you, and forgive you. Once or twice is possible, but there’s an old saying: once, twice, but not a third time.”

She looked at the five children behind Lu Dalang, the ones tied up. The older ones, like Huozi at ten years old and the youngest, Shitou, at seven.

Seven years old.

Last year, Shen Jin was only eight. Even now, Shen Yin is just seven, and Shen Tie, six? Not to mention Tianya.

Mrs. Lu closed her eyes and muttered, “I am also paying for not having disciplined you properly.”

The decision had long been made. Mrs. Lu looked at each of her grandchildren and finally fixed her gaze on the eldest, Shuanzhu and Tie Zhu. “What do you say? Are you the same as your father? Are you expecting me to be lenient just because you beg me?”

The two brothers remained silent.

Mrs. Lu’s lips curled slightly, uncertain if she should feel comforted.

She sat down on a stool and said, “It’s good if you don’t beg me like your father does. You heard Shen Jin’s words this afternoon. Back then, their parents weren’t good people. Even though they are Shen Lie’s own cousins, they weren’t brought into this valley. How can you be an exception? Once or twice of leniency is acceptable, but a third time?”

“Deal with them. When your second and third uncles come back, I’ll plead with the mountain to send your whole family away.”

As soon as the words were spoken, Lu Dalang collapsed, and the twisted smile of Wang Chunniang, who had been watching the scene with interest, also froze. She sprang up in shock, clutching the wooden fence. “What did you say?”

Mrs. Lu finally looked at her. “I said for your whole family to leave. Didn’t you think about this day when you were causing all that trouble?”

Wang Chunniang’s breathing became labored. “How dare you? Aren’t you afraid I’ll reveal the location of the valley?”

Mrs. Lu smiled. “So you have some leverage and that’s why you’re so bold? Don’t worry, if I were to let you out, I wouldn’t give you a chance to harm others.”

She then looked at Lu Dalang. “Is this what you think too?”

Lu Dalang shook his head vigorously. “Mother, no, I absolutely didn’t mean that. Mother, it’s Chunniang’s fault. Just send Chunniang out, will you? The children are still so young. How can you bear to do this?”

Mrs. Lu glanced at him with disapproval and then turned to Shuanzhu and the others. “What about you, Shuanzhu?”

Shuanzhu had been looking at his parents’ faces, listening to their words, as if he didn’t recognize them anymore. Under his grandmother’s gaze, he came to his senses and said, “Grandmother, I don’t.”

Mrs. Lu nodded. “Good, that’s better. It’s easy to cower in this valley, but you siblings will never straighten your backs again if you stay here your whole life. I’ll ask you one last time: do you want to cower in this valley and keep your life, or go outside and give yourself and your younger siblings a chance to straighten your bent backs?”

The younger ones couldn’t understand, but Shuanzhu knew what his grandmother meant. He looked at his younger siblings and nodded. “I’ll listen to Grandmother.”

Mrs. Lu’s eyes were a bit misty, and her lips twitched, showing the only semblance of a smile since this afternoon.

“Good, then go if you’re listening to me.”

Wang Chunniang was almost driven mad. “You old hag, this is so cruel. These are your grandchildren, five of them! They are the root of the Lu family!”

Mrs. Lu ignored her, focusing on her eldest grandson. “Good child, though your parents have no choice, we can choose to be upright individuals ourselves. Grandmother won’t harm you. I’ll have your second uncle find you a relatively safe place. The path ahead might be more difficult, but it will certainly be a wider one. You and Tie Zhu should manage yourselves well, control your parents, and also teach your younger siblings properly.”

Shuanzhu cried and nodded repeatedly.

He didn’t know what kind of path his grandmother was sending him on, but he trusted her.

The heavy burden that had pressed on him since entering the valley seemed to ease just a little at that moment.