Chapter 712: Fleeing Famine 17
Early in the morning, Yuan Chun finished her meal, strapped on a basket, and instructed Geng Dalin and his wife, "Don’t leave the house, don’t go anywhere, just stay home and watch over the children and the house."
Geng Dalin looked worried, "Mother, it takes more than three hours to reach the county town. Let me accompany you."
Yuan Chun glared at him, "In this natural disaster and drought, she’s a woman at home, protecting so many children, have you no heart?"
"Mother, there’s no one else coming to our village, what’s there to be afraid of."
Yuan Chun smacked him on the back of the head, "You fool, just because there’s no one in the village doesn’t mean outsiders won’t come by. If a stranger wanders in and sees only a woman and a bunch of kids at home, all the food in the house will be gone."
Before leaving, Yuan Chun reminded the two again, "I might only get back after dark. You need to be careful at home. If someone knocks, pretend no one is home. Don’t make any noise. Also, don’t make a fire during the day and don’t light lamps at night to avoid letting others know that villagers are still living here."
"Understood, Mother, we’ll do as you say."
This was one good point about Geng Dalin; he always listened to Yuan Chun.
After Yuan Chun left Fengling Village, she chose a small road towards the county town. The villages she passed by were deserted; everyone had fled to escape the famine.
After three hours, she reached the county town, and finally saw some people.
There weren’t many, sparse and thin; just a few pedestrians on the whole street, each one with a sallow complexion, pale faces, and shaky legs as they walked, clearly undernourished, looking weak from hunger.
She went to the supply and marketing cooperative, and saw there was nothing to eat there, only a few scattered daily necessities. The shop assistant was sitting behind the counter, listening to the radio’s broadcast about the hardship of the drought.
Yuan Chun went inside, circled around, saw no food for sale, and left the cooperative.
Underneath a tree, she saw an old lady cooling off and went over to greet her, "Elder sister, may I ask where in the county town water is sold?"
"Buy water?" The old lady quickly waved her hand, "Where would there be water to sell? Every household is short on drinking water, and there’s no water for cooking. Look at my hands; I haven’t washed them in a month."
The old lady showed Yuan Chun her black and dirty hands. "Our county town has only three wells, and they’re controlled. Each household can only get half a bucket of water. Oh, if it doesn’t rain soon, how many lives will be lost to this disaster, how many people will die due to these man-made and natural calamities."
The old lady lamented, then suddenly looked at Yuan Chun, asking, "You’re not from the town, are you? I heard the villagers all fled. Why didn’t you go?"
"With a family full of the old, weak, women, and children, fleeing wouldn’t be possible; it’s better to stay home and live as long as we can," Yuan Chun sighed, worried, "No water, no food, if we die, we die together as a family, at home."
"Ah, sister, my family’s water isn’t enough for our own needs, I can’t give you any. You should try looking elsewhere. Even the town wells are almost dry. Maybe you could find a spring on the mountain."
After speaking, the old lady struggled to her feet and wobbled home.
Yuan Chun looked at the desolate street, feeling very downcast. She asked the system, "007, is this drought in this small world a national crisis? Is there anywhere not affected by it? I want to find some water to bring back, at least to help the people in the town survive."
told her, "Host, this drought is indeed nationwide. All citizens across the country are suffering from its effects. However, there is no drought abroad. You can go abroad to bring back water."