Chapter 721: Fleeing from Famine 26
"Your grandfather was worried that someday the enemy would come for him, and afraid of implicating me, he agreed with your grandfather to let me marry into the Geng family as a child bride. However, your grandfather could not rest easy and would come to the Geng family to teach me martial arts."
"Later, the enemy did indeed come, and your grandfather died at their hands. But a few days before his death, he secretly told me that he had left behind a son."
"Yet, to prevent the enemy from finding this brother of mine, this secret was known only to the two of us as siblings."
"Second Brother, I tell you this so that you know that the things I brought back were secretly given to me by your uncle."
"So, in the future, no matter what your mother brings back, just pretend not to know, turn a blind eye, and never speak of it, not even to Chunfeng."
"If word slips out, your uncle will be in danger."
Dalin’s face was serious, "Mother, I won’t ask anymore."
"Alright, then go to sleep. Mother needs to sleep as well."
Yuan Chun waved her hand, finally managing to fool this naive boy.
"Mother." Dalin softly asked, "Uncle, is he... well?"
"He’s doing extremely well. How could he give me so many things if he weren’t doing well? Alright, you hurry to bed. In the future, just pretend I never said anything tonight. You must forget about your uncle, act as if he doesn’t exist, otherwise this secret might get out."
"Understood, Mother, I won’t ask."
Dalin, frightened, quickly assured her.
In the days that followed, Yuan Chun’s life improved significantly.
Every so often at night, she would go out and return with some food, later even bringing back eggs, fruit, and meat.
The meat was cooked and marinated, cooled, ready to be sliced and eaten, so there was no worry that the smell of meat would be noticed by the neighbors.
The Geng family ate better and looked healthier with more energy, though after the distribution of relief food in the village, the general health of the villagers improved as well.
People also gained weight.
Previously some had large heads with small bodies due to hunger, but with enough food, they gradually regained their health, so the improved condition of the Geng family didn’t draw any suspicion.
Yuan Chun’s words to deceive Dalin were half true and half false. Besides the mention of an uncle, the rest was true. The original protagonist’s father was a dart master who had offended a powerful person, prompting his retreat to this remote mountain village.
Moreover, the original protagonist’s father brought his wife and hid here because he had saved the original protagonist’s father-in-law while transporting darts, and they became sworn brothers.
After seeking refuge with Old Man Geng, the father of the original protagonist settled in Fengling Village.
Later, the enemy indeed came and poisoned the protagonist’s parents. The villagers merely thought the couple had mistakenly eaten poisonous mushrooms.
Only the original protagonist knew they were killed by an enemy.
Not long after, the protagonist’s father-in-law went hunting, fell off a cliff, and died. The protagonist suspected foul play by the enemy.
After marrying, the protagonist had two sons in quick succession. Shortly thereafter, the protagonist’s husband drowned in a river.
He could swim but drowned anyway.
The protagonist also suspected it was the work of the enemy.
The protagonist had contemplated avenging her family but, with two sons to care for, she couldn’t leave, even if vengeance were possible.
For the next twenty or thirty years, nothing happened to the Geng family, and the protagonist gradually forgot about the enemy. But after Yuan Chun inherited the protagonist’s memories, she suspected that the eventual demise of the Geng family might be linked to this enemy.
However, Geng Dazhuang and Du Jincui were so foolish and venomous, which made them susceptible to the enemy’s manipulation.