Linxia

Chapter 24, Falling

After resting for a quarter of an hour, we continued our journey.

As for Fang's mother's condition, what she feared came true. Not only did it not get better, but on the contrary it got worse. She went to the toilet several times in a row and had diarrhea, which made her almost faint.

Now, he can't walk even with support and can only be carried by Tian Xuan.

Fang's mother always said she was strong-willed, but she couldn't refuse at this time, or rather, she couldn't say anything at all. The pain in her stomach made her face pale, and beads of sweat oozed from her forehead.

Fang Lin looked worried and distressed, and could only give his bamboo tube to Fang's mother and ask her to drink more water, so that she would feel better.

'It was also because I was not well prepared. I stayed in the county town for too short a time and didn't have time to prepare some herbs. ' He felt regretful, but he was not worried about it and could not let it go.

Tian Xuan wasn't having a good time either. She carried Fang's mother on her back with her frail body and her steps were shaky.

In this regard, Fang Lin could only take turns with Tian Xuan from time to time, and when he carried Fang's mother on his back, he would keep one hand free to hold some things.

——Whether it is pushing the small wheelbarrow or taking the remaining things that are needed, it is actually more tiring than carrying Fang's mother on her back——Although some things have been sold before, there are still many more things such as pots and pans, quilts, machetes, scissors, etc., which are miscellaneous or relatively valuable and cannot be sold.

Only in this way can Tian Xuan feel a little relieved.

Under the scorching sun, I hurried and finally made it through the morning.

A voice came from the front saying "We'll stop here this morning, everyone stop and cook." Uncle Fang sat down panting, his back soaked with sweat. Fang Lin also seemed to have returned to the first day of his journey, feeling his legs as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

Tian Xuan was relatively better off. She let the three of them take a rest, wiped the sweat off her face, and went to set up the pot to cook and fetch water, working like a top without stopping for a moment.

Fang Lin thought about it and discussed with his father: "How about, Dad, let's go alone?"

On the one hand, Fang's mother had to stop and rest from time to time due to diarrhea, and the Fang family simply couldn't keep up. Moreover, the villagers were rushing at such a high speed that if they could barely keep up, he was worried that Fang's mother's health would continue to deteriorate, and he was also afraid that the whole family would be dragged down.

Fang Shuyou was silent for a moment before he said, "It's hard to go alone."

"Yes, they are all difficult, but we have to find one that is not so difficult." Fang Lin naturally anticipated how difficult life would be for a single family, but he chose the lesser of two evils.

If they continue to follow, they will slow down the villagers and they will be dissatisfied; if they follow reluctantly, they will also be dragged down, and both sides will feel uncomfortable.

Separating from the villagers and walking on your own is equally difficult, but at least it is controllable.

"Let me think about it again." Father Fang frowned deeply, and the wrinkles on his forehead came together, dark and dark like dry old tree bark.

Fang Sun sat aside, listening to the conversation between the father and son. She blamed herself in her heart, and her stomach ached. She felt more vulnerable than ever before, and tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm afraid I can't make it. Put me down and go on your own... Son!"

She didn't say anything else, and her last words contained infinite complexity - Fang's mother was not reluctant to give up her life, but she just regretted that she couldn't see her son get married and have children.

Father Fang blinked hard and turned his head away: "Don't talk nonsense, how could I abandon you? It's just a stomachache, it will be fine in two days."

It was also the first time that Fang Lin saw his mother so fragile. His nose was slightly sour, and he said in the same way: "Yes, mother, it's okay. We have a lot of food at home, so it's okay if it's left behind. Just be careful."

At this time, Song Kai came over with a smug look and called the Fang family to a meeting.

'Sure enough, it came. '

Fang Lin sighed inwardly, knowing that this was probably his own family matter, and the village's decision would help his father make up his mind.

……

This meeting was indeed because of the Fang family's affairs.

Just now, Song Kai brought Bai Bao, Zheng Yu, and two or three other families who had been encouraged to go find Qiao Xu. This time, they finally couldn't suppress the pressure anymore, so they had to hold a meeting.

"I don't know about other families, but my family doesn't have much food. If we walk so slowly, we will go hungry in the last one or two days. I think most families in the village are the same. Yes, I know that everyone feels sorry for the Fang family, but if you slow down like this and go hungry, who will pity you?"

Song Kai paused, then continued: "On the contrary, the Fang family has plenty of food, so it's okay to let them go slowly."

"Oh, you don't know yet!"

As he spoke, he gave Fang Lin a smug look and revealed this news that many people didn't know: "The Fang family has connections, and four people took food for ten people, so why should you pity them?"

After hearing this, many people showed strange expressions. What is worrying is not the lack of wealth but the inequality of wealth. This sentence is applicable everywhere.

Even those families who had bought things from the Fang family at a low price before, now looked a little strange. They would convince themselves: "The Fang family has a lot of food, so we are not afraid of being left behind and going alone. But if we are slowed down, we will be hungry in the last one or two days. In fact, we are in a more difficult situation than the Fang family, so leaving the Fang family behind and going alone is not a disservice to them."

Facing Song Kai's smug eyes, Fang Lin remained calm and did not speak because it was meaningless.

The other party is very right about one thing. For most people, slowing down now means going hungry in the last one or two days. This is a fundamental contradiction and cannot be changed by sweet words.

"Alas!" Qiao Xu sighed. In fact, before he left, his father Qiao Erxi, also known as Qiao Cunzheng, had explained the personalities of the various families in the village, saying that the third branch of the Fang family was honest and could be approached, which was why he favored the Fang family. But at this point, it was obviously impossible to pretend to be deaf and dumb.

"Well, let's vote. Those who support us to leave first and let the Fang family go slowly, raise your hands." In the end, Qiao Xu still helped the Fang family. After all, raising your hand requires more courage than keeping silent.

The villagers looked at each other, and one family after another raised their hands.

There were still no people raising their hands.

For example, You Chaodong from the You family does not get along with Song Kai and always sings the opposite tune, saying, "Whatever you agree with, I oppose"; for example, Fu Hong from the Fu family, seeing that many people raised their hands and knowing that he would not be able to change the result even if he did not raise his hand, he acted smart and did a favor; and for example, the Geng family and Sister Guihua were truly on the side of the Fang family.

Fang Lin looked around and took note secretly.

No matter what the reason, he would appreciate it if those who didn't raise their hands; and he would not feel resentful towards those who raised their hands, even if they were the ones who took advantage and bought things from the Fang family. After all, they didn't owe the Fang family anything, and each family had its own difficulties.

"Uncle Fang, this..." Faced with such a result, Qiao Xu had no choice.

"Okay, I'll go home by myself." Uncle Fang nodded silently.

Fang Lin also spoke up: "Thank you to those who didn't raise their hands. For those who raised their hands, even if they bought things from my family before, don't feel bad. On the contrary, it was our Fang family that dragged everyone down this morning. I apologize to everyone."

After he finished speaking, he bowed deeply.

After the meeting, when everyone separated, the villagers were talking about what happened today.

"Linzi knows how to behave. As an elder, I feel inferior to him."

"Yes, the Fang family is an honest family. If they were not really short of food, they would have walked slower and waited for the Fang family. But isn't this really the only way?"

"Who said it wasn't true? I bought some stuff from the Fang family at a low price. I was so embarrassed when I raised my hand, my face turned red!"

……

Human hearts are so strange. If Fang Jiaqiang had stayed and continued to slow down the journey, the villagers' resentment would have surely grown; but now that they have taken a step back, the resentment from the morning has disappeared, leaving only guilt.

……

After returning, not long after, Geng's wife, Su Xiaoqing, came over with a handful of dry thatch roots.

"It's not easy to travel alone, so be careful on the road. I don't have much else at home, and after thinking about it, I think this bunch of thatch roots might be useful to you. You can use it to make tea for Aunt Hongling, but I don't know if it will be useful."

……

Not long after Geng's wife left, Sister Guihua came over holding her daughter's hand, with a bamboo tube in her other hand.

"Aunt, get well soon!" Chen Ye looked at Fang's mother, with pure wishes on his little face.

It was obvious that she had been abused by Old Lady Chen and Chen Daqiang in the past, and that she had been pushed into the water by Bai Bao and called a jinx yesterday, but the little girl never despaired or lost heart, and she recovered quickly, just like a grass seed under the ground in the dead of winter, just waiting for spring to come. With just a little bit of sunshine, they would be able to break through the ground and spread out their leaves.

Fang Lin looked at Chen Ye, marveled at the resilience of life, and his fighting spirit was ignited: Yes, the current difficulties are nothing, as long as we get over this hurdle, I believe the future will be smooth!
"Here is some honey. It was given to me by my mother-in-law...someone else when we were in Xiagou Village. Sister-in-law, please accept it!" Sister Guihua handed over the bamboo tube.

This is also the reason why her daughter has been looking much better recently.

"This... is too expensive." Fang's mother struggled to sit up and pushed it back.

"No matter how precious it is, can it be more precious than Ye Zi's life? Sister-in-law, take it. My family can't do anything else, we can only show our gratitude."

Sister Guihua was rational. No matter how great the Fang family's kindness was, it was impossible for her to stay and be with them - there were at least two men in the Fang family, and if they, an orphan and a widow, dared to go with them alone, it would definitely be a disaster.

Sister Guihua did not stay long. She put down the bamboo tube and stood up.

Fang's father and Fang Lin stood up to see him off.

"Uncle Fang, Brother Fang, see you in the city!" Chen Ye waved to them, his little face full of seriousness in the sunlight.

In such a difficult situation, such pure and sincere kindness, like a rose blooming inadvertently in the corner of the wall, warms people's hearts.

……

After lunch, the villagers left first. Fang's father stood up and watched the villagers go away without saying anything for a long time.

……

(End of this chapter)