Linxia

Chapter 27, Sick Again

The wind blew all night, sobbing like weeping.

When the sky brightens again, the family wakes up and it is a new day.

Time is the best medicine to heal grief. After a night of buffering, Fang's father and mother were not so sad about the theft of thirty taels of silver last night. Thinking back to Fang Lin's words gave them motivation and they were excited and looking forward.

For breakfast, because it takes a long time to soak the dried black fungus, this morning I added the dried beans given by my second mother Fang Liu to the coarse rice soup.

Tian Xuan still serves the meal.

"It's too much. I can't finish it." Fang's mother gave some to Fang Lin and some to Tian Xuan.

"Mom!" Tian Xuan dodged subconsciously. As far as she could remember, this was the first time that Fang's mother served her food.

"I'll give it to you, just eat it." Fang's mother paused and said, "How can we travel if we don't have enough to eat?"

"Hey!" Tian Xuan agreed, her voice trembling a little. She felt as if the clouds had finally cleared and the moon was revealed. As smart as she was, she knew that this was the beginning of her way into Fang's mother's heart and she had gained initial recognition. She couldn't help but glance at Fang Lin, knowing that this was largely because of what Fang Lin said last night.

Fang Lin seemed to realize something, made eye contact with Tian Xuan, nodded slightly and chuckled.

During the meal, Father Fang glanced at the gloomy sky and said, "We have to leave early."

"Yes, it's best to find a place to shelter from the rain before it rains." Fang Lin also took this into consideration. Fang's mother was still ill and her condition had just improved slightly. If she was exposed to the rain, her condition would likely worsen.

Speaking of Fang's mother, she was better than last night and managed to eat half a bowl of rice this morning.

After the meal, when the Fang family packed up and prepared to hit the road, a group of villagers who had settled not far away also started to hurry on their way. There were also other solitary families, beggars, etc., who were all faster than yesterday and soon left the Fang family far behind.

This gave the Fang family a sense of urgency. They didn't have much rest along the way, and the only time they had was only for a cup of tea. However, even though they hurried so hard, they still couldn't find a place to shelter before it rained.

Ta-ta-ta-ta!

Raindrops as big as beans fell on the ground, splashing a little dust and hitting my face. I could clearly feel the slight pain.

"Put it on!" Fang's father hid the grain bag under two quilts and handed the only straw raincoat he had to Fang Lin. Fang Lin turned around and put the straw raincoat on Fang's mother. In this way, Tian Xuan, who was carrying Fang's mother on her back, could also be covered.

The summer rain comes very quickly. In just a moment, the raindrops have connected into lines, becoming larger and larger, and the wind has started to blow.

The wind helps the rain, and the rain comes along the wind.

Soon, the clothes of both Fang's father and Fang Lin were soaked, and the water stuck to their skin. Rain flowed down their hair, blurring their vision, and they needed to wipe their faces from time to time.

Fang Lin was holding his things and walking forward in the wind and rain. He almost fell down when he didn't pay attention to his feet before wiping his face.

"Follow me." At this time, a vague voice came from the front, and a figure blocked the way ahead.

It was Fang's father who used his body to block the wind and rain, making Fang Lin clearly feel the pressure relieved.

Fang Lin was slightly stunned, looking at the trembling Fang's father in front of him. When the other party stood in front of him, at this moment, all the wind and rain seemed to be leaning towards Fang's father alone.

He wiped the rain from his eyes and followed without any pretense. He turned around and asked Tian Xuan, who was carrying Fang's mother, to follow him. With the buffer of the two human walls and the protection of the straw raincoat, it was relatively much better.

Just like this, Uncle Fang pushed the small wheelbarrow in front, Fang Lin carried things in the middle, and Tian Xuan carried Fang's mother on her back. The family trudged through the heavy rain with difficulty, leaving a string of footprints on the muddy ground, extending into the distance.

After about another incense stick of time, I finally found a place to shelter from the rain.

……

This used to be a dilapidated temple. It was later renovated by the government and used as a resting place for conscripted laborers. After the reform turned corvée into hired labor, it became a temporary resting place for travelers and caravans.

Fang Lin and his family walked in in the pouring rain.

After entering the door and looking inside, it was a coincidence that the group of villagers who had separated in the morning occupied the innermost and best position. The other single families and beggars were a little further away, and there were not many vacant positions. A relatively better and wider place was next to a middle-aged man with a tumor on his neck and a deformed right foot visible through his straw sandals.

'This person is not a good person!'

Fang Lin's eyes fell on the bamboo pole in the man's hand. There was a dirty blood stain on the tip. He thought to himself, however, this is already the most suitable place to accommodate the Fang family - perhaps it is precisely because of this person's trouble that this place was left vacant.

This middle-aged man with a tumor on his neck and a deformed right foot wearing straw sandals, surnamed Liu, was known as "Cripple Liu (Tumor). When he saw Fang Lin's family coming, he looked at Fang Shuyou, then at Fang Lin, and said nothing. The family parked the cart and put down their things.

"I'll go get some firewood to start a fire," Fang Lin said.

At the innermost part of the dilapidated temple, at the feet of an old, spider-webbed unknown statue, there is a neatly stacked row of firewood. This firewood is prepared for passers-by. After taking it, they can just replenish it before leaving.

However, at that time in the entire temple, except for that group of villagers who had a fire, the other lonely families and beggars did not light a fire, obviously because they were afraid of this group of villagers.

Therefore, after hearing Fang Lin's words, Lame Liu showed a mocking look on his face, obviously not thinking that Fang Lin could get firewood from the villagers.

Over here, seeing Fang Lin coming, two young men from the village stepped forward and tried to stop him.

However, he was stopped by a middle-aged man with a mole on his forehead. This man was the leader of this village team, just like Qiao Xu to the Xiaohe village team. When the Fang family was robbed last night, this man came over to ask about it.

Fang Lin chatted with the middle-aged man and learned that his surname was Lu. He then successfully took away some firewood.

As soon as he left, a man from a nearby family saw Fang Lin's success and came over to get firewood, but was stopped.

"Then why can he take it?" The man pointed at Fang Lin.

"He is acquainted with our Lu Cunzheng."

"But these firewoods are not yours. You are too overbearing!"

"Haha!" In response, only three or five young men stood up one after another.

The man swallowed his anger and left.

Seeing this, the three or five young men sat back down. In fact, it was not that they were overbearing, but if they really let everyone in the dilapidated temple take it, then there would not be enough for the villagers to cook.

Yes, in theory, these firewoods are not private, and passers-by can use them, but in this wilderness, where the government cannot enforce order, who will reason with you? In other words, the majority means the majority!
……

Fang Lin ignored what was happening behind him. Under the dumbfounded gaze of Lame Liu, he brought back the firewood and started a fire.

"Dad, Mom, Sister Xuan, come over and grill some!"

Fang's mother and Tian Xuan were relatively better off, as they were protected by Fang's father and Fang Lin. They were also wearing straw raincoats, so only their trouser legs were wet. They just had to sit down and dry them.

Fang's father and Fang Lin were both soaked, but they didn't need to worry about the eyes like the women did. They just took off their wet clothes and put on dry ones.

"Dad, you guys take a rest, I'll go get some water." Fang Lin took the jar and went out to get some water.

Uncle Fang didn't say anything. He had been standing in front of the crowd before, and his lips were black and blue from the wind and rain. Now he sat down by the fire and closed his eyes.

When he arrived at the door, there were quite a few people getting water. Fang Lin did not squeeze with others. He found a corner and directly filled a can with a somewhat turbid water.

Come back, let the water settle, and pour the clear top layer into the pot.

Gurgling!

The water boiled quickly, and Fang Lin poured it into a bamboo tube for the family to drink.

Tian Xuan was better, just tired; Fang's mother's condition had worsened again, apparently due to catching a cold. She was holding her belly, her face was pale, and her eyes were drooping.

It's Mr. Fang's turn.

"Father! Father!"

Fang Lin called out twice before Fang's father opened his eyes. He struggled to sit up, but couldn't, and his body shivered.

Fang Lin stepped forward and handed over the bamboo tube. He touched Fang's father's forehead and felt a jolt in his heart. He was obviously feeling hot. He had caught a cold and had a fever!
To make matters worse, after Fang's mother, Fang's father also fell ill.

……

(End of this chapter)