After Zhaozhao chatted with the system for a while, she could no longer hold herself back and fell asleep.
She was truly too tired. She had not eaten much all day, yet she had never stopped working. She was already so young to begin with. Under such exhaustion, how could she possibly hold out?
The system did not say much either and let her rest well first. As for those things about modern times, it would tell her about them bit by bit after she woke up.
Who knew that when she slept until the middle of the night, around three or four in the morning, the system suddenly called out urgently, 【Zhaozhao, Zhaozhao, wake up quickly. Your Lin Lan Jiejie is in trouble.】
Zhaozhao was still groggy. If the system’s voice had not sounded inside her head, she might not have been able to wake up at all.
The rest was still fine, but when she heard the words “Lin Lan Jiejie,” she suddenly sat upright.
The worn-out bedsheet and straw covering her body all fell onto the ground. Cold wind blew in, and Zhaozhao shuddered violently. She was completely awake now.
The system also could not bear to let her go out into the cold wind, but the situation was truly urgent, and on top of that, this was a rare opportunity. If they missed it now, not only would a life be lost, Zhaozhao would also have to suffer for several more days.
【Zhaozhao, I remember there’s a gong[1]锣 (luó) – a gong, a large metal percussion instrument, traditionally used to produce a loud sound. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3335854_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3335854_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); in the Hu family’s main room, right?】
Zhaozhao nodded groggily, “En.”
Hu Laifu’s father used to be a night watchman. In the Great Qi Dynasty, night watchmen did not only have the duty of making the rounds and announcing the time at night. They also had to take on the duty of patrolling for public security. Therefore, the treatment was relatively good, and the job was quite sought-after.
The fact that Old Man Hu managed to compete successfully for the position showed that he did have some ability. Therefore, after he died, Hu Laifu, who had always been proud of this, placed his father’s tool for making a living—the night-watchman’s gong—in the main room as an offering. From time to time, he would also tell people about his father’s great achievements.
This happened to make things convenient for the system now.
【Zhaozhao, listen to me. Your Lin Lan Jiejie’s newborn little sister is currently being carried by her grandpa and Second Uncle, and they’re preparing to throw her into the back mountain. Hurry and take that gong. Follow the route I give you, walking along while striking it the whole way. Wake everyone in the village and tell them someone is stealing a child. Have them follow you to the back mountain.】
Zhaozhao was frightened stiff. Lin Lan Jiejie’s grandfather was going to throw her little sister into the back mountain!?
She could no longer care about the cold and hurriedly rushed out of the woodshed. When she was almost out of the courtyard gate, she suddenly remembered the gong, then ran back to the main room to look for it.
In her panic and haste, she made quite a bit of noise.
Although the Hu couple slept deeply, they were still awakened by the noise. Madam Zheng furrowed her brows and called out, “Who is it ah?”
There was no answer, but the sound of the courtyard gate being opened came from outside.
Madam Zheng sprang up, “Oh no, there’s a thief. Son’s Father[2]他爹 (tā diē) – literally “his father.” In traditional Chinese speech, a wife can use this to address her husband, as the father of their child. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3335854_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3335854_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, get up quickly. There’s a thief in our house.”
Hu Laifu hurriedly got up and put on his clothes. He grabbed the stick from the corner of the wall and rushed outside. It was empty outside, with no one around. He searched around, and the money had not been lost, but that very conspicuous bronze gong had also disappeared.
“You scoundrel, you stole my dad’s gong ah!!”
Madam Zheng came out after putting on her clothes, and the two hurriedly chased after her.
However, with all this commotion from them, Zhaozhao had already run far away.
Following the route given by the system, she ran toward the Lin family while shouting, “Fire, someone set a fire and stole a child. They ran toward the back mountain. Come out quickly ah!”
The system deliberately told Zhaozhao to say that someone had set a fire. On such a cold day, if she simply said someone was stealing a child, some people might discover that their own child was not missing and then be unwilling to come out. But if she said there was a fire, they would not know whose house it was without coming out to look. Besides, the houses in this village were all connected one to another. If they did not help put out the fire, who knew whether it would spread to their own homes?
As long as they lured people out of their homes, being neighbors, they would naturally still help catch the thief who was stealing the child.
Sure enough, upon hearing the dong, dong, dong of the bronze gong, everyone in the village was awakened. Then, when they heard that someone had set a fire and stolen a child, one by one they hurriedly checked their own children first. After discovering that no child was missing, each household left two or three adults behind, while everyone else chased after them.
The sky was still dark. They could not see Zhaozhao and could only run in the direction where the gong was being struck.
Some people heard the words “back mountain” and simply ran straight toward the back mountain.
Zhaozhao had already run to the Lin family. The Lin family also woke up in a daze. After they clearly heard what Zhaozhao was shouting, Lin Lan immediately ran to her parents’ room, and then she heard a shrill wail, “My child, my child!!”
Lin Lan’s expression changed drastically. Her father had already rushed out. Lin Lan had no time to comfort her mother and hurriedly said, “They said outside that the person who stole the child ran toward the back mountain. I’m going to chase them too. Mother, you stay at home and wait for us.”
After saying that, she followed behind her father and ran out of the courtyard gate. Who knew that at the courtyard gate, she nearly collided with Zhaozhao.
Zhaozhao grabbed Lin Lan’s hand, “Lin Lan Jiejie, follow me. I know where it is.”
There were three roads leading to the back mountain. Without knowing the direction, they might not necessarily be able to intercept them. Fortunately, the Lin family’s grandfather had to avoid people, so he traveled secretly and took a roundabout route. Now, with villagers being awakened by the noise and heading toward the back mountain, Lin family’s grandfather’s path was blocked, making him even slower. If they took a shortcut now, they would still make it in time.
Lin Lan subconsciously followed Zhaozhao for a few steps. She did not even have time to wonder how Zhaozhao had ended up here when she saw her let go of her hand and begin striking the gong in her hand again and again.
Lin Lan suddenly widened her eyes, “Zhaozhao, you…”
“Lin Lan Jiejie, you, you don’t be anxious. We, we’ll definitely catch up. Little Sister will be fine.” Zhaozhao had already run a very long way. She was huffing and puffing, her breathing somewhat uneven, and her legs were still trembling a little.
She had not eaten, and she had also exerted herself a lot. Now, she was somewhat worried that she would not be able to keep running.
Seeing this, Lin Lan had no time to ask anything. She immediately carried Zhaozhao onto her back, “You give me directions. I’ll carry you.”
She was fifteen years old this year. She usually did a lot of work and had plenty of strength. Recently, her mother gave birth to a little sister, and her father secretly gave them extra food, so she also ate quite well. Therefore, carrying the thin Zhaozhao, who seemed to have almost no weight at all, was very easy. In just a few steps, she ran a long stretch of the road.
Zhaozhao did not refuse. While pointing out the way and continuing to strike the gong, she explained the cause and effect along the way, “Little Sister was carried away by your Grandpa and Second Uncle. A-Shan said they were dissatisfied that Auntie Lin gave birth to a girl and wanted to take her into the mountains and throw her away while it was still not yet light.”
Lin Lan’s face turned pale as she listened. She did not know who A-Shan was, nor did she know how A-Shan could know these things. Her mind was now filled with all those vicious words her grandparents had said after her mother gave birth to her little sister. She originally thought they were only saying such things with their mouths. She never expected that they would actually take action and want her little sister’s life.
They truly had no heart. They could even bring themselves to kill their own biological granddaughter.
“After we get the child back, we’ll separate from the family.” Lin Lan’s father’s voice suddenly came from behind them.
Lin Lan looked back and only then discovered that her father had somehow been following behind them.
Seeing that her father’s voice was hoarse and that he was clearly suppressing his emotions, Lin Lan opened her mouth, but said nothing.
The father and daughter silently ran toward the foot of the mountain in the direction Zhaozhao pointed. Gradually, more villagers following the sound of the gong also appeared behind them.
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