Human joys and sorrows do not connect.
Xu Huaiyi cheerfully pushed his wife and daughter through the village, heading straight for the small, abandoned courtyard at the foot of the mountain that had been vacant for two years. To onlookers, the scene was summed up in two words: pitiful!
“Oh my, were they kicked out by the Xu family?”
“The Xu family’s actions are truly ruthless. The daughter-in-law just gave birth yesterday, and it looks like they didn’t give them anything. Isn’t this practically sentencing those three to death?”
“I suppose they had no choice. One dose of medicine costs two taels of silver—who can afford that? Don’t forget, they also have a money-burning scholar in the family. If they take care of one side, they can’t take care of the other. Which is more important? Given the shrewdness of that old couple, isn’t it obvious?”
“But that doesn’t mean they had to kick them out…”
“Maybe they were afraid it would be inauspicious if she died at home? Besides, Gu Shi was originally a live-in son-in-law when she married into the family, so she’s not really considered a Xu family daughter-in-law. Xu Huaiyi, as the live-in son-in-law, was even written into the contract for fifty taels of silver, clearly meant to carry on the Gu Family’s lineage. It’s almost as if he’s severed ties with the Xu family. Before, they probably stayed with the Xu family to avoid being criticized, but now… well…”
“Sigh, how pitiful!”
“Alright, stop pitying them and pity yourselves first. If it doesn’t rain soon, there’ll be no harvest in the fields, and we’ll just be waiting to starve to death.”
“If things get really bad, we’ll have no choice but to flee famine and beg.”
“Flee famine? Sigh, that path is even more miserable. How many survive on the road while fleeing famine…”
Meanwhile, the couple whom the villagers pitied as having no way out were comfortably enjoying themselves inside the RV. Gu Huanxi sipped milk and paired it with a taro-flavored half-baked cheesecake. The rich, sweet flavor filled her with happiness with every bite.
However, she stared at Xu Huaiyi across from her with a resentful gaze.
Xu Huaiyi sat cross-legged on the sofa, happily munching on chicken feet and washing them down with a drink. The chicken feet were braised to a spicy, savory perfection and were boneless—just looking at them made one’s mouth water. The drink was carbonated, ice-cold, and gulping down half a bottle in one go could soothe you from head to toe.
But she couldn’t eat any of it.
She could only watch, her cravings gnawing at her.
After indulging in his feast, Xu Huaiyi finally shook off the stifling heat from earlier and noticed his wife’s displeased expression. He quickly wiped his mouth and offered an ingratiating smile. “Well, once you’ve finished your postpartum confinement, you can eat whatever you want.”
Gu Huanxi snorted softly, gently rocking the cradle where her daughter lay, and said gloomily, “If I’m breastfeeding A’Li, I’ll probably have to wait another year or so…”
Hearing this, Xu Huaiyi didn’t dare say another word, silently resolving to avoid eating such things in front of his wife in the future. Otherwise, what if she insisted on sharing his misery?
“Go get to work. Didn’t you say you’d return the cart and then go up the mountain? On the surface, we left the Xu family without taking a single bite of food. Don’t you need to come up with an excuse to explain how we’ll eat later?”
At the very least, going up the mountain for appearances’ sake—whether digging up something or catching something—would give them a plausible explanation. Otherwise, how could a couple survive without any food without arousing suspicion?
Xu Huaiyi quickly got to his feet. “Alright, I’ll go right away. You rest well at home, dear…”
After he left, Gu Huanxi didn’t rest either. After giving birth, moderate activity was beneficial for recovery—lying around all the time would only hinder blood circulation. The three rooms were already cleaned thoroughly, leaving her with little to do. So she took out the clothes and bedding, sorting through what was usable.
Although the original couple were somewhat weak and timid, they were both quite tidy. Moreover, the original hostess was skilled at needlework—the stitches on the clothes were neat and even, and some collars were even embroidered with flowers and plants. The only downside was the unsightly patches. But when it came time to flee famine, such shabby clothing would actually provide a sense of security, making them less likely to attract attention.
However, she didn’t want to make do with the bedding. She pulled out some straw and stuffed it with cotton, mixing the cotton with reed fluff to make it less conspicuous. The key was warmth and softness.
During the famine escape, especially in winter, staying warm was crucial. She had read historical records—most people fleeing famine didn’t die of starvation but of cold, illness, or encounters with bandits and outlaws.
As for cotton, there was no shortage in the cart. They had planted a few rows earlier and harvested over thirty catties, originally intended for making bedding when their daughter grew older. Now, it came in handy just in time.
By the time she finished, it was already past ten o’clock, and her daughter began to stir awake. Gu Huanxi quickly changed her diaper and held her in her arms, trying to nurse her. Although there was formula in the cart, ensuring the child wouldn’t go hungry, she still wanted to breastfeed.
However, her body was too weak. Little A’Li grew so anxious that she flailed her hands and even kicked her little legs, but still couldn’t get a single drop.
Helpless, Gu Huanxi had no choice but to prepare formula for her.
After feeding her daughter and putting her back to sleep, she noticed the sun outside was scorching hot, with not a hint of breeze. She opened the door and took a stroll around the yard.
The yard was small but had been tidied up enough to walk around. The cut grass was piled on one side of the main gate, left to dry for firewood. To the west stood a pomegranate tree, its flowering season already over, now bearing many fruits. To the east was a paulownia tree with a broad canopy, lush and thriving, showing no signs of the drought. Next to it, a small shed with a thatched roof had been built, housing an earthen stove for cooking.
The rear courtyard was even smaller, with two jujube trees and only an outhouse tucked in the corner. There wasn’t even a pigpen or chicken coop, common in farming households.
Gu Huanxi, with the original hostess’s memories, wasn’t surprised by this situation. The original hostess’s father, Gu Zhen, was a scholar whose ancestral home was far from Qingzhou. For certain reasons, he became disillusioned and gave up on the imperial examination. He then traveled around with his five-year-old daughter, enjoying the scenery. Though he called it “traveling,” their life was truly impoverished. After wandering for ten years, he realized his daughter was growing up and his own health was failing, so he settled down locally.
Gu Zhen carried the aloofness and naivety of a scholar, with a stubborn and unyielding temperament. He was inept at practical matters and raised his daughter to be weak and easily bullied, completely incapable of managing a household.
Thus, after settling at the foot of the mountain, the two of them hardly lived like a proper family, lacking any structure or plans.
Before his death, Gu Zhen finally realized these issues. That’s why he used all his savings to find a live-in son-in-law for his daughter, deliberately choosing the honest and simple Xu Huaiyi, fearing she would be mistreated by her in-laws.
For the current Gu Huanxi, having such a father likely brought the greatest advantage: if she ever displayed a bit of insight in the future, she could attribute it to this father who had over a decade of travel experience.
Another benefit was that the original owner had learned to read from her father, so she was not illiterate.