Bai Lan cheerfully stuffed the bamboo tube into Yu Yan’s hands. “Here, you do it.”
Yu Yangyang took the bamboo tube, feeling a little embarrassed. “I can do it myself.”
She was genuinely terribly thirsty. She took a big gulp of water, and its cool sweetness was so refreshing that she felt as though every pore on her body had opened up and started breathing.
Yu Yangyang looked at her family. Every one of them was exhausted, panting heavily as they collapsed onto the ground. Their lips were all dry and cracked.
The youngest, Yu Lan, stared longingly at the bamboo tube in Yu Yangyang’s hands.
Although Yu Lan was young, he was exceptionally sensible. He almost never asked anyone to carry him, and his condition was much better than Yu Yangyang’s.
Apart from being skinny and dark, almost like a dried-up little sapling, he was simply hungry and thirsty. But wasn’t that the reality for countless people during a famine?
Yu Yangyang’s heart softened.
She also wanted to get along well with everyone in the Yu family, so she beckoned to him. “Lan’er, come here. Do you want some water?”
Seeing her daughter looking refreshed, as though she had just been watered, Bai Lan waved her hand. “Why would Lan’er drink water? Once I get everything ready, I’ll make some porridge and he’ll be fine.”
“Besides, maybe it was because we added oil to the porridge at noon? We didn’t feel nearly as tired walking this afternoon.”
How could porridge and water be the same?
And the reason they had felt better that afternoon had little to do with the oil. It was probably because they had eaten salt.
The Yu family had been traveling day after day during the famine without replenishing enough water. They were constantly losing large amounts of fluids, so electrolyte imbalance was practically inevitable.
The salt provided by the system was highly refined and purified table salt. Naturally, it was more effective at replenishing sodium and helping the body retain water.
Yu Yangyang pursed her lips and smiled. “It’s all right, Mother.”
She beckoned to Yu Lan again. “Lan’er, come here. Big Sister will give you some water.”
Yu Lan’s thin, dark face was smaller than a palm, with a pair of large, protruding eyes. He looked especially like the children seen in documentaries about Africa in Yu Yangyang’s previous life.
Yu Lan licked his dry lips.
His reason told him that Yu Yangyang was an annoying person. She would steal his food, hit him, and then complain to their parents.
But his throat was so dry it felt like it was on fire. Yu Yangyang had water, and she was being so gentle with him now.
Besides, because of Yu Yangyang, their mother had made several good meals over the past two days…
In the end, Yu Lan was still just a child. He couldn’t resist. He left Yu Jin’s side and walked toward Yu Yangyang before Yu Jin could even grab him.
Yu Jin: “!”
This little brat! How could he have so little backbone?
It was only two mouthfuls of water!
Gulp.
Yu Lan sat beside Yu Yangyang. The skinny little boy looked only four or five years old.
Yu Yangyang stroked his head and sprinkled a little salt into the bamboo tube. “Drink.”
Yu Lan’s eyes lit up. He quickly glanced at Yu Yangyang before hugging the bamboo tube and gulping down two large mouthfuls.
Still wanting more, Yu Lan licked his lips.
Bai Lan’s heart ached. “You child, that’s your sister’s water. You really didn’t hold back, did you?”
Yu Lan looked a little aggrieved and guilty.
He knew Yu Yangyang’s health wasn’t good, but he just couldn’t help himself. He had been so thirsty.
Yu Yangyang didn’t think it was a big deal. She still had plenty of water in her space.
“It’s fine. Lan’er, drink some more.”
Yu Yangyang looked at the rest of her family. “You should all drink too. How can you go without water after walking all afternoon?”
Bai Lan instinctively objected. “N-No, it’s fine. None of us are thirsty. There isn’t much water, so let’s save it for you.”
Yu Yangyang shook her head and looked at Bai Lan.
Although the young girl was delicate and pale, her gentle voice carried an unquestionable firmness.
“Everyone should drink. There will always be more water. When you reach the bridge, you’ll naturally find a way across.”
Bai Lan didn’t understand what “when you reach the bridge, you’ll naturally find a way across” meant, but she understood the implication behind Yu Yangyang’s words.
For some reason, she trusted her completely.
Bai Lan waved her hand decisively. “All right, we’ll listen to Yangyang. This heat can kill a person. Husband, Jin’er, you two come drink as well.”
Yu Yan looked at Yu Yangyang several times in surprise.
Of the second branch of the Yu family, only Yu Yan had attended private school. He had studied there for two years when he was younger.
Later, when the eldest branch decided to send Yu Rongrong to school, the family naturally no longer had enough money for him to continue his studies.
Although Yu Yan had been reluctant—after all, they were family and Rongrong was a girl—he had silently stopped asking to continue his education.
Even though he had only studied for two years, he had learned basic literacy and arithmetic, and he had learned them quite well.
His younger sister had always been crude and foolish. How had she suddenly started speaking in such refined, literary phrases?
Yu Jin’s thoughts were much simpler.
He wanted to drink.
What had Mother just said? Save it for Yu Yangyang? Why should all the water go to Yu Yangyang? She was talking as if the water belonged to her!
So this time, Yu Jin didn’t stop them.
The Yu family each took two big mouthfuls from the bamboo tube before letting out satisfied sighs.
After resting for a while, Yu Yan prepared to collect firewood.
Yu Yangyang spoke up voluntarily. “Big Brother, I want to go with you.”
The girl’s delicate little face looked particularly sweet.
“Maybe we can find something to eat nearby.”
Yu Yan didn’t think there could possibly be any food in this barren wilderness.
But…
He remembered what Yu Yangyang had said that afternoon and sighed inwardly.
Perhaps she had simply become attached to him.
Yu Yan pursed his lips. He didn’t want to hurt his sister’s feelings, so he nodded.
“I’ll carry you.”
Perhaps the effect of the spiritual spring water had worn off. Yu Yangyang was incredibly weak today.
She nodded and obediently climbed onto Yu Yan’s back.
“Thank you, Big Brother.”
Seeing Yu Yangyang being carried instead of walking herself, Bai Lan didn’t object. She began washing the rice and preparing to cook the porridge.
Yu Jin, however, glanced at the backs of the two who were leaving, his brows slightly furrowed.
Yu Yan didn’t go very far. He was worried that if it became completely dark, they wouldn’t be able to make it back.
So he simply gathered dry branches from the nearby woods.
Yu Yangyang was placed on a rock.
Yu Yan’s youthful yet steady voice sounded. “Rest here for a while. Don’t wander around. I’ll be nearby.”
Yu Yangyang obediently nodded. “Okay, Big Brother.”
Watching her head bob up and down like a little chick pecking at grain, a hint of amusement flashed through Yu Yan’s eyes.
He thought his little sister was actually quite cute.
Yu Yan turned around and went to collect firewood nearby.
Yu Yangyang then took out the sweet potatoes she had bought from the system.
The fresh sweet potatoes still had dirt clinging to them. They looked as though they had just been dug out of the ground.
Yu Yangyang was very satisfied.
During a drought, firewood was one thing they certainly weren’t lacking, so Yu Yan returned very quickly.
The moment he came back, he saw the little girl sitting on the ground, holding several large, round sweet potatoes in her arms.
Yu Yan: “?”
Where had she gotten those from?
The moment Yu Yangyang saw him, her face lit up with a sweet, innocent smile.
“Big Brother, I just found these sweet potatoes! We can have roasted sweet potatoes tonight!”
Yu Yan stared at her in disbelief.
“You found them?”
In these times, who would throw away such good food?
And these looked as though they had just been dug out of the ground.
Yu Yan didn’t believe her.
“Where did you find them?”
There was a hint of suspicion in his eyes.
Ever since Yu Yangyang had fallen and hit her head and subsequently “changed,” he had felt that something was strange.
Whether it was Yu Yangyang herself or the food that had suddenly appeared, everything seemed suspicious.
Yu Yangyang remained completely calm. She casually pointed in a direction.
“Over there.”