Feeling the strange texture of the raincoat, Gan Huaizhong had his doubts, but he didn’t ask any questions. He naturally put the raincoat on underneath his clothes.
Ancient clothing was mostly loose-fitting, so nothing looked out of the ordinary.
Gan Huaibi looked at the raincoat, touching it all over like a curious baby, sighing as he did so.
“This clothing is so beautiful. It’s a pity to wear it inside.”
“It should be worn on the outside for everyone to see.”
At the thought of her second brother wearing a raincoat out to show off, Gan Tian cringed so hard her toes could have dug out a three-bedroom apartment.
Gan Fanren glanced at his son and said, “I gave you this name because I hoped you wouldn’t be too fond of the spotlight. You must learn to be restrained.”
“Remember, ‘an innocent man gets into trouble for his treasure.’ Hide the clothes quickly and do not be ostentatious.”
Surely now his son understood his painstaking efforts? The name he had chosen had a deeper meaning; it wasn’t as crude and simple as ‘Gan the Jerk.’
Unfortunately, his daughter completely ignored his point, simply staring blankly at her brothers.
【Looking closely, my brothers are actually quite handsome. Big brother is a refined gentleman, and second brother is a tsundere youth. I love this.】
The jealous father’s face darkened, and he shooed the two brothers out.
Gan Fanren helped Hui Niang change her clothes, then carried her out—quilt and all—and placed her on the wooden board.
Gan Tian snuggled in her beautiful mother’s arms, basking in her mother’s faint fragrance and happily blowing bubbles.
Fearing she might drop the little one, Hui Niang held Gan Tian tightly.
Just as they reached the mountainside, a heavy rain began to fall.
The rain was strange, falling in a sudden, torrential downpour.
The Gan family wore bamboo hats and raincoats; aside from their outer robes, they were barely wet.
The raincoats kept out the water, keeping them nice and warm.
However, the things they had brought along were soaked, and the quilt on Hui Niang was also wet.
Gan Fanren had no choice but to stop, finding a nearby cave to take shelter in.
Although they were only halfway up the mountain, it was enough to withstand the onslaught of the flood.
Gan Fanren set up the pot, went out alone to gather some firewood, and lit a fire. He reheated the pig trotter soup that had been simmering for a long time.
He then took a few steamed buns from their bundle and tossed them into the soup.
The family sat by the fire, drinking the hot pig trotter soup and eating the softened buns. They felt comfortable from head to toe.
After eating and drinking their fill, everyone went to sleep.
During the night, noisy sounds faintly echoed.
Even though they were halfway up the mountain, they could hear the screams from below.
Chaos had broken out down the mountain.
Before long, people found the cave.
“Quick, get up here! There’s a cave here, everyone come here to hide!”
The Lizheng led the people into the cave. As soon as they entered, they saw the Gan family.
Because the water had risen in the middle of the night, the villagers had left in a hurry. Aside from their valuables, they had managed to bring almost nothing.
Every one of them was soaked like a drowned rat, looking utterly wretched.
The Gan family sat by the fire, clean and dry, carrying the scent of meat. They looked far more dignified than the rest.
Gulp.
Someone swallowed their saliva.
The Lizheng felt embarrassed and glared fiercely at that person before looking toward Gan Fanren.
“It’s thanks to Gan Xiucai’s reminder. Otherwise, we might have slept through it, and I’m afraid many would have drowned.”
The Lizheng felt somewhat awkward. Although Gan Fanren had warned them, they considered themselves elders and superior to a scholar who supposedly knew nothing of the world, so they hadn’t really believed him.
Aside from sleeping a bit more lightly, they hadn’t even packed their bags.
If they had listened to Gan Fanren earlier, how could they have ended up in such a miserable state?
Some people put all the blame on Wang Lishi.
“I said Gan Xiucai was capable and that he was definitely right! It was you, you old hag, who insisted Gan Xiucai had ill intentions. You’ve ruined the villagers!”
Someone was so angry they even slapped Wang Lishi. “You crazy woman! If not for you, how could we have failed to bring anything out?”
Wang Lishi had already been beaten during the day and was in great pain; now that she was being hit again, she didn’t even have the strength to fight back.
Curses and screams echoed throughout the cave.
The Lizheng had a headache from all the noise.
“Enough! Everyone, get some rest. Save your energy so we can check the village tomorrow and at least try to get the grain out.”
With that one sentence, the villagers finally quieted down.
【That’s it? I haven’t seen enough yet.】 Gan Tian let out a regretful yawn and fell into a deep sleep.
The rain fell fast and hard. Over the course of a single night, the water reached the foot of the mountain, blocking the path down.
Every house in the village was submerged; not even the rooftops were visible.
At this time, the rain showed no sign of stopping.
The mood of the entire village turned somber.
Only the Gan family remained unaffected. They reheated yesterday’s pig trotter soup, soaked their buns in it, and ate happily.
The soup had been simmered for a long time and was incredibly fragrant.
Everyone’s stomach began to growl at the scent.
“Gan Xiucai, your soup smells wonderful.”
Wang Lishi seemed to have forgotten yesterday’s unpleasantness. Her eyes were fixed on the thick, white broth as she approached with a smile.
【This old lady clearly wants to sponge a meal. Her greed is practically hitting me in the face.】
Gan Tian looked at Wang Lishi’s old face and spat right at her.
Wang Lishi wasn’t angry even though Gan Tian’s spit landed on her face. She said with a chuckle, “Gan Xiucai, your cooking skills are truly excellent. I haven’t smelled such delicious soup in all my life. If this old woman could have just one sip, I could die content.”
Many people looked toward Gan Fanren. As long as he spoke the word, they would step forward and divide the soup among themselves.
Gan Fanren calmly served the soup to his family, turning a deaf ear to Wang Lishi’s words.
“Oh my, this old woman hasn’t many years left to live. I just want a sip of soup, yet there are those with hearts of stone who won’t even give me a taste.”
“Being so cruel will bring divine retribution—”
Wang Lishi’s precious grandson, Wang Tianbao, seeing his grandmother being bullied, ran to the pot and tried to grab it to run away.
How could Gan Huaibi let someone just walk off with their family’s pot? He stuck out a foot and tripped him.
The pot was already too hot for Wang Tianbao to hold properly, and when he was tripped, the soup spilled all over him.
“My soup! My soup!”
“You pay for my soup!”
Wang Tianbao screamed from the heat, but he didn’t care about the pain. He hurriedly stuck out his tongue to lick the soup that hadn’t yet soaked into the ground.
This soup was truly delicious.
Wang Tianbao smacked his lips. Realizing that if Gan Huaibi hadn’t tripped him, he and his grandmother could have finished the whole pot, he jumped up in a rage.
“You spilled my soup! Pay me back!”
Seeing Wang Tianbao bite the hand that didn’t even feed him, Gan Tian spat furiously.
【Shameless brat! That was my family’s soup!】
【You’re making me so mad!】
Gan Fanren gave Gan Tian a comforting pat and looked sharply at the Wang family.
“Yesterday, I advised you to head up the mountain early, which saved your lives. Not only do you not thank me, but you even knocked over the tonic soup I made for my wife. Are you not afraid that Heaven has eyes and will take your lives back?”
A thunderous boom shook the air.
The sudden crack of lightning made people shudder involuntarily.
Their lives had been saved by Gan Fanren. Could it be that Heaven saw their ingratitude and was truly angry, intending to take back the lives it had granted them?
Wang Lishi was also stunned.
How could it be such a coincidence? The thunder didn’t strike earlier or later, but right at that moment.
“I don’t care, I don’t care! I want soup! I want soup!”
“Pay for my soup!”
Wang Tianbao rolled around on the ground, covering himself in a layer of mud, wailing at the top of his lungs.
The Lizheng glared at him with fury.