Li Wanting prepared green bean soup to cool the body, pumpkin rice porridge, and white fungus lotus seed porridge, and stored everything in her space warehouse.
After a morning of busy work, the three of them ate some buns and drank a little porridge, rested briefly, and then continued cooking.
They steamed a full pot of rice, chopped carrots, cucumbers, and sausages, and made sushi and rice balls—bite-sized pieces.
In the space, they cooked braised pork, braised chicken, sweet and sour ribs, stir-fried broccoli, bok choy, and small greens, as well as cold dishes like peanuts, cucumbers, and black fungus. Using the oven, they baked small egg biscuits—also bite-sized.
They took pork and beef from the warehouse to make jerky and dried meat. Juice was made with watermelon, strawberries, lemonade, and milk tea.
The three of them cooked and ate as they went along, and by dinner time, they were so full they skipped the meal.
Li Wanting fed the cows grass and Lingquan water, stored all the prepared food in her space, and then took the two children inside the space.
She started planting with the seeder while the children watched in admiration. After finishing, they washed up and went to sleep.
The village chief had said the assembly would be at the Yin hour, roughly 4 a.m. in modern terms. Li Wanting got up before 3 a.m. Zimo, hearing the movement, also woke. The mother and son put on patched clothes over their current ones and began packing.
First, they went out of the space to feed the cows with grass and Lingquan water. They pried the cooking iron pot from the stove and placed bowls, spoons, cutting boards, and knives inside.
They put half a bag of brown rice and half a bag of mixed grain, a few corn buns, and several grain cakes into a basket, along with some dried wild vegetables, and placed them on the cart.
Hoes, machetes, baskets, firewood, and water buckets full of Lingquan water were all loaded. From the space, three water pouches filled with Lingquan water were also placed on the cart.
Their patched clothes and sewing materials were bundled and stacked on the cart.
Dry grass was laid at the front of the cart. The two patchwork quilts that the original owner’s mother had used were layered—one on the grass, the other for covering.
The back of the cart was covered with old cloth. Four thick wooden sticks were tied to the corners, connected with more sticks to form a simple frame.
Oilcloth was draped over the top to form a tent—rain protection if needed. But since it was hot, the cloth was lifted to block the harsh sun while allowing ventilation.
Once everything was ready, it was almost time for the assembly. The mother and son ate some buns and millet porridge from yesterday’s batch. They dressed Zomeng in patched clothing, lifted her onto the cart, and drove the cart toward the village entrance.
Along the way, they saw many villagers—some pushing carts, others pulling wheelbarrows—each packed full. Some had elderly or children sitting on top; most carried backpacks and large bundles, while some even pulled children by hand. The village was noisy but busy with everyone heading to the assembly point.
They say “breaking a home is worth a fortune”—and this scene confirmed it. Li Wanting’s cart, loaded to the brim, drew envious eyes from many villagers.
At the village entrance, someone shouted to her, “Dasha’s wife, over here!”
Looking up, Li Wanting saw Mrs. Wang waving. “Here we are, Auntie!” she called, driving the cart over.
“Dasha’s wife, your cart is well-prepared!” Zhou Yunda praised, seeing the open-top oilcloth covering Li Wanting’s cart.
“Ah, just experimenting,” Li Wanting replied modestly.
“Okay, when we depart, follow right behind my family,” Zhou Yunda instructed.
“Understood, Uncle,” Li Wanting replied obediently.
Zhou Yunda began organizing the lineup. Li Wanting noticed the chief’s family had two carts, Lin the hunter had one, and two relatively well-off families, Zhou Laogen’s and butcher Zhou Dahu’s, also had carts.
She patiently waited as more carts joined, the line growing longer. In the middle, she saw the old household people—men, women, and children—with headscarves covering their bald heads, standing out awkwardly among the villagers.
No idea where they got the silver, but they carried large bundles and baskets. Zhou Dahe even pushed a small cart.
Hmph, this journey will be tough; I’ll enjoy watching your performance on the road.
Zhou Yunda, a clever village chief, arranged all able-bodied men on both sides of the line with axes, machetes, or hoes. Elderly, children, and women were in the middle. A few strong men swept the rear.
Once arranged, he struck a large bronze gong.
“Clang!”
The sound traveled far. The chattering crowd instantly fell silent, all eyes on the chief.
“Listen, everyone. Our village has 148 households. Twenty went to relatives, ten are elderly at home and won’t come, and the remaining 118 households have registered—362 people total. Thank you for your trust. I will lead everyone safely to Shuntian Prefecture. But I must warn you: anyone who causes trouble or disobeys instructions will be removed from our group, and we will have nothing to do with them. Take care of each other, stay together, and we’ll be safer. Enough talk, let’s go.”
Zhou Yunda led a cart loaded with supplies. His eldest son, Zhou Dafeng, led another with many goods, with Mrs. Wang and granddaughter sitting on top.
Second son Zhou Dalin, along with his female family members and children, carried large bundles and followed behind.
Behind them were Li Wanting, Lin the hunter, Zhou Laogen, and Zhou Dahu, each with a cart, followed by the long line of villagers.
The caravan moved steadily out of the village. Some looked back at their ancestral homes, some shed tears, and some even knelt to bow three times before turning back resolutely to continue.
As they quietly moved forward, Zhou Yunda occasionally called out to keep everyone together.
Not long after leaving the village, Zomeng woke. Seeing she was on the cart, she perked up, looking left and right.
“Mom, so many people! Is the famine escape starting?” she asked, noticing the long line disappearing into the distance.
“Yes, little lazy cat, just waking up? Hungry?” Li Wanting glanced at her daughter while steering the cart.
“Yes, I’m hungry,” Zomeng said, rubbing her stomach.