The gust of wind was actually created by Li Wanting using a space fan and the space’s perspective function—no one could see it, they could only feel the breeze. Li Wanting controlled the fan to blow at Zhou Zhangshi’s headscarf. Zhou Zhangshi jumped and lunged to grab it, creating a comical scene.
“Hahaha!”“Hahaha!”“Hahaha!”
Even those who were resting were awakened by Zhou Zhangshi’s shrieks. Now everyone’s attention was on her bald head performance, laughing until they nearly fell over.
Finally, Zhou Zhangshi grabbed the headscarf, only to lose her footing and fall flat on the ground.
“Hahaha!”“Hahaha!”“Hahaha!”
The laughter grew even louder.
Zhou Laomao and Zhou Dahe quickly rushed over to help Zhou Zhangshi up—but a sudden gust of wind blew off their headscarves too. They hurriedly abandoned Zhou Zhangshi to retrieve their own scarves.
“Ouch, my butt!” Zhou Zhangshi had just gotten halfway up when the two men unexpectedly let go, and she landed with a thump again, grimacing in pain.
Finally, Zhou Dahe and Zhou Laomao managed to tie their scarves back on haphazardly and helped Zhou Zhangshi toward the resting area.
“You heartless people! And you too! Were you trying to make me fall to my death? Ouch…” Zhou Zhangshi scolded as they supported her along.
Zhou Laomao didn’t dare reply, staying silent, while Zhou Dahe tried to calm her with a smile: “It’s nothing, Mom, it’s just the mischievous wind, that’s all.”
“Hmph,” Zhou Zhangshi snorted, finally sitting down slowly.
“Hahaha, old hag! Could it be your whole family has turned into bald goats? Everyone’s wearing headscarves in this heat! Hahaha… looks like the heavens are punishing your whole family for your sins, hahaha…” Mrs. Tian laughed while pointing at them.
“Ugh! You old witch, crow-mouth! I’ll tear your mouth apart!” Zhou Zhangshi struggled to get up.
“Enough! What are you two making so much noise for? Haven’t you had enough? Go rest already,” Zhou Yunda said. He had been exhausted from the journey and didn’t want to interfere, but seeing them about to fight, he had no choice but to scold them.
“Hmph.”“Hmph.”
The two old women finally let out cold snorts at each other and quieted down.
By this time, those who went hunting on the mountain had returned. Some came back empty-handed, heads hanging low; some had gathered a handful of wild vegetables; only Lin the Hunter had caught a chicken, drawing envious glances from everyone.
Zhou Yunda saw everyone awake, and as the hunters returned, he began roll call, household by household.
After confirming no one was missing, he instructed everyone to pack up and continue.
The afternoon heat was even more intense. Li Wanting and the two children sat on the cow cart, drenched in sweat, beads of sweat dripping down their foreheads.
Li Wanting occasionally slipped a small ice cube into the children’s mouths to cool them down. She also secretly drank a bottle of Huoxiang Zhengqi Water herself and gave each child half a bottle. The children grimaced at the bitterness and quickly drank a few sips of the watermelon juice from their water pouches to relieve the taste.
Even sitting on the cow cart, they were roasting in the heat, not to mention the massive caravan behind them, pushing carts, carrying bundles, and children. Along the roadside, some refugees collapsed from hunger, lack of water, or heatstroke. Occasionally, someone would faint.
Everyone silently pressed on. Although they felt pity for the suffering refugees, their own food and water were limited—they didn’t even know how long it would last. Even if they wanted to help, they could do nothing.
“Da-ya! Da-ya! Wake up, don’t scare your mother…” Suddenly, a woman’s anxious cry came from behind.
The caravan halted. Zhou Yunda handed the cow rope to Zhou Dalin and rushed to the rear.
“Da-ya! Wake up! Wake up!” Zhou Shuanzhong pinched his daughter’s philtrum as he called her.
“Da-ya, Mother’s Da-ya! Wake up!” Zhou Shuanzhong’s wife, Little Zhou, held Da-ya, crying anxiously.
“Older sister, wake up!”“Older sister, wake up!”
The second and third daughters also cried anxiously beside their sister.
Zhou Yunda pushed through the crowd and saw Little Zhou holding Da-ya, who was unconscious, her face flushed, sweat soaking her body. He worried, “Has Da-ya had heatstroke?”
“I don’t know. She was fine just now, and suddenly she collapsed,” Shuanzhong said anxiously.
“What can we do? No village ahead, no town behind—where can we get a doctor?” Zhou Yunda said helplessly.
“Exactly, what do we do now?”“Looks like she might not recover… what a pity.”“Da-ya was such a good child, don’t… ugh, what am I saying?”
Everyone murmured anxiously.
Hearing that someone had heatstroke, and that it was Zhou Shuanzhong’s eldest daughter, Li Wanting remembered that Shuanzhong had once helped summon a scholar. She took out a bottle of Huoxiang Zhengqi Water from the space, poured it into a porcelain bottle, and asked Mrs. Wang to watch the cart and children while she hurried toward the scene.
Everyone stepped aside, allowing her a path.
“Dasha’s wife, do you know how to treat heatstroke?” Zhou Yunda asked urgently as she approached.
Everyone turned to look at her, and Zhou Shuanzhong’s family looked especially hopeful.
Li Wanting looked at Da-ya, who seemed about eight or nine, similar in age to Zhou Zimo, and said: “Uncle, I don’t have a prescription, but I bought some medicine from a Taoist I met while traveling in town. My children and I have used it, and it works well. Shuanzhong, you have to trust me—give it to Da-ya. If you don’t, there’s nothing I can do.”
“Sister-in-law, if you have the medicine, we’re grateful. How could we not trust you?” Zhou Shuanzhong said sincerely.
“Good. Shake the bottle, give half to Da-ya now, and the rest tonight. She should be fine,” Li Wanting said, handing the bottle to Zhou Shuanzhong.
“I… I remember. Thank you, sister-in-law.” Zhou Shuanzhong’s hands trembled as he took the medicine, eyes red—this was life-saving medicine.
Li Wanting watched Zhou Shuanzhong give Da-ya half the Huoxiang Zhengqi Water, then told Little Zhou: “Young lady, take Da-ya to the shade of that big tree and use a damp towel to help her cool down.”
“I’ll take her,” Zhou Shuanzhong said, quickly taking Da-ya from Little Zhou and heading toward the tree Li Wanting pointed out.
“Everyone, find a shady spot and rest for a while. We’ll set off again in an hour. Drink plenty of water, and if you have mung beans, make some mung bean soup to cool down. Let’s make sure no one else gets heatstroke,” Zhou Yunda instructed, noting the heat.