The mother of the era is reborn to support her cannon fodder children!

Chapter 174 "Making a Great Contribution"

"...It was Aunt Manyue from Aunt Li's family. She took Qianbao away." Gu Lan, lying on the bed, struggled to sit up. She had lost too much blood, and her voice was weak. "Third Aunt, I saw her carrying Qianbao towards the back mountain. I tried to stop her, but I couldn't..."

The "Full Moon Auntie" that Gu Lan mentioned is Li Da Niang's daughter-in-law, the notoriously submissive daughter-in-law of the Harvest Brigade.

Having been married into the Li family for many years without being able to conceive, she endured endless scorn and gossip from the village head and gossipy women. To make matters worse, she was burdened with a mother-in-law, Aunt Li, who treated her granddaughter like dirt and only doted on her grandson. She was tormented every day. She was the first to get up, the hardest to do, and the least to eat... Even the children in the Li family could "step on" her, and her life was extremely miserable.

Gu Lan hated herself for being useless, her eyes instantly reddened, and her face was full of guilt. "Third Aunt, I'm sorry, I couldn't save Qianbao."

She felt sorry for her third aunt's kindness to her.

The little girl's forehead was bandaged tightly, with a faint red glow peeking through the gauze. Her lips were cracked and peeling, devoid of any color.

She was only twelve years old, thin and frail, lying on the large bed covered in injuries, making her appear even smaller and more helpless.

Seeing her daughter's guilty face, Huang Xiulan rubbed her eyes and couldn't help but speak up for her: "How old are you? How can a child like you compete with a woman like Zhang Manyue who does hard labor all day and is as strong as an ox? All the blame lies with that heartless madwoman! Why are you taking the blame upon yourself?!"

These words were specifically spoken to his third sister-in-law.

Huang Xiulan recalled the scene she had witnessed earlier—her daughter lying silently on the ground, surrounded by a large pool of blood, her face deathly pale as if she were dead, which terrified her so much that she almost fell to the ground!
Her family almost fell apart!
This isn't an exaggeration... If Alan were gone, even if she knew it wasn't the third branch's fault, she wouldn't be able to get along with her third brother and sister-in-law as openly as before. What rationality could a mother have after losing her daughter?
Today, Gu's mother suffered one shock after another: her youngest grandson was stolen, and her eldest granddaughter was almost crushed to death. When she heard the news, she couldn't catch her breath and fainted. She has only just recovered.

All the men in the family went up the mountain to look for him.

The women stayed behind to look after the children at home.

"Third son's wife, don't blame Alan, this really isn't Alan's fault! Alan risked her life! She even..." Gu's mother's voice trembled violently. A strong person all her life, she hadn't stopped crying all day. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her head was throbbing with pain.

“Your father and the others… all the men in the village… have gone to the mountains to search for him. Heaven has eyes… they will definitely find my beloved grandson! They definitely will…” Her lips trembled as she thought of her missing grandson, and tears streamed down her face again. Her heart felt like it was being scraped by a dull knife.

“…I understand.” Lin Zhao’s eyes stung with tears.

She sat down beside the bed, grasped Gu Lan's cold little hand, and said in a slightly hoarse but steady voice, "It's not Lan's fault. Thank you, Third Aunt, for risking your life to save Qianbao."

Her gaze swept over the scratches on the little girl's arm, and she paused for a moment, her eyes showing heartache. "Our Alan has suffered so much."

Gu Lan gently curled her fingers, instinctively wanting to pull back her scarred arm, her soft voice carrying a hint of soothing.

"Third Aunt, don't worry too much. Grandpa, Dad, and the others have all gone to look for him. Qianbao will definitely be alright."

Lin Zhao forced a smile, helped Alan lie down, and told her to close her eyes and rest. She then gestured for Gu's mother and the others to leave.

The group arrived at the courtyard.

"Mother, what did the Li family say?" Lin Zhao's voice was calm, but it couldn't hide her coldness.

Gu's mother got angry just thinking about the Li family, and she even hated that annoying old woman Li for having such a vicious dog who bites without barking!
They act all meek and submissive like quails on ordinary days, but behind your back they can actually resort to such underhanded tactics to kidnap other people's children!

What a waste of her kindness, ugh!
"The Li family has made a statement..." Gu's mother glanced at Lin Zhao's expression, continuing, "They said that if that crazy woman dares to step into the house, they'll throw her out immediately! The Li family members have gone into the mountains to help look for her."

Lin Zhao sneered, "Shouldn't they have gone? Shouldn't they have been the first to rush up the mountain?!"

Her eyes were as cold as frost as she said, word by word, "If anything happens to Qianbao, I will not let the Li family off the hook."

After saying that, he turned and left the courtyard.

Mother Gu jogged a few steps to catch up and hurriedly called out, "Third son's wife, where are you going?"

"Go up the mountain."

Two light, airy words fell.

Lin Zhao took a deep breath and sprinted down the mountain, his figure quickly disappearing around the corner ahead.

The twins tried to chase after her, but Gu's mother pulled them into her arms.

"You two shouldn't go. With so many people going up the mountain, the wild animals have been disturbed. They'll be coming down to find food now, and with your small bodies, you won't even be enough to fill their teeth."

Yu Bao struggled to lift her head, her swollen double eyelids almost covering her eyes. "What about Qian Bao? Qian Bao is still in the mountains."

He stared intently in the direction Lin Zhao had left, biting his lip, overwhelmed with regret and sorrow, unable to lift his head. "It's all my fault. I'm the eldest brother. I didn't keep a good eye on Qianbao."

Gu's mother's heart was in turmoil. "Why blame a little kid like you? You're barely taller than the stove. If anyone's to blame, it's me. I, as your mother, didn't take good care of Qianbao."

"It's not Grandma's fault, and it's not Brother's fault either!" Hengbao clenched his little fists tightly, a gloom in his eyes that didn't belong to his age flashing. "It's that wicked woman's fault! It's all her fault!"

He was the little boy who, upon hearing that his younger brother had been carried up the mountain, immediately thought of bringing amber, a sickle, and food (dried biscuits and water) to rescue his brother.

He's resourceful and decisive, but he's still young; he'll be extraordinary when he's older. Maybe Qianbao will have already been brought back home!

“Yes, it’s the bad guy. He knows why you two are crying like this,” Gu’s mother replied.

"Let's go home first. Grandma will put some compress on your eyes. Your eyes are so swollen that when Qianbao comes back, he won't even recognize his older brothers."

Yu Bao glanced at the mountain again and again before turning her gaze away after entering the house. "I'm scared... I'm scared that Qian Bao won't come back, and I'm scared that he'll be frightened. Grandma, will Qian Bao cry? Just thinking about Qian Bao crying makes me want to cry too..."

In the mountains.

Qianbao didn't cry, but the little dumpling was terrified.

A gray-black wolf with sharp fangs bit Zhang Manyue's arm and dragged her into the woods, tearing and pulling at her.

Just a few steps away, there were several wolves with gleaming green eyes and drooling. Their greedy and fierce gazes were fixed on the fair-skinned child who was being protected by the big yellow dog, their mouths watering.

Another skinny wolf rushed up and headed straight for the child.

Big Yellow growled a warning growl from its throat, baring its gleaming teeth. Just as the wolf closed in, its powerful front paws lashed out with lightning speed, striking the wolf's head with deadly force.

"Ouch!"

The wolf flew backward, its body crashing into an old pine tree. It then tucked its tail between its legs, howling as it fled in a sorry state into the depths of the forest.

Qianbao's small body stood on the yellowed, dry grass, his back pressed against the cold, hard cliff face.

He touched Big Yellow's fluffy, powerful tail, and as if only then did he come to his senses, he said softly with a hint of dependence, "Big Yellow is great."

"Woof!" Big Yellow responded, not daring to relax for a moment, its cold eyes fixed on the several hungry wolves in front of it, and a few intimidating barks escaped its throat.

Lin Zhao fed it three meals a day, so its fur was glossy and smooth, its limbs were strong, and its fangs were sharp as blades. It was at the peak of its fighting power...

Even if they are facing ferocious wolves, they still have the strength to fight back.

Protecting its little master was Big Yellow's only thought!
A chilling chewing sound came from the nearby bushes, which had been mixed with mournful howls, but now they were all gone.

Sudden--

"Qianbao..."

"rhubarb……"

Faint, familiar, anxious calls could be heard, carried by the mountain wind.

Big Yellow's ears perked up instantly, and then it started barking wildly, each bark louder than the last.

Gu Chenghuai carried his hunting rifle, weaving through the narrow mountain paths, occasionally checking for traces among the broken branches and grass on the ground, and quickly following the latest tracks.

The men from the neighborhood security committee following behind carried hoes and shovels, all panting and sweating profusely. Their physical strength was far inferior to that of soldiers who had trained year-round.

"Hey! Wait! There's a dog barking—" Zhang Yongqiang, the head of the neighborhood security committee, suddenly stopped and listened for a few moments before saying uncertainly, "Listen, isn't that... the big yellow dog that the Gu family keeps...?"

The words have not yet fallen.

A figure flashed before his eyes. Gu Chenghuai, like an arrow released from a bow, plunged down a steep, almost vertical path hidden by bushes, without hesitation, heading straight towards the source of the barking.

The lithe figure disappeared into the dense bushes below in the blink of an eye.

Witnessing this scene, Zhang Yongqiang's heart leaped into his throat, and he cried out urgently, "...Danger! We can't go down there!" His voice was shrill and distorted.

That narrow path, almost a precipice, was a dead end that the villagers avoided. Below the slope was a hundred-foot-deep cliff; anyone who fell would be instantly killed.

Zhang Yongqiang felt a chill run down his spine. Without hesitation, he led his men to continue their frantic run along the relatively safe main road.

"Don't go that way! Follow me around there! Quickly!"

After shouting, he gritted his teeth, mustered his strength, and led his men to speed up their journey.

Gu Chenghuai's body continued to slide down the steep slope, the enormous inertia almost throwing him off the cliff.

At the critical moment, he hooked his long legs onto a tree stump as thick as a bowl, managing to steady himself.

Then, using the momentum, it swung and nimbly pounced onto the gentle slope beside it.

After walking briskly for a few more minutes, Gu Chenghuai stopped at the edge of a slightly higher cliff.

With a sharp gaze, he scanned downwards and caught sight of a small, unharmed figure in the valley below.

He breathed a sigh of relief; the anxiety that had been hanging over him finally subsided.

All eyes were focused on Big Yellow.

Several hungry gray shadows bared their teeth and growled at it, closing in to hunt it down.

The big yellow dog's fur stood on end, but its posture was resolute. It stood firmly half a step in front of the child, refusing to retreat even half a step!

Without the slightest hesitation.

Gu Chenghuai raised his hunting rifle, the muzzle instantly locking onto the target, and decisively pulled the trigger.

"boom!"

The wolf fell to the ground immediately.

"boom!"

The second one fell.

Startled by the gunshot, the wolf king, who was hiding in the shadows, was about to look up when a third bullet whistled through the air.

The remaining wolves, having lost their leader, hurriedly fled.

Gu Chenghuai knew that wolves held grudges, so he didn't let them go. With a few loud thuds, the wolves fell to the ground.

Having dealt with the beast that was feeding his son Qianbao, he surveyed the terrain and quickly found a gentle slope, from which he slid down.

His legs had just touched the ground.

Big Yellow excitedly rushed over, barking, "Woof woof woof, woof woof woof!" (Why did you take so long? The pup was almost crying!)
Gu Chenghuai rubbed Dahuang's head and praised, "You've done a great job! I'll reward you with a meat bone tomorrow!"

The words "meat bones" instantly ignited Da Huang's interest.

It excitedly circled around its male owner, wagging its tail happily and making soft, whimpering sounds.

Gu Chenghuai rushed to Qianbao in three steps, bent down and hugged the little body in his arms. He placed his warm hand on the back of his youngest son's head and said gently, "Were you scared? Don't be afraid, Daddy's here."

Qianbao remained silent, only clinging tightly to her father's neck. Gu Chenghuai felt a dampness on his shoulder, and in that instant, his hardened and calm heart felt as if it had been pricked by a needle.

He gently rubbed the child's round little head with his large hand; the child's soft hair softened his heart.

Seeing that its little master didn't speak, Da Huang became anxious and spun around in place. It slapped away a wolf's front paw and placed it on the male master's waist. It straightened up and tried to stretch its dog face to look at its little master. "Woof...woof..." The barking was so gentle that it was almost coaxing. It sounded like it was coaxing its own cub.

Gu Chenghuai: "..."

A sense of absurdity welled up inside me; anyone who didn't know better would think it was the father!

Gu Chenghuai quickly dismissed this inexplicable thought, his tone becoming extremely gentle, "Want a rabbit?"

rabbit?

Qianbao's long, moist eyelashes trembled slightly, and a tear fell onto his father's shoulder.

He raised his little head, his eyes bright as if washed clean, and said in a childish voice, "Yes."

The fact that he could speak meant he wasn't completely terrified. Gu Chenghuai's brows relaxed. Holding his son in one arm and carrying a gun in the other, he rushed up the slope and pulled out the bound, snow-white rabbit from a patch of weeds.

He grabbed this on the way to coax his son.

See, it's finally come in handy!
"Rabbit!" The child's tender voice was filled with surprise.

Qianbao hugged the rabbit, his little hands trying to untie the rabbit's restraints, but he couldn't. He looked to his father for help.

Gu Chenghuai softened his voice and said, "We'll untie it when we get back. If we untie it now, the rabbit will kick its legs and disappear in no time."

Qianbao nodded obediently.

Just then, a series of chaotic footsteps approached from afar.

Zhang Yongqiang arrived breathlessly with everyone, including the anxious Gu family.

Gu's father staggered over, his old eyes fixed on his grandson, looking him up and down. Seeing that Qianbao was not missing any limbs, he let out a long sigh of relief.

"As long as it's okay, it'll be okay."

She patted her grandson's head affectionately, saying, "Our little Qianbao was really frightened."

Fortunately, nothing happened.

Qianbao grinned at his grandfather and said softly, "Grandpa."

Father Gu's heart was filled with anxiety. "Hey! Grandpa's here, and your uncles are here too. Don't be afraid, no one will hurt our Qianbao!"

Meng Jiusi was also there; he had been brought in to help in this emergency.

He wanted to hug his little nephew, but then he remembered that Qianbao didn't recognize him and was afraid of startling the child, so he had to give up the idea and planned to quietly take his pulse when the child was more composed.

Zhang Yongqiang caught his breath, glanced at Gu Chenghuai and Xiao Qianbao, and suddenly frowned, asking, "Hey, right! Where is Manyue?"

Noticing that his gaze was on him, Gu Chenghuai raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who is this? I didn't see him."

"What?" Zhang Yongqiang's eyes were full of surprise and doubt, and his voice rose eight octaves involuntarily, "How could I not have seen it? Wasn't it the Li family's wife in our brigade who couldn't have children who carried Qianbao up the mountain?!"

"She carried my Qianbao up the mountain? The reason!" Gu Chenghuai's eyes were displeased, his expression slightly cold, and his chest was filled with anger, ready to burst forth at any moment.

"This... I don't know yet, we need to find her first." Zhang Yongqiang felt a cold air rushing towards him, his limbs almost frozen, and he quickly explained.

"Woof woof..." Big Yellow suddenly barked softly at something not far away.

It cautiously took a few steps in that direction, then stopped, turned its head to look at the crowd, and seeing that no one was following, let out a louder and more urgent cry.

Gu Yuanshan's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Does Dahuang want us to go with it?"

(End of this chapter)