I survived the famine by scavenging and supported my family.

Nobody paid any attention to Granny Qian. Instead of wasting her time, she might as well go out and look for a rabbit before it got dark. Maybe she could catch one.

Many people went out, and surprisingly, one or two actually came back carrying bamboo rats and pheasants. Seeing that they had caught something, even more people went out to find meat to eat!

Zhao Ningning's family didn't care about any of that. After eating and drinking their fill, they tidied up and went to bed early.

Going down the mountain is really exhausting, and Zhao Ningning has been sleeping much more soundly lately.

Every morning, he would wake up from his nap on the sofa in the room by Zhao Qi calling him.

The group continued on its way.

We need to get over this hill first, and then it's all downhill.

It took the group most of the day to climb from the bottom of the valley to the top of the mountain, and then slowly walk down the mountain.

The village head carefully reminded everyone at the front, "The road is too narrow, everyone please slow down and keep to your sides!"

We walk separately to prevent someone behind from slipping and falling, which could cause the people in front to fall as well.

The mountain forest was full of untouched slopes, and upon hearing the village head's reminder, everyone tacitly avoided each other while walking.

After descending a slope, you have to follow a narrow path through the mountainside.

The road was so narrow that only one horse-drawn carriage could pass at a time.

Zhao Ningning's family's vehicle was a modified cart, long and narrow, which made it relatively easy to maneuver.

The other proper horse-drawn carriages were difficult to navigate.

The Wen family had Wen Zike protect Wen Zichuan as they walked close to the mountainside, while the rest of the family helped drive the carriage.

On one side is a slope that is almost vertical for hundreds of meters, and on the other side is a steep mountain wall.

Everyone walked very carefully.

But the road was too long. At first, Old Man Xi was a little scared. When he got halfway there, he saw that the cart could pass and there was still some space. The mountain road was flat and there was no mud. So he asked Xi Ershun, who was pulling the cart, to stop and he sat in front of the cart to rest.

Once Old Man Xi got into the car, Xi Ershun, who was pulling the cart, lowered his head and strained to pull it forward.

Er Shun's wife, standing to the side, was both angry and anxious.

This road is so treacherous that just pulling the cart through is enough to make one's heart race. Now, my father-in-law has shamelessly sat on it, and with his weight, the cart is even heavier and harder to pull!

She couldn't kick them out.

Old Xi was quite pleased with himself: Look at others, walking with their heads down, they're exhausting themselves!

Look at him, how clever he is! He can even rest his feet while sitting in the car!

Old Xi's chin was practically held high in the sky.

Just as he was feeling smug, he turned a corner and a tree branch suddenly slanted down from the cliff face. Caught off guard, he was knocked sideways by the branch.

It's okay if he veers off course; there's a big slope right next to him!

Old Man Xi instinctively reached out and grabbed at nothing, but only managed to grab empty air!

In an instant, he tumbled down the slope.

Those walking behind saw this and were stunned.

When the village head heard a noise behind him and turned around, he saw Old Man Xi fall down.

It was too late to stop them.

There were tree branches on the slope. When Old Man Xi fell, he didn't land on the ground immediately. The branches cushioned his fall several times, and his internal organs were smashed to pieces by the impact. When he rolled to the bottom of the slope, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Village head: "..."

—Consider it retribution for his betrayal of the team!

Xi Dashun clung to the edge of the mountain path, shouting at the bottom of the slope with all his might, "Dad—"

The village head couldn't walk back to talk to Xi Ershun, so he could only shout, "Dashun! Ershun! Don't lie down to the side! It's dangerous! Go past this path and then downhill, turn back a bit and you'll reach the bottom of the slope!"

Upon hearing this, Xi Ershun withdrew his gaze, lowered his head, and silently pulled the cart forward.

He wasn't worried about Old Man Xi.

The events that have happened along the way have worn away all his filial piety.

As soon as Old Man Xi had his accident, Granny Qian, who had been sitting in the wedding car, quickly got off and obediently walked along the mountain wall while holding onto the wall.

Fortunately, there were no further accidents. After passing this section of road and walking downhill for half an hour, the group arrived near the bottom of the slope where Old Man Xi had fallen earlier.

It was almost time for a break, so the village head told everyone to rest where they were.

Xi Dashun and Xi Ershun went to the hillside to find Old Man Xi.

They went on four legs and came back on four legs.

Old Xi was in pain all over his body; he would cry out in pain at the slightest touch.

With no other option, Xi Ershun and Xi Dashun made a makeshift stretcher out of rattan and branches and carried Old Man Xi back.

After they were brought back, Old Man Xi specifically requested to sleep on the cart.

The cart is flat and doesn't feel uncomfortable.

Without saying a word, Xi Dashun put the things in the car aside and then Xi Ershun carried the old man upstairs.

Dr. Kang came over to examine Old Man Xi. He pressed his hands all over Old Man Xi's body and said, "It's nothing serious. Find two pieces of wood to immobilize his left leg and let him rest for a while."

Dr. Kang was not an expert in external injuries; he could only tell that Old Man Qi's left leg was badly injured, but not as severely as Zhao Lao Er's leg fracture.

It is not obvious in other places.

If we lived in the county town, we could at least get some medicine to treat internal injuries, but now... we're lucky if we can get a half-full meal a day!

After seeing Dr. Kang off, Xi Ershun returned to his own cart. Old Man Xi groaned that he wanted to eat some meat to replenish his strength.

Seeing his second son remain silent, Old Man Xi kicked him with his right leg, "Second son! Go and hunt two wild rabbits!"

"Father..." Ershun said in a muffled voice, "How could I possibly hunt wild rabbits?"

Old Man Xi groaned loudly, "Ouch... I'm going to die... I can't even eat a wild rabbit... Ouch... My whole body aches..."

Xi Ershun was extremely annoyed. He took his wife and two daughters, saying they were going to catch wild rabbits and find wild vegetables, and followed the villagers into the woods.

"Er Shun..." Luo Xiaozhi's eyes welled up with tears as she said, "You mean the old man..."

"Now that his leg is broken, won't he have to lie on a cart and be pulled by you for the rest of the way?!"

"I'll figure something out," Xi Ershun shook his head. "Once we get down the mountain... let's figure out how to separate the family!"

"Hmph, how many times have you said that!" Luo Xiaozhi's wife lightly punched her husband. The couple, with their child, were looking for wild vegetables in the woods while nagging each other.

Unbeknownst to them, they walked further and further away. Suddenly, Xi Ershun saw something dart past in front of him.

Upon closer inspection, he saw a pheasant about three zhang away, tiptoeing and trying to slip out of his sight!

—There are pheasants!

Xi Ershun bent over and stood still, slowly unloading the basket from his back, and gave his wife a look so she would look ahead.

His wife and two daughters all spotted pheasants!

Xi Ershun slowly opened his arms and moved his lower body slowly towards the pheasant. Just as the pheasant was about to take flight, he leaped forward!

"Got it!" Xi Ershun struggled to turn over on the ground while holding the pheasant. Ershun's wife rushed to help him and patted the dirt off him.

The two daughters jumped up excitedly, "Great! We can eat meat at home now!"

Xi Ershun and his wife exchanged a glance. Ershun said, "Let's go find a place!"

Hearing his words, Er Shun's wife smiled.

The four hid deep in the woods and quietly roasted and ate the pheasant, which was as thin as a pigeon. After wiping its beak clean, they haphazardly gathered some firewood and went back.

They didn't eat dinner at night. When they got back, Xi Ershun gave an indifferent greeting to Old Man Xi and then laid out an oilcloth next to his cart to rest.

That night, Xi Ershun and the others all fell asleep with smiles on their faces.

He couldn't laugh the next day.

Old Man Xi is unable to walk and needs someone to help him.

Xi Dashun usually just talks about how much he cares for the old man, but when it comes to actually pulling the cart himself, he'd never do it.

Da Shun was only willing to walk behind and help pull the back of the cart a couple of times, and he also managed to carry two loads of firewood.

The rest of the luggage was handled entirely by Da Shun's wife and Luo Xiaozhi.

Even Er Shun's two daughters each carried a small bundle, doing what they could.

Xi Ershun walked ahead, gritting his teeth and bearing the weight of the entire cart, his resolve growing stronger—once they got down the mountain, he would find an opportunity to discuss separating the family.

The day we came down the mountain.

During the midday break, Luo Xiaozhi unfolded the folded oilcloth and spread it on the ground, urging Xi Ershun to sit down and rest.

Feeling sorry for her husband, she unscrewed the water bag. Inside was water that had been boiled before they set off that morning, and it was now completely cooled, making it a comforting drink.

Just as Xi Ershun picked up the water pouch and opened his mouth, Old Man Xi exclaimed, "Ouch... my body aches so much!"

My mouth is so dry, I'm so thirsty...

Luo Xiaozhi glanced at Old Man Xi, held the bottom of the water bag with one hand and supported Xi Ershun's head with the other, and poured the water from the water bag directly into Ershun's mouth.

After Ershun finished drinking, she took out a bamboo tube and asked Ershun to pour water to feed the old man.

Old Man Xi waited and waited, but Er Shun didn't come to serve him. He got angry and started throwing a tantrum on the cart. Xi Da Shun stood by and tried to persuade him, but it was no use.

The water was brought over, and Old Man Xi, with his eyes half-closed, groaned weakly, "Oh, I'm going to die, oh dear, it's so hot and I'm so thirsty, and that unfilial ingrate doesn't even care about me..."

Xi Dashun was heartbroken. He snatched the bamboo tube from his second brother's hand, helped the old man up, and said, "Dad, the water is here. Drink some water first."

With his eldest son's hand, Old Man Xi hummed a few more times before finally taking a few sips.

He hadn't walked, and now that the weather was getting cooler, he wasn't thirsty at all.

It's just that I can't stand seeing Xi Ershun resting.

After a short rest at noon, Zhao Ningning's family took turns going into the carriage to eat something to replenish their energy, just like before.

Most of the people in the group only eat one meal a day, and they don't want to be too ostentatious.

Since both Zhao Ningning and Zhao Qi were able to return to their space, Ningning's parents had dinner together.

At the small table, Ning's mother chewed on a biscuit and said, "We'll be down the mountain in half a day. The road will be easier to walk on now than before."

"Yes!" Ning's father said, "There's just so much mud, we have to stop and dig it out every few steps."

The further down the mountain you go, the softer the mud becomes. As soon as someone walks by, the ruts that are half a calf high immediately close up.

Not only the cart, but also their mules and horses were covered in mud.

When walking, not to mention the lower body, the upper body, back, and occasionally the face would get splashed with mud.

The car was covered in mud, and Ning's father was just hoping to get down the mountain quickly so that the mud would dry a bit and he could clean the car properly.

After the two adults finished eating and tidied up, Ning's father called the two children back.

Ning's father: "The road is easier to travel now, you two don't need to lead the mule anymore, you can just sit in the car."

Zhao Ningning obediently sat on the hood of the car. "That's great. Anyway, I'm not that heavy. Let's give our mule a hard time."

Zhao Qi tried to decline, saying he was older and could walk, but Ning's father pressed him down.

The mountain path here is already quite gentle, and the two children still need to grow taller, so we can't let them get too tired.

In the afternoon, the group continued their journey.

As we walked, the mountains and forests outside gradually became extremely quiet.

Sitting in the carriage, Zhao Ningning could hear even the animals' panting clearly.

Suddenly, she felt dizzy and Zhao Ningning instinctively grabbed the carriage for support.

The next second, a dull, teeth-grinding sound came from all directions.

There was a clanging and clattering sound coming from the roof of the carriage. After Zhao Ningning steadied herself, she looked out and saw the mules pacing restlessly in place, and the horses rearing up high!

"Earthquake!" Ning's mother exclaimed, and quickly untied the reins of the two animals from the vehicle.

After untying her, she reached in and pulled Zhao Ningning out of the car, shoving her under the car.

Zhao Qi, who had crawled out of the carriage, was also carried out by Ning's father and tucked under the car. The family of four huddled tightly under the car, with the two adults protecting the two children.

The outside started shaking violently.

"Holy crap, an earthquake!?"

"Oh no, it's an earthworm turning over!"

"Get out of here quickly!"

"No! Hide! Rocks are falling from the mountain!"

The crowd was in chaos. Someone shouted something, but the words were cut off before they could finish.

With a loud "boom," a fist-sized rock fell from the sky, smashing a large hole in the mud pit.

At first, the stones were the size of a fist, but then more and more pebbles appeared. Seeing that hiding in place was no longer an option, Ning's father gritted his teeth, picked up Zhao Qi, and shouted, "Let's go!"

The mule was still circling beside the cart, but the horse had disappeared.

Ning's father shoved Zhao Qi into the cart, quickly put the cart on the mule, and after Ning's mother and Zhao Ningning got in, he immediately cracked the whip.

The mule, in pain, ran forward recklessly.

Countless pebbles fell from the sky like meteors, one after another hitting the carriage and the sides of the road.

"Run! Run faster—"

The voices behind them gave the group guidance, and more and more people risked being hit by flying rocks as they ran forward with their belongings.

No one cared whether their feet were on mud or grass, nor did anyone care about the stones flying from the sky—unless they were hit.

All they cared about was the foot of the mountain—once they reached the foot of the mountain, they wouldn't have to worry about the rocks anymore!

Someone lost their footing, slipped and fell to the ground, and was cut on the arm by a sharp stone that had fallen to the ground, causing blood to gush out instantly.

Without waiting to be dealt with, the man scrambled to his feet and continued running forward.

"Crack—"

A loud bang came from behind.

"Run! Run!!"

"The mountain split open!!!"

Hearing the shouts from behind, Ning's father didn't dare to turn his head. He focused on driving the mule and fleeing forward as fast as he could!

At the very back of the group, the entire mountain seemed to have been cleaved in two by an axe, with a clean crack splitting open in the middle. The crack continued to spread and swallowed up the person at the very back of the group in the blink of an eye!

"grandfather--"

The fifteen-year-old boy cried and tried to turn back, but a man in the group grabbed his collar and pulled him forward.

"Squeak—"

The gap closed again, and before the man behind could even catch his breath, his feet gave way, and the ground around him collapsed like soft mud.