novelaction Chapter 468
Chapter 468
Even though his chest ached from the violent panting, he forced himself to straighten his hunched back. After decades as village chief, his legs couldn't stop trembling, and he almost fell to his knees. But the women, children, and other relatives huddled behind him were the people he had cared for his entire life.
He swallowed the bitter taste and clenched the wooden stick tightly with his withered hands - even if he was completely unable to deal with the danger now, he had to stand in front to protect everyone from the wind and rain.
The people behind him, both men and women, had their eyes reddened instantly. They opened their mouths but swallowed their words back, and finally just looked at him silently.
Luo Shuiyao's throat tightened, and she slowly took two steps forward. Under the old man's ingratiating yet wary gaze, she leaned forward slightly and said, "Hello, old man. We are just passing by and have no ill intentions. There is no need to panic."
Hearing someone speak, Old Man Wang's tense shoulders suddenly relaxed, his body swaying, his bony fingers tightly gripping the stick, barely able to steady his stumbling steps. His cloudy eyes darted between the crowd—at first, he was certain the calm man was the leader, but when Luo Shuiyao spoke first, no one else objected. A flicker of surprise flashed in the old man's eyes, and he turned all his attention to her.
Luoshui Yaoyue's white skirt was embroidered with subtle patterns, and the pearls and jade in her hair swayed gently with her movements. Her aristocratic demeanor contrasted sharply with the rags of the refugees. Yet, she deliberately lowered her posture, performing the proper etiquette of a junior. Old Man Wang's chapped lips moved, and a dry sound emanated from his throat, his heart finally settling.
"It's good that there's no ill intention... It's good that..."
He muttered to himself, trying to raise the corners of his mouth and force a soothing smile, but his sunken eye sockets were full of bloodshot, and the curve of his wrinkled face was uglier than crying.
The young man on the side suddenly took half a step forward and said in a low voice: "Village chief, be careful..." Before he finished speaking, Uncle Wang poked his calf lightly with a wooden stick.
The man, forced to take a step back by the prodding, pursed his cracked lips. Knowing the village chief was afraid he'd anger the others, he reluctantly fell silent. However, a wary look remained as he glanced at Luo Shuiyao and the others. His Adam's apple rolled up and down, as if a thousand words were about to burst out of his throat, but in the end, his shoulders slumped in frustration, and he reluctantly closed his mouth.
The old man turned his back and coughed twice. His turbid sputum was streaked with blood, but he forced himself to turn around and straighten his hunched back: "If you gentlemen don't mind, I have..."
He paused, his eyes sweeping over the broken bowls and the iron pots emitting black smoke on the ground. His voice became increasingly hoarse, yet cautious, "There is hot soup to fill my stomach."
After he finished speaking, he took a few deep breaths, his hunched back trembling with the violent heaving of his chest.
The villagers behind him clutched their clothes, their hands trembling slightly. Amid the bubbling of the turbid wild vegetable soup, some people's Adam's apples rolled, their eyes filled with confusion. How could the old village chief say such a thing? The so-called hot soup was just wild vegetable soup mixed with tree bark. How could these elegantly dressed young men and women even care about it?
Luo Shuiyao covered her lips with a handkerchief and coughed lightly twice, trying her best to appear friendly as she took two steps forward. Her eyebrows curved into crescents, and her voice was as sweet as honey. "It just so happens that we are indeed hungry too. Since you are so kind to invite me, I dare not refuse. But it is only when you come and go that we are treated as guests. We have some food here, so we will give it to the children as a token of our gratitude."
Her appearance of a young lady who was ignorant of the world made the people on the opposite side less vigilant.
Upon hearing this, Chun Xing cooperated and unloaded the bundle from the carriage. The oil-paper was peeled back, revealing the slender, grease-soaked meat, leaving a translucent mark on the paper. Though the freshly baked sesame cakes had cooled, the aroma of wheat and sesame still lingered faintly. Several children craned their necks, their Adam's apples rolling, their gleaming eyes glued to the food, wrinkling even the corners of their clothes.
Old Man Wang's lips trembled slightly, and he seemed to have a thousand words in his throat, but he couldn't utter a single word. The furrows carved by time on his face were now filled with astonishment.
He had been the village chief his entire life, and had met many distinguished people. In the past, those distinguished people would pass through here with disgust; now, they had become refugees, and even ordinary people avoided them. His earlier offer of "hot soup to fill my stomach" was merely a polite remark made out of desperation. He had never imagined these distinguished people would actually condescend to stay, let alone offer them precious fare like pickled meat and sesame cakes.
Old Man Wang's throat was churning, and he was about to say no, but the sound of swallowing behind him stopped him. Those faint sounds were like needles, piercing his heart again and again, making it impossible for him to refuse.
At this moment, the young man who had blocked his way suddenly took a half step forward, his eyes filled with caution: "Thank you for your kindness, but I am a lowly person and cannot deserve such a good thing..."
Before she finished speaking, Luo Shuiyao had already taken the pancake from Chun Xing's hand. With a sizzling sound, golden crumbs fell, and the aroma of wheat mixed with the burnt sesame seeds instantly exploded in the air. The children's Adam's apples rolled violently, and the sound of swallowing became clearer and clearer.
Luo Shuiyao calmly put the pancake into her mouth, chewed it carefully, and swallowed it before looking up at the man. Her fair fingers pinched half a pancake and handed it forward, the crumbs falling into her palm. "I understand what you're worried about."
She suddenly raised her hand, pointing to the children standing on tiptoe, their eyes fixed on the food. "But look—you can endure hunger, but can these children endure it? I've tasted this bread, it's not poisonous. We're passing by with no ill intentions."
The man's Adam's apple rolled violently, and the aroma of the burnt sesame cake mixed with the salty and fresh taste of the pickled meat penetrated his nostrils. He lowered his eyes and looked at Luo Shuiyao, his clenched fists slowly loosening, but his tense shoulders still showed a bit of stiffness.
It felt like there was a rough stone stuck in his throat, and his arms were so heavy that he could hardly lift them. But in the end, he slowly stretched out his hand, his knuckles turning white from the exertion: "Thank...thank you very much." There was an awkwardness in his hoarse voice that was hard to conceal.
Luo Shuiyao didn't laugh at him, her smile still gentle, and she just nodded slightly. She reached out and took the entire bundle from Chun Xing's hands, and without saying anything, stuffed it into the man's stiff arms.
The man subconsciously hugged the bundle tightly in his arms, as if he was protecting some treasure.
Luo Shuiyao's voice was gentle. "Please wait a minute, my lords. I still have some old rice in the car, and it would be a waste to leave it there. After everyone has shared the food in the pot, let us also show our kindness and make a few pots of thick porridge. After we finish the hot porridge, we will leave."
These words were obviously said to everyone, indicating that they had no intention of staying long and reassuring everyone.
The elders in the crowd could not fail to hear the hidden meaning, and their weathered faces were filled with gratitude. Old Man Wang bowed tremblingly, his voice choking with sobs: "On behalf of the villagers, I thank the young lady and everyone for your kindness! However, this rice is too expensive, and we really..."
Before he finished speaking, Ye Yunzhou, who had been watching silently, took a half step forward. His eyes were gentle, and he raised his hand to support the old man. "Don't refuse, old man. My sister is right. It's just some old rice, so it's better to leave it there."
After saying that, he nodded slightly, and his cuffs swayed slightly, revealing a piece of dark blue embroidery with twined branches on his wrist. The seemingly casual action made Mr. Wang swallow the rejection that was on the tip of his tongue.