Chapter 28: Fighting Bandits

Zhou Yu had the frostbite ointment distributed to everyone who accompanied the group this time.

He had previously sent warm clothing once during the journey, but due to the current material shortages, it wasn’t possible for everyone to have a full set. The villagers came up with their own solution: pairing up in twos—one would wear the cotton jacket and the other the cotton trousers today, then switch tomorrow.

Originally, Aunt Zhao and Qin Ying planned to do the same, but Zhou Yu allocated them a set of clothes and even gave his own cotton cloak specifically to An’an.

Aunt Zhao and Qin Ying hurriedly tailored a set of cotton clothing and a small quilt for An’an.

So while others more or less suffered through the cold, An’an was well-fed and warm, had grown significantly taller, and her whole appearance had become fuller and more radiant. Especially her chubby little face—rosy, round, and adorable—she looked just like one of those plump baby dolls in New Year paintings.

She became even more lovable.

Everyone believed she brought good fortune, and though others might not say much, Zhou Yu’s smile had grown noticeably more frequent.

His mind had become clearer lately, his work more efficient, and they had also secured another batch of grain. This time, however, he stored it properly, planning to distribute it before the spring planting to ensure it went smoothly.

The rioting among disaster victims in Qin County had basically been brought under control, and there were no longer any cases of cannibalism.

He summarized his experiences and lessons into a report, which he sent to the magistrates of neighboring counties. How much they could benefit from it would depend on them.

Initially, he thought the Zhao family was just lucky and that his own transformation was brought about by their presence. But after careful observation, he realized the real source of good fortune was that little baby who couldn’t even walk yet.

The Zhao family’s good fortune was also brought by her!

This discovery initially thrilled him, but he quickly calmed down and began observing the Zhao family more carefully.

They must have long realized how extraordinary the child was, which was why they deliberately helped her hide it.

For example, even when they clearly found wild fruits themselves, they would quietly lead others to the spot and let them take credit.

Or take the recent well-digging incident—it was obviously discovered by them, yet they had dug a trap in advance and deliberately aged its appearance to make it look like an abandoned site. It was only revealed when Xu Xia stepped on it.

Also, whenever they encountered difficulties digging canals, if the Zhao family got involved, the problems would quickly be solved. But to avoid suspicion, they rotated tasks: Zhao Hu would run around helping everywhere; Aunt Zhao would look after the child and help cook while Qin Ying dug; or Qin Ying would care for the child and help cook while Aunt Zhao dug.

In truth, they had walked through those areas with An’an beforehand.

Zhou Yu thought again about An’an.

That child had a pair of beautiful eyes—clearer than any lake he had ever seen. Her eyes could speak, conveying her fondness for him.

She was naturally cheerful and extremely friendly. Everyone here liked her.

Even in Tongshu Village, where people strongly preferred boys, no one could resist complimenting her or giving her a hug.

Such a child…

Deserved to be well protected.

At the same time, the Zhao family returned home.

They had thought that after such a long absence, their house would be dusty and dirty. But to their surprise, everything inside and out had been cleaned thoroughly. The vegetables in the garden had been harvested. Near the latrine, a shed had been built, and a pile of dry firewood as tall as a person had been stacked.

In the kitchen, the water vat was full, and the grain container hadn’t been touched at all.

Aunt Zhao chuckled and said, “It must have been Ninth Uncle who sent someone to help. We should thank them properly later!”

Zhao Hu immediately ran into the house to heat up the brick bed.

Winters in the mountains were unbearably cold—if you didn’t heat the bed, you could literally freeze to death.

Qin Ying handed An’an to Aunt Zhao, picked out some mushrooms she had brought back, put them into a basket, and pushed her out the door. “Mother, go deliver these to Uncle Ninth. By the time you’re back, the house will be warm and dinner will be ready.”

Before Aunt Zhao could respond, Qin Ying had already started a fire, was boiling water, rinsing rice, and washing vegetables. With no other choice, Aunt Zhao took the basket, wrapped the baby tightly in a blanket, and headed out.

An’an was very happy to see the handsome uncle again. Of course, she would have been even happier if her mother were carrying her!

This outing had earned her a whopping 3 units of energy! A total windfall.

The majority of it came from the virtue points of villagers who had benefited, and the rest came from the doubled energy produced when her mother and the handsome uncle spent time together alone.

However, she had gained another insight:

In the human world, there were rules to follow.

For example, her mother carried the “shackles” of marriage. Even though she and that so-called adoptive father had never completed the wedding ceremony, in the eyes of the world, she was still considered a member of the Guo family.

If someone like her often spent time alone with another man, she would be heavily criticized.

So unless it was absolutely necessary, her mother would never be alone with the handsome uncle. Even when she was, she would minimize the time.

Oh, and even without marriage restrictions, it was still considered improper for a man and woman to be alone together.

Humans really were troublesome!

Aunt Zhao soon arrived at the Chen household and handed over the mushrooms to Uncle Chen Ninth, expressing her gratitude.

Uncle Chen chuckled and said, “You’re thanking the wrong person! It wasn’t me who sent someone over!

“Didn’t Lord Zhou leave some people in our village? They were the ones who came.

“Not just your family—everyone who left the village received the same care.”

He couldn’t hide the lingering fear on his face. “Also, not long after you all left, bandits came to steal grain. They were wielding shiny broadswords, hacking at anyone in sight. Luckily, they were too focused on the food to harm anyone directly.

“Other villages were hit first, and many people were injured. Then our village was next.

“But the men Lord Zhou left behind were really something! Not only did they drive off the bandits, they even tracked their hideout and took back the stolen grain!”

His face lit up with a smile. “And guess what? The grain we got back not only filled the gap—it left us with a surplus, all of which is now stored in the yard next door.

“Lord Zhou just went over to count it. As for how it will be distributed, that’s up to him.”

Aunt Zhao clasped her hands together and said “Amitabha,” her heart still pounding. “We’re truly blessed to have Lord Zhou! Otherwise, no matter how united we are in this village, we couldn’t have fought off bandits!”

“Exactly,” Uncle Chen said, stroking his beard, his hand still trembling slightly. “Those couple of days, my heart wouldn’t stop racing. I couldn’t sleep at all.

“Luckily, it was like a nightmare—and now we’ve woken up from it.”

After exchanging a few more words, Aunt Zhao took her leave.

Just as they were leaving, An’an suddenly received 0.02 units of energy from Zhou Yu.

She blinked her big eyes. What had the handsome uncle thought of just now that gave her such a sudden boost of energy?

Back at home, Qin Ying had already prepared the meal.

Since it was their first meal back, it was a bit more lavish: for the adults, a thick bowl of mixed grain porridge and a big dish of stewed radish, potatoes, and cabbage, made fragrant with a bit of pork fat gifted by Aunt Zhong.

An’an’s meal was sweet millet and pumpkin porridge, along with a steamed egg custard—made from wild eggs they’d found on the trip.