Chapter 136: Scorching Heat

The child’s fever kept coming and going, subsiding at times only to flare up again.

Physician Cui remained calm, occasionally massaging a few acupuncture points.

By noon the next day, the fever finally didn’t return, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

That night was chaotic—not just for those who had eaten themselves sick but also for their families, who were in complete turmoil.

The entire convoy was delayed, forced to postpone their departure.

Yan Lao’er was so frustrated with these people that he lost his appetite.

Early in the morning, he dragged the three Qi brothers with him to the refugee camp, talking non-stop.

His throat was parched from all the lecturing.

“I’m saying this one last time—the river clams are rotten, spoiled, and inedible! We never planned to feed the clam meat to the livestock either. It’s the shells! The shells! We clean them, dry them, grind them into powder, and mix a tiny bit into the hay for the animals. Even then, we don’t put in too much!

Yes, it’s a hassle! But there’s nothing else to feed them besides dry grass. So, we use a bit of this troublesome stuff to add some variety. What is there to doubt? If it were edible, do you think we’d stop you from eating it?!

Just look at the ground—huge cracks everywhere! These river clams have been dead for who knows how long! Think about it—what kind of food is still safe to eat after being dead for days? And besides, can’t you tell just by the smell?!”

Many people lowered their heads in shame.

They were the ones who had risked their lives eating the river clams.

Now, while they weren’t vomiting or having diarrhea, their bodies were clearly weakened. Some could barely stand.

Especially when the sun came up—their vision darkened, and they were overcome with regret.

It had already been hard enough to keep up with the group. Now, in this condition, how would they manage?

…

“I never should’ve bothered with this clam powder,” Yan Lao’er grumbled to his sister, Cui Niangzi.

“How is this your fault? They twisted it in their heads, thinking we were secretly eating something good. Laosi, listen to me—you can’t be too soft-hearted with them! Those who got sick aren’t good people anyway. I already talked to your brother-in-law—he’s not giving any discounts on medical fees! Not even a single copper coin! They have to learn their lesson!”

“Sigh! Sis, it’s just that I’m too used to being poor. I see anything and wonder if it can be eaten.”

If not for people, then at least for the livestock.

“That’s how folks like us who work the land survive! It’s called being resourceful! That’s what I admire about you—you’re quick-witted and always come up with ideas. Like this clam powder—after you mixed it, my donkey loves it!”

“Sis, did you grind it yourself? Why didn’t you bring it to me?”

“Ha! What’s the trouble? Your brother-in-law’s pestle works great for this. He even said it’s a medicinal ingredient! Can you believe that shameless man? If you hadn’t figured this out, he never would’ve thought of it. But now that you have, he suddenly wants to claim credit!”

Yan Lao’er felt a bit awkward. “Uh… actually, Sis, I think it really might be used in medicine. I just can’t remember for sure.”

“You already have enough on your plate! If you tried to remember everything, you’d work yourself to death. Unlike your brother-in-law, who can’t even manage his own affairs properly, but look at you—you’ve got the livestock situation all sorted out…”

Meanwhile, Yan Yu and her two cousins, Big Dog and Little Dog, were squatting on the ground, scribbling on the dirt.

Wait, no—it was Du Zhong and Ge Gen.

Yan Yu couldn’t stop laughing as she listened.

Her father really did know a lot about livestock!

“Ge Gen, you wrote the character ‘葛’ wrong. The middle part is ‘日,’ not ‘目’—you added an extra stroke.”

Cui Gegen glanced at Yan Xiaosi’s writing, then at his own, and nodded.

“Xiaosi, can you just call me Little Dog again? ‘Ge Gen’ sounds so weird. My mom says it’s just a clump of dirt buried underground.”

“And me too! Can you still call me Big Dog?”

Under the expectant gazes of her two cousins, Yan Yu nodded.

“Alright, when there are no outsiders, I’ll call you Big Dog and Little Dog. But in front of others, I’ll use your real names.”

Clumps of dirt—Cui Niangzi really had a way with words…

Curious, she asked, “Big Dog, what does your mom say about your real name, Du Zhong?”

“Tree bark,” Big Dog said helplessly.

Yan Yu grew even more intrigued.

“What about cicada molts and silkworm molts?”

“Bug skins.”

“…And horse bezoars?”

“Poop balls.”

Yan Yu: …

Genius! That woman really had a knack for summarizing things.

The last pair of refugees was the last to leave. With Cui Niangzi watching them like a hawk, Physician Cui dared not undercharge them.

Yan Huaiwen gathered the refugees with Liang Manshan’s help and announced, “Tomorrow, we will depart as usual. If anyone wishes to take the official road, my second brother will point you in the right direction.”

That night, after dinner, some people came to ask Yan Lao’er for directions to the official road.

Worried they might get lost, he even had his daughter draw them a simple map.

The refugees left after expressing their deepest gratitude.

By early morning the next day, the group split—some followed them, while others took the official road.

…

Two more days passed.

The scenery remained vast and flat, though the occasional half-dead tree added some variety.

Yan Yu felt sluggish today. Even finding a fresh egg that morning didn’t cheer her up.

The platform always gave advance notice before opening.

Today was June 30th. After midnight, it would be July 1st.

She had counted the days meticulously—she couldn’t be wrong.

Yet… there was no sign of any activity.

Had they just happened to hit a “non-scheduled opening”?

Was there going to be no event this time?

Yan Lao’er noticed her mood and pulled her to sit up front with him so they could “drive the cart” together.

The four hens, now housed in a cage, were hung on either side of the cart’s front.

At first, they were too nervous to make a sound. Now, they clucked away, constantly pecking at the cage as if persistence alone could help them escape.

“Don’t worry. We still have enough water and food. I think we’re not too far now,” Yan Lao’er comforted his daughter.

But in truth, their water supply was running low.

The cat had detected underground water, but it was too deep to access.

And the next closest water source? Even if they found one, how could he explain knowing exactly where it was? What was he supposed to say—that he could divine water veins?

By noon, they stopped to rest.

They deliberately found some trees for shade, but there were too few trees and too many people. Many still had to endure the scorching sun.

Water loss was rapid. No matter how much they drank, they still felt parched.

They couldn’t afford to drink too much at once—without a known water source ahead, every sip taken was one less in reserve.

Yan Huaiwen returned from scouting and told Yan Lao’er, “Take out those extra clothes and hang them on the trees. At least it’ll create a bit more shade.”

Yan Lao’er pulled out a few bundles and had some people help hang them up.

It did expand the shaded area a little, but it was still far from enough.

Feeling unbearably hot, Li Xuemei gave up on modesty and sat in the front with her daughter.

Above them, a grass mat newly added by Yan Lao’er blocked most of the sun.

The warm, sluggish wind only made their restlessness worse.