Traveling through troubled times to escape famine and cultivate crops as a grain merchant

Zhou Guo said, "These things are soft and easy to chew. Besides, you guys gave me food to eat. Didn't you say that since you're here, you should have a meal? Since I've brought them here, just eat them."

Pointing to the half chicken in the basket, he said, "This chicken is a little undercooked. It may be a little hard for you to eat. If you can't eat it, put it back into the pot. I'm leaving now. You guys should work slowly and do things one step at a time."

After hearing what she said, the two of them finally stopped refusing. The old lady took the half chicken and stuffed it into her mouth. "Your grandfather and I, these steamed buns and snacks are enough. You should take this chicken with you on the road. You will inevitably get hungry."

Zhou Guo waved his hand and said, "No need, just eat what's given to you. I've eaten so much at your house, and my stomach is still full. I won't be hungry for a while."

The old couple was relieved. "Then be careful on the road and go back early. It will be hard to walk on the road after dark."

Zhou Guo agreed readily.

Back upstairs, she took out the food box, got on the ox cart, turned the ox's head and walked forward.

She was not in a hurry to travel now, she needed to eat something to fill her stomach.

Today she was the only one who didn't bring any stir-fried dishes, just a chicken and some pickles.

She ate eight steamed buns with pickles in one go and drank half a pot of water.

Finally, I held the remaining half chicken, sat in the car, and ate it slowly while swaying.

My stomach was finally satisfied and I felt full.

God knows how much hardship she has endured in the old couple's home. She could endure everything else over the years, but not letting her eat enough for one meal was like torture.

Before I finished eating half a chicken, I arrived at another village. I didn't need to get off the car to reach this village, but had to cross a bridge. There was a stone bridge in the village, which looked quite old. The bridge was covered with moss, and small grasses and flowers stuck out from the cracks in the bridge. When the wind blew, they all swayed their heads and fluttered in the wind.

She stopped the car and planned to admire the ancient bridge.

As she was watching, a few dirty, snotty-nosed kids appeared from somewhere, stared at her, and drooled over the roast chicken in their hands.

Zhou Guo counted the group of people and found there were seven of them. The oldest one was not even as tall as her, and she didn't know how old they were.

There was still a leg of the roast chicken left, and there wasn't enough to share, so I just ate it in a few bites in front of them.

The kids across the street were swallowing their saliva so hard that it made bubbling sounds.

She finished the chicken drumstick in her hand, smiled at them, took out a handful of candy from her bag, and waved at them, "Come on, two each."

The children came forward, sniffing their noses and spreading their hands, which were so black that no color could be seen. Zhou Guo gave two to each of them, from the youngest to the oldest.

When the last one was distributed, the boy who looked the oldest took two, but when he saw that she still had two left, he refused to leave.

Zhou Guo gave him the two remaining ones in his hand, thinking that a child of his age must have younger brothers and sisters at home, so it wouldn't matter if he gave him two more.

As a result, the child saw that she seemed easy to talk to, and that she was alone without any help. After taking a look at her bag, he reached out and grabbed her bag and tried to pull her out.

Zhou Guo grabbed the wrist of that hand without thinking, squeezed and pushed, and the boy retreated more than ten steps, and finally fell to the ground with a bang. Everyone else was frightened and retreated a long distance.

Looking at the boy on the ground, then at Zhou Guo, he couldn't help but step back.

She saw the boy get up, look at her timidly, then turn around and run towards the village.

Zhou Guo curled his lips, there are really all kinds of people!

Turning her head to look at the rest of the people, she raised the corners of her mouth, showing her most beautiful smile, grabbed another handful of candy from her bag, and said, "Come, come here, brother will ask you something, come, don't be afraid, didn't you suffer a lot from the bullying of that brother just now?"

He was so domineering, and I don't know where he got the courage from, but he dared to attack her. After all, she was dressed in men's clothes now, she was a boy, a brother!

After a long while, a little girl who looked about the same age as Zhou Suli came forward timidly, lowering her head and not daring to raise it.

Zhou Guo said softly: "Don't be afraid, come, I will ask you something, as long as you answer me, all the candies in my hand will be yours."

After hearing this, the child finally raised his head, looked at the handful of candy in her hand, and said boldly, "The man just now was called Tie Gouzi. His family is very protective of him, and his father is very powerful. Brother, you should leave quickly."

As soon as she spoke, others dared to speak up as well.

"He often steals our things and beats us. No one in the village dares to play with him."

"His father is really powerful. When he beats people, he's like the King of Hell. We are all afraid of him."

The ones who were talking were the older children, while the other kids were confused and drooling at the candies in their hands.

Zhou Guo said: "It's okay, let me ask you again, is there anyone raising ducks in your village?"

"Yes, we have some at home. Do you want to buy some ducks?" said the girl who spoke first.

Zhou Guo said: "I want to collect some duck eggs, can you take me to your house?"

"Of course, come with me."

Zhou Guo shared the candies in his hand with them, then followed the girl into the village, pulling the cart.

The children followed behind him and said, "If you follow me, you will get candy."

The girl's home was in the village, there were a few mud and thatched houses, and there were things everywhere in the yard, and no one cleaned them up even if they were spilled on the ground.

To the east are chicken coops and duck pens, which are smelly and dirty.

Zhou Guo covered his nose and did not turn around and leave for the sake of Yadan. Why was this family so reluctant to clean up?

"Wait a minute, I'll go call grandma." The girl walked into the house.

After a while, an old lady in tattered clothes came out of the house with big strides, "Where are you, who's going to collect the duck eggs?"

Zhou Guo waved his hand and said, "Old lady, it's me. I'm here to collect the duck eggs."

The old lady's face fell when she saw his joy. "You? Why are you, a little kid, collecting duck eggs? Where's your father?"

Zhou Guo pointed to the ox cart outside the yard and said, "Look, that's my cart. I'm really here to collect duck eggs. No matter how many duck eggs you have, as long as they're not rotten, I'll take them all."

The old lady looked in the direction she pointed and really saw an ox cart. Then she looked at Zhou Guo seriously.

He was wearing a good set of cotton clothes, clean and tidy, with a fair and clean face, standing there with an open mind. At first glance, he was the kind of child that could only be raised in a wealthy family.

He was skeptical, "Are you really here to collect duck eggs? Are you not lying to me?"

Zhou Guo said, "Of course, duck eggs are only one penny each, why would I lie to you? Did you see the basket on the ox cart? I have collected most of the basket along the way, all from other villages."

The old lady slapped her thigh and said, "Great, great, great, there happens to be a basket of duck eggs at home, if you want them, I'll give them all to you."

As I was picking up the items one by one, I heard someone outside the yard yelling angrily.

Zhou Guo didn't care either.