Crossing the famine to find the white moonlight

Li Ruotao's jealousy and resentment gradually turned into sinister actions. Taking advantage of Ye Wan's inattention, she quietly spread rumors among the team, implying that Ye Wan's ability to always find water and food in times of crisis was due to her collusion with some "unknown forces," even using sorcery to manipulate everyone's minds. Her inflammatory rhetoric left everyone wondering and speculating: How could Ye Wan always solve the team's problems? Where did these seemingly endless resources come from?

Some team members were grateful, firmly believing in Ye Wan's kindness and wisdom, but others, exhausted from prolonged hunger and exhaustion, began to waver, their eyes flickering with anxiety and doubt. Li Ruotao's rumors were like the whispers of a venomous snake, constantly eroding their trust.

To further frame Ye Wan, Li Ruotao quietly hid Ye Wan's dry food in a secluded corner one night and deliberately leaked information, implying that she had "stolen" the team's communal food. Her conspiracy was clear: to frame Ye Wan with the accusation of theft and completely destroy the prestige she had built within the team.

The next morning, when some of the team woke up, Li Ruotao pretended to be surprised to find the hidden dry food. He immediately shouted, "Everyone, come and see! There's a pile of dry food hidden here! It's obvious that someone has secretly taken our food!"

Her voice was filled with accusation and anger, drawing the crowd together. Some murmured among the crowd, while others exchanged uneasily glances. Li Ruotao seized the opportunity to incite, "We've endured such hardships fleeing the famine. Food is hard to come by, and yet someone is secretly hiding it! This behavior is truly shameful!"

Someone whispered, "Could it be Miss Wan who did this? She has always been in charge of the supplies..."

Others retorted indignantly, "Nonsense! Miss Wan has always been taking care of everyone, how could she do such a thing!"

Faced with the crowd's suspicion and confusion, Ye Wan knew she could no longer remain silent. She calmly walked to the center of the crowd and looked at Li Ruotao calmly, her eyes revealing a hint of determination and questioning.

"Li Ruotao, who found these dry foods?" Ye Wan's voice was calm, but with a sense of oppression.

Li Ruotao was speechless for a moment, then pretended to be calm and said, "I... I just stumbled upon this by chance, and I think everyone has the right to know what's going on in the team. Ye Wan, you've been in charge of the supplies, so shouldn't you give everyone an explanation?"

Ye Wan looked at her, smiled faintly, and responded fearlessly, "You're right. Everyone in the team has the right to know the truth. But I don't remember distributing this pile of dry food, and I don't know who hid it here. If you have any doubts, why don't we investigate carefully together to find out who hid this pile of dry food."

An old man in the crowd said, "Miss Wan, we trust you. You've done so much for us. How could you hide the dry food? I'm afraid there's something fishy going on."

Ye Wan nodded in thanks to the old man, then looked at Li Ruotao, her eyes filled with calmness and determination. "Since you suspect me, let's investigate thoroughly. Let's see if I'm, as you say, 'using evil magic to collude with unknown forces,' or if I'm just an ordinary person doing my best for everyone."

A flicker of panic flashed across Li Ruotao's eyes. She hadn't expected Ye Wan to respond so bluntly. She turned around, seeking support, but found that many people were already questioning her words. This was especially true for the elderly and the infirm who had received Ye Wan's help, who all came forward to express their support.

"Miss Wan has done so much for us. She led us to find water sources and taught us to identify wild vegetables. These are real favors. If it weren't for her, we would have died long ago." An elderly man said angrily.

"That's right. Miss Wan has always been kind-hearted and has taken care of us old people and children. How could she possibly hide dry food?" another mother echoed.

Hearing these voices of support, Ye Wan felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She knew that true trust is earned through action, not destroyed by a few rumors. She looked at Li Ruotao and said calmly, "Ruotao, I understand you've always harbored resentment towards me. However, sowing discord and spreading rumors in this way will only bring chaos to the team. We've been through a difficult journey, and every resource has been hard-earned. If rumors and suspicions disrupt our unity, we will all suffer in the end."

Li Ruotao was embarrassed by her attack and argued, "I only questioned it for the sake of fairness in the team. Since you are so upright, prove it to everyone."

Ye Wan knew that this argument couldn't continue, otherwise it would only further divide the team. So she calmly said, "Okay, in that case, I'm willing to open my bag in public and let everyone check to see if there's any 'hidden food' as you mentioned."

After that, she opened her bag in front of everyone. Inside was nothing but a small amount of water and some collected wild vegetables. Her action won everyone's trust, and many people nodded, expressing that her selflessness and honesty were obvious to all.

Seeing this, Li Ruotao's plot was completely exposed. She froze in her tracks, eyes filled with anger and shame. She had thought her plan would sow discord and force Ye Wan to step down, but unexpectedly, Ye Wan not only responded calmly but also gained the trust of even more people by directly confronting the doubts. Some in the team began to whisper, expressing dissatisfaction with Li Ruotao's behavior, some even whispering that she should not spread rumors and undermine the team's unity.

At night, Ye Wan sat alone at the edge of the camp. Instead of feeling relieved that the situation had subsided, she felt a sense of heaviness. She knew Li Ruotao's provocations wouldn't end there, and that more tests might await her. But she also knew she had to remain calm and resilient, continuing to lead the team forward.

Her mother, Ye Cui Niang, came over, patted her shoulder gently, and said softly, "Awan, you've done a great job. I know you're having a hard time, but you can't be swayed by those villains."

Ye Wan held her mother's hand and smiled slightly, a look of determination in her eyes. "Mom, I understand. No matter how much they try to sow discord, I will not change my original intention. As long as everyone trusts me, I will lead them on."

From that day on, the team's support for Ye Wan grew stronger. They stopped believing the rumors and instead grew disgusted with Li Ruotao's behavior, gradually distancing themselves from her and Ye Ershun. Ye Wan defied the crisis with calmness and wisdom. Her selflessness and perseverance not only earned everyone's respect but also solidified her position within the team.