Crossing the famine to find the white moonlight

Carrying Xiaotong on her back, Ye Wan struggled through the famine-stricken group, with only one thought in mind: to protect Xiaotong and lead her mother and family out of this hopeless wilderness. However, her sister-in-law, Li Ruotao, became her most destabilizing threat, constantly mocking her and even openly provoking her in front of everyone.

"Look, some people are really lucky. I didn't see them starving during the trip, but instead, they were in great spirits!" Li Ruotao stood in the crowd, hinting at Ye Wan in every word. She didn't speak directly, but used innuendos to spread suspicion and hostility. Some people around her listened and began to whisper, looking at Ye Wan with suspicion.

Ye Wan felt those gazes piercing her like needles, feeling uneasy, yet maintaining composure. She knew that arguing with Li Ruotao would only lead to more trouble, perhaps even angering the already hungry and unstable team members. She knew that at this moment, forbearance was the most important thing. She lowered her head, focused on the journey, holding Xiaotong tightly, and pretended not to hear Li Ruotao's words.

Seeing Ye Wan didn't respond, Li Ruotao became even more aggressive and continued to instigate. She walked over to a woman and said casually, "Alas, in this world, anyone with a little food is blessed. If someone has extra food but isn't willing to share, they're truly selfish." She spoke with a sneer, her eyes drifting towards Ye Wan from time to time, as if forcing her to reveal everything she had in public.

Ye Wan gritted her teeth, feigning indifference. She knew that any more excuses would only heighten suspicion. At this moment, she knew she had to remain calm and patient, lest she expose the precious few supplies she had hidden. She held her mother, Ye Cui Niang, and Xiao Tong close to her, silently praying that the team would move on quickly, giving Li Ruo Tao no chance to stir up trouble.

Along the way, Ye Wan carefully replenished her rations and water through the system, carefully distributing them to avoid appearing too energetic and arousing unnecessary suspicion. In the dead of night, when everyone was quiet, she would quietly remove the rations from her bag, break them into small pieces, and slip them to her mother, Ye Cui Niang, and Xiao Tong.

"Mom, eat something. We have to travel tomorrow." She said softly to her mother, trying not to let others hear.

Ye Cui Niang looked at the small piece of dry food with a complicated expression. She knew her daughter was taking care of her more than she had imagined, but she didn't show any gratitude and just ate it silently. Although Ye Wan felt a little disappointed, she remained focused on protecting Xiao Tong and didn't let her emotions show.

Xiaotong ate a few mouthfuls of dry food and seemed to have regained some strength. His little hands gently grasped the corner of Ye Wan's clothes, as if to draw strength from her. Ye Wan gently touched his head and said softly, "Don't be afraid, Xiaotong, mother will always be with you."

Over the next few days, Li Ruotao continued to spread rumors among the crowd, her words filled with hostility and innuendo, attempting to isolate Ye Wan. On several occasions, someone even gave Ye Wan unfriendly glances, seemingly questioning the source of her supplies. However, Ye Wan remained calm, neither arguing nor arguing, pretending not to understand Li Ruotao's sarcasm and continuing to silently follow the group.

Li Ruotao seemed to be indignant at Ye Wan's calmness, and couldn't help but deliberately said loudly during a break: "Oh, some people are really shameless. They don't look hungry or thin even after carrying a child along the way. Could there be some secret background?" She deliberately provoked, her tone full of ridicule and provocation.

Ye Wan sighed inwardly upon hearing these words, but remained silent. She knew she couldn't intensify the conflict at this moment; only patience could keep her going. She knew Li Ruotao's intentions, but she also knew that this escape route was far more treacherous than she had imagined. Any rash action could bring fatal dangers to herself and Xiaotong.

Late at night, Ye Wan clung to Xiaotong as she fell asleep, contemplating how to best utilize the system's resources, ensuring she and Xiaotong maintained a minimum level of strength while fleeing the famine. She gradually became familiar with the system's operation and mastered the distribution of resources. She discovered that the system's resources weren't infinite; each use required accumulating a certain amount of time or mission points to obtain more. This made her cherish every bit of resources even more, determined to maximize their use.

She gradually learned to feign weakness during the day, keeping a low profile to minimize attention. At night, under cover of darkness, she would quietly replenish small amounts of food and water for herself and her family, ensuring they maintained basic health in the most challenging conditions. She turned this forbearance into a survival strategy, striving to adapt to adversity while secretly accumulating strength.

Once, Li Ruotao happened to witness Ye Wan feeding Xiaotong dry food at night. A sneer flashed in her eyes, as if she had finally caught something. She deliberately approached and said sarcastically, "Oh, big sister, you are really capable. You are willing to feed the child food at night. Is there some special backdoor that you used to get here?" Her words were full of threats, trying to force Ye Wan to reveal the source of the supplies.

Ye Wan remained calm and composed. She pretended to be panicked as she covered her food supplies and whispered, "Sister Li, I just picked up some grains in the wilderness a few days ago and kept them until now. I don't have any other intentions."

Li Ruotao was obviously not satisfied with this answer. She smiled coldly and said, "Picking up grains? Big sister, you are so lucky." A trace of disdain flashed in her eyes. She obviously did not believe Ye Wan's explanation.

Ye Wan didn't offer any further explanation, instead lowering her head and feigning guilt. Her heart grew even more resolute: especially at a time like this, she couldn't reveal even a hint of her true colors. She knew that escaping famine was a protracted battle, and any slight movement could spark prying eyes and hostility. She needed to maintain a calm mind and forbearance to protect her own and Xiaotong's chances of survival.

After a few days, Ye Wan gradually noticed that Li Ruotao seemed to be growing bored with her silence. Her sarcasm gradually subsided, and she began to focus on her food reserves. However, Ye Wan still dared not let her guard down. She knew that every step on the road to escape the famine was fraught with uncertainty, and any negligence could put her in danger.

Late at night, Ye Wan sat beside Xiaotong, watching his tired yet peaceful face as he slept. She felt a surge of warmth and strength in her heart. She lowered her head and stroked his hair, whispering to herself, "Xiaotong, I will definitely lead you out of this desolate land. As long as we persevere, there will always be hope."

She buried Li Ruotao's challenges and the hostility from the outside world deep within her heart, transforming every grievance into forbearance and composure. She understood that forbearance wasn't cowardice, but rather waiting for an opportunity. As long as she persevered, continuing to fight for Xiaotong's survival, it would be the best way to combat the injustice and indifference of this troubled world.

The road to escape famine was long, but Ye Wan had made sufficient mental preparation. No matter how difficult the road ahead, she would persevere, carrying her mother and Xiaotong with her, fighting for their glimmer of hope for survival.