Even in a famine, there's no panic; the eldest sister has stockpiled plenty of money and grain.

In the few acres of newly reclaimed land belonging to Jiang Bai's family, Jiang Anshan, wearing a straw hat, was digging holes with a hoe.

Jiang Songxian was assigned the task of sowing seeds. The little boy carried a bamboo basket in his hand, held the bean seeds in his fingers, and carefully put the seeds down.

Jiang Anshan, Jiang Songxian, and Jiang Zi formed one team, while Zhang Shi, Jiang Lan, Jiang Songqiang, and Jiang Songnong formed another team. The family was divided into three teams, each responsible for a region.

Although it's already October, the weather this year is still very hot.

The family was busy at work, and when Shanzi came to call for help, Jiang Anshan had just finished a task.

"Uncle Anshan, the clan chief is calling for you."

"calls me?"

Jiang Anshan was taken aback, but quickly recovered. He put down the hoe, grabbed a handful of dry grass to wipe his hands, and followed Shanzi toward the clan chief's house.

"Mother, why is Grandpa calling for Father?"

Jiang Lan moved closer to Zhang Shi, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Zhang frowned and thought for a while, but couldn't figure it out.

"Get to work first, and you'll find out when your dad gets back."

The family got busy again.

When Jiang Anshan arrived at the clan chief's house, he had never felt this way before, but this time he felt inferior and couldn't even lift his head.

"Uncle, you were looking for me?"

Upon entering the clan chief's house, he was surprised to find the village head and elders all there, which made his heart leap into his throat.

What big deal is going on?

"Yes, the children from the village brought Zong-ge'er back. He's in the inner room now."

The clan chief nodded and pointed inside.

Jiang Anshan's face stiffened.

Jiang Songzong is back?

Did he know that it was Zhang who informed on him?

Jiang Anshan became restless.

"He's not feeling well. Go see him one last time!"

The last one?

Jiang Anshan was dizzy, not knowing how he was about to see her one last time.

When he entered the room and saw Jiang Songzong's appearance, he was inexplicably hesitant to recognize him.

The person on the bed, whose face was covered in bruises and who looked like a dead man with no color in his eyes, bore no resemblance whatsoever to the Jiang Songzong of the past. He stood there helplessly, unsure whether he should approach him.

At this moment, Jiang Songzong on the bed seemed to sense something and slowly opened his eyes.

The familiar beam came into view, and a hint of joy at surviving a disaster appeared in his eyes. However, after feeling that his body was completely out of his control, he seemed to sense that his time was coming to an end, and the joy in his eyes vanished instantly.

"Second uncle."

At this moment, he noticed Jiang Anshan standing at the door. His lips moved, but he didn't make a sound.

He turned his head sharply to look at him, wanting to ask many questions, but inexplicably, he felt that he didn't have enough time.

"You'll all end up like me sooner or later." He stared intently at Jiang Anshan. His throat injury prevented him from speaking, but it didn't stop his lips from moving.

Although he didn't make a sound, Jiang Anshan strangely understood. Seeing him staring at him with wide eyes, Jiang Anshan felt a chill.

Jiang Bai is Jiang Bai.

Jiang Songzong's death was inextricably linked to Jiang Bai.

Thinking of the words he said before he died, Jiang Anshan collapsed to the ground.

"Will not."

"No, no."

Jiang Anshan subconsciously shook his head, rushed forward, and used his hand to wipe Jiang Songzong's eyes, but the eyes immediately opened again as soon as he wiped them.

This bizarre scene almost gave Jiang Anshan a heart attack.

He still felt guilty. If Zhang hadn't betrayed him to Jiang Bai, perhaps his parents wouldn't have been sold, and Jiang Songzong wouldn't have ended up like this.

However, what Jiang Songzong did to Jiang Songwen was also wrong.

Jiang Anshan was going crazy, repeatedly wiping Jiang Songzong's eyes, but ever since those eyes closed and reopened, no matter how much he wiped, they remained wide open, staring intently at him.

The dead don't close their eyes; they must be harboring resentment!

He collapsed to the ground again, completely bewildered.

Just then, he heard light footsteps behind him. Startled, he looked toward the door in a panic.

A slender figure walked in.

"Big...Big Ya?"

Jiang Anshan's lips were trembling, and he subconsciously asked, "Why?"

Why treat Zong-ge'er like this?

Jiang Bai only learned about Jiang Songzong being brought back by the villagers after he returned to the village.

Fearing that they might revive him, she rushed over, only to find him passing away just as she arrived.

Ignoring Jiang Anshan sitting on the floor, Jiang Bai walked to the bedside first. Looking at Jiang Songzong's wide-open eyes, she raised an eyebrow in surprise and said, "Resentment?"

She reached out her hand, her fingers gently grasping as if she had grabbed something, then squeezed it hard. Jiang Anshan heard a 'pop' sound, as if something had been crushed.

As the sound faded, Jiang Songzong's eyes, which he had been unable to close, suddenly shut.

But a tear of resentment rolled down his cheek.

Jiang Bai chuckled, then turned to look at Jiang Anshan, squatted down beside him, and looked into his eyes, saying, "Is it enough that he ruined Awen's life, Second Uncle?"

enough?

Jiang Anshan wanted to say more.

But his lips seemed to be glued shut, and he couldn't open them no matter what he did.

After answering, Jiang Bai left on his own.

Jiang Anshan was left alone in the house, sharing a room with Jiang Songzong's corpse.

After a moment, he got up and went to the clan chief.

The clan elders had already gone home, and the clan chief's family members had all left. Only the clan chief was left alone in the courtyard, smoking his pipe.

"Is the person gone?"

Without turning his head, he tapped the pipe in his hand.

Jiang Anshan nodded, then, remembering that the man was blind, said, "Uncle, I want to go back to the old house and find some of his clothes for him to change into."

The clan chief paused for a moment, then said, "Have you seen the wounds on his body?"

"No."

"Hmm, it's better not to look."

After saying that, he handed the key to the old house to Jiang Anshan.

Jiang Anshan hurriedly left and quickly returned with a set of Jiang Songzong's clothes. After unwrapping the jacket he was wearing, he saw what Jiang Songzong looked like and couldn't help but gasp.

Recalling the bits and pieces of Jiang Songzong's childhood, a feeling of suffocation suddenly rose in his chest.

Holding back the tears that welled up in his eyes, he changed Jiang Songzong's clothes before carrying him on his back.

"Uncle, I've taken Zong-ge'er away."

When they reached the courtyard, Jiang Anshan greeted the clan chief and then carried Jiang Songzong outside.

The clan chief was stunned for a moment. Seeing him walk towards Pingshan, as if he intended to just dig a hole and bury the person, he thought to himself, "Aren't you going to hold a funeral?"

Then he thought that his family had been expelled from the clan and could not be buried in the ancestral graveyard, so whether or not they held a funeral, it seemed to make no difference.

Thinking of this, he gave a bitter smile, the cigarette in his hand lost its flavor, he put down the pipe, got up and walked outside.

Some things should be put to rest.

As he pondered, his figure became unsteady, and his head grew even whiter.

Jiang Bai had just arrived home when the clan chief arrived.

They invited the person into the house and brought out their treasured water, but the clan chief didn't touch it. Instead, he told her about the clan's arrangements.

Hearing what the clan chief said to her, Jiang Bai fell into a long silence. After a long while, she asked, "Does the clan mean that from now on, my siblings and I are not allowed to step into the village again? And the land next to our house, as long as I can afford the money, will all belong to our family?"