Armed with a machete and a gun, armed with a system, they fled the famine.

Chapter 18 An unexpected surprise

"Are you anxious?"

Zhao Yan patted Zhao Yunjie's head and pushed the cart with him into the dilapidated temple.

Zhao Yunchen glanced at the cart in front of him and asked in surprise, "Auntie, what's this...?"

“I’ve rented a place nearby. You can stay there for now. I’ll come back to pick you up after I’ve finished taking care of things at home.”

Since the matter was still far from being settled, Zhao Yan didn't want her nephews to worry, so she just gave a vague answer.

"Rented...rented a house?"

This made Zhao Yunchen even more surprised.

"Aunt, Uncle is gone, where did you get the money? That Yang Zhangshi is sharp-tongued and mean-spirited. If she finds out you have money, won't she cause you trouble?"

He was twelve years old. Two years ago, when his father was too busy to visit his aunt, he went to the Yang family in Chenjiagou on his father's behalf.

On that occasion, when Yang Zhangshi saw him, she said many sarcastic and bitter things to him.

He knew from then on that his aunt's life in the Yang family was not easy.

Now his aunt gets him medicine and medical treatment, and even rented a house for them in town, which costs several hundred yuan a month.

Where did my aunt get the money?

Zhao Yan pushed the cart next to the haystack and casually explained to everyone, "I went up the mountain to dig up medicinal herbs and sold them to earn money."

Fearing Zhao Yunchen wouldn't believe her, she glanced at Yuan Tianbao.

“Tianbao, you can ask your grandfather when you get back. He took all the herbs I dug up.”

Looking at the smiling Zhao Yan, Yuan Tianbao felt a strange sense of warmth in his heart, but his fair face blushed with embarrassment.

He couldn't help but stutter a little when he spoke to Zhao Yunchen.

"Brother Chen, my grandfather does collect some herbs..." So, what Auntie said is very likely true.

But how would she know about herbs?

And when did she stop being silly?

Auntie's mental illness has been cured, so why haven't we seen her go back to Zhao Family Village to look for them?

All these questions gave Zhao Yunchen a headache.

Zhao Yan had no idea what he was thinking. She bent down and picked him up, then turned and ordered, "Yun Jie, Yun Qi, spread dry straw on the cart."

Zhao Yunjie and Zhao Yunqi exchanged a glance and quickly got to work.

Seeing this, Yuan Tianbao also ran over to help.

A thick layer of dry straw was quickly laid on the small cart.

Zhao Yan held Zhao Yunchen and gently placed him on the cart covered with straw.

As she stood up, she noticed a hint of embarrassment on Zhao Yunchen's dark face.

She found it amusing, and a gentle smile unconsciously crept onto her lips.

"Yunchen, sit still, your aunt will take you home."

"Ah."

Zhao Yunchen's eyes were filled with tears. He lowered his gaze to hide his emotions and gave a soft reply.

No matter what their aunt went through, she was still their aunt.

The three of them must live well so that they can repay their aunt for saving their lives in the future.

Zhao Yunchen was half-lying down and half-sitting on the cart, being pulled out of the dilapidated temple by Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yunjie wanted to bring the broken bowl he used for begging along the way, but Zhao Yan persuaded him not to.

When the three brothers were kicked out by Old Lady Zhao, they didn't take anything with them.

They begged their way to Baima Town, but apart from food and drink, they had nothing of value.

Zhao Yunjie picked up that broken bowl on the way, so it wasn't a big deal to throw it away.

Zhao Yan pulled the cart in front, while Zhao Yunjie, Zhao Yunqi, and Yuan Tianbao pushed it from behind.

Before long, the group arrived at the house at the very end of Liuer Lane.

"arrive."

Zhao Yan handed the key to Zhao Yunjie, gesturing for him to open the door.

Zhao Yunjie carefully took the key and deftly opened the door.

"I haven't had time to tidy up the bedroom yet. Yunchen, lie down in the car for a while, I'll be right there."

Zhao Yan pulled the cart to the eaves of the main room, told Zhao Yunchen and the others what to do, and then stepped into the bedroom on the west side of the main room.

Zhao Yunqi said to Zhao Yunjie, "Second brother, you and Tianbao stay with eldest brother, I'll go help."

After saying that, he slipped into the bedroom.

There was a wooden bed in the room. Zhao Yan had checked it when she came in and confirmed that the wooden bed was quite sturdy and could fit three and a half boys.

Zhao Yan was in charge of making the bed, while Zhao Yunqi quietly cleaned up the dust in the bedroom.

After finishing all that, Zhao Yan reached out to carry Zhao Yunchen back into the house, which startled Zhao Yunchen so much that he quickly used his arms to support himself and jumped off the cart from the other side.

"Auntie, auntie, no, you don't need to carry me, I can do it myself."

He only broke his right leg; his left leg is fine.

With Zhao Yunqi's help, he hopped back onto the bed.

Beneath her were soft blankets, and at the foot of the bed was a brand new quilt.

Zhao Yunqi's eyes stung, and suddenly they reddened.

"Auntie... thank you..."

How long has it been since he slept in a bed?

For the past two months, he felt like he was living like an animal.

They don't even look like human beings.

"Stay here and relax. Once your leg is healed, your aunt will take you back to our real home."

Zhao Yan patted Zhao Yunchen's shoulder and gently comforted him.

She is currently still arguing with Yang Zhangshi and it is inconvenient for her to take Zhao Yunchen and his two brothers back.

After she and her daughter escaped from the Yang family, she would take the three brothers back with her.

By then, Zhao Yunchen's leg injury had almost healed. He was responsible for looking after Xiaomi and the others at home, so she could go hunting in the mountains without worry.

After settling Zhao Yunchen in, Zhao Yan began to organize the pile of things she had bought.

She bought three quilts, made one for Zhao Yunchen, and stuffed the other two into that pitiful one-cubic-meter storage cabinet beforehand.

Now, the locker contains wild rabbits, pheasants, and wild eggs, plus two quilts, leaving almost no space.

She placed rice, flour, oil, and other food items in the kitchen, and also arranged pots, pans, and other utensils properly.

"Auntie bought two sets of clothes for each of you. I'll boil some hot water later so you can take a shower and change out of your old clothes."

Zhao Yan found the new clothes she had bought for the three brothers among a pile of things, casually put them on the bed, and then urged Zhao Yunjie and Zhao Yunqi to go out and collect some firewood.

The water was bottled water she had secretly taken from the system shelf while tidying up her things, and poured it directly into the large ceramic jar she had bought.

Zhao Yan scooped three ladles of water into the newly bought iron pot and stood waiting for Zhao Yunjie and his brother to return from gathering firewood.

Yuan Tianbao suddenly pointed to the well in the yard and asked, "Aunt Zhao, is this well dry? Why is it covered?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yan suddenly remembered that there was a well in the yard, and hurriedly went out of the kitchen.

"Let me see."

She quickly stepped forward, opened the well cover, and threw the bucket in.

With a "plop," Zhao Yan felt a surge of joy.

Shanyang County has been suffering from drought for more than half a year, and some areas are already severely short of water.

Surprisingly, I was able to get water from the house I had rented temporarily.

This is a real surprise.

"Aunt Zhao, there's still water in the well."

Yuan Tianbao smiled happily.

Zhao Yan couldn't resist pinching Yuan Tianbao's fair and tender face.

"Yes, our little Tianbao is a treasure. If you hadn't asked, I wouldn't have even remembered there was a well here."