Cheng Duo is about 1.9 meters tall, while Yong Ge is only about 1.7 meters tall, which means that Cheng Duo's feet were dragging on the ground when Yong Ge carried him on his back.
Yong Ge was well aware of this, so he bended forward as much as possible. Due to the significant energy consumption, he was drenched in sweat and his heavy breathing sounds echoed in the dark and empty underground passage.
"Alright, let's stop and rest for a while," Cheng Duo suggested, noticing that Yong Ge's footsteps have become sluggish again.
"No… we have to keep going," Yong Ge gasped for breath. They have been inside for about three hours and have rested seven or eight times already. However, they still can't see any light ahead, and Yong Ge fearer that if they continue like this, they will run out of wolf meat, and both of them will die here.
The makeshift torches went out a long time ago, but luckily Cheng Duo could see in the darkness and guided Yong Ge in the right direction. They rely on each other—one acting as the other's legs, and the other as the other's eyes. Cheng Duo refrained from suggesting that Yong Ge leave him because once they separate, the sightless Yong Ge may get lost in this labyrinthine underground passage.
Cheng Duo could tell that Yong Ge was nearing the end of his strength. He lookes ahead and patted Yong Ge's shoulder, saying loudly, "Just five more steps, and there's a flat area. Place me on the right side, and we can rest there!"
After making this motion, Cheng Duo realized that he can move his hands.
Cheng Duo is both surprised and delighted. He had believed that his spinal cord was broken and that only his head could move before his death. Now, this unexpected improvement brings him joy!
Yong Ge also noticed this. After taking a few more steps, he set Cheng Duo down and collapsed nearby. He speaks intermittently, "Your… hands, can they move?"
"Yes, I can move them!" Cheng Duo exclaimed with excitement. He tried to lift his arm, and although it was a bit difficult, he was indeed able to move it.
Does this mean he can still recover?
Yong Ge was also overjoyed. Despite being utterly exhausted, he can't help but smile. He thinks it's fine this way, even though it's pitch black, they lack food and water. Cheng Duo has been by his side all this time.
Yong Ge secretly licked his parched lips. Due to the excessive sweating, he was incredibly thirsty. However, they don't have any containers for water, and even if they did, the small puddle in the sinkhole wouldn't be enough for both of them.
Yong Ge's fingers were trembling from exhaustion, but he still insisted on placing Cheng Duo's leg on his own leg, hoping that massaging it might help him recover faster.
"You rest for a while, I'll take care of it myself," Cheng Duo held Yong Ge's hand and felt the high temperature. He quickly rolled up his sleeve to fan Yong Ge and wipe away the sweat.
Yong Ge couldn't see Cheng Duo, but he could feel the gentle movements on his face and head. He imagined that he must look flushed and embarrassed, but he couldn't bring himself to move his head, instead he lowered his eyes in embarrassment.
Cheng Duo's fingers tenderly caressed Yong Ge's dry lips. Throughout their journey, they hadn't encountered any underground rivers, and if they didn't come across one tomorrow, Yong Ge would likely suffer from severe dehydration.
Cheng Duo felt anxious inside, but he didn't show it on his face. He kept comforting Yong Ge, urging him not to give up hope.
Yong Ge was exhausted. Listening to Cheng Duo's comforting words, he involuntarily closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
When Cheng Duo heard his slightly heavy breathing, he slowly moved the person leaning on his shoulder onto his own leg. Then, with great effort, he bit open his wrist…
When Yong Ge woke up, it was already the next day. Although his whole body was sore, he didn't feel as thirsty as before.
"You're awake, come eat something," Cheng Duo's words were barely uttered when Yong Ge felt a piece of roasted wolf meat being handed to his lips.
This meat was roasted earlier outside. Thanks to the cool temperature in the underground passage, the roasted meat was still relatively well-preserved.
Yong Ge instinctively chewed a couple of times and finally realized, a little belatedly, that they had switched positions. Previously, he had been the one carrying Cheng Duo, but now Cheng Duo sat on the ground, half-cradling Yong Ge's head in his lap.
Not sure if it was because he just woke up and didn't feel like moving or if he had given up on himself, Yong Ge not only didn't immediately get up and move away but also had a slight desire to snuggle against the man in front of him.
Yong Ge hesitated for a moment, then secretly raised his arm. However, as he made that movement, he felt a sharp, tingling pain.
"Don't move, let me massage it for you," Cheng Duo naturally noticed and inserted another piece of roasted meat into Yong Ge's mouth. Then he grabbed Yong Ge's arm and started massaging it.
After sleeping through the night, Yong Ge's neatly arranged collar had inadvertently become undone. He didn't make an effort to fix it and just let his hair fall loosely, with his collar partially open. He squinted his eyes and smiled at Cheng Duo… he looked like an enchanting fairy!
Cheng Duo's hand paused for a moment, he gritted his teeth, reached out, and helped Yong Ge fix his collar. Feeling that the next second Yong Ge would blush and push him away, Cheng Duo sighed and pulled him into his embrace.
Yong Ge stiffened completely, his heart pounding like a drum, and his cheeks turning bright red. He buried his face in Cheng Duo's embrace, afraid to move even slightly or make a sound that might awaken Cheng Duo, fearing that he would let go of him.
Cheng Duo felt like he was holding a piece of wood in his arms, unable to laugh or cry. He released the person a bit, revealing that flushed little face. Yong Ge's round eyes were wide open, filled with surprise and nervousness as they gazed in Cheng Duo's direction.
Perhaps due to the concealment of darkness, every expression on his face was clearly visible—foolish yet adorable…
Cheng Duo helplessly said, "Are you being silly?"
Yong Ge blinked his long eyelashes, joy and shyness intertwined on his face. Then, as if reacting, he buried his face in Cheng Duo's embrace again, saying, "Mmm…"
He felt that there was no moment more blissful than now.
"…" It seemed that he had truly been foolish. Cheng Duo's heart softened beyond measure. Feeling the arm around his waist, holding him tightly as if he were the other person's entire world, wholeheartedly and completely disregarding the consequences… Cheng Duo had completely surrendered.
Gently stroking Yong Ge's back, Cheng Duo felt a warmth building in his eyes. What merit or ability did he possess to find a partner in this unfamiliar world who was willing to love him unconditionally? If given another chance by fate, he would cherish Yong Ge with all his heart.
Of course, it wasn't just Cheng Duo who wanted to care for Yong Ge; Yong Ge was also deeply concerned about him. Yong Ge's hands, wrapped around Cheng Duo's waist, moved slightly as he whispered softly, "You've lost so much weight!"
Cheng Duo felt like laughing. "How do you know?"
"Of course, I know. The clothes you're wearing, I made them."
Cheng Duo spoke softly, "If we have the chance to go out, would you make me another outfit?"
Yong Ge looked up at him. "Are you going to pay?"
"No, my wife will make clothes for me. Why would I need to pay?"
Yong Ge's heart bloomed instantly, and a smile appeared on his lips, but then he remembered to maintain some dignity. He had intended to retort with, "Who's your wife?" But he was afraid that if he said it, Cheng Duo would think he didn't want to be his wife…
He was willing to give up his life, waiting for these words. He was willing, willing to die!
Forget it, let's leave it at that. He decided not to say anything.
Seeing Yong Ge so happy, Cheng Duo didn't want to spoil the mood. Although he was still worried about their future and concerned about his own health…
Speaking of his health, Cheng Duo realized that it seemed he hadn't had a seizure for three days? After falling into the sinkhole, he couldn't move his limbs, but except for the night of the fall, he hadn't spat out any blood since.
Was there still hope for his body?
Because of Cheng Duo's use of the term "wife," Yong Ge immediately perked up as if energized. He didn't care about Cheng Duo's claim that he had eaten already and forcefully fed him half of the wolf meat.
"Eaten already?"What a joke! His stomach had been growling the entire time he was holding Cheng Duo!
"Let's go, let's continue on our way!" Yong Ge declared, full of spirit.
Perhaps they were simply fated to survive. After walking for half an hour on their journey, they heard the sound of an underground river.
"There's water!" Yong Ge's eyes lit up. "Cheng Duo, did you hear that? The sound of water!"
"Mmm." Cheng Duo carefully determined, "It's in the left direction… a bit further that way, yes."
The two of them continued their back-and-forth conversation and stumbled their way to the edge of the underground river.
Yong Ge placed Cheng Duo on a stone by the river, then eagerly scooped up a handful of the cool underground river water. The long-dried lips immediately savored the refreshing sensation.
"It's really clean water!"
Yong Ge didn't forget Cheng Duo either. Cupping his hands, he brought a handful of water to Cheng Duo, who directly drank from his palm. Although the water quickly flowed away, Cheng Duo didn't forget to take a small sip from Yong Ge's cupped hands.
Yong Ge's palm was tickled by Cheng Duo's touch, and he smiled with wide eyes. Then, restraining his shyness, he asked Cheng Duo, "Shall we continue along this river? Maybe we'll find a way out?"
"Let's walk for a while and see." Cheng Duo knew it wasn't as simple as Yong Ge thought. Many underground rivers originated deep underground, so if they just followed the river, they would only go deeper.
Despite having water now, Yong Ge felt more exhausted than the previous day due to the excessive exertion. Cheng Duo noticed this and decided to stop and let him rest earlier. Throughout the day, the two of them barely ate any wolf meat and sustained themselves by drinking water.
Due to their proximity to the underground river, the nighttime temperature was even colder than the previous day. Cheng Duo embraced Yong Ge, and Yong Ge assured him, "I'll sleep early today, and tomorrow we'll be able to go even farther. Don't worry."
"Silly boy, go to sleep," Cheng Duo said, gently caressing Yong Ge's face with one hand while holding him tightly in his arms. Once Yong Ge fell asleep, Cheng Duo got up and fed him some blood.
There wasn't much wolf meat left, and he didn't eat it, nor did Yong Ge want to eat it. Regardless, he had Yong Ge carry him without exerting himself, hoping that his blood, as a supernatural ability holder, would have some effect, even if it only provided some salt…
In the vast underground cavern, it was impossible to distinguish between day and night. At first, the two of them could rely on instinct to rest and sleep, but later everything became completely chaotic.
Cheng Duo couldn't remember clearly. How many days had passed since they found the underground river? Three or four days? In any case, they had completely finished the wolf meat, and every time Yong Ge carried him forward, they had to rest more frequently.
Cheng Duo felt that his strength had reached its limit, and his condition was poor due to prolonged thirst and hunger.
Cheng Duo could only keep talking to Yong Ge, envisioning the beautiful life they would have after getting out and starting a family. Every time he said such things, Yong Ge's mood would improve.
The only comforting thing for Cheng Duo was that he gradually began to regain sensation in his legs, although he still couldn't walk for a long time. But when Yong Ge was exhausted, the two of them could at least support each other and move forward for a while…
"Wait, Yong Ge, it seems like there's something over there!" When they reached a certain place, Cheng Duo suddenly felt a gust of wind and quickly stopped Yong Ge.
"What is it?" Yong Ge slowed down and turned in the direction Cheng Duo indicated, coming to the side of a narrow crack that only allowed one person to pass through.
"Do you want to go in and take a look?" Yong Ge looked inside, but he couldn't see anything, so he had to ask Cheng Duo.
Cheng Duo hesitated for a moment and said, "Let's go."
They had come this far, and what if there was a glimmer of hope inside?
The crack in the rock wall was indeed very narrow. The two of them had to bend their bodies and move forward one after another. Because Cheng Duo's legs were weak, they had to stop and rest twice in the middle. Fortunately, he had lost a lot of weight during this time, or else they might not have been able to enter.
The crack was not very deep. After entering inside, they were surprised to find a leveled ground and stone walls that seemed to have been artificially constructed. The spacious area was about the size of a small football field. Following the central pathway, they arrived at two gigantic stone statues guarding a stone door.
The stone door was tightly closed, and Cheng Duo estimated it to be about five to six meters high. Yong Ge tried to push it, but the door didn't budge.
"How could there be a door here?"
Cheng Duo began to understand a bit. "It's probably a tomb built by some noble or royal for themselves. It's truly a remarkable work of craftsmanship to have it in a place like this!"
If they hadn't fallen into the sinkhole and couldn't get out, they wouldn't have thought of entering the underground conduit to find a way out. The conduits outside were like natural barriers against theft. Given the technological level of ancient times, to build a tomb inside a cavern and of such size, the owner of this tomb must have been very wealthy.
If it were another time, Cheng Duo might have been delighted and wanted to go in and explore for treasures. But now they had been trapped in this place for several days, without food and with their energy depleted.
It could only be described as a false hope!
No, it couldn't be considered a false hope…
Cheng Duo remembered the customs of ancient times and searched on both sides of the main entrance. Sure enough, about three meters above the ground, he saw traces of candlesticks.
Perhaps for the convenience of craftsmen, there were stone steps carved as decorations near the candlesticks. Cheng Duo asked Yong Ge to climb up and try to light them with a match.
As Cheng Duo had expected, the lamp oil inside had solidified, but it could still be lit. The dim light dispersed the darkness and illuminated a clearing in front of the door.
Cheng Duo leaned against the stone wall, looked up at Yong Ge, and indeed saw joy on his face.
Because Cheng Duo was afraid of poor ventilation in the cavern, he hadn't allowed Yong Ge to light a fire pit before. Even the small bundle of firewood had been discarded together with the extinguished torch.
Being in darkness for a long time was oppressive for people. Cheng Duo could at least see a little with his ability, but Yong Ge couldn't see anything at all. One could imagine how excited he was after lighting the two candlesticks.
"How did you know there were candlesticks up there?" Yong Ge quickly climbed down from the stone steps and rushed to Cheng Duo, his eyes shining.
"TV… I mean, that's how they write it in books."
"You're amazing. You know everything!" Yong Ge praised him generously.
Cheng Duo chuckled and touched Yong Ge's cheek. "You're the amazing one."
Having a wife who loves and admires him in every way is probably the dream of many modern men. And Yong Ge, at this moment, could still make him happy and laugh despite their current situation. What else could Cheng Duo ask for?
Yong Ge was momentarily confused, thinking that Cheng Duo was praising him for climbing up and lighting the candlesticks. He scratched his cheek and felt a little embarrassed. "It's nothing…"
Cheng Duo hugged him with a smile and thought for a moment before asking, "Are you scared?"
Yong Ge looked around the gloomy and empty surroundings, remembering that Cheng Duo had said this place was a tomb. If he were alone, it would indeed be a bit frightening.
But he had Cheng Duo by his side, and they had been walking in the darkness for several days. Now he didn't feel much fear. "I'm okay."
Cheng Duo ruffled his hair. "Rest for a while. We'll continue when you wake up."
Yong Ge wanted to sleep, but the hunger in his stomach made it difficult for him to fall asleep. He closed his eyes in a daze and suddenly noticed something was wrong. "Why is there blood on your hand?"
He quickly opened his eyes, sat up, and grabbed Cheng Duo's hand to examine it closely.
Cheng Duo had been injured several days ago, and the bloodstains on his hand seemed fresh? Moreover, he had wrapped a piece of cloth taken from somewhere else around his wrist, but Yong Ge didn't remember helping him bandage that area.
Cheng Duo remained composed. "Oh, I accidentally scraped it here."
"When did you get injured? Why didn't I know? Is it serious?" Yong Ge kept asking while wanting to open and take a look.
The wound was still bleeding, indicating that it hadn't been properly bandaged.
"It's nothing, just a minor injury. No need to look." Cheng Duo evaded and pulled his hand back.
Yong Ge's expression changed. He had lifted a corner of the cloth and found more bloodstains inside, saturating the fabric.
Somehow, he suddenly remembered feeding Cheng Duo wolf blood, and for the past few days, every time he woke up, he felt a bloody taste in his mouth.
Initially, he thought it was because he hadn't eaten anything, but now it seemed highly likely that it wasn't the case…
Yong Ge bit his lip. "Let me see."
"There's nothing to see…" Cheng Duo started to say, but he noticed that Yong Ge's eyes were already teary, and the shimmering water in the dim candlelight seemed to be increasing.
Cheng Duo sighed helplessly. "It really is nothing serious… Okay, okay, I'll let you see."
Yong Ge ignored him, carefully unwrapping layer by layer, only to discover that the flesh inside had been gnawed and torn apart. The gruesome wound mixed with the still-oozing fresh blood made Yong Ge's heart tighten.
"You fed me your blood, didn't you?"
Cheng Duo looked a little embarrassed. "You've been carrying me so laboriously every day. I couldn't just sit there and do nothing…"
Yong Ge was furious and wanted to hit him. "What are you thinking at a time like this? Don't you know what condition your own body is in?"
He had gone through so much trouble to help Cheng Duo recover, and yet this person had bitten his wrist and let blood flow. Did he want himself to die faster?
Yong Ge really did punch him, but the force was so weak that it was almost like a light touch.
Cheng Duo grabbed his hand, feeling both amused and exasperated. "I'm not that weak, you know. Look at me now, I'm perfectly fine."
Yong Ge ignored his words, choked with sobs as he continued to scold, "Do you think that if you die, I can just walk out? We… We're both in this situation, why would you leave me alone? Have you changed your mind again? I knew you have no conscience, you big liar! Those things you said before must have been lies!"
Yong Ge's eyes turned red as he cursed, but he also didn't forget to bandage Cheng Duo's wound. When he finished, he put on a cold expression and threatened Cheng Duo, "Let me tell you, Cheng Duo, if we're going out, we're going out together. Otherwise… Otherwise, even if I die, I won't let you off the hook!"
Cheng Duo was almost amused by his fierce appearance, but when he saw Yong Ge's tearful and distressed expression, he sighed intentionally. "Ah, I've never seen anyone clingier than you… Fine, I'll die together with you. Is that okay?"
It must be said that men's words are like ghosts that deceive people. Some people feel pleased in their hearts but still put on a hopeless appearance, only to open their arms again and sneakily glance at Yong Ge.
What could Yong Ge do? Cheng Duo had fed him blood for his sake. Could he really stay angry with him?
Yong Ge silently snuggled back into the warm embrace. After a long silence, just when Cheng Duo thought he was falling asleep, Yong Ge suddenly whispered, "I'm serious. Don't secretly feed me blood anymore. We'll go as far as we can go. If we can't get out… then so be it. It's not a big deal."
Cheng Duo didn't say anything, and Yong Ge knew he was still awake, so he lifted his head.
Cheng Duo pressed him back down. "Okay."
"You promise? You won't deceive me this time?"
"I won't deceive you…"
Yong Ge was still worried. "Really?"
Cheng Duo glanced at him helplessly, then suddenly lowered his head and lightly touched his soft lips. "Really, consider it sealed with a kiss."
It turned out that the power of a kiss was immense. Yong Ge felt too embarrassed to ask anything more, burying his head in Cheng Duo's embrace and pretending to be dead…
Because it was just a short nap, they didn't sleep for long. When they woke up, the oil lamp hadn't extinguished yet.
Yong Ge held his growling stomach and sighed. "Right now, I really want to eat the meat pancakes I make, with lots and lots of meat inside."
Cheng Duo teased him, "Weren't you complaining about me wasting food earlier…"
As soon as he finished speaking, a whole pig, gutted and prepared, suddenly appeared in front of them. The pig was chubby and white, with thick layers of meat and fat. It looked different from the pigs raised in this era.
Yong Ge gasped and shivered all over, turning around and falling into Cheng Duo's arms, hardly daring to take a second look. "Cheng Duo… Am I… seeing things?"
His voice was very soft, as if the thing lying on the ground next to him wasn't a pig, but some kind of monster or demon. He felt that either he was dizzy from hunger or he had encountered a ghost!
Yes, they were still in someone else's tomb, so the possibility of encountering ghosts was relatively high!
A thought flashed through Cheng Duo's mind. When the pig appeared just now, he had a vague feeling. When Yong Ge mentioned having lots of meat, he instinctively grabbed it, and it turned out to be the pig?
Cheng Duo's hand trembled, and he suddenly remembered that he had dug out Cheng Zhao's crystal core in order to take revenge, and he had swallowed it directly.
And Cheng Zhao's ability was related to space!
Could it be that he had assimilated Cheng Zhao's crystal core and brought his space with him? If that were the case, they had hope!
With this thought, Cheng Duo couldn't help but tremble with excitement. Yong Ge, who was nestled in his embrace, felt it too. Thinking that Cheng Duo was also afraid, he mustered up the courage and comforted him, "Don't be afraid. We'll leave soon. We're just borrowing this place to sleep. The adults inside won't blame us."
As Yong Ge spoke, he quickly climbed out of Cheng Duo's embrace, ready to leave with him.
Yong Ge, wait a moment," Cheng Duo held onto him.
"What's wrong?" Yong Ge almost didn't dare to speak, mouthing the words instead. His protective yet furtive glances made Cheng Duo want to laugh.
Cheng Duo cleared his throat and clenched his fist, unintentionally lowering his voice. "Do you remember when I told you that the apocalypse virus gave ordinary people different abilities, and increased strength is just one of them…"
Cheng Duo briefly explained the abilities of superhumans and then recounted his own experience of his half-brother awakening the spatial ability and how he dug out his crystal core to consume out of revenge.
Afraid of scaring Yong Ge, he added an explanation, "I was disheartened at that time and went too far. Now that I have you, I will never do something like that again."
Yong Ge hadn't expected that Cheng Duo had gone through all of this. Recalling Cheng Duo's coldness when they first met, he now fully understood.
He grabbed Cheng Duo's hand, his eyes filled with tenderness. "I know, the past is in the past. Don't dwell on it."
Initially, Yong Ge didn't understand why Cheng Duo was telling him all this at this moment. He was about to continue leading him away when he suddenly realized, "So you guys have these… 'abilities,' which means you're like immortals? Does that pig have something to do with that space you mentioned?"
"You're really smart." Cheng Duo lightly tapped Yong Ge's forehead, praising him with a smile. He didn't expect Yong Ge to fully grasp everything he said, but the fact that Yong Ge quickly connected the dots showed how bright he was.
"Let's go and take a look." Cheng Duo nodded towards the pig.
"Okay."
Although Cheng Duo had explained it clearly, Yong Ge was still worried. He nervously stood in front of Cheng Duo as if he was afraid the pig would jump up and bite them.
"It's okay, don't be nervous." Cheng Duo turned his head and reassured Yong Ge.
However, it was easy to bring the pig out, but it was difficult to retract it and exchange it for something else. Cheng Duo had put his hand on it for several minutes, but the pig remained motionless.
It's not that he didn't want to eat pork, but there was no firewood in the underground and the lamp oil wouldn't last long. They couldn't eat it raw, could they? Although it was possible to eat it raw when extremely hungry, Cheng Duo still wanted to try something else.
Especially since he wanted to see if the spatial ability was truly present…
Yong Ge didn't dare to disturb him and could only nervously watch, occasionally glancing around at the gloomy and dark surroundings.
Another fifteen minutes passed, and the dim oil lamp suddenly flickered. Yong Ge watched as the white pig on the ground disappeared and was replaced by a pile of white pancakes.
Yong Ge widened his eyes. "I-Is it done?"
The "ability" was so incredible, it was like magic!
Cheng Duo picked up a pancake the size of an adult's palm, squeezed it, and then smelled it. It was exactly the same as the pancakes provided by the base cafeteria and looked fresh, without any signs of spoilage.
After ten years in the apocalypse, searching for resources from the old era was no longer enough to meet the demand. Many bases had already started farming and raising livestock. With the assistance of plant superhumans, the base's plantations didn't need to be particularly large, and a harvest every two to three months was enough to produce simple foods like pancakes in the base cafeteria.
However, the price of a pancake was equivalent to ten contribution points, which was quite high compared to expired food. People burdened with family couldn't afford to buy it, at most, they would occasionally purchase it to improve their meals.
As for a whole pig, the price was even more exorbitant.
Cheng Duo suspected that Cheng Zhao later joined a powerful team of superhumans, as it would be impossible for him to obtain so many good things with just his spatial ability.
"Alright, let's eat." Seeing Yong Ge eagerly looking at him, practically unable to take his eyes off, Cheng Duo smiled and stuffed the pancake into his mouth.
The two of them didn't care that the pancakes were a bit dry. In fact, for Yong Ge, these pancakes made from pure wheat flour and fermented were already very delicious.
They devoured the pancakes, the size of an adult man's palm. Cheng Duo ate five of them while Yong Ge, feeling full, could only manage to eat two.
Yong Ge had initially felt that Cheng Duo was a bit unfamiliar, but seeing him devour the pancakes just like him, they shared a smile and forgot all about being strangers.
After a while, Cheng Duo took out a can of canned fruit. "Have some of this, quench your thirst."
Afraid that Yong Ge wouldn't know how to open the can, Cheng Duo unscrewed the lid before handing it to him.
Yong Ge held the sparkling glass can, which was smoother than silver on the outside, and showed a hesitant expression. "Isn't this thing expensive?"
It looked so beautiful and transparent, and he didn't know what red and yellow things were inside, accompanied by a sweet scent he had never smelled before.
"It's very expensive," Cheng Duo nodded in agreement. Canned fruit, this thing was only available to powerful superhumans or high-ranking members of the base.
The last time he had eaten canned fruit seemed to be seven or eight years ago.
Yong Ge misunderstood upon hearing this. "Then you should keep it. I'm afraid I'll break it."
Cheng Duo laughed. "This can is not valuable. They're all over the place where we come from. Outside, you can find piles of them. What I meant by valuable is the fruit inside…"
Yong Ge's reaction reminded him that this glass can, which was worthless in modern times, might be a precious treasure for others here. In the future, if he had the chance, he might be able to sell it for a good price.
"Since this thing is so expensive, it's better if you eat it." Yong Ge didn't dare to take it and pushed it back to Cheng Duo.
"Yong Ge, if you're willing to die with me, can't I share a can of canned fruit with you? If you don't eat it, I won't eat it either. If my body doesn't get better, then I'll starve to death guarding this space's supplies. It serves me right for having a wife who won't feed me…"
With the appearance of the space, Cheng Duo's mood relaxed considerably. At this moment, facing Yong Ge, he even began to feel the sweetness of being in love, teasing his wife-to-be in a familiar manner.
"You, can't I eat?" Yong Ge blushed and in the end, reluctantly shared the can of canned fruit with Cheng Duo.
The sweet taste of the canned fruit surprised him greatly. Combined with the fact that he was sharing it with the person he liked, Yong Ge felt that he was being showered with sweetness all the way to his heart, and his big eyes narrowed happily.
"Is it delicious?"
"Mmm." Yong Ge nodded. "I'm so full."
Cheng Duo helplessly said, "If I had known we had canned fruit, I wouldn't have let you eat two pancakes."
He wasn't proficient in controlling the space yet, and there was still a sense of awkwardness when storing and retrieving items. He needed more time to study what specific things were inside.
While they were talking, the flickering candle suddenly went out, startling Yong Ge.
"Don't be scared, it's probably blown out by the wind…"
Cheng Duo stopped abruptly as he said this. If this space was created by the fissure they entered, then how did the wind blow in?
If he remembered correctly, they were drawn in by a gust of wind blowing out from the crevice. It was widely known that wind required convection, so there might be another exit here!
"Yong Ge, you're really my lucky star!" Cheng Duo excitedly looked at Yong Ge.
Previously, when Yong Ge craved meat, Cheng Duo immediately awakened his spatial ability. And now, if it weren't for Yong Ge being scared by the candle, they might have left directly and missed the exit.
Regardless of whether there was any basis for it, Cheng Duo felt that Yong Ge was his lucky star.
Moreover, if it weren't for Yong Ge, he would have died twice. If that's not a lucky star, then what is?
"Ah?"
Yong Ge had a puzzled expression on his face but was quickly pulled into a hug by Cheng Duo, who planted a firm kiss on his forehead.
Cheng Duo then stood up, still holding onto Yong Ge's head. "Hurry, we need to find the exit before the candle goes out!"
Cheng Duo was right; there was indeed an exit in this underground palace, a hidden path that led directly to the surface.
"Why is there a road here?" Yong Ge was confused. Who would build a passage leading to the outside in their own tomb? Could he come back to life after death?
"It was probably built by craftsmen," Cheng Duo, supported by Yong Ge, spoke with some difficulty. "Think about it. The tomb owner built the tomb in such a hidden place because they didn't want to be discovered. To prevent the craftsmen from leaking secrets, the tomb owner would usually bury the craftsmen with them. Smart people who didn't want to die would leave themselves an escape route."
"Oh, I see," Yong Ge understood.
What Cheng Duo didn't mention was that the nobles and aristocrats weren't fools. If the craftsmen dug an exit, wouldn't they have poisoned the craftsmen? This underground palace looked relatively intact, but Cheng Duo didn't know if it had been looted before.
Cheng Duo had already made up his mind to come back. He felt that there might be some cheap treasures to be found in this underground palace. Besides, he had awakened his spatial ability, and not returning would be a disservice to himself…
The two emerged from underground and saw the familiar sunlight filtering through the trees. Birds were chirping and hopping on the branches, and even the sight of the scattered dead leaves and branches on the ground felt incredibly comforting.
"We finally made it out!" Yong Ge looked at Cheng Duo with joy. But when he saw Cheng Duo's disheveled appearance, with his face covered in stubble and looking miserable, he suddenly became concerned about himself.
He quickly lowered his head to hide his expression.
"What's wrong?" Cheng Duo asked when he saw Yong Ge avoiding eye contact.
Yong Ge didn't dare to look at Cheng Duo. "Is my face… and forehead dirty?"
When they found the underground river earlier, Yong Ge was exhausted and too worried about Cheng Duo to take care of himself.
He remembered falling off the cliff, dealing with the wolf corpse, roasting wolf meat, and the struggles they had been through. He must look quite the mess now…
Cheng Duo stared at him with interest for a while. "No, the dirt on your face is gone, and your skin looks clean and beautiful."
In addition to being beautiful, Cheng Duo couldn't describe Yong Ge's attractiveness. It was like the mixed-blood handsome boys he had seen on television before the apocalypse. Yong Ge's eyelashes were truly long, and in the sunlight, they seemed like a row of small fans.
When those dense lashes slightly lowered and he looked up at Cheng Duo, there was a charm mixed with temptation, even though he wasn't aware of it…
Cheng Duo felt his nose getting warm and raised his hand to cover his face, shifting his gaze away.
The hardships he had endured in the past decade seemed to be compensated by Yong Ge's companionship. It didn't seem like a loss anymore.
Of course, love is blind, and Cheng Duo had also beautified Yong Ge in his eyes. He overlooked the tiredness under Yong Ge's eyes and the cracked lips…
Yong Ge felt that Cheng Duo's gaze was a bit strange, but just as he started to feel nervous, Cheng Duo turned his face away.
Yong Ge: "…"
While they were in the underground palace, they were intimate in various ways, even sleeping together. But now that they had returned to the normal world, they became more reserved.
Yong Ge stammered, "Which direction should we go? It looks like it's getting dark, can we make it back to the village today?"
Upon hearing Yong Ge's question, Cheng Duo also started to worry. When he left, he had left a courtyard full of wolf corpses and the door unlocked. He didn't know if returning like this would cause any trouble.
But he couldn't make the meat grow back within two days; that was impossible…
The two emerged from the underground palace around two or three in the afternoon. Cheng Duo knew the direction of Yang Village, but the mountain road was difficult to traverse, especially since his legs were still not fully functional. As the sky grew darker, Cheng Duo decisively stopped by a small pond.
"Let's spend the night here."
Yong Ge had no objections. "Okay."
Cheng Duo found an old iron pot in the space, and Yong Ge picked a branch of mountain pepper nearby. The rich aroma of the meat soup quickly wafted through the forest, making one's mouth water.
During the cooking, Yong Ge glanced at the strips of cloth on Cheng Duo's body that had changed color and expressed some concern. "Shall I clean your wounds for you?"
Cheng Duo nodded. This time, perhaps due to the fusion of the crystal nucleus and the severe internal injuries, his wounds were healing slowly, especially the area on his shoulder that had been bitten by the head wolf, which had started to decay and fester.
He took off his shirt and sat down with his back facing Yong Ge.
Yong Ge looked at Cheng Duo's broad back, and his cheeks turned slightly red. But as soon as his fingers touched the protruding shoulder blades and the row of bones beneath them, he calmed down.
Yong Ge had a small knife in his hand, which he had used to deal with the wolf corpse before. Following Cheng Duo's instructions, he heated the knife over the fire and then untied the strips of cloth on Cheng Duo's body to help treat the wounds.
"Does it look bad?" Cheng Duo turned his head slightly to ask.
Yong Ge shook his head. "The first time I saved you, the wounds were much worse. The flesh on your chest was turned inside out, and I gritted my teeth and pushed it back."
At that time, Yong Ge was quite surprised. Cheng Duo had suffered such severe injuries, yet his recovery speed was incredibly fast. Within two days, the flesh had grown back.
Now he knew it was due to the physique of an ability user. Yong Ge carefully touched the festering wound on Cheng Duo's shoulder, feeling distressed. "When will your body recover?"
"Soon," Cheng Duo vaguely replied. He had a premonition that when the space fully fused, his power, abilities, and physique would all return.
Yong Ge understood that the longer he hesitated to treat Cheng Duo's wounds, the longer he would suffer. So, when he removed the rotten flesh, he did it as cleanly as possible, and in the end, he carefully wiped the area around the wound with a clean cloth.
"Does it hurt?"
Cheng Duo's expression didn't change. "No."
Compared to everything he had experienced before, these minor wounds really weren't anything.
"I won't bandage you tonight. Let the strips of cloth dry, and I'll bandage them tomorrow. Didn't you buy some golden wound medicine from the peddler? Do you still have some left? Go back and apply it quickly."
"Will you help me apply it?" Cheng Duo teased Yong Ge with a smile in his eyes. "You've seen it already, my wounds are on my back. If you don't help me, I can't reach."
Cheng Duo was a big man, and now, taking advantage of his injury, he acted cute with his wife and teased him, wanting to see Yong Ge's embarrassed face.
At first, Yong Ge didn't react. After considering Cheng Duo's reasoning, he softly responded, "I'll help you apply it then."
But Cheng Duo persisted, "After treating the wounds on my back, there are still wounds on my thighs. Should I take off my pants?"
Yong Ge's face instantly turned red. "You… you can handle the wounds on your thighs yourself!"
"I'm injured," Cheng Duo said righteously, "And you made me cut my own flesh when I was so weak. Are you willing to let me do it myself?"
Yong Ge indeed didn't want to, but based on his upbringing, it was too embarrassing to look at another man's body like this before getting married!
If Cheng Duo were unconscious, it would be a different story, but he was awake now!
"I… I can't…"
Seeing Yong Ge's cheeks almost smoking with embarrassment, Cheng Duo couldn't help but hold back his laughter and said, "Alright, alright, I'll do it myself. I won't force you."
In fact, Cheng Duo didn't want Yong Ge to see his weak body. In his mind, a real man should be strong and mighty. What if Yong Ge saw too much and thought he was weak?
Hearing Cheng Duo's words, Yong Ge felt relieved but also couldn't help feeling guilty. "But can you… do it yourself?"
A real man can do anything. In order to prove that he was capable, Cheng Duo used the tree branch that Yong Ge had been using as a crutch and stood up step by step, finally reaching a large rock by the edge of the pond.
During that time, Yong Ge wanted to support Cheng Duo, but he was refused.
Because he had dealt with his wounds, Cheng Duo ate a bellyful of pork soup and instant noodles that night before lying down to sleep early.
As he dozed off in a daze, he suddenly heard the sound of water splashing from the pond. Cheng Duo glanced towards the campfire and noticed that Yong Ge was indeed not there.
Cheng Duo remained lying down without moving and simply raised his voice, "The water is cold at night, don't stay in there for too long."
The water sound immediately stopped. After a while, Yong Ge replied softly, "Oh."
Cheng Duo closed his eyes again, but he wasn't asleep. He waited until Yong Ge returned with a body covered in water vapor before opening his eyes to look at him. "Can't you wait even for one night?"
Only after saying that did Cheng Duo realize that his words seemed suggestive.
However, he didn't have time to dwell on the implications. Yong Ge, with his disheveled ink-black hair and a vivid mole between his eyebrows, appeared as a handsome water spirit emerging from the water, still dripping with droplets.
"Yong Ge…" Cheng Duo felt a tickle in his throat and coughed lightly.
Yong Ge didn't dare to look at Cheng Duo and adjusted his collar while sitting next to the campfire, adding a few pieces of firewood. "Did I wake you up? I went to pick the mountain pepper. I was afraid the smell would be too strong, so I hurried to wash…"
Cheng Duo chuckled.Should he act surprised? Yong Ge was always so thrifty and diligent!
But Cheng Duo didn't expose him. The scent of mountain pepper was only clinging to his clothes. Yong Ge had hurriedly taken a bath and washed his hair, probably worried about his appearance in front of Cheng Duo?
Cheng Duo looked at Yong Ge's dripping hair and said, "Yong Ge, come here."
"Hmm?"
Although Yong Ge didn't understand, he obediently sat in front of Cheng Duo as he suggested.
Using his hand as a comb, Cheng Duo slowly shook out and untangled Yong Ge's wet hair. "Washing your hair so late at night, aren't you afraid it won't dry?"
Yong Ge was pleasantly surprised. "I… I can do it myself."
"That won't do. We should return the favor. You take care of my wounds, and I'll help you dry your hair… Unless you find me undesirable?"
"No," Yong Ge quickly denied. Of course, he didn't find Cheng Duo undesirable. In the village, it was rare for men to help their women or brothers with such intimate matters. Moreover, they probably felt it damaged their reputation as men.
Cheng Duo was already considerate enough. He didn't expect that Yong Ge would be willing to help dry his hair too.
"Yong Ge, when your father returns, I'll go to your house and propose?"
His wife was becoming more and more beautiful, and Cheng Duo had initially wanted to take his time, but now he felt a sense of urgency.
Yong Ge seemed to have been waiting for those words. He immediately nodded. "Okay."
After saying that, he lowered his head shyly.
Cheng Duo smiled. "What if your father disagrees?"
"He won't. My father thinks you're a good person…" Yong Ge suddenly remembered something and stopped in his tracks.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, after he heard that you had a fiancée, he changed his mind and asked me to keep my distance from you."
"…"
Cheng Duo suddenly felt like he had trapped himself. Should he find someone to spread the news that his nonexistent fiancée had already gotten married?
As for the missing marriage document, he could easily explain that he lost it during their escape.
But who should he choose to deliver the message?
Cheng Duo had limited acquaintances in this world. The first person he thought of was Meng Ji, but it was said that Meng Ji had left and there was no telling when he would return. That left only Wei Ling.
Thinking of Wei Ling, Cheng Duo naturally remembered Yong Ge's tiger bone whistle. "You gave your tiger bone whistle to Wei Ling?"
Yong Ge raised his hand and realized that he had forgotten to bring the tiger bone whistle that had been hanging around his neck. Presumably, he had left it at home in his haste that night.
Wasn't Wei Gongzi staying at Cheng Duo's house? Did he see it in his possession?
Yong Ge felt a bit scared. He had given the whistle to Cheng Duo before, but Cheng Duo didn't take it. But then he had turned around and given it to Wei Gongzi. If Cheng Duo misunderstood, what would he think of Yong Ge?
Yong Ge hurriedly explained, "No, he said he wanted to replicate it, so I let him take a look. It was just a loan, I didn't give it to him. As an exchange, he promised to teach me archery…"
The more Yong Ge spoke, the worse he felt. Teaching archery was already an intimate act, not to mention that he had also accepted the bow and arrows that Wei Gongzi had given him. Would Cheng Duo think that he had not only provoked him but also provoked Wei Gongzi?
Seeing Yong Ge on the verge of tears, Cheng Duo quickly reassured him, "Alright, I believe you. Don't worry."
"No, before Wei Gongzi left, he also gave me a bow and arrows. I accepted it…" Yong Ge didn't dare to hide anything and blurted it all out.
"I know," Cheng Duo said before realizing that he had let something slip and immediately changed his wording. "I mean, since he taught you archery, it's not a big deal for him to give you a bow and arrows."
Cheng Duo knew that despite Yong Ge always placing himself in a humble position due to his background and education, no matter how lowly a person is, when they are pushed and pulled by someone they like, regardless of the other person's intentions, Yong Ge wouldn't feel good about it.
Cheng Duo knew that Yong Ge was easy to coax, but just because he was easy to coax didn't mean he wouldn't be hurt.
Is that all?!
Yong Ge couldn't believe it. Although he knew that he and Wei Gongzi were innocent, in Cheng Duo's eyes, would he not feel upset that Yong Ge had accepted gifts from another man?
In the village, even if a wife merely spoke a few extra words to someone outside, their husbands would come home and scold or even beat them.
Cheng Duo said, "Uh, let's forget about what happened before. In the future, I'll make things for you. We don't need his things."
Cheng Duo saying "we" sounded like they were a family, which made Yong Ge happy, but he couldn't help but worry. "Aren't you angry?"
"Of course… I'm angry!"
Cheng Duo had now fully grasped the situation. Thinking about Wei Ling's special treatment of Yong Ge and his own feelings while watching Wei Ling teach Yong Ge archery from the tree branch, a long-lost jealousy suddenly surged within him. He looked at Yong Ge with a frustrated expression and said, "But I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at that bastard Wei Ling."
And at himself.
"You promised him, but from now on, I'll take care of you. You don't need to pay attention to him."
He didn't believe that Wei Ling had no ulterior motives towards Yong Ge. After all the things Wei Ling had done, even coming from a far distance, it couldn't be just because he thought Yong Ge resembled his younger brother!
Cheng Duo and Yong Ge returned to the village the next afternoon. Originally, Yong Ge planned to go to Cheng Duo's house together, but when Cheng Duo saw someone in his yard from a distance, he asked Yong Ge to go back first.
They hadn't officially become a couple yet, and if rumors spread about their disappearance for several days, even if they eventually got married, Yong Ge would find it difficult to hold his head up in the village.
Fortunately, Li Wang was out. If someone asked about Yong Ge, he could say that he went to deliver something to his own father.
Yong Ge and Cheng Duo had agreed on a story, and Yong Ge nodded, saying, "Then I'll go. You go back and apply the medicine quickly."
"I know. If you need anything, remember to come find me."
Cheng Duo returned to his own home and found that Mr. Li San and his son Li Da Zhuang were waiting in his yard. In addition, there were over a dozen wolf skins hanging there, all processed. Although some of the wolf skins were tattered and the edges were uneven, they were damaged during Cheng Duo's fight with the wolves.
"Cheng Duo, you finally came back…" Mr. Li San saw Cheng Duo and immediately stood up excitedly, but when he saw his appearance, he hesitated, "What… What happened to you?"
Cheng Duo smiled bitterly, "Mr. Li, you've seen it too. The wolf pack attacked my house in the middle of the night. I barely managed to escape and had to run into the mountains. Later, I killed the leader of the wolves but got lost in the mountains. It took me several days of struggling to find my way back…"
"Why did you lose so much weight?" Li Da Zhuang asked in astonishment.
Cheng Duo had prepared a response for this. He sighed, "After killing the wild boar, I fell ill. My body wasn't fully recovered, and then I got injured during the wolf attack, which left me in this sorry state… Mr. Li, how many days have I been gone?"
"About five or six days. It was when Sha Er saw your door open and entered the yard, only to find dead wolves all over the place. He hurriedly ran to inform me…"
Mr. Li San explained that Cheng Duo's yard was indeed quite frightening, so he didn't want to let the villagers get scared. He didn't let his two sons speak about it outside either. Even Sha Er was given instructions not to say anything temporarily.
"With such a big incident, why didn't you run to the village?" Mr. Li San scolded. He thought Cheng Duo was being considerate and didn't want to cause trouble for the villagers. As an outsider who brought the wolves into the village, others might gossip.
Cheng Duo couldn't explain the situation, so he just remained silent.
"By the way, you've killed so many wolves. I had Sha Er bring back some wolf meat, and we kept some for ourselves as well. I had the rest carried to Twenty-Li Slope to sell. I'll have him give you the money when he returns. The weather has gotten hot, and it won't sell well if we keep it. You won't blame me for making the decision, right?"
"Of course not, thank you, Mr. Li," Cheng Duo still trusted Mr. Li's character.
To be honest, even if Mr. Li didn't give him any wolf meat and left him with nothing, Cheng Duo couldn't say a word of complaint.
Mr. Li's actions made Cheng Duo feel relieved. If the villagers were to immediately divide up his belongings and house as soon as he went missing, he would have felt a chill in his heart.
"Alright then, now that you're back, Da Zhuang and I will head back." Mr. Li and his eldest son had helped Cheng Duo process the wolf skins these past few days, and they were already a bit tired. Now that Cheng Duo had safely returned, fearing that they might inconvenience him, they quickly bid their farewells.
"I'll see you off."
"It's fine, you go back. You've been through a lot these past few days, so clean yourself up quickly. Look at what state you've become," Mr. Li spoke politely but felt pleased in his heart. Rarely did he use the tone of an elder to jest with Cheng Duo.
Just as the father and son had returned to the village, they saw Yong Ge coming angrily, "Grandpa Li, there's a thief in our house!"
"What? A thief?" Why didn't he know about it!
While the two were talking, Wu Guihua arrived with Feng Ge, chasing after them, "Yong Ge, don't talk nonsense!"
"I haven't said anything yet. Auntie, why are you so anxious? Could it be that you're the one who sneaked into our house and stole something?"
"Who stole something? You're the thief! I even suspect you stole people! Where did you run off to these past few days when there wasn't a single person in your house? Were you in someone else's warm embrace?"
Well, Wu Guihua had actually guessed half of it correctly.
Fortunately, Yong Ge had already coordinated with Cheng Duo on their story, so he didn't panic. "I went to deliver something to my father. Auntie, how did you know that there was no one in our house? Did you go to our house?"
Wu Guihua didn't back down at all. "The head of the household and Second Brother are blood brothers. When I found out that no one was in their house, of course I had to go take a look! Grandpa Li, could something unfortunate have happened to Second Brother's family? First, my two nephews disappeared, and now Second Brother is gone too!"
She pointed at Yong Ge with an exaggerated expression and said, "Look at him, his skin suddenly turned so pale, and his lips are so red. Maybe the real Yong Ge was eaten by a monster, and this is the monster pretending to be him…"
"Mom, don't scare me!" Feng Ge, upon hearing Wu Guihua's words, quickly dodged behind her, imitating her actions.
"Wu Shi, what nonsense are you spouting! Li Wang told me before he left. He went to Mountain with Cheng Duo's friend,to find Li Da and Li Er!" Mr. Li San was quite angry and immediately scolded her.
Does Wu Guihua not have a brain? If she says there are monsters in their village, how can the villagers go out in the future?
"Then why did he turn out like this?" Wu Guihua persisted and insisted on labeling Yong Ge as the monster.
"Auntie, don't change the subject! The several pounds of cured wild boar meat that went missing from my house, and the several dozen pounds of grains we had stored, the mushrooms, pine nuts, and dried bamboo shoots that my father and I painstakingly picked in the mountains, and several of our clothes… return them to me!"
What Yong Ge didn't mention was that she even took the medicine bag he had made for Cheng Duo. At that time, he got four sets of medicine from Doctor Wang, boiled one set for Cheng Duo, and the remaining three sets mysteriously disappeared!
Fortunately, his tiger bone whistle looked old and worthless; otherwise, it probably wouldn't have been spared either.
"You're the one changing the subject! Maybe it's you who was eaten by this monster!"
"Whether she took it or not, we'll know once Mr. Li and I go to your house and take a look. If we find the wild boar meat from last time, how should we settle it?"
At this moment, Yong Ge truly despised Wu Guihua. Ever since he learned about his parentage and heard his father emphasize their severed relationship, Yong Ge no longer considered Wu Guihua as his aunt. The reason he still called her that was just to avoid giving others ammunition.
He hadn't settled his accounts with Wu Guihua regarding that matter, and now she took the opportunity while he wasn't home to sneak into their house and steal things. Truly, her thieving nature never changed!
"What? Mom, you're saying that the cured pork was taken from Second Uncle's house?" As soon as Li Changsheng arrived, he heard Yong Ge say this and immediately exclaimed. He was a bit slow and hadn't noticed his mother and brother signaling him with their eyes. It was only after speaking that he realized something was amiss.
However, the onlookers had already heard.
"Wu Guihua has gone too far. She even stole things from her own family!"
"She has taken things from the Li Er household for years. It's a wonder that Li Er is so honest."
"Even a straightforward person like Li Er couldn't stand it anymore. He publicly announced that he severed ties with the Li family, but who would have thought that Wu Guihua would still have such thick skin!"
Wu Guihua panicked, "Who said I took things from Second Brother's house? The cured pork I have was bought!"
As she spoke, she hinted to Feng Ge to go home and hide the things. Unfortunately, Yong Ge had been keeping an eye on him. Seeing the situation, Yong Ge immediately grabbed his wrist and said, "Feng Ge, where are you going? Are you going home to hide something?"
Little did they know that Feng Ge reacted strongly, forcefully opening Yong Ge's hand and screaming, "You monster, don't touch me!"
He pushed Yong Ge away and was about to run. However, Aunt Qian suddenly emerged from the crowd and firmly grabbed Feng Ge's wrist, saying, "Where are you running off to? Since you didn't take anything, we need to search to be sure!"
She had heard from his own son, Yu Ge, that the rumors about him being an ill-fated spouse originated from Feng Ge's mouth. He had naively thought that Yu Ge and Feng Ge had a good relationship, but it turned out that Feng Ge secretly sabotaged his marriage!
"Let go of me!" Feng Ge struggled a few times, but as a young boy, he couldn't overpower Aunt Qian , who had worked on the farm for decades.
Under Yong Ge's urging and Aunt Qian's encouragement, a group of people marched towards Li Man Cang's house. Li Man Cang had just rushed back from the field and was nervously heading out the door with a package in his arms. The crowd entered just in time to block him!
"Good, catch the thief red-handed. Let's see you deny it now!" Aunt Qian was extremely excited. She took a step forward, snatching the bundle of cloth from Li Man Cang's hands.
"You return it to me…" Li Man Cang wanted to grab it back, but he was stopped by other villagers.
"This cloth belonged to my father, and I personally sewed the patches on it! And our grains, the cured wild boar meat…" Yong Ge recognized all of it.
And most of these things were missing, especially the wild boar meat. He initially took five pounds, and later, Cheng Duo gave him seven or eight pounds… If he hadn't returned quickly, there probably wouldn't have been anything left!
"You say it's yours, so it's yours?" At this point, Wu Guihua still wanted to argue.
"Auntie, let's not talk about anything else. This needle and thread, I made it, that's for sure, right? And the wild boar meat, where did it come from in your house? You tell us, we can go ask each family!" Yong Ge said.
Wu Guihua secretly gritted her teeth. If she had known that Yong Ge would be so reckless and cause a scene, even if they were barely getting by, she shouldn't have left these things behind!
In fact, Wu Guihua acted on a whim. She was already worried about losing her land and money, so she became more meticulous in her daily life.
But their family was used to living extravagantly. Not to mention the pampered Feng Ge, even she couldn't stand it.
Later, she happened to notice that Second Uncle's house hadn't been opened for several days, so she went in on a whim. Yong Ge was in a hurry when he left and only closed the door without locking it, which gave her the opportunity.
Both Li Man Cang and Wu Guihua denied it, but faced with the undeniable evidence, they had no choice but to admit it.
Li Man Cang tried to argue, "Chang Sheng's mother saw that no one was at Second Uncle's house, so she took it back to help take care of it. It's not stealing. We didn't steal…"
Before he could finish speaking, Aunt Qian interrupted, "I think you've taken care of it by putting it into your family's stomachs, right?"
"Qian Shi, my husband and Second Uncle are blood brothers. If he says it's taking care of it, then it's taking care of it! Besides, this is our Li family's private matter, you have no right to interfere!" Wu Guihua looked at Aunt Qian with hatred, almost wanting to devour her flesh.
Aunt Qian wasn't afraid at all. "Who said that? Li Wang said he wanted to sever ties with you all!" He then turned to Li San, instigating further, "Mr. Li, this family is unscrupulous. Shouldn't we think of a solution? Otherwise, what will happen if things continue to go missing in the village?"
This is where the difference in character becomes apparent. Wu Guihua was usually sharp-tongued and always took advantage of others, and she had quite a few feuds in the village.
When their family was in trouble before, many people were busy watching the show. Now, they were adding insult to injury. There was even a relative of the Li family who suggested that Wu Guihua be divorced, claiming that she had caused the Li family to lose people.
Wu Guihua's face turned pale as soon as she heard it. "The head of the household, say something…"
Li Man Cang, of course, wouldn't agree. He quickly pleaded with Li San, "Mr. Li, it's the first time for Chang Sheng's mother. Please spare her. Our family was deceived so miserably before, and Chang Sheng's mother had no choice…"
Yong Ge became unhappy as soon as he heard this. "Uncle, our family doesn't even have an acre of land! Have you thought about how Auntie stole our grain? How can my father and I survive?"
