Chapter 15: Hidden Truths

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Su Xiaoyun ignored her shrill cries, continuing the repetitive motions with her hands. Wu Guifen, seeing that she was being disregarded, grew increasingly sharp and sarcastic from the side. “I think you’ve truly lost your mind—how dare you touch a woman who brings misfortune to her husband!”

“Consider this your only warning: if you bring bad luck or trouble because of this, don’t come looking for me!”

Her shrill voice was more grating than a duck’s quack.

Annoyed, Su Xiaoyun turned and glared coldly at her. “This is a matter of life and death, and you still dare to spout feudal superstitions here? If the party secretary hears this, your whole family will face punishment!”

Wu Guifen was stunned, her hands trembling with anger. “You—you ungrateful little witch! I spit on you!”

Seeing that Su Xiaoyun was impervious to her words and fearing that the situation might escalate and implicate her, she gave up and went back to the village with two buckets of water.

After all, whether she lived or died was none of her concern!

It was all just Su Xiaoyun’s idle worry over a carrot!

Meanwhile, Su Xiaoyun pressed harder, her palm repeatedly applying pressure without pause.

This was the golden time for rescue; the priority was to revive the woman before anything else!

Because the woman’s will to survive was weak, having swallowed much water in the pond, the effects would not be immediate.

The sun above grew harsher, beads of sweat forming on Su Xiaoyun’s forehead, trickling down her brow into her eyes, stinging sharply.

She had no time to spare and focused solely on the rescue!

Otherwise, the chance of survival would diminish even further!

Su Xiaoyun’s clear eyes fixed intently on the woman’s face, pale and weak, swollen slightly from water inhalation.

At that moment, hurried footsteps approached from ahead!

“Quick, quick, Su Xiaoyun, get up! I’ve called the regiment commander stationed in our village!”

Aunt Wang, with her hoarse voice, ran back out of breath.

Su Xiaoyun instinctively looked up. “Huo Congjing?”

She immediately spotted Huo Congjing striding briskly toward them with a purposeful gait.

In their brief glance, Huo Congjing noticed her sun-parched, dehydrated face.

His brows furrowed sharply as he hurried to her side.

By now, Su Xiaoyun was almost robotic in repeating the actions, her lips cracked and peeling from dehydration. “She fell into the water twenty minutes ago and was rescued within three minutes.”

“I’ve been performing artificial respiration and emergency procedures continuously for nearly half an hour.”

Despite the urgency, Su Xiaoyun spoke with calm and clarity.

Huo Congjing raised his eyes in surprise, evidently impressed by her knowledge of first aid.

“Hand her over to me. We must get her to the hospital immediately!”

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Just as he finished speaking, the woman suddenly coughed violently, spitting out a large mouthful of water!

When she opened her eyes, the first sight was Su Xiaoyun’s pale face.

“Why did you save me… Just let me die.”

Her eyes were hollow and lifeless, as if filled with death itself.

Su Xiaoyun finally exhaled in relief, sinking weakly to the side, ignoring the mud stains on her clothes. “Think about your children, your family. Isn’t it a waste to die so young?”

The woman’s name was Zhao Hehua, an outsider who had married into Shigang Village at a young age.

She gave birth to a son and a daughter, but while the babies were still infants, her husband died on a mountain road.

For a woman to raise children alone in these times was extremely difficult.

Food was scarce; they often had to eat tree bark and wild vegetables, and even bran was considered a luxury.

Somehow, the villagers’ words grew harsher.

Rumors began to spread that she was a jinx, bringing misfortune to her husband and children.

Zhao Hehua ignored everything and struggled to crawl back into the water.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, mixing with the water still clinging to her face.

Su Xiaoyun propped herself up, grasping her firmly, speaking sharply: “Are you really going to abandon your two children just because of gossip? You’re far too fragile!”

“The best way to silence these people is to live well. Women can hold up half the sky; we’re no less than men!”

“Your children are well cared for; just the other day they helped me cut pig fodder.”

“What will they do if you die?”

Somewhere in that, Zhao Hehua’s reason returned with a shudder.

Tears surged forth. “I—I really don’t know what to do.”

“There’s no pillar in the house. How can I, a woman, hold everything up? The children are so thin, they’re just bones…”

Her sobs were heartbreaking.

In these times, life was truly brutal.

Not to mention the looming drought; soon the mountains would have no wild vegetables left to eat.

Su Xiaoyun sighed helplessly, her tone softening. “Think more about your children. The villagers will help; you can raise them.”

Zhao Hehua leaned weakly on her shoulder, letting tears flow down her sharp, gaunt jawbone. “My husband died gathering herbs for the village clinic. They promised a subsidy.”

“But years have passed, and besides two pounds of millet and some coarse flour, I haven’t seen a single cent.”

Her voice trembled as she crossed her arms in despair.

Su Xiaoyun’s clear eyes narrowed, catching the critical clue.

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By all rights, Zhao Hehua’s husband should be considered a casualty.

That subsidy should have been distributed by the village.

Not only money, but ration tickets, oil coupons, and work points should have been given to Zhao Hehua.

There was definitely something fishy going on.

Especially with that old fox Yang Hongfu—he had surely pocketed the goods!

Before Su Xiaoyun could speak, a cold gleam flashed in Huo Congjing’s dark eyes.

It was obvious what was happening.

The subsidy existed, but the village officials had likely embezzled it.

Huo Congjing reached into the woods, grabbed a wide, curled leaf, and scooped some water from the bucket. “Drink this slowly first. I’ll take you all back to the village soon.”

“Why did you women come out here to fetch water?”

Su Xiaoyun sat on the ground, catching her breath. “The village and surroundings are parched. Water levels in wells and ditches have dropped significantly. The team leader told us to come here for water.”

She gave a brief explanation, then drank the water in a few gulps.

Compared to the village well water, this was indeed cooler and fresher, with a faint mountain spring fragrance.

Huo Congjing narrowed his eyes, something flickering in their depths, but he said no more.

Zhao Hehua gradually regained strength, stood, and bowed. “Thank you. Your words have enlightened me. I should fight for myself and my children!”

“I had heard your reputation in the village and thought you were… well, thank you today.”

Her words twisted halfway, her dark, sallow face flushing with embarrassment.

Seeing her guilt, Su Xiaoyun waved her hand indifferently. “It’s nothing. I’m used to it.”

No one in the village spoke well of her anyway.

Sigh, self-inflicted misery!

But at least her tarnished reputation was starting to improve.

Huo Congjing handed her a handkerchief, his low, cool voice dispelling some of the heat. “Wipe your face. I’ll take you all back.”

“Bee Pond is far from the village, at least ten miles, and the surrounding mountains are dangerous.”

“If the four pests from the mountain come down, you women won’t stand a chance.”