Qiao Mei's hands slightly paused in weaving the straw hat, followed by a silent sigh.
Their family didn't even have a man anymore, and an orphaned mother and child were nothing but burdens. Competing for a son-in-law with the elder's granddaughter was simply wishful thinking.
It's just pitiful for Mingchuan, who is handsome, robust, capable of hunting, to be married off to a stubborn girl who only knows how to eat and play, it's too much of a grievance for him.
"I heard it directly from her!" Lin Chunsheng, still too young to grasp the nuances of adult thoughts, whispered as he noticed nobody was paying attention: "That night when the rat demon raided the village, I got separated from my mom and sister and followed Grandpa Wan to hide outside the village, Han Ya was also in the crowd.
Once outside, Grandpa Wan told everyone to scatter and hide to avoid being caught.
I hid in a tree hollow and vaguely heard Han Ya asking Grandpa Wan why he disagreed with your marriage. She said choosing you as her husband showed favor to your family, and Grandpa Wan told her you both were too young and to wait a few years.
From where I was hidden, I couldn't see them, and I only heard the hushed voices before Han Ya got angry and said, 'Why don't you just drop dead, old man!'
Then I saw Grandpa Wan being pushed and hit a rock, spraining his ankle and unable to stand. I was terrified and rushed out to help him, but then the rat demon suddenly came after us, spewing fire all over him!
Everyone started scattering, looking for places to hide. I was so scared that I ran too... No matter what, you must not marry Han Ya. It's her fault your grandpa died!"
Wan Mingchuan's heart flared with rage.
No wonder! No wonder grandpa died so horribly when we went to collect his body!
He was always the best hunter in the village, and even when he was young, he took down a fierce tiger! Though he was older now, his hearing was sharp, and his body was strong; how could he fail to hide in the jungle better than those who knew nothing?
Everyone else was fine, why was he the only one who got burned alive?
At the time, he was too consumed by grief to think deeper, but now, after hearing the truth from Lin Chunsheng, he wanted nothing more than to strike down the enemy and avenge his grandfather!
"Don't act on impulse!" Qiao Mei, seeing the blood-red rage in his eyes and his trembling body, pressed down on Wan Mingchuan, lowering her voice, "You're still injured, and besides, Chunsheng only heard parts of it and didn't see anything with his own eyes. You have to find out the truth to ensure your grandfather didn't die in vain!"
After saying that, she glared sharply at her son and turned to her daughter, solemnly instructing: "From now on, bury this matter in your stomachs, and don't utter a word about it! Until you grow up and have the ability to protect yourselves, you must learn to keep a low profile, and strive to survive!"
Then, Qiao Mei looked at Wan Mingchuan, "The same goes for you, unless you have the ability to take revenge and live well afterward, otherwise it's a path to self-destruction, and the Wan family's line will be severed completely. How can your grandpa and your prematurely deceased parents rest in peace in the afterlife?"
Wan Mingchuan felt as if a heavy stone lay on his chest, suffocating him as he recalled his grandpa's tragic state, with nowhere to vent, he could only clench his fist and slam it into the stone wall.
Not a tear could escape as hot blood surged, a fire ready to explode at any moment burned in his brain; he must know the truth! He must avenge his grandpa!
After the altercation, the cave fell into silence. Most people maintained a stance of indifference, fearing the elder's wrath, and crouched silently in the corners awaiting the village chief's orders.
To the enraged Wan Mingchuan, this silence seemed like a voiceless scream pressing on his heart in dire need of releasing anger.
The rain outside intensified, and the mist generated covered the mountains, rivers, jungles, farmlands, and villages in a blanket of water vapor, making those returning to the cave with rain gear appear even more insignificant like ants.
The low clouds and the howling wind, no one knew what time it was, and gradually, the people in the cave diminished.
Those with rain gear returned home early to start fires and cook, with light smoke melding into the rain mist from the chimneys; those without rain gear urgently sought ways to find something to shield them from the rain and hurriedly descended the mountain;
Several girls wanted to offer their rain gear to Wan Mingchuan who was injured, but were promptly reprimanded and led away by their families;
Even Qiao Mei had made a simple straw cloak and advised Wan Mingchuan to rest and wait for her to return with rain gear, urging him not to let his wounds get wet, then taking her children, they left supporting each other.
In the vast cave, he was the only one left, staring blankly at the rain-covered Cat Hill, thinking about Jiang Yuan who refused to live in the village.
He wondered if he was a legendary cultivator because he could stay calm and composed in the face of demons and effortlessly kill the notorious troublesome Oak Bats, and was not even scared of the haunted Shuìyun Lake?
He suddenly stood up, eyes brightening, with a bold thought in his heart—when the rain stops, he would go to Shuìyun Lake to visit the man who saved his life!
If Brother Jiang Yuan is benevolent enough to impart a move or two, he could avenge his grandfather!
The He Family was far too powerful, and being privy to the secret of the rituals, the villagers would side with them even if bullied. Without sufficient strength, he couldn't overcome them on his own; he must seize any opportunity to become stronger.
With this in mind, the anxious Wan Mingchuan watched the ceaselessly pouring rain as second ticked like years, desperately hoping for it to clear so he could proceed to Shuìyun Lake without delay!
"Slept soundly!" Jiang Yuan awoke, feeling refreshed, rolling in the pile of dry grass, gazing out the open window.
The rain had stopped at some point, though the sky remained overcast. Fortunately, there were no pestering mosquitoes in the wilderness game, so even with the window open, only a fresh, cool breeze with a hint of earth's fragrance wafted in.
The strawberry plants neatly lined in the courtyard's fields thrived and grew more lush and vibrant after being watered by the rain;
The small river flowing gently outside the picket fence made a soft gurgling sound;
The quiet forest awaiting exploration beyond the wooden bridge occasionally echoed with bird calls, revealing ruins through the broken trees from the wind and rain.
Moss-covered rocks, trees with mottled patterns, and faintly visible collapsed walls and ruins added a touch of mystery to the dense forest, enticing Jiang Yuan's restless heart like barbed hooks.
"How vast is the area that opens up at Level Two? What are these crumbled building ruins? How many gold coins are there?" He sat up, gazing out at the scenery, itching to unlock the new area, clear away the weeds and trees, explore the secrets of the ruins, and cultivate more land!
Sadly, the wilderness game store didn't have that option.
Jiang Yuan exited the game and looked at the packaging he had tossed into the trash less than ten minutes ago, pondering as he opened a can of eight-treasure porridge, thinking how bad it was for his health to "indulge" like this every day. It'd be perfect if he could cook something in the game to supplement his physical strength.
After eating, he returned to the game; it was already four in the afternoon, two hours until the wilderness descended.
He glanced at the stock of wood and immediately set off into the forest, hoping to chop enough wood for the task and gather some stone tonight to complete the Floating Market!