After more than a decade of clawing her way through the apocalypse, Clara had long learned how to read people. So when she saw the old couple's expressions shift from shock to disappointment to anger, she understood exactly what they were thinking.
But so what?
By now, Lester Liew was probably halfway to death's door.
Surviving in the apocalypse had taught Clara one thing: anyone or anything that posed a threat to her life had to be dealt with—swiftly and preemptively. Her safety came first.
Given her current situation, the best outcome was for Lester Liew to die.
If he didn't, she'd be saddled with a mountain of unknown debt and a husband who wasn't dead—but might as well be, given the costly treatment he'd likely need.
Clara had some kindness in her—but not much.
Everything happening now was a mess of Lester Liew's own making. What did it have to do with her? From her perspective, she was the real victim here.
So Clara pretended not to notice the old couple's brewing anger and went right back to the topic of buying wheat seeds.
Adam and Ben had just told her about bumping into their uncle Brandon Liew earlier.
After some thought, Clara decided they should plant the two acres of land after all. If they didn't, they'd get nothing. But if they did, and managed to survive the winter, maybe they'd at least have some grain next year.
"You haven't sown your wheat yet?" Old Man Liew glanced at the sky, his brow furrowed with concern. It looked like rain could fall any time now.
Clara replied, "Things were a mess at home, and I've only just gotten my bearings these past few days. I want to plant those two acres. No matter what next year brings, at least we'll have something to harvest."
"Pa, I've never farmed before. I'll need your guidance."
She wasn't lying. Her original self had grown up in a decent household. If it hadn't been for natural disasters and war, with so many brothers and plenty of land, she'd never have had to set foot in a field.
Plus, one of her uncles had worked as a bookkeeper in the county, so she'd learned how to read and write fairly well.
As for herself—fighting off zombies? No problem. Farming? Not her thing.
Old Man Liew was surprised she didn't even know how to farm, but with the situation involving his third son weighing heavily on him, and Clara's indifferent attitude, his frustration was growing.
He shot a glance at Mdm Zhang, who silently went to fetch the wheat seeds.
Thankfully, they'd been issued a bit more seed than needed. After sowing their own fields, they still had some leftover. Otherwise, if Clara had come asking, he wouldn't have had anything to give.
Truth be told, the people living in the old Liew family home weren't doing great either. Their clothes were patched over patches, and they ate coarse rice at best.
Their so-called "family estate" wasn't much more than a few extra rooms and a crumbling wall compared to Clara's run-down hut.
The men worked from the start of the year to the end just to barely keep their nine-person household afloat.
And whatever money they managed to save usually ended up covering Lester Liew's endless screw-ups.
But no matter how much of a mess he was, he was still their son. When his life was on the line, how could a father just look away?
Mdm Zhang handed Clara a jar of wheat seeds and carefully explained how deep to dig, how to sow the seeds, and how to cover them—too deep and they wouldn't sprout, too shallow and the rain would wash them away. She was one step away from going out there to show Clara by hand.
Clara committed all the details to memory, confident that it didn't sound too hard. She'd try it out tomorrow.
Then she pulled out five copper coins. "I've never bought wheat seeds before. I'm not sure if this is enough."
Zhang stared at her, wide-eyed like she'd seen a ghost. When Clara first came in and said she was here to buy seeds, Zhang had thought she was just saying it to save face. Given Lester Liew's character, they were already grateful he hadn't come asking them for money instead.
But now it seemed… this third son and his wife didn't seem like they belonged to the same household at all.
Seeing Zhang's stunned expression, Clara didn't bother explaining. She pressed the coins into Zhang's hand, took the seeds, and called out to Adam and Ben, who'd been hungrily eyeing the rice bowls at the table. "Say goodbye to your grandparents."
Then she turned and walked out.
They'd only gone a few steps when Brandon and Caleb came chasing after them.
Clara narrowed her eyes warily. Don't tell me they're here to demand the straw back?
"If it's about the straw—I'll return it once we get through this patch," she said first, knowing they were technically in the wrong.
The two brothers froze, then quickly waved their hands. "Forget it, really."
But Clara wasn't about to forget. Everyone was struggling. Even a few bundles of straw were important to a farming family.
"I'll return it," she said seriously.
Brandon saw how stubborn she was and didn't argue. He hadn't expected her to pay it back anyway.
Then both he and Caleb reached into the inner pockets of their waistbands and pulled out a handful of copper coins each. Together, they offered the money to Clara.
"It's not much," Brandon said with a frown, "but third brother's life is at stake. Take this to help get him out. We'll figure the rest out later."
Caleb added, "Ma said Billy Lin is running illegal mines. If someone crosses him, they usually won't kill them outright. They just get thrown into the mines to work off their debt. So third brother might still be alive."
"He's learned his lesson this time. He'll change. Your days ahead—well, it's better if the two of you face them together. Just you alone…" Leonard trailed off, realizing that last part might not sit well.
Clara raised an eyebrow. This Lester Liew, as useless as he was, still had family willing to bail him out? Unbelievable.
Adam and Ben looked up at her, silently hoping she'd take the money.
But Clara pushed it back into their hands.
"No need. This isn't enough to buy him back. Giving it to them is like throwing it into a bottomless pit. Keep it for yourselves."
And with that, she turned and strode off, her eyes growing colder with every step.
Adam and Ben hesitated for a moment, glanced at their uncles, then took off after her.
"Hey!" Caleb called after them, running a few steps, but the mother and sons were already gone, swallowed up by the night. He could only stop and turn helplessly to Lester.
"Big Brother… what do we do with the money?"
"Why wouldn't she take it?" Brandon was just as confused.
Back at home, they told the rest of the family what had happened. The two sisters-in-law, Doreen (Mdm He) and Kate (Mdm Qiu), let out a silent sigh of relief.
But the old couple was furious.
Old Walter Liew slammed the table. "She clearly has no intention of staying with our third son!"
Mdm Zhang, being a woman herself, could understand Clara's thinking. If the third son didn't change, he really was a bottomless pit.
"Let it go. We'll think of something else," she said, patting her husband's back with a sigh.
That night, a sudden windstorm swept through.
The howling wind sounded like crying infants—eerie and chilling.
Clara jolted awake from her sleep. The moment she opened her eyes, she was staring at a sky full of stars.
The thatched roof had been ripped apart by the wind, leaving a gaping hole overhead.
The wind roared on, shaking the few frail beams left on the roof.
She heard the sound of walls shedding their mud plaster, pieces crumbling down like dry leaves. The whole house felt like it was about to collapse.
This is bad!
Was the house going to fall?
"Mom!"
From the room next door, Deb's frightened voice rang out.
Clara snapped out of her daze, leapt from bed, threw on her shoes, and bolted out the door.
"Adam! Ben! Chad! Deb! Get out now!"
She pushed open the door and saw the four children huddled together on the bed, eyes wide with fear as they watched the thatch fly off, piece by piece.
Deb was crying for her mother. Adam was trying to stay calm, holding his siblings close.
Clara's heart clenched—why weren't they running?
She rushed in, scooped up Chad and Deb, and shouted at Adam and Ben, "Get out now! The house is going to collapse!"
Startled, the two boys tumbled off the bed, not even bothering with their shoes as they ran barefoot into the open.
(End of Chapter)