Wang Zhuo's shock
Zhao Heng's approach made Zhao Gan's body, which had just relaxed, tense again.
He didn't say anything, but just squatted down and handed the chipped rough porcelain bowl to his son.
"Tiedan, take your sister and drink the porridge."
His voice was soft, with a gentleness he had never heard before.
Zhao Gan looked at the porridge in front of him, then raised his eyes and glanced quickly at Zhao Heng, his big eyes full of confusion and hesitation.
He didn't dare reach out to take it.
Zhao Heng didn't urge him, he just squatted there quietly, with incredible patience.
"Dad... Dad, don't you want to drink?" Zhao Gan asked timidly.
"Dad is not hungry, you guys drink."
Zhao Heng wanted to smile gently, but the muscles in this body had long forgotten how to smile. He tried his best to move the corners of his mouth, but the expression on his face became extremely stiff and weird.
Zhao Guo poked his little head out from behind his brother, his dark eyes fixed on the bowl of steaming porridge, and a slight sound came from his throat.
This swallowing sound gave Zhao Gan endless courage.
He stretched out his dark little hand and took the earthenware bowl which was bigger than his face.
The rim of the bowl was scorching hot, but he held it tightly, as if it was the most precious treasure in the world and he was afraid of spilling even a drop.
He first scooped up a little bit with a broken wooden spoon, then clumsily brought it to his mouth and blew on it again and again before carefully bringing it to his sister's mouth.
"Guoguo, drink."
Zhao Guo opened her little mouth and swallowed the spoonful of rice soup in one gulp.
A warm current flowed down her throat into her empty stomach, and she closed her eyes in comfort.
When Zhao Gan saw his sister drink, it was his turn. He only dared to take a small sip and then hurried to feed his sister.
The brother and sister took turns eating, consuming the life-saving rice soup with great care.
Li Xiumei, watching this scene nearby, couldn't help but feel a sore nose. She then looked at Zhao Heng, who was squatting nearby, his eyes following the two children. The slight fear in her heart unconsciously turned into a little sympathy.
"Zhao Tongsheng, is the wound on your head...still okay?"
"It's okay." Zhao Heng shook his head, his eyes never leaving the two small figures.
"Well... I'll go back first. Call me again if you're interested." Li Xiumei felt relieved, turned around and left, and helped them close the shaky door.
The room was completely silent, with only Zhao Heng and his two children left.
The bowl of porridge was soon empty. Zhao Gan held the empty bowl, stuck out his tongue, and licked the bottom of the bowl clean with reluctance.
Zhao Heng stood up, took the empty bowl from his hand, and placed it on the lame table.
He felt heavy in his heart as he looked at the two children's faces which had regained some color after eating a bowl of porridge.
A bowl of porridge can only solve the problem temporarily.
What about tomorrow? What about the day after tomorrow?
This family is now penniless.
He must find a way to survive immediately and keep the two children alive.
Moreover, let them live a decent life!
This is his loss as a father, and also the only redemption for his daughter in another world!
His eyes swept across the dilapidated house and finally stopped at the corner of the wall.
There stood a carelessly discarded hoe, the wooden handle stained with dried mud, and it seemed that there were still traces of a quarrel and fight between the two families.
Zhao Heng walked over and grasped the cold hoe handle in his palm.
The feeling coming from my palm is a long-lost sense of solidity.
Regardless of his past masterminds or the hardships he faced later on, Zhao Heng, had he ever been afraid of starting over again?!
But this time, it's not for myself anymore!
In my fused memories, five or six miles south of the village stretched a vast expanse of lush green mountains. The villagers, chopping wood, hunting, and gathering mountain goods, ventured only to the outermost reaches. Further in, it was forbidden territory, a truly pristine forest, rumored to be haunted by ferocious beasts and demons. A few years ago, a few daring hunters from a neighboring village entered and never emerged.
Since then, the saying "there is a mountain god in the mountain" has spread, and the villagers have kept their distance from the deep mountains.
Zhao Heng felt a deep reverence for nature. As an amateur outdoor enthusiast in his previous life, he was well aware of the dangers of uninhabited areas, let alone in this era without modern tools.
But he also knew that nature was an inexhaustible treasure house for those who understood it.
We are guarding a treasure mountain and we must never let our children starve to death!
At least on the outskirts of the forest, he was sure to find something to fill his stomach.
Zhao Heng was ready to leave, but when he turned around and saw the two frail figures leaning against each other in the corner of the room, he couldn't move his feet anymore.
He stood on the threshold for a moment, finally took a deep breath, and walked towards Wang Zhuo's house next door.
The gate of the Wang family's courtyard was ajar.
Zhao Heng pushed the door open and walked in, only to see Wang Zhuo squatting under the eaves, buried in the work of mending a broken straw basket. He was short, with a muscular build, the look of a farmer who had worked hard for years.
Hearing the noise, Wang Zhuo looked up suddenly and saw that the person coming was Zhao Heng. He jumped up from the ground as if he was stung by a scorpion!
He avoided looking at me, his face full of alertness, and his hand subconsciously clenched the leg of the wooden stool next to him.
"You...what are you doing here?!" The voice was faint and revealed a sense of bluffing that was both cowardly and powerful.
Zhao Heng stopped three steps away from him, his expression calm, without any trace of the violent aura that he remembered.
"Brother Wang, I'm not here to cause trouble." He spoke, his voice hoarse but steady. "What happened yesterday was my fault. I drank some horse urine and acted crazy. I was a jerk and offended you and my sister-in-law. I, Zhao Heng, apologize to you."
Wang Zhuo was completely confused.
Every muscle in his body was tense, and he was holding back a breath of anger, ready to start another fight if Zhao Heng said something wrong. But he never expected that the other party would apologize as soon as he opened his mouth.
Coming out of the mouth of this sour scholar who is always talking nonsense is more surprising than digging out gold ingots from the ground!
Xiumei, the housewife, heard the noise and rushed out with a watering can. Seeing the tense situation, her face turned pale with fear. She quickly opened her arms to protect her husband and laughed dryly at Zhao Heng: "Mr. Zhao, don't take it to heart. My head of the family was also quick-witted. He didn't mean it..."
"Sister-in-law, I'm not angry." Zhao Heng interrupted her, his tone particularly sincere, "It's my own fault, not Brother Wang's."
He looked at the dumbstruck Wang Zhuo and spoke each word with great emphasis, "To be honest, if it weren't for that beating from me by Big Brother Wang yesterday, I, Zhao Heng, would probably still be unconscious."
These words struck Wang Zhuo and his wife like a bolt of thunder. They were like being nailed to the ground, staring at each other with disbelief written all over their faces.
The Zhao Heng before them was completely different from the scholar they had in mind, who turned hostile at the slightest disagreement and was full of evil intentions!
Zhao Heng smiled bitterly in his heart. If he hadn't traveled through time, Wang Zhuo would have been sued for taking such a heavy blow with his frail body.
Seeing they remained silent, Zhao Heng continued, "Brother, sister-in-law, I'd like to try my luck in the mountains and find some food for the children. But I'm worried about the two kids at home, as there's no one to look after them. Could you please help look after them for an afternoon?"
He lowered his posture very low, and his words were full of pleading.
"When I come back, no matter whether I gain anything or not, I will remember this favor!"