Farming Family's Pocket Dimension: A Charmed Little Lady Comes to Farm

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Setting Off

Mrs. Chen quickly pushed the paper package back toward her. "Just coming to see her is enough. You didn’t need to bring anything. Take it back."

Shanzimama stubbornly pushed it back again. "As her auntie, what’s wrong with me giving Little Fei a bit of brown sugar? It’s nothing, so don’t refuse. If you push it back again, I won’t step foot in your home anymore."

"Little Fei is in the inner room, isn’t she? I’ll go have a look."

Shanzimama lifted the door curtain and walked in.

Gu Fei, who was lying on the bed, raised her face and smiled at the woman. "Aunt Huang."

"Oh, look at this girl! We haven’t seen each other for so many years, yet Little Fei still recognizes me. No wonder I’m always thinking about you."

"Is your injury feeling any better?"

Gu Fei nodded.

Shanzimama asked with concern, "We’re setting off the day after tomorrow. Your injury won’t be a problem?"

Mrs. Chen, who had followed her in, said, "There’s nothing to be done. I wanted to wait a few more days for her injury to heal before we leave, but the village chief has already set the date. It wouldn’t be right to postpone it."

"Either way, she’ll either ride in the cart, or her father and brothers will take turns carrying her on their backs."

Shanzimama said quickly, "Speaking of fleeing the famine, I’m just so anxious and unsure of what to do."

"Shanzi’s father is gone, and it’s just the two of us, a widow and her son. If anything happens on the road, I don’t know what we would do."

A glint appeared in Mrs. Chen’s eyes as she understood the purpose of her visitor’s words. She smiled. "What is there to worry about? It’s not like you’re traveling alone. We’ll all be going together. If something happens, of course we’ll all look out for one another."

Shanzimama quickly replied, "I heard that not many families are willing to leave. Besides the village chief, there’s your three sons, and then Zhang Laojia."

"Everyone wants to wait out the winter and see what happens in the spring. If it rains, they can plant crops. As long as they can plant, they think there’s nothing to fear."

Mrs. Chen said, "That’s true. I originally wanted to leave in the spring, too. But my Little Fei said that when everything comes back to life in the spring, so do the insects and other pests. That’s when plagues are most likely to break out, so we have to leave right away."

Shanzimama’s eyes flickered. ’So that’s the reason. Little Fei came from the Marquis Mansion, after all. She knows things.’

"By the way, have you made up your mind?"

Shanzimama nodded. "I’ve discussed it with Shanzi. We’re leaving."

"I figured that your husband and the village chief are the two most sensible and knowledgeable people in the village. If you’re both leaving, then we’ll follow you."

Listening from the bed, Gu Fei smiled. ’Shanzimama is the truly clever one here.’

’When you don’t know what to do, just watch what the smart people are doing and follow their lead. That’s the wisdom of survival.’

Mrs. Chen patted her hand. "Don’t worry too much. My husband even hired a guide to travel with us. They say he used to be an armed escort and has been to the south before."

Shanzimama’s face lit up. "Really? Hiring someone like that must have cost a lot of silver, right?"

Mrs. Chen just gave a mysterious smile and said nothing.

Shanzimama whispered, "I bought a mule cart. When we leave, I’ll be sure to stay right behind your family."

Mrs. Chen smiled. "Alright, you do that. We don’t have much, but we have plenty of young men. If you get stuck on a hill or just need a hand, all you have to do is shout."

That was exactly what Shanzimama had been waiting to hear. "In that case, I’ll be sure to take you up on your offer!"

The two women laughed.

「In the blink of an eye, the morning of their departure arrived.」

Mrs. Chen was up at 5 a.m., waking everyone in the family one by one.

"Hurry now! Pack up the quilts and everything and load them onto the cart."

Gu Fei was still dreaming when her impatient mother yanked the quilt right off of her.

Lan Zhi shook her urgently. "Little Fei, get up! It’s time to set off!"