Transmigrated as a Peasant Girl with Prophetic Dreams: Using My Space to Become the Richest Person - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The Torrential Rain is Coming

That afternoon, Yang the Third built a simple wooden bar gate for the cave entrance.

Yang Shuang also led her younger siblings to gather a good amount of wild vegetables. Combined with the dozens of pounds of grain Yang Xue had “stolen,” the family didn’t need to panic about food during their days of seeking refuge on the mountain. If they ate sparingly, the rations could last their family of six for about a month.

That day, Yang Xue acted spoiled and convinced Qian Yue’e to cook a thick porridge. Every spoonful was hearty and substantial, rather than a mouthful of thin water.

It had been a long time since Yang the Third’s family had eaten porridge with actual rice grains—and plenty of them at that. In the past, the “porridge” Wang Dani gave them was indistinguishable from water.

Paired with the wild vegetables, the family ate a satisfying meal. While wild vegetables were considered a delicacy in the modern era, Yang Xue found them hard to swallow without oil for a proper stir-fry. Fortunately, the white rice porridge was fragrant and full of flavor.

When Yang Xue had stolen the grain, she had wanted to take salt and oil as well, but no matter how much she rummaged through the kitchen, she couldn’t find any. Otherwise, their meal would have been even more delicious. Having eaten their fill, the family slept soundly that night, no longer waking up from hunger.

…

Early the next morning, many villagers from Bird Village began moving their valuables up the mountain under the village chief’s direction.

The night before, the chief had consulted the village hunter for advice on the best places to take cover. Being familiar with the terrain, the hunter quickly suggested several good locations. They moved things up in shifts; if they finished today, they could settle in safely by tomorrow.

The chief’s plan was sound, but he didn’t realize that plans can never keep up with sudden changes.

The spots the hunter suggested were quite close to where Yang Xue’s family had settled. After all, they were all on the outer edge of the mountain; there was only so much space.

Yang Xue wasn’t fond of crowds, but on second thought, the people who had the foresight and trust in Yang the Third to hide on the mountain were likely the more reasonable villagers. Thinking this, her frustration faded.

Some children had come up with the adults, so the parents had them stay on the mountain to gather wild vegetables. Yang Xue joined them. Some villagers noticed her and asked about her health.

Yang Xue put on a weak, listless front: “I’m alright. My father got some medicine from the doctor, and the fever has subsided a bit.”

“That’s still not enough; you need more rest.”

“Mhm, I know. I don’t dare wander far, just looking around nearby. The doctor said lying down all the time isn’t good for recovery.”

A villager nodded. “That’s true. You should move around. I think I heard the physicians in the town clinic say the same—patients need to walk and get some sun.”

Yang Xue smiled and nodded. “Yes, exactly.”

“Alright then, take care of yourself. We still have things to move, so we have to head back down.”

Yang Xue gave a polite smile. “Okay. Goodbye, aunts, uncles, and elders.”

As the group walked away, they began gossiping about the old Yang family.

“Did you hear? The eldest daughter-in-law of the Yangs stole things from the house and sold them.”

“So it really was Zhao Zhaodi. And yet Wang Dani insisted it was Yang the Third’s family!”

“You know Old Man Yang and Wang Dani. They’ll find a way to blame Yang the Third for anything.”

“True. If my mother hadn’t told me Yang the Third was Wang Dani’s biological son, I’d suspect he was some bastard Old Man Yang had with another woman, given how much she hates him.”

“Tsk, tsk. A biological mother is no different from a stepmother.”

As the voices drifted into the distance, Yang Xue narrowed her eyes. She had also suspected Yang the Third wasn’t their biological child, but according to her memories, he definitely was. She finally believed that there truly are parents in this world who treat their own children like enemies.

…

All day long, the villagers shuttled back and forth. Since it was an uphill trek, they couldn’t carry much at once, and the day ended before they could finish moving everything. That night, since their bedding was already on the mountain, some villagers decided to stay up there. They lit fires and sat together chatting, which brought a sense of community and safety.

“Do you feel like the wind is picking up?”

“Not really. It’s always windy in the woods.”

“Is it? Maybe I’m just being paranoid.”

Yang Xue, sitting nearby, listened to the conversation and stood up to gauge the wind herself. Being a student of agriculture, observing climate and wind patterns was second nature to her.

Sensing an unusual shift in wind direction and changes in temperature and humidity, Yang Xue’s heart jumped. She spotted the village chief and hurried over. “Chief, a torrential rain is coming.”

The crowd was startled. “What? A rainstorm? Does that mean the flood is coming?”

Yang Xue nodded. “Yes. Chief, I remember some villagers went back to the village to sleep tonight. You need to send someone to call them up immediately. Be quick!”

The matter was too serious for anyone to question why a young girl was saying this. As soon as she spoke, they realized the wind really had turned fierce. It was truly picking up.

The chief immediately called for the strong young men who were fast on their feet: “Quick! Go bring everyone up here!”

“If you have a gong at home, sound it! Make sure they get up here fast!”

“Understood!”

The able-bodied men didn’t dare delay for a second and rushed down the mountain. The others weren’t idle either, moving the supplies left outside into the caves. Many villagers huddled in a large cave about a hundred meters from where Yang the Third’s family was. However, the large cave couldn’t hold nearly a hundred people. Some had to take shelter further away in caves left behind by old stone-quarrying.

Yang the Third and Qian Yue’e went to help the villagers move their things, while Yang Xue and the others stayed in their own cave.

“Second Sister, we’ll be okay, right?” Yang Yu and Yang Tian now instinctively looked to Yang Xue for reassurance.

“Mhm. We hid up here early, so of course we’ll be fine.”

“That’s great. Second Sister, it’s a good thing you have those dreams,” Yang Tian said happily.

Yang Shuang suddenly reached out and covered Yang Tian’s mouth, glancing toward the cave entrance with a sharp look of warning. “Don’t ever say that again,” she whispered coldly.

Yang Tian was startled and nodded blankly. “Big Sister, I understand.”

Yang Shuang let go and explained, “If you talk carelessly and someone hears you, it could get your Second Sister killed.”

Terrified, Yang Tian’s eyes widened, and he covered his own mouth with his hands. “I won’t say it. I won’t say it ever again!”