Transmigrated as a Peasant Girl with Prophetic Dreams: Using My Space to Become the Richest Person - Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Bandits Might Raid the Mountain for Grain

Yang Xue clapped her hands. “Alright, the grain-borrowing issue is settled for now.”

Yang Yu pouted. “Grandpa and Grandma are so annoying. We’ve already split the family, yet they’re still trying to torment us.”

Yang Xue’s eyes darkened. Indeed, this group of vampires is a nuisance. I wonder if there’s a way to make them vanish without anyone knowing…

Yang Shuang, who had been so urgent in reporting the arrival of their uncles earlier, realized she had forgotten to share the “good news” she overheard.

“Oh, right! I heard Elder Uncle and Second Uncle saying that Grandma went missing in the flood. They can’t find her.”

Yang Yu and Yang Tian froze for a second before looks of uncontainable joy broke out on their faces. “Big Sister, is that true?”

Yang Shuang nodded. “It’s true. I heard them clearly. They said Grandma is gone.”

“Wonderful!” Yang Yu and Yang Tian didn’t bother hiding their delight at the news.

Yang Xue felt a sense of poetic justice. “Wang Dani finally got what was coming to her. It’s karma.” She paused. “But do Mom and Dad know yet?”

Yang Shuang thought for a moment. “They probably do. They’ve been helping out in the village, so they must have heard the news.”

Yang Xue curled her lip. “Mom and Dad are something else. Grandma going missing is such a great event, and they didn’t even share it with us.”

Yang Shuang shook her head helplessly and cautioned them, “I know you’re happy, but remember: don’t show it in front of outsiders.”

The younger two nodded instantly. “Don’t worry, Big Sister. We aren’t stupid.”

A short while later, Yang the Third and Qian Yue’e returned.

After Yang Shuang recounted the day’s events, their parents’ first reaction was to check if the children had been hurt. This made Yang Xue feel deeply comforted.

“Dad, Mom… relatives like that, do you still consider them family?”

Yang the Third fell silent. Yes, do they even count as family anymore?

Qian Yue’e stroked her children’s heads. “From now on, I will only look after the four of you. If anyone dares to hurt you again, I’ll fight them to the death.”

Yang Xue laughed. “Mom, there’s no need to go that far. Just promise that no matter what happens, you’ll stand by our side and trust us.”

Qian Yue’e looked at her children with tender affection. “Of course. I will always stand by you.”

In truth, over the past few days, seeing the changes in her children had helped Qian Yue’e see things clearly. Since the separation, the children have smiled much more. Even Yang Shuang, who used to look numb and stoic, was smiling now. Moreover, their complexions were far healthier. Before, they looked like they would blow over in a breeze; now, they were eating their fill every day and looked vibrant.

Splitting from the main family was the best decision they had ever made. She wouldn’t let the main Yang family suck their blood ever again.

With this thought, she looked at Yang the Third. “Husband, I don’t care what you think, but if anyone tries to bully our children in the future, I hope you will protect them with me. Will you?”

Her eyes were full of hope. Yang the Third’s eyes wavered before he gave a firm, heavy nod. “I will.”

…

Meanwhile, Yang the Eldest and Yang the Second had returned to the village and reported the mountain incident to Old Man Yang. He was so furious he was practically breathing smoke, cursing Yang the Third for being unfilial. He dragged a chair to the doorway and began wailing and beating his chest.

“Oh, what an unfilial son! He’s trying to kill his old father…”

A passing villager saw him and asked curiously, “Old Man Yang, what’s happened to you?”

“My son is unfilial! He won’t even give his father grain to eat! He wants me dead!”

The villagers exchanged glances. “Wait, your Eldest and Second sons won’t go borrow grain for you?”

Old Man Yang choked on his words, pausing before continuing: “It’s my Third son! He hid on the mountain and abandoned his old father!”

The villagers were speechless. Their lips twitched as they shook their heads and walked away. Seeing them leave so dismissively, Old Man Yang was stunned, then even more enraged.

Yang the Second couldn’t take it anymore. “Dad, I’m going to the Village Head to borrow grain. What’s the point of sitting here howling? Elder Brother and I are right here; if you keep this up, people will think we are the unfilial ones!”

Zhao Zhaodi and Yang the Eldest hadn’t intended to stop him, but Yang the Second’s words made them realize something. If their father kept blaming the son who had already left the household, it made the two sons still living with him look like failures.

Old Man Yang swung his cane at Yang the Second. “Who am I doing this for? It’s for you lot! And now you’re blaming me? I see you’re just like the Third son—an ungrateful wolf!”

Yang the Second muttered under his breath but didn’t dare talk back.

Yang the Eldest spoke up: “Dad, Second Brother is right. Stop wailing, or the village will look down on us. Let’s just go borrow the grain.” He was starving too; he didn’t know how the old man was holding out.

When the children heard they were getting grain, their eyes lit up. Zhao Zhaodi, also dizzy from hunger, added, “Dad, let’s get the grain first. We need strength to think about anything else.”

Old Man Yang had no choice. He waved them off grumpily. “Go then! All you think about is eating. None of you care about me.”

The two brothers immediately ran to Village Head Zhao to borrow grain. Since they had no firewood, they ripped planks from their wind-damaged roof to start a temporary fire.

…

As the village reconstruction continued and the water receded, some women began heading down the mountain to help. However, they kept their belongings and grain in the mountain caves for safety, returning there to sleep. The men slept in the village, mostly in the open as the houses weren’t ready.

That day, Yang the Third sought out the Village Head. His expression was incredibly grave.

“Yang the Third, is something wrong? Speak up.”

Thinking of what Yang Xue had told him, Yang the Third’s voice became solemn. The Village Head was affected by his tone and sat up straight, ready to listen.

“Village Head, in the coming days… bandits might come up the mountain to steal our grain.”

The Village Head was shocked. “What did you say?!”