A Good Country Wife-Chapter 618 - 612_1

As promised, the Zhao family didn’t go back on their word. Not long after the refugees had retreated to the entrance of the village, the Zhao family sent someone out. They set up several tables and benches for everyone to register their names in a ledger one by one, and upon completion, each person received a warm corn bun. It had been so long since they had hot food, gazing at the golden corn buns and smelling the aroma, everyone was somewhat tempted. However, because the representatives of the Zhao family had made it clear beforehand that everyone would get their share after registering, there was no need to scramble. Moreover, the family had sent quite a few servants to maintain order, and with Zhang Guo and the old village chief supporting on the side, the scene was orderly and no unpleasant scrambling occurred.

"Don’t worry, everyone. These corn buns are just a gesture from the madam who saw how long you’ve all gone without food, so she instructed the kitchen to prepare these to fill your stomachs, so you won’t be too famished. There will be more to eat tonight. The madam said, since you all are willing to stay and work, you are temporarily considered members of our Zhao family. The madam will naturally protect everyone, and no matter what, she will provide food, so you won’t starve while working,"

Food was extremely precious at this time, and the refugees on site had a profound understanding of this. Initially, they thought getting one corn bun to eat was good enough—even if it wouldn’t fill their stomachs, at least it could stave off the hunger until tomorrow, not to mention the corn buns were fragrant, soft, and slightly sweet. Even before the disaster struck, most of them hadn’t tasted such delicious bread. The refugees who received the buns ate them a little bit at a time, reluctant to finish them too quickly. After eating, they even licked their fingers several times, and as they watched others eat, they almost drooled, regretting not having saved a bit of theirs.

Upon hearing Liu Aniu mention another meal in the evening, everyone couldn’t help but cheer, their faces lighting up with joy like never before. They truly saw a glimmer of hope for continuing their lives. Compared to the earlier verbal promises, the direct provision of food made the refugees feel much more secure and truly believe in Lin Yue’s words.

"Although there is food, there are so many of you that we can’t arrange accommodations immediately, so after eating, everyone will need to work hard. You’ll have to help us build the houses you’ll be staying in as soon as possible. As the saying goes, many hands make light work. With so many people, it shouldn’t take more than a few days to finish the buildings. But until then, we have to apologize for the inconvenience for a few days. This is an unavoidable situation, and we hope everyone understands," Liu Aniu now had a good grasp of timing and continued speaking only after seeing that everyone was convinced. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

The refugees naturally had no objections. To them, this was already an unexpected surprise and they dared not ask for more. Apart from a few who followed Jian San to leave with bad intentions, most of those who stayed were simple and honest, and had already developed a sense of gratitude towards the household’s masters.

"Of course not, the madam’s willingness to take care of us is already extremely kind. We are not the ungrateful sort. We had no choice before, as we were trying to survive, but now that the madam has given us a way to live, we only have gratitude. Should anyone harbor any dissatisfaction, they would be heartless and not worth keeping around! So, if there is anything you need, Manager Liu, just command us. We have already said we will not engage in deceit or shirking,"

Representatives of the refugees spoke up, and everyone echoed the sentiment. Since the flooding occurred, they had fled their hometowns, and along the way, they had no fixed abode, making do with sleeping in the open. They had survived so far, and even if the master’s household didn’t provide them with accommodations, as long as they had food, they were already content. Moreover, the household wasn’t neglecting them, but needed time to build the houses. In the end, the madam’s benevolence was evident in her good arrangements for them.

"Good, it seems everyone is grateful and sensible. Our madam didn’t do good deeds for nothing. Like this, then, those of you who haven’t registered yet, stay here to do so. Those who have registered, follow them. There will naturally be someone to assign you tasks," Liu Aniu pointed to a few people dressed as household servants, well-trained and reliable, perfect for handling this task.

The refugees followed the people appointed by Liu Aniu without a second word, obeying the commands of the Zhao family and working very vigorously. After all, the houses were being built for them, and the sooner they were finished, the sooner they would no longer have to sleep outside. It made no sense not to work their hardest. Even if there were a few in the crowd with less than honest intentions, they too were working enthusiastically at the moment.

Actually, if one were to speak seriously, the yard of Lin Yue’s house was so large and there were so many rooms that squeezing everyone in was feasible. However, although the refugees had agreed to Lin Yue’s method and settled down, there were still uncertainties. If everyone were let into the yard, it would be impossible to stop any real trouble should it arise, so Lin Yue couldn’t take that risk.

Fortunately, the rain had stopped now. Lin Yue had Liu Aniu find a wide and dry place, covering the ground with straw and lighting several bonfires. Everyone slept like this; although they still didn’t sleep well, it was much better than just finding any random place to curl up.

However, there were some difficulties during registration, mainly concerning some elderly people, children, and women who were not capable of heavy work. Although the number of refugees had decreased significantly by then, these were the ones who truly couldn’t do heavy labor. The refugees thought that the Zhao family wouldn’t take in such people, as they would be a burden after all.

But if the Zhao family didn’t take care of them, those people would truly have no way to survive. They weren’t like the strong and sturdy men who could steal or rob for food. They had gotten by thus far only by taking advantage of the crowd, and now that everyone else had a place to go, they would no longer have the same opportunities to find food as before.

These people didn’t dare to join the line with the men, standing to the side in a kind of despair, blankly watching as everyone registered and received food from the Zhao family, their faces filled with hopelessness.

Finally, unable to resist the temptation, a child broke away from his mother and ran towards the queue. The Zhao family’s people didn’t say anything, but the men waiting in line despised him. "Get lost! Get lost! The Zhao family wants people who can work. What business does a child like you have here? Who would want you? Get out of the way, or don’t blame me for being rude," a rugged man said irritably, worried that the child might cause the Zhao family’s displeasure and ruin their good fortune.