She did not think about how full she could fill her stomach. It was fine as long as she would not be starved to death. So, she counted the amount of rice. She definitely could make it last till the beginning of Spring next year if she was frugal with her eating.
Once she finished her dinner, she then walked to the door. After she opened the door, she saw that it was still snowing heavily outside. She finally knew the reason why everyone in the entire village did not go out. With such a heavy snowfall and the village surrounded by mountains, not even a road could be found. How was anyone able to go down the mountains?
If the person really wanted to go down the mountain, he would either lose his way or fall to his demise.
She wrapped up her neck. The wind and snow streamed into her collar from time to time, and her thin clothes could hardly maintain her body temperature.
She was so cold that she could not stop shivering uncontrollably. Even her upper and lower teeth were constantly knocking against each other. She closed the door, shrank her body and walked outside once more. She was going to pick up some firewood.
The mountains were everywhere here. So, there was nothing much around here except these trees which they had the most of. She did not know if she would be lucky enough to actually pick up a rabbit that hit a tree.
However, it seemed that it was nice to imagine but the reality was always merciless.
She had gone up the mountain for so long and also picked up so much firewood but did not find a dead rabbit that had hit a tree in the end. She did not know if it was because there were less rabbits now or it could be said that the rabbits had become smarter.
She picked up a large bundle of firewood, which she was supposed to bring back. But when she walked to the village entrance, she stopped in her tracks, and then headed into the village. The small house that she lived in was just on the edge of the village. The other people lived in the village, wanting to be warmer, but also to be safer by coming into the village. Yan Huan did not think that other people would arrange for her to live inside the village. After all, she was an outsider. She was already fortunate enough to have people who could take her in and let her receive medical treatment. She already considered herself lucky.
It was already good that she had a place where she could be sheltered from the elements. At the very least, she was still in the village and not living in the mountains. Otherwise, even if she had become a monkey, it would be impossible for her to survive any longer.
“Hey…” She had initially wanted to say hello to the villagers who came over. In the end, the villagers just gave her a brief glance and ignored her after. And Yan Huan clearly saw a kind of dislike, displeasure, and something that could be called loathing in those villagers’ eyes.
She touched her face and bowed her head. Then she dragged her leg to limp away and hobbled forward. While she was on her way, she met several villagers. Everyone was not very nice toward her and did not like the sight of her. So much so that some people even slammed their doors shut when they saw her. It was as if she was some kind of monster, or virus.
She opened her mouth and wanted to ask the reason. She did not steal or rob and did not do anything untoward to others. Why were they so afraid of her? Or was it because they were afraid of her?
She touched the wound on her face again, and then turned her head to look back at her leg which she no longer felt pain in. In the past, she was an international film star. As long as she went out, she would be surrounded by a horde of fans. They all liked her and supported her.
She had never received such obvious looks of aversion.
In terms of the two lives that Yan Huan had led, this was something that she had never experienced.
All of a sudden, she felt very aggrieved in her heart. Could it be because her face was destroyed, so other people acted like she was an unclean thing of unknown origins?
She bowed her head and continued to walk on. Later, she stood at the door of a family. It was a house built from tiles and bricks. It was half new and not quite old, similar to the many families’ houses in the village. The houses in the village were mostly built this way and most of their condition were in such a not quite new and not quite old degree.
So, it could be seen that this family was considered fairly good in the village. At the very least, the house was well-built and good as compared to many families inside the village. The front of the house was well-kept and clean with little fallen snow. Come to think of it, it was just swept clean. This was a family of diligent people. The door was also very clean and there was no stuff being heaped messily at the doorstep.
She stepped forward and put her hand on the door. Next, she gently knocked her hand on the door. Once the people around saw her knock on the door, they all started chattering at the same time among themselves. Their voices were quite loud. They consisted of the local village women who liked to gossip about other people the most.
It could be assumed that when it came to gossip, it was the same in any place no matter. People would gossip and people would listen. People would also speculate.
“Tell me, what does she want, coming to Changsheng’s house?”
“Who knows? From the looks of her, you can tell she must be here because she has ideas about Changsheng.”
“She’s a cripple and she has her eye on such a good lad? Even if Changsheng’s mother agrees, I will object.”
“Ha ha…” Someone laughed again, “What’s the point of your objection? You’re someone else’s daughter-in-law. Don’t tell me you’re still getting ideas in your head?”
“Pah! So, what if I, an old woman, am getting ideas in my head? Besides, I, an old woman, am stronger and better than a cripple and a thief. I don’t know after she has stolen people’s things today, if she will try to steal a man tomorrow?”
“Steal a man, surely there has to be a man available for her to steal first? With a disgusting appearance like hers, I don’t think I’d want her if I were a man.”
“But that’s precisely what’s happening here. Isn’t this a case of Changsheng finding himself in a bit of trouble, is it?”
“I’ve also secretly seen Changsheng send her things.” Someone whispered with a tone that was filled with all kinds of disdain.
The more Yan Huan listened, the tighter her eyebrows knitted together. She also felt increasingly uncomfortable in her heart. She had never stolen anything from anyone else. She had always conducted herself with integrity and was upright and honest. No one had ever said she was a thief, but these people repeatedly called her a thief. It really hurt and stabbed her and her heart which was already very fragile at the moment.
She held back the tears that were about to spill out from the wells of her eyes with great effort. Then she looked up and knocked on the door of Changsheng’s family house.
Soon after, the door of the Changsheng family was opened and Changsheng’s mother came out. She was surprised when she first saw Yan Huan.
“Aunt, I came over here to give you some firewood. I don’t have anything on me, only the firewood.”
Yan Huan put down the wood that she carried on her shoulders. She did not think to step past the door of Changsheng’s house and go inside. These people had repeatedly used the word thief and said she was a thief, so she’d better mind her actions and it was better for her not to step into other people’s houses.
Besides, her body was covered with the fallen snow. What would happen if she were to dirty other people’s floors? Although it could be said that the floors here were not like the wood floors and floor tiles in the city; they were made of brick, stone, or bare ground, she still did not want to go in. She did not want to cause unnecessary trouble to others.
“Oh child, what are you doing, sending these over?” Changsheng’s mother had a good heart. She hurriedly opened the door wide and told her to quickly come inside to have a drink of hot water.
