Disaster Apocalypse: Farming, Family, and My Hidden Secret Space

"It's nothing, just a minor injury, it'll get better with some rest."

The boy's eyes were red as he gently touched his father's two small legs fixed by wooden boards.

Father spoke lightly, but if it were nothing serious, how come he hadn't returned home for so long, how come he's still sitting motionless on the wooden frame.

"Dad..."

Liu Kai patted the child's head this time without saying more, but turned his murderous gaze towards Old Madam Liu and her group, causing Old Madam Liu to shiver.

"B... Big nephew, you're back, it's... it's really... great, it's good that you're back. I... I just knew you'd be fine, it was all a misunderstanding earlier, a misunderstanding. I was just worried that your wife would be too sad doing the laundry, trying to divert her attention, accompany her to have some fun, it's not what you think. You have to believe in your aunt's character, it was all for their own good."

"No... Dad, they..."

"Wen'er..." Liu Kai interrupted his son's words, giving him a reassuring look, then turned his gaze sideways to the old woman.

"Ha... So that's how it is, Aunt has worked so hard, should I bring a hefty gift to properly thank Aunt?"

"No need, no need, no need... heh heh, we're all family, no need for formalities." Old Madam Liu waved her hands frantically, her eyes lowered, smiling guiltily, especially when her gaze touched on the many strong men in the yard, her heart panicked even more.

"That won't do, with Aunt taking such good care of my family, now that I'm back, how can I not express my gratitude?" Liu Kai smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"No, no, no..."

"Son, how did their family take care of you all?" Liu Kai glanced at his son.

Hearing this, the boy's eyes reddened again, filling with hatred as he looked at Old Madam Liu's group.

"Dad... they took our house, the tent, and even the little food we had. They claimed it was wasted on us, forced us to work without food. The vegetables sister and brother found in the wild were often snatched away by them, they'd beat and scold us for nothing, even cursed at mom. Grandpa also fell ill from their bullying. Dad, you need to check on Grandpa, he hasn't woken up yet. Brother and sister went to the mountains to gather herbs."

As he spoke, the boy became anxious, tugging his father to go to the backyard. Realizing he couldn't budge his father's injured legs, the boy helplessly looked at Liu Kai.

Upon hearing how ill his father was, Liu Kai grew anxious and couldn't help but look pleadingly towards Hua Qiang and the village chief.

"Hua Qiang..." The old man who hadn't spoken finally spoke up.

"Understood, village chief uncle." Even if the village chief didn't say anything, Hua Qiang was prepared to help.

With this, Hua Qiang and his two brothers carried Liu Kai and his wife to the backyard under the guidance of the boy.

Little Si, who always liked joining in on the fun, couldn't miss out and quickly pulled his sister and grandfather along.

This family really had it tough, Hua Jin thought sympathetically.

The boy's face was newly wounded over old wounds, not much better off than his father.

As for the woman, Hua Jin really couldn't look up to her, mainly because she was too weak, not even as good as a child. Even though she was a frail woman, if one isn't afraid of dying, showing fierce determination, one could deter others.

This reminded Hua Jin of her mother's brave deeds, if it wasn't for her mother's ability to stand her ground and intimidate her maternal family, who knows where she'd be now.

So, people have to stand on their own feet, otherwise, no matter how capable a child is, they're still a child, just disobeying elders alone could drown someone in spit.

"Dad... Dad..."

"Brother Hua Qiang, could you please take a look at my dad?" After calling out for dozens of times without waking up Old Man Liu lying on the hay, his body burning hot, Liu Kai became utterly panicked.

In fact, Hua Qiang had already crouched down to take a look, he didn't pretend to take a pulse this time as he really didn't understand much, he could just roughly assess the pulse strength.

The body was so hot, it was clearly a high fever.

"It's a fever, think of a way to bring it down." Hua Qiang looked at the boy, "Find a clean rag, soak it and place it on your grandpa's forehead."

At the moment, this was one of the methods Hua Qiang could think of.

Though they carried some medicine with them, it was all for injuries, not for reducing fever or treating a cold.

Upon hearing, the boy immediately dashed into the neighboring broken tent, then grabbed a rag and rushed to the large vat in the backyard, quickly using a wooden basin to ladle half a basin of water and brought it to his grandpa, placing the soaked rag on his grandpa's forehead.

Looking at the old man's sunken stomach, it seemed not just illness but hunger too.

Thinking that, Hua Qiang pulled out a pancake from his belongings.

"Is there hot water at home? Break it up and soak it for your grandpa to eat."

"Yes, yes, yes, I'll go boil it right now."

Outside was a clay pot and a simple hearth made with three stones; the boy quickly kindled a fire and boiled some water in the pot.

Little Si, who had been watching from the side, couldn't help but step up to help as well seeing the boy's urgency, though he wasn't good for much else, he could at least manage tending the fire.

Unexpectedly, just as he was about to help, the boy looked at him warily, his body noticeably tense.

"I'll help you with the fire," Little Si flashed a big grin, showing a row of white teeth, expressing goodwill.

"Rest assured, we're with your father, not bad people."

The boy sought Liu Kai's gaze and seeing his father nod, he finally handed the wood to Little Si.

He didn't speak, but his actions showed it.

Liu Kai: "Brother Hua Qiang, my dad he..."

"Let's wait for your son to return and see what herbs he can gather." Hua Qiang knew some basic fever-reducing herbs.

For a farming family, every copper coin was precious, if they could hold out they wouldn't spend money to see a doctor in town; most people would gather some herbs to brew and drink, only seeking Uncle Sanshan in the village if absolutely necessary.

Meanwhile, the boy's boiling water was ready, and he put the pancake into the pot to soak until it softened, then placed it in a broken bowl to cool.

Hua Jin, following her grandfather, also observed the old man lying on the ground, seeing the obvious flush over his sallow face clearly indicating a strong fever; a faint wisp of steam rose as the damp cloth lay on his forehead.

The old man still showed no consciousness, the tightly furrowed brows being the only sign of life.

"Dad... Dad..." As Liu Kai continued to change the cloth, he kept hoping his dad would wake.

Hua Jin gently nudged Flower Old Man, turning to look at his granddaughter, seemingly in silent inquiry "What's it?"

Hua Jin didn't say, but handed a fever-reducing pill to her grandpa.

The old man's heart warmed, his dear granddaughter was just this kind, she showed compassion after all.

Indeed, Hua Jin was softened by compassion, Old Man Liu burned severely, if he didn't get medicine soon, it may be too late even if Liu Kai's children found herbs.

Of course, it was also because Liu Kai seemed decent, otherwise Hua Jin wouldn't bother with such matters.

After all, it was a life at stake, the old man hesitated but eventually accepted the pill from the child.

"Child, bring a bowl of water." The old man approached the boy.

The boy hesitantly looked at the kindly elder in front of him and quickly fetched another shabby bowl from home.

"Grandpa... water," the boy raised the bowl in his hand, a mixture of fear and restraint, with a hint of curiosity, secretly observing the old gentleman with a goatee before him.

"Sorry, everyone came over, and I haven't even offered water." Focused on his father, Liu Kai felt extremely ashamed upon hearing.