Volume One, Chapter 11: The Widowed Mother Abandoned by Her Sons in the Year of Famine [Expression]

As soon as those words were spoken, Chen Zhuang was left speechless, pursing his lips and turning his head away. Chen Qiang took over the conversation:

“Second brother is just worried about mother. Calm down; I’ll have a good talk with him later.”

Not wanting to watch his act, Mo Mo lifted Dahua in her arms and walked away.

Chen Qiang narrowed his eyes as he watched them leave, a glint of calculation flashing across his gaze.

Wang Wei noticed this and, frightened, hugged her daughter tightly, bowing her head.

Returning home, the atmosphere was filled with laughter and joy. They all eagerly vied to feed Dahua, looking at her with tender affection.

Dahua, gazing at her grandmother, aunt, and young uncle’s loving faces around the dinner table, beamed with a bright smile.

At that moment, the world seemed to stand still.

Only this warmth belonging to home remained eternally etched in everyone’s hearts.

Days flew by swiftly...

“Ugh, the weather’s getting hotter and hotter. The fields are cracked from the sun. What are we going to do?”

“Exactly! I checked today, and the river at the foot of the back mountain has shrunk to a shallow creek. If you lay the bucket sideways, it can only hold a quarter of water.”

“For heaven’s sake, I’ve been hauling water back and forth all morning. It’s useless—the moment I pour it into the fields, it dries up!”

By the ridges stood villagers carrying buckets, wiping sweat from their brows.

The scorching sun blazed like fire overhead, and panic filled the crowd.

Who would have thought that in just over two months, the situation would deteriorate this way?

At that moment, on the back mountain of Shanbei Village.

Mo Mo, dressed in practical shorts, had her hair braided into a long plait down her back.

Holding a sickle, she swiftly pushed through the waist-high dense grass.

“This mountain is huge. Ugh, these dry grasses keep getting into my mouth! This cave is really hidden. I’ll have to clear a proper path later.”

A friendly reminder from the system’s little assistant:

“Don’t miss out! For only five thousand energy coins, you can clear all the grass along this path.”

“Why wasn’t this told to me earlier? I’m buying it!”

Mo Mo was pleased. She pulled out a beach chair from her space and sat down to rest, sipping a glass of fresh orange juice.

Before long, the grass behind her was stripped clean, revealing a winding narrow trail ahead.

“Sis Mo, just five more minutes and we’ll arrive.”

Packing her tools, she pressed forward. Five minutes later, she stopped before a massive three-meter-high boulder.

“The cave?”

“Right behind this rock!”

Could this be a crossover into a martial arts world? With all this drama, one might expect a fairy goddess to appear next.

Shaking off the fanciful thoughts, she refocused.

“Little helper, let’s get to work. Help me find the weakest spots on this rock.”

“Got it!”

Though Mo Mo’s body had been slightly enhanced, she couldn’t smash a three-meter boulder bare-handed.

After scanning and marking the fragile points, she pulled out a deep-blue demolition excavator from her space and climbed aboard with ease.

She flipped through the manual briefly and quickly understood the operation — after all, she was a seasoned traveler through dozens of worlds.

Tossing the manual aside, she maneuvered the rapidly spinning drill bit, hammering relentlessly at the marked spots with a rhythmic ‘tat-tat-tat.’

Soon, the boulder cracked and shattered, revealing the large cave entrance beyond.

“Done!” She gracefully stepped off the machine, waving her hand to store the vehicle and rubble back into her space.

Vines hung beside the cave entrance. She casually took out a piece of beef jerky, chewing as she stepped inside.

A refreshing coolness greeted her, blocking out the oppressive heat outside.

Inside, the space opened up dramatically.

“Wow, so comfortable! It’s actually quite spacious—looks like over a thousand square meters.”

The stone walls glistened slightly moist; occasional droplets trickled from above, striking the cave floor with crisp echoes.

The stone surface beneath her feet was polished smooth by time, with shafts of sunlight streaming in through fissures. In the corners, clusters of wild berries thrived.

From deep within came the faint sound of flowing water. Investigating, she found a clear underground pool resting peacefully.

Silver fish swam below, surprisingly large.

“Something’s off. This place feels inexplicably pleasant. Are we sure it’s just an ordinary cave?”

Mo Mo voiced her suspicion.

The little assistant perched on her shoulder replied:

“This world was once, long ago, a low-level cultivation realm. Though it perished soon after its birth, it left behind places still imbued with a trace of spiritual energy. This cave is one such place.

That’s why, despite the drought outside, the vegetation near the cave remains vibrant.”

“No wonder. Wow, these fish look delicious!”

Eagerly, she fetched a net from her space.

Catching a fish from the pool, she cleaned it and built a fire to roast it, sprinkling on barbecue seasoning before settling down to eat.

Mo Mo raised an eyebrow — indeed, it was as tasty as she imagined. The flesh was tender and fragrant, surprisingly free of bones.

If she didn’t catch all of them, she’d be cheating herself!

Standing up, she scooped all the silver fish out of the pool and tossed them into the pond within her space.

Then she ordered the system to buy some ordinary fish from the marketplace and released them back into the cave pool.

Stepping out of the cave, she saw that dusk was approaching.

She spent eight thousand energy coins clearing the surrounding weeds, revealing clean soil.

On the left side, she planted wild potatoes and sweet potatoes, accelerating their growth with growth stimulants.

The right side of the field was left untouched for now, to be managed once the villagers arrived.

“All done!” Mo Mo clapped her hands and turned to descend the mountain.

She arrived home late.

Though she had told them she would be delayed, the children still fought sleep, waiting in the main room.

After sending them off to bed, she noticed something amiss in her room — someone had been inside.

Squinting, she had the system investigate.

Chen Qiang and Chen Zhuang had climbed the wall during the day when no one was home but found nothing valuable and left resentfully.

“These bastards haven’t given up yet!” She resolved to deal with them soon.

“Little helper, keep a close watch for me.”

“Don’t worry, Sis Mo. My surveillance is comprehensive and inescapable.”

She slept soundly through the night.

Early the next morning, Mo Mo sent Acai to check in with Cuishua and Huzi next door.

She called Aling to set up three water bags. As soon as she left, Mo Mo took out thirty cornmeal buns, some sugar, and osmanthus cakes from her space.

When Acai returned, the three of them each carried a quilt and headed to the village chief’s house.

Chen Qingxiang looked puzzled at their appearance.

Upon hearing about the cave, his face lit up with joy.

Only he knew how agonizing these recent days had been, already considering leading the villagers south to escape.

He hurriedly summoned Chen Youliang to inform everyone.

Youhua, with Nan Nan by her side, chattered inquisitively.

With salvation now in sight, the entire village, young and old alike, quickly gathered.