From initial shock, a few old men couldn't help but touch Third Old Master's forehead.
They seemed to want to confirm if this young old man was feverish and confused.
Third Old Master slapped away the hand that reached for him, "Go away, go away! Do you think I'm talking nonsense? I'm telling you, Tidal Town is truly prosperous this time. Back then, when you saw Tidal Town become XinXing Town, each of you avoided it and ran away. Now..."
Third Old Master waved his hand, saying regretfully, "I heard that Tidal Town is now so sought after that it's difficult to find a single household. Even if your children and grandchildren want to move there, it'll be hard! I only have a few thousand catties of food, which I'll use to help the children when the time comes. They definitely won't starve to death, so don't worry!"
A few thousand catties of grain would certainly not be enough to help the entire village.
However, if it was just for emergencies, it would still allow these villagers to survive this lean year; at least the children wouldn't starve.
As for these old folks...
It didn't matter. In their eyes, the next generation was the most important.
Hearing Third Old Master's words, the old men were all a bit shocked, because when Tidal Town declined, they all thought that this area was finished.
Therefore, they had always urged the younger generation to go to another town to make a living.
They never thought...
That one day, that declining small town would undergo such earth-shattering changes overnight.
"Third Old Master, I remember... your Second Wa isn't married yet, is he?"
The other old men were still sighing with emotion.
One old master's eyes darted around, and he chuckled as he leaned closer.
"What do you think of my Hu Niu? They should all be back today. How about we let them meet and the two children chat? What do you think?"
The other old men immediately reacted upon seeing this.
They realized that the current Third Old Master was no longer the Third Old Master from before.
They also rushed forward and said, "Brother Zhuzi, your Hu Niu is capable, but her temper is a bit too fierce. Third Old Master, look at my youngest, she's truly gentle and considerate. If Second Wa marries her, his life will definitely be comfortable."
"My little granddaughter is also good. She just came of age this year and is a perfect match for Second Wa."
Before, they were discussing the important matter of the lean year.
But the next second, it turned into a matchmaking event, with everyone eagerly introducing their relatives.
They were all talking at once.
The old men were like the old women at the village entrance, very talkative.
Just then.
At the entrance of the village, a pillar of light shone.
A tall young man walked in. This young man had a handsome and sunny face, with a smile, giving people a very capable impression.
This person was Qi Maosong!
And the Second Wa that Third Old Master mentioned, who went to Tidal Town, was actually him.
Seeing Third Old Master in the middle of the rice field, Qi Maosong rushed over quickly, taking big strides, "Dad, I'm back."
"Hmm?"
Third Old Master's eyes showed confusion, and he looked at the sky.
He said strangely, "Second Wa, why are you back so soon? Isn't the Dark Tide not over yet?"
The other old men were also a bit surprised.
Qi Maosong said with a grin, "The time hasn't ended, but the Superintendent on the other side exploded with rage, so we ended early and came back."
Exploded with rage?
This phrase was a bit niche, and the old men didn't understand it.
However...
What was important now wasn't that, but...
The old men immediately surrounded Qi Maosong and repeated what they had just said to Third Old Master, clearly wanting to introduce him to a partner.
Qi Maosong wore an awkward smile and waved his hands repeatedly, "Uncles, that... I'm really sorry, but it's too early to talk about marriage now. I still want to work hard for a few more years."
"Work hard for a few years? What more do you need to work for? Being able to send back a few thousand catties of grain, Second Wa must have already become prosperous outside. He's earned enough to marry a wife and have children."
"That's right, look, your eldest nephew Xiaohu is already several years old, you need to keep up the pace too!"
Qi Maosong was Third Old Master's late-born son.
Therefore, there was a significant age difference between him and his elder brother, about 10 years.
This was because the family was not wealthy at first. After Third Old Master had one child, he didn't dare to have another. Later, after accumulating a small amount of savings, he had another one.
After Adventurers marry, it actually doesn't affect their participation in Dungeons.
After all, they only go to Dungeons as consciousness bodies or souls. There's no difference in whether they get pregnant in the Dungeon, as everyone's stats are the same.
Moreover, going to the Dungeon during pregnancy actually has a unique benefit for the fetus.
Their bodies will temporarily appear in the system, and the system will actively provide nutrition to these fetuses. Otherwise, relying solely on what Adventurers eat daily, there wouldn't be any nutrition to speak of.
Then, for a series of matters after childbirth, the system will provide great assistance. Whether it's the necessary nutrition or various daily necessities, it will provide one-stop service.
Finally, after the system deems it sufficient, it will send them back to the village and hand them over to the elderly in the village for care.
At the same time, a large sum of food will be given as essential funds for raising the child.
This 'essential fund' might not be much, probably only enough to raise them for a few years, but it's still a form of support from the system.
After all, the system still needs Adventurers to procreate.
If Adventurers don't procreate, the system's structure will collapse.
If the system's structure collapses, a series of chain reactions will occur, which the system does not want to see.
So, the necessary support must be provided.
There's no such thing in this world as wanting pigs to fatten up without feeding them.
Therefore...
With the system's support, although Adventurers lived a hard life, they were still full of hope for this world.
And they also understood that all of this was to maintain the safety of the Adventurer World, because if the population was small, the danger coefficient in various areas would increase when facing the Dark Tide.
Of course, when it comes to raising children, no matter how much support the system gives, it ultimately depends on one's own ability.
The old men clearly felt that Qi Maosong had sufficient ability. In just over two months of being away, he could earn enough food for several years.
This ability, one could only say, had exceeded their imagination...
However, in reality.
No matter how prosperous Tidal Town became, or how much happiness it brought, playing normally wouldn't reach this level.
If everyone could earn several years' worth of grain in two months, then Tidal Town would have already been in a state of grain overproduction.