Chapter 3: Welcome to the Starvation Clan
Li Feng could hear the two children swallowing their saliva. Although they were offering him cornmeal and bran Steamed buns that even dogs wouldn't eat, Li Feng was still a little touched.
"Eat, I'm really not hungry."
"Papa, eat."
Da Ya still insisted, and Xiao Ya, though her stomach rumbled with hunger, also mimicked her sister. "Papa, eat."
"Alright, I'm really not hungry. How about you get me a bowl of wild vegetable soup? I'm a little thirsty."
Li Feng truly couldn't bring himself to eat the Steamed buns; it wasn't much better than eating excrement. A modern person would rather starve to death than eat such a thing, yet these two little children were offering it as a good treat. Although Li Feng was touched, he really didn't want to eat it.
Seeing that Li Feng truly seemed unwilling to eat, the light in Da Ya's eyes dimmed a little, and she weakly took back the Steamed buns. This girl's thoughts were actually very simple: this adopted father didn't want to eat her Steamed buns, so he probably didn't want to be their father either.
"Don't just stare, eat."
"Mhm."
Compared to Da Ya's sadness, Xiao Ya, being younger, had no extra thoughts, only hunger and a desire to eat the Steamed buns. She took the Steamed buns and started munching on it loudly.
"Slow down, don't choke."
Li Feng was afraid Xiao Ya would eat too fast and chip her front teeth. The Steamed buns was like a hard lump of mud, probably strong enough to crack walnuts. Besides, what if she choked eating so fast? That wouldn't be a small matter. "Slow down, slow down, here, drink some soup."
Da Ya brought over the wild vegetable soup. Li Feng took it and offered it to Xiao Ya. The little girl paused and looked at her older sister. "Drink it," Li Feng said with a smile, having noticed the interaction. "You eat too."
Da Ya hummed and began to gnaw on the hard, dark Steamed buns. Li Feng, enduring the bitter taste of the wild vegetable soup, managed to finish a bowl. His stomach felt somewhat filled, and his spirits lifted a little.
'First, I need to figure out what's going on.'
Li Feng put down the somewhat chipped, rough ceramic bowl and pondered. Where was he? What was the situation? Had he been transported to a remote mountainous area in the west, or was something scientifically unexplainable happening?
He had to figure out the situation before making any next moves. First, he'd build a good relationship with the two little girls. He figured it would be easier to glean information from children.
After the two children finished their Steamed buns, Li Feng, supporting his somewhat weak body, moved to the edge of the bed and sat down. This allowed him to better observe the room.
On the adobe wall near the bed, there were a few New Year's prints, but the colors of the New Year's dolls were already faded, suggesting they were quite old.
Next to the head of the bed was an old wooden table, somewhat resembling a school desk from his childhood in the countryside. The table held various odds and ends, including an oil lamp bottle about the size of a baby bottle.
There was nothing else particularly noteworthy. There were some scattered items in the room, but they were so dark that Li Feng couldn't distinguish what they were at first.
This simple bedroom wasn't particularly messy, but the walls and floor were somewhat uneven. After all, with adobe over time, there would always be some unevenness and peeling plaster.
The bedroom connected to the main hall. While it was called a hall for receiving guests, it only had a dilapidated long table and two rickety bamboo chairs.
The empty main hall connected to a half-built kitchen. Li Feng leaned on the bedside table and stood up, but his body was still so weak that he swayed. Da Ya quickly supported Li Feng, and Xiao Ya, mimicking her sister, also tried to support Li Feng on her side. "It's okay, don't be nervous."
Li Feng eventually adapted to the aching in his body and was able to walk a few steps. He left the bedroom, walked through the main hall, and entered the kitchen. The kitchen had a water cylinder with half a cylinder of water in it. Beside the water cylinder was a wooden stump, probably what Da Ya had stood on to scoop water earlier.
Not far from the water cylinder was an earthen stove. It had only one fire pit, holding an eighteen-inch iron pot, but the iron pot had several holes. Fortunately, they were only on the edges, so the middle part was still usable. On the stove, there were several yellowish-black coarse ceramic bowls, most of them chipped or broken.
Beside the stove, a chopstick holder made of wooden sticks hung, holding a few pairs of chopsticks. Li Feng glanced at the chopstick holder; he had seen such things in his childhood. Next to the chopstick holder hung a bamboo strainer and a wooden spoon.
Apart from these items, the entire kitchen contained only an empty jar and a few pottery pots. The jar was likely for storing grain, but it was unfortunately empty now.
There were only a few thin branches, some straw, and wheat stalks in the woodpile; Li Feng didn't find any food at all after looking around. "This pot is for?"
"Salt."
The coarse pottery pot was quite clean, probably washed many times by Da Ya when making wild vegetable soup. As for oil, there was no need to even mention it. "Is there any grain left at home?"
"Grain?"
Da Ya hesitated for a long time then nodded. Li Feng was a little surprised that there was grain. From what he had just heard from the few people, Da Ya's family had run out of food long ago, and the Steamed buns these days were all given by Sannai.
Da Ya led Li Feng to the woodpile, carefully moving aside the wood, layer by layer.
A medium-sized ceramic pot was pulled out, and the stones pressing down on it were removed. Inside, there were more than ten catties of dried sweet potato slices.
Li Feng had seen this stuff, and even eaten it as a child. He hated it the most; it was dry, hard, and completely lacked sweetness.
Later, when times were better, he never ate it again. It was truly unpalatable and nothing like the sweet potatoes of later generations; it was dry, hard, difficult to swallow, and somewhat scratchy on the throat. "Only this much?"
"Mhm."
Da Ya carefully covered it back up. This was their sisters' winter ration; they relied on it to get through the winter. Han Family Dam was not wealthy; there was little arable land, and what land there was, was very barren. Getting three to five hundred catties of grain per mu in a good year was considered good.
Seeing how much the little girl cherished these dried sweet potato slices, Li Feng felt a pang in his heart. "Just leave it for now." Back in the main hall, Li Feng was surprised to see the portrait of the great man on the wall. "Could it be that something scientifically unexplainable really happened?"
From all the circumstances since he woke up after being electrocuted, it seemed he had come to an unusual place. This made Li Feng even more flustered, so much so that he didn't even notice Han Fuguo's arrival.
"You're awake, feeling better?"
"Much better."
Li Feng thought to himself, 'This isn't them coming to send me to the Commune, is it? Please no.' Li Feng had already roughly understood some of the situation. If it was what he thought, the Commune was not a good place to go. As someone without an identity, he would most likely be sent to a mine or for labor reform.
Han Fuguo saw that Li Feng's speech and demeanor were not those of an idiot and breathed a slight sigh of relief. He couldn't help but ask about Li Feng's background, but Li Feng only said he couldn't remember much.
"Alas, what a sin."
Many educated youths had gone mad or become foolish due to the issue of returning to the city. Han Fuguo assumed Li Feng was unwilling to say more, as he probably wouldn't have attempted to drown himself if there wasn't a desperate hope of returning to the city.
"Just stay in our Dam for now. At least there'll be something to eat."
Han Fuguo took two puffs of his dry tobacco and looked at Da Ya and Xiao Ya, the two children. "Just stay at these two kids' house for now." Then, Han Fuguo called Han Anmin again. "Go tell your mother to send over ten catties of cornmeal."
"Papa, are you really going to keep this fool?"
Han Anmin quickly whispered, trying to persuade him. "Where do we have so much extra grain in our Dam to feed him?"
"That's enough. Do as I say."
Han Fuguo glared at Han Anmin, who reluctantly hummed in agreement. He couldn't help but glare at Li Feng. This fool swayed when he walked and was probably not good for labor. And looking at his clothes, he was definitely an educated youth from the city.
It was well known that Han Family Dam had suffered greatly at the hands of educated youths. These city people couldn't do any work, ate a lot, and that wasn't even the worst part; they harmed the livestock in the Dam and even more beastly, they harmed the girls in the Dam.
Da Ya and Xiao Ya's father was like that. After causing trouble, he ran back to the city without a word, worse than an animal. Li Feng looked like an educated youth from the city, so it was no wonder Han Anmin was angry. These bastards shouldn't have been taken in.
Li Feng pretended not to notice Han Anmin's furious, man-eating gaze and chatted with Han Fuguo for a while, getting a rough understanding of the situation.
"1978, 45 years ago, how is this possible...?"
Han Fuguo began to regret it, looking at the dazed Li Feng and thinking, 'This person might really be a fool.'
What was going on? Li Feng's mind buzzed. Although he had some suspicions, he still couldn't accept it after confirming the information. "Do you have any recent newspapers?" Li Feng was still unwilling to believe it.
"I did bring some newspapers when I went to the Commune a few days ago."
Han Fuguo asked Da Ya to go to his house, and in a short while, Da Ya returned with a newspaper.
"Why only one?"
Han Fuguo took the newspaper and muttered, probably thinking they had all been used to paste on the walls.
Li Feng took the newspaper and opened it. It was from April, meaning just over two months ago. Sure enough, it was 1978. He had really returned to 1978, 45 years ago. How was this possible? "It's really 1978, 1978..."
Li Feng murmured to himself. Han Fuguo mumbled, 'This kid's head must be waterlogged, he might really be foolish.' "Alas, take good care of your father, and tell me if anything happens."
"Mhm."
Da Ya looked at the murmuring Li Feng, her eyes full of worry. This was the father she had begged heaven to find her. "Heaven, Papa isn't a fool."
Even by night, Li Feng still couldn't accept that he had returned 45 years into the past. "No, I have to go back." But no matter how Li Feng called out to Heaven, God, Buddha, or aliens, there was no response.
He exhausted all his strength before finally giving up in despair. "Am I stuck here?" At that moment, Li Feng felt all the strength drained from his body, and his entire being seemed to lose its soul.
"Papa."
Da Ya called out softly, trying to rouse Li Feng.
"Get lost, who's your Papa...?"
Li Feng's eyes widened in fury, roaring at the scrawny, yellow-faced little girl in front of him. Da Ya froze, holding back her tears, while Xiao Ya, being more timid, immediately burst into tears. The sobbing made Li Feng even more irritable, and he waved his hand helplessly. "Stay away from me."
Da Ya, holding back her tears, hummed and led the sobbing Xiao Ya, who was trying to keep her cries quiet, out the door. The sound of crying faded further and further away. Li Feng sighed; he knew he shouldn't have taken his anger out on these two unfortunate children, but the reality was maddening.
Alas, why? Li Feng hit the table a few times. Damn it, why me? 45 years ago! The thought of never seeing his family again—his wife, children, parents, siblings, friends—drove Li Feng crazy.
"To hell with you, Heaven, you're playing with me!"
Anger ultimately couldn't solve the problem. For the next two days, Li Feng remained silent, somewhat dejected, but the feeling of hunger grew stronger. Yet, he still refused to swallow the damned cornmeal Steamed buns.
Da Ya watched as Papa only drank a few sips of wild vegetable soup, leaving the Steamed buns untouched. The little girl sighed. "Xiao Ya, you stay home and look after Papa." Da Ya went to the kitchen, rummaged out a small pottery pot, and left the house under the cover of night.
"Sannai."
Da Ya knocked on Han Fuguo's door. Shi Chunhua saw Da Ya, opened the door, and pulled the girl inside. "Girl, what's wrong?"
.........
"Papa."
Da Ya held the small pottery pot, her face beaming with joy. "Where did you go this late at night?"
"For Papa."
"What is it?"
Li Feng took the pottery pot and glanced at it, a little surprised, somewhat disbelieving. "White flour?"
"Mhm."
Da Ya nodded vigorously. This three taels of white flour was what she had just borrowed from Sannai's house. At the same time, at Han Fuguo's house, Han Anmin's brothers and their wives were discussing this very matter.
"Mom, why did you lend white flour to Da Ya? What's her family's situation? Isn't this just..." Han Anmin's wife whispered. There was certainly some resentment, but she didn't dare to voice it loudly.
"That's right, Mom. That girl is quite picky, eating white flour. She's really not learning good habits."
"Exactly."
"That's enough."
Han Fuguo tapped his dry tobacco pipe, his brows furrowed. This white flour was most likely for that adopted educated youth from the city. Da Ya had always been a sensible girl. "Alas, this is truly a big burden we've taken on."
"Anmin, you go to Da Ya's house tomorrow."
Han Fuguo said. "Go ask him if he's feeling better. It's time for him to work; he can't just eat for free."
"Alright."
Han Anmin said. "Papa, I've wanted to say this for a long time. You can't spoil city people, otherwise, they'll all become lazy and gluttonous, and might even cause trouble. If you ask me, we should just send him to the Commune."
"Alright, we'll talk about that later."】}
