Chapter 8: The Elderly Who Are Widowed and Orphaned

Young people nowadays are under really great pressure and can't afford to support their parents.

Sometimes, when they see how capable other people's parents are, they can't help but feel a bit disheartened. If they think too much about it, hatred may arise in their hearts.

Some people even blame their ancestors in their hearts, wondering why they came to live in these mountains instead of in the cities outside.

There were once cases where young people took their elderly parents out to work with them. But the elderly here are truly illiterate. Not to mention doing work, they are even a burden to live outside.

Having lived in Jiulong Village all year round, a place blessed with outstanding people and natural resources, and with a generally long lifespan, they usually live to be eighty or ninety years old if there are no accidents.

For young people, just thinking about it is terrifying.

There are countless people working away from home, but very few can make it to the top, almost like a rarity. And for the illiterate people who leave Jiulong Village, it's even harder than ascending to the sky to make a name for themselves. Life is full of disappointments.

In these mountains, it's just wishful thinking to find a wife from outside. If one chooses to stay with the elderly, they are doomed to be single for a lifetime.

As for the women here, they usually run out to work at the age of fifteen or sixteen and never come back after that. They don't dare to come back because these mountains are too terrifying.

Even the women who go out to work are reluctant to admit that they were born in such a place. They feel ashamed to mention it.

"Han Erzhu, you've gone a bit too far! Your father has never shed tears in his life, but today he even knelt down to you. You can see your mother crying here so desperately. How can you have the heart to leave like this?"

Wang Ergou couldn't stand it anymore and ran up to say something. But his words lacked confidence.

The main reason was that Wang Ergou also wanted to get out of these mountains. But he had no ambition and was lazy and gluttonous. He couldn't stay outside, so he didn't have the right to criticize others.

"Wang Ergou, don't talk about me. We all know this well. It's not my fault. If we have to blame someone, we should blame our ancestors for not being capable and coming to live in these mountains. Now, we are illiterate. Do you know how hard it is to live outside? If we continue to live here, our descendants will be just like us. That's why I want to leave here!"

There was also a trace of tears in Han Erzhu's eyes. After all, his own parents had knelt down to him. Any human being would feel a bit reluctant to leave like this.

"You can choose to be like others and never come back after leaving. But why did you move your household registration away? This leaves the elderly with no hope at all. You seem to have gone a bit too far, don't you think?"

Zhang Xiaofan frowned and couldn't help but step forward and say something.

The girlfriend beside Han Erzhu's eyes lit up when she saw Zhang Xiaofan. She didn't expect that in this remote place, there was such a devilishly handsome guy. Immediately, she winked at Zhang Xiaofan.

Zhang Xiaofan thought to himself, "This woman is definitely unreliable. Han Erzhu has made such a big decision this time, and he will surely regret it in the future."

"Who are you? It's none of your business! I'm not going to talk to you guys anymore. Otherwise, it will be dark by the time I get out of the mountains."

Han Erzhu obviously ignored Zhang Xiaofan. He looked at the sky and then walked away. His mother ran over and quickly hugged his leg, but he kicked her over to the ground.

"Han Erzhu, I just want to ask you one thing. Now you dislike the poverty of our hometown, hate the world, and even hate our ancestors! But if one day our Jiulong Village becomes rich, will you regret it? Will you come back?"

Zhang Xiaofan shouted again from behind. His voice was loud and firm, like rolling thunder.

Han Erzhu suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned back, and grinned at Zhang Xiaofan:

"Haha! I won't come back once I leave! I, Han Erzhu, will never set foot in Jiulong Village again in my life. Otherwise, I'll be struck by lightning! You bunch of poor people, just stay here and die in poverty! Your descendants will all be the same, spineless, useless, good-for-nothings. This is an unchangeable fact!"

Sometimes, when people think they've achieved something, they forget certain things. They lose their senses when they speak and act. After saying this, Han Erzhu continued to leave.

Only Zhang Xiaofan stood behind and muttered to himself:

"Fine! If one day you want to come back, I'll act on behalf of heaven and let you be struck by lightning!"

Han's old mother fainted from crying and fell to the ground. Many old people went to help her up, and they couldn't help but shed tears. Weren't their own children the same?

Then, all the old people in the village started crying.

Everyone felt extremely sad when they saw this scene. Just then, a young man recognized Zhang Xiaofan. He was also one of the few young people in the village. He came over, patted Zhang Xiaofan on the shoulder, then shook his head, sighed, and went back to the village:

"Brother, it's really tiring!"

Not everyone was so heartless. There were also filial people. Just now, this young man named Yang Zhiming was willing to stay in the village to take care of his parents who had been ill and lying in bed for four or five years.

Saying "it's really tiring" might mean that he was truly exhausted.

Shu Wan'er, as the village head, also looked a bit unhappy. She didn't know what to say to comfort them. All the old people in the village were in tears.

There was no right or wrong in this matter. Everyone was at fault in some way.

She really wanted to do something and change this situation, but she felt powerless.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaofan suddenly remembered a sentence from the old Taoist priest:

"We are different from ordinary people. The greater our strength, the greater our responsibility. Otherwise, living is in vain, and cultivation is also in vain. It has no meaning."

"Elders, please don't cry anymore. I'm back. My name is Zhang Xiaofan! Your descendants all blame you for not being capable and even resent our ancestors for living in such a place.

In my opinion, what our ancestors left us is all wealth. As long as you believe in me, Zhang Xiaofan, and believe in our village head, we can lead you to prosperity and make your sons come back and stay by your side!"

Everyone was in grief, and few people paid attention to Zhang Xiaofan's passionate words.

"Xiaofan, why did you come back? You should go out too! Leave and never come back. It's useless!"

At this time, an old man walked up to Zhang Xiaofan, carefully examined him for a few moments, and then kindly advised him.

It was already noon when they got home. Both Zhang Xiaofan and Shu Wan'er looked unhappy. They stared at each other across a table, silent and not saying a word. Neither of them was in a good mood.

"Sister Village Head, I want to change our village, and I already have some plans. Aren't you the child of a business family? Can you lend me some money? I, Zhang Xiaofan, will keep my word and will definitely pay you back in the future."

When Zhang Xiaofan was a child, his parents were poisoned to death by a venomous snake on the mountain when he was five years old. He had received a lot of care from the villagers. Otherwise, he wouldn't have survived until now. So he was determined to repay them.

"No. My family arranged for me to come here to make me suffer and submit to my fate. How could they give me money? I only have a little over a hundred yuan left. In a few days, there might even be problems with our living expenses."

Shu Wan'er stroked a strand of hair on her cheek and said helplessly. Looking at the young man in front of her, she was a bit puzzled:

"What are you going to do?"

"Although our place is a bit mountainous, the resources in the mountains are something that other places don't have. If we can make use of them, we can definitely make money. It just requires some capital."