So he felt that going south might offer hope for changing everything. He brought his wife along, hoping a change of environment might slowly help her recover.
Wang Daya and Luo Juan nodded in agreement upon hearing this.
Truthfully, they harbored similar thoughts. Their home was filled with memories of their family's past life together, and seeing them daily was painful. Moving south, to a new place to live, could help them maintain a better mindset.
The four individuals found themselves conversing more and more congenially, eventually agreeing to band together and travel south.
After all, two young women, or one man with a mentally ill woman, were considered vulnerable groups. Traveling together, they could look after each other and offer support in times of need.
At the very least, seeing a larger group would deter outsiders from easily bullying them.
As night deepened, after adding enough firewood, everyone fell into a deep sleep.
The night passed uneventfully.
At dawn, after a simple breakfast of roasted buns, the group continued their journey.
They were fortunate, and on the second day, they found essential supplies at the second resupply point.
There was dried meat and several pairs of boots.
The boots were an unexpected bonus.
They had been wearing ordinary cloth shoes, and after walking dozens of miles on the snow outside the city, they had filled with snow. By night, by the fire, they were nearing ruin.
The shoes they wore were handmade, with soles glued together using rice paste and then sewn with needle and thread. Soaked in water and then dried by the fire, they were almost falling apart.
The boots came to their rescue.
Moreover, the boots they obtained this time were lined with fur, made of some kind of fur on the outside, with a hard, waterproof sole and long shafts that prevented snow from entering. Wearing them was warm and suitable for walking in the snow.
This time, their resupply also included a type of instant noodles that could be eaten by simply pouring boiling water over them and letting them steep for a while.
These instant noodles were incredibly convenient for them.
On the third day, at the resupply point, they discovered another delicacy called biscuits.
The biscuits were both savory and sweet, some with fillings, and incredibly delicious, almost to the point of tears.
They covered approximately 300 li each day, measuring the distance with their feet.
To Dai Fa's great delight, his wife.
Indeed, as they traveled daily and the environment changed, Zheng Wuniang's mental state showed marked improvement. Her gaze was less vacant, and she began to express her needs.
That day, as dusk approached, they found a dilapidated, abandoned village. The villagers had all fled, presumably to escape the famine, leaving behind desolate, ruined houses.
They casually chose a ruined house, tidied it up a bit, and then went to gather firewood, preparing to spend the night there.
More and more refugees were appearing on the road now. In the few dilapidated houses near them, other disaster victims were also sheltering for the night.
However, thanks to the food from the resupply points, no line-crossing incidents occurred.
Most people only lose their sense of reason and ethics when they are on the brink of starvation. With food and drink, everyone still wished to maintain some dignity as human beings.
"Husband, I'm hungry. I want noodles."
Dai Fa was tending the fire when his wife suddenly tugged at his sleeve.
Dai Fa responded, "Alright, I'll boil water right away."
However, his body froze the next second. He turned his head to look at his wife with disbelief and exclaimed:
"Wife, you recognize me?"
"Why wouldn't I recognize you? You're my husband!"
Zheng Wuniang's eyes seemed to regain a hint of clarity, no longer as vacant as before.
Dai Fa was stunned. He held his wife's hand and said,
"You truly recognize me?"
Dai Fa's reaction made Zheng Wuniang look at him with confusion and ask,
"Husband, why have you become so thin?"
It turned out that Zheng Wuniang's memory was slowly returning.
She had been in a daze all these days, unaware of her situation. But upon suddenly regaining consciousness and seeing Dai Fa's haggard face, she felt immense heartache.
"Ah, that's wonderful, wonderful! You finally remember me!"
Although Zheng Wuniang had not fully recovered to her previous best state, being able to recognize people was already significant progress.
Instantly, Dai Fa, a grown man, burst into tears, embracing his wife and weeping uncontrollably.
"Hey, what's wrong? Don't cry, don't cry!"
Zheng Wuniang, suddenly embraced by her husband, became flustered.
Luo Juan and Wang Daya exchanged glances, their eyes also moist.
They had both lost loved ones and knew the preciousness of family.
Throughout the journey, they had witnessed Dai Fa's meticulous care for his wife, and it was truly wonderful that Zheng Wuniang was recovering.
Gu Qingcheng and Mi Guo also saw tears welling up in their eyes as they witnessed this scene.
They understood the excitement between Dai Fa and his wife, so Gu Qingcheng said,
"Let's go gather more firewood outside. Shall we all go?"
Wang Daya and Luo Juan understood immediately and replied,
"Yes, there's too little firewood. If we don't gather more, it won't last until tomorrow."
The four quickly left, giving Dai Fa and Zheng Wuniang their space.
Outside, the wind had lessened, and it had stopped snowing. The four of them actually went to a small nearby grove to gather firewood.
They wouldn't have known if they hadn't come out; the ruined village was dotted with small fires everywhere.
"Oh, it seems more and more people are heading south recently," Wang Daya remarked.
"Yes, they've all seen the notes and want to go south," Luo Juan replied.
Mi Guo and Gu Qingcheng exchanged a look and smiled. It seemed their strategy was effective, and the draw of the south was strengthening.
Gu Qingcheng naturally wanted more people to migrate south.
If they reached the south before the natural disasters struck, they would not fear the floods.
As for those who stubbornly refused to go south, most were wealthy individuals, some genuinely hesitant to leave their homeland, and others simply too lazy to move.
Gu Qingcheng could do nothing about these people.
After all, she couldn't send people to drag them away one by one.
She recalled a story from the past that had left a deep impression. The story was about:
Once upon a time, a man who devoutly believed in God was trapped on an island with rising water levels. He devoutly prayed for God to save him.
Soon, a yacht arrived, and the people offered to save him, but he said he was waiting for God to pick him up.
Later, a helicopter arrived, offering to take him away, but he again said he was waiting for God to save him.
Eventually, the water rose and submerged the island, drowning him.
Upon reaching heaven, the man questioned God, saying, "Why, despite my devout faith in you and belief that you would save me, did you not come to my aid and betray my trust?"
God was speechless and replied, "I gave you two opportunities, didn't I? There was the yacht and the helicopter. But you refused to leave. What could I do?"
Gu Qingcheng's greatest capability was thus limited.
She had already shown everyone a path. If they refused to leave, they could only fend for themselves.
Kuaishu Pavilion