To Survive, One Must Persist

Seeing the two sisters so weak and helpless from hunger, looking completely disheveled, Wang Yonggui couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion, recalling his own past years ago.

The father of Da Ya and Er Ya was a gambler. The moment he had any money, he would run off to gamble, selling everything in the house, completely unconcerned with whether his wife and children had food to eat.

To feed her two daughters, their mother, Li Xiuxiang, had even sold their quilts to buy food.

Similarly, she begged for money or borrowed food everywhere, never having enough to eat or wear. Incidents like what happened to Yang Qiuju had also occurred.

Sometimes, when she truly couldn't borrow anything, she would sleep with other men in exchange for food to feed her two daughters.

Yet her husband, Wu Dewang, didn't care at all, only looking out for himself.

Three years ago, an elderly villager passed away, and it was raining heavily.

In that mud, and in the dead of winter, Da Ya and Er Ya were practically barefoot, their small feet frozen bright red.

Their mother, Li Xiuxiang, who was helping out, said to the two sisters with tears in her eyes that there were two pairs of hand-sewn shoes in the side room, telling them to go home and put them on.

The two sisters were overjoyed and rushed back to their small room to put on the new shoes. When they returned, they could no longer find their mother.

Taking advantage of the crowded funeral, the mother of Da Ya and Er Ya simply left, and there had been no news of her since.

Some said she had nothing to eat and left out of desperation.

Others said she had been tricked and sold.

In this era, trafficking women was still very common, with several cases occurring in the surrounding villages.

Basically, those tricked were sold to old ruffians, locked in houses, and only let out after bearing children years later.

After his wife left, Wu Dewang became even more depressed and neglected everything, completely ignoring the survival of his two daughters. He drank and gambled every day, rarely even coming home.

Some gossiped behind their backs that it was good the woman had left; at least it was better than starving to death in Taohua Village, though it was a pity for the two daughters.

"Brother Yonggui, my sister and I are so hungry. We really had no food, which is why we came to the mountain to eat these. We got lost and waited on the mountain for a day and a night. Can you take us back to the village?"

Da Ya was a bit older, now nearly seventeen or eighteen. However, she was uneducated and lacked any cultural knowledge, so she looked exceptionally simple.

"Ah! You got lost? Why did you run so far up the mountain!"

As he spoke, Wang Yonggui carried his bag over. There weren't many wild fruits left. The two girls crouched on the ground, and Er Ya didn't even have the strength to speak.

"It's the same at home. Actually, coming to the mountain, there's at least a bit to eat."

Da Ya crouched on the ground. Though she was a bit thin, she had developed well, slim and graceful. Her back and chest were starting to curve slightly. While not as striking as those great beauties, she was still quite attractive, like a budding flower.

"Sister, I'm so hungry and sleepy. Brother Yonggui..."

Er Ya, lying in Da Ya's arms, seemed to have very heavy eyelids, drowsily falling asleep, clearly dizzy from hunger.

Wang Yonggui walked over quickly, placing his hand on Er Ya's forehead to check. Her temperature was very high.

"Er Ya, don't sleep yet. I have food here. You two sisters eat first!"

Wang Yonggui sighed, then took out a very large lunchbox—actually a food jar—from his snakeskin bag.

Yang Qiuju knew Wang Yonggui was going up the mountain and might not return until evening. How could he work all day without eating? Moreover, knowing he had a huge appetite, she had packed a very generous, tightly packed portion of rice.

There was also some leftover meat from that day—after all, Wang Yonggui had bought so much—along with some stir-fried vegetables with meat. The moment he opened it, the aroma of meat wafted out.

Instantly, Da Ya and Er Ya's eyes widened, and they kept swallowing their saliva.

Furthermore, it was pure white rice. In the sisters' memory, they had never eaten a proper meal of pure white rice.

Er Ya, being young and less sensible, used all her strength to stand up and reach out, but Da Ya scolded her sharply.

"Sister, your hands are so dirty, and this belongs to Brother Yonggui."

Wang Yonggui crouched in front of the sisters and smiled. He hadn't brought chopsticks up the mountain because it was a hassle.

He snapped a branch nearby, used his knife to cut it into four sections, shaved them down, and made two pairs of chopsticks, handing them directly to Da Ya and Er Ya.

"Don't be polite, eat!"

The two sisters looked at the rice and meat, swallowing constantly. They didn't stand on ceremony, taking the chopsticks and beginning to devour the food like hungry wolves.

Wang Yonggui observed that even though she was starving to this extent, Da Ya was very careful, rarely picking up the meat and basically leaving it all for her sister.

The two ate until their faces flushed, and sweat as large as beans poured from their foreheads.

Seeing this scene, recalling his past life with Yang Qiuju, he felt a bit like crying.

Moreover, as Da Ya ate, she suddenly began to sob.

Soon, they finished the entire large jar of rice. The two girls lay on the ground, panting heavily, their faces covered in sweat.

Wang Yonggui handed over his water bottle.

"Brother Yonggui, thank you. This is the most delicious food I've ever eaten in my life," Da Ya said gratefully, her face covered in tears.

"Don't say that. I am also a poor man who has experienced hardships. It's just that I have Yang Qiuju, so I'm slightly better off than you."

Wang Yonggui thought of something, glancing at Da Ya. To be honest, Da Ya was now filling out, her figure wasn't bad, and she was very delicate, like a pure girl next door.

"Don't come up the mountain to find food in the future, and don't go so far. If you get lost and starve like today, you'll die on the mountain."

Da Ya nodded.

"Let's go! I'll take you two sisters back to the village."

"Brother Yonggui, let us rest for a bit. We don't have the strength to walk right now."

Hearing this, Wang Yonggui nodded and sat down beside them, taking out a cigarette to smoke, puffs of blue smoke rising from his mouth.

After a moment of silence, Da Ya's bird-like voice rang out again.

"Brother Yonggui, I have a favor to ask. Can you help me?"

Hearing this, Wang Yonggui was somewhat puzzled and turned to look at Da Ya.

"What is it? Just say it! If I can help, I will."

Da Ya was silent for a moment. "My sister doesn't know, but I do. My mother was beaten by my father every day, and with no food, she had no choice but to leave.

Actually, many people in the village have been whispering behind my back, wanting me to get married so I can have food to eat. I've gone to look, but those men are old and ugly, all in their forties or fifties, so I'm unwilling.

Brother Yonggui, can you buy me? I don't care about money, as long as I have food to eat. A family that is slightly younger would be fine.

When the time comes, you can take the money from selling me as repayment for this meal, okay? Help me make some contacts. As long as I have food and my sister can survive, I don't care where I'm sold."

Hearing this, Wang Yonggui frowned. Da Ya was completely uneducated. Even though she was grown now, she could actually survive by working hard. But with a scoundrel of a father at home, any belongings would be sold or gambled away.

Her situation was different from Wang Yonggui's. Wang Yonggui had at least read some books, and as a man, he had plenty of physical strength.

"Da Ya, surviving isn't easy, but doing this will ruin your whole life. Just persist, and things will get better sooner or later. Won't it be better to find someone you like then?"