Just as Grandpa Su agreed, Little Zhu joyfully exclaimed, "Alright, my elder brothers, can you help me move some things? It's too difficult to get through here, the car can't even pass, so it has to be parked at the village entrance."
What? There were still things?
The entire Su family turned to stone.
But what surprised them even more was that a jeep full of various supplies had arrived, with grain being the most abundant.
"Minister, how can we possibly accept this?" Grandpa Su said, wringing his hands nervously.
Years ago, it was just a moment of kindness to give a few coarse steamed buns to someone, and now to receive so many supplies, he felt embarrassed no matter how he thought about it.
Before Chen Zi'an could speak, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a rumbling thunderclap.
"Oh dear, it's going to rain," Grandma Su said, looking at the dark clouds that instantly covered half the sky.
"Yes, it's about to rain. Let's quickly move these supplies indoors," Minister Chen seized the opportunity and immediately spoke.
Although they were reluctant to accept so many supplies, seeing that it was about to rain, they couldn't just stand by and watch so many supplies get drenched.
Most of these were grains. It would be a sin if they were rained on.
The Su family worked together, even with the two guests helping, they managed to move all the supplies indoors before the rain began.
Just as the last bag of grain was placed inside, raindrops the size of beans began to fall.
The sky opened up, and rain poured down with a roar, as if the sky had been torn open.
Little Zhu frowned and said, "Minister, it's raining so heavily, what should we do?"
They had set off quite early today, but because they were unfamiliar with the road, they took a wrong turn, detoured for a long time, and wasted several hours before reaching the Hongxin Brigade.
They had planned to drive back in the dark, but who knew they would encounter such heavy rain.
The rain was too heavy, and it would be difficult for them to return.
Chen Zi'an was also troubled. Most of the roads were dirt roads. Even when it was sunny, they were difficult to navigate. It would be even more so after the rain, likely becoming muddy and impassable for vehicles.
Moreover, after this rain, it would be completely dark, making the roads even more difficult to travel. If they fell into a mud pit, they would truly be in a desperate situation!
Grandpa Su smiled and said, "Minister Chen, rain is a reason to keep guests. Since it's raining and you can't leave for now, why don't you stay for dinner at our home? Our meals are simple, so please don't mind."
Upon hearing the word "dinner," before Chen Zi'an could speak, Little Zhu's eyes lit up.
They had taken the wrong road today and missed lunch. They had only eaten steamed buns in the morning, which had long been digested.
By now, the young man was so hungry he could devour a bull.
Although Chen Zi'an wanted to refuse, he was indeed hungry and ultimately did not utter the words of refusal.
Besides, he had something to say and couldn't leave just yet.
Hearing her husband invite guests and the guests not explicitly stating they wanted to leave, Grandma Su quickly said, "I'll make some pancakes."
Since they had sent so many grains, she couldn't be stingy. She had to offer something good to entertain the guests.
Grandma Su was a decisive person. As soon as she spoke, she immediately called her three daughters-in-law to the kitchen.
There was meat brought by Chen Zi'an in the kitchen, and a bundle of chives cut that afternoon. There wasn't much else they could make, so they decided on chive pancakes.
"We still have some white flour at home, so let's make chive pancakes!" Grandma Su hesitated for a moment before making up her mind.
"Mother, I'll pick the chives!" Liang Xiu immediately crouched down to pick the chives.
"I'll start the fire," Qi Liangying also got to work immediately.
Wang Xianghua smiled and said, "Mother's chive pancakes taste the best. Mother, I'll knead the dough, and you can mix the filling, okay?"
Grandma Su smiled and said, "Alright, I'll chop some meat and add two eggs. There are plenty of chives, so let's make more, and the family can try them too."
With food in hand, there was no panic. Grandma Su thought that after today's scare, the family should eat something good to calm their nerves.
These few good things had almost fallen into the hands of those scoundrels.
"If Minister Chen hadn't arrived in time today, all the good things our family had painstakingly saved would have gone to outsiders!" Wang Xianghua said bluntly.
These were all rescued by others, so it was only natural to entertain them.
"Thanks to Minister Chen, even though we faced trouble, we still got quite a bit of money and ration coupons. It's not a total loss. I wonder who the scoundrel was who reported us to the commune." Grandma Su was still upset thinking about being reported.
"Mother, do you think those people, after taking the money and coupons, will come to our house again?" Liang Xiu asked with some worry.
Grandma Su paused her work and said, "Those people seemed quite afraid of Minister Chen, they shouldn't dare to come again, right?"
"Minister Chen seems very nice. Why is Official Liu so afraid of him?" Wang Xianghua asked curiously.
"No matter why they are afraid, it's good that they are afraid. After today, our family is considered to be under someone's protection. I guess people in the commune will have to think twice before acting against our family from now on," Qi Liangying felt this was a blessing in disguise.
It seemed everyone knew that their family was being looked after by a leader.
Grandma Su nodded in agreement.
"Sweetie was so scared today. Those people are truly wicked!" Wang Xianghua felt distressed thinking that they had not agreed to let Su Xiaotian go out to avoid the danger.
"I'll make a sugar-boiled egg for Sweetie later. The little one is so pitiful," Grandma Su said with concern. "Third daughter-in-law, why don't you go and stay with our precious child? We have enough help in the kitchen."
Liang Xiu smiled and said, "Mother, I'll help here. Sweetie has her brothers watching her, they are more useful than me."
Grandma Su thought about it and didn't persuade her further.
At this time, Su Xiaotian was hiding in her room, looking through the small box on the kang.
In the small box, the money and ration coupons she had stored earlier were all there.
What was going on?
The box was so obvious, those people couldn't possibly have missed it, nor could they have not opened it to look. So why were these money and coupons still neatly placed in the box?
"Host, this money and these coupons are from this system. Anna can hide them with an illusion at critical moments," the system's soft voice sounded in Su Xiaotian's ear.
Su Xiaotian finally realized what was happening. She hadn't expected the system to have such an ability.
"Anna, can you hide other physical objects so others can't see them?" Su Xiaotian asked curiously.
After today's events, she felt that some things were no longer safe at home.
"Unless it's a system product, Anna cannot hide other items."
Su Xiaotian couldn't help but feel disappointed. If only system products could be hidden, meaning money and coupons. What a pity.
It would be great if the system had its own storage space.
In the main hall, separated by a wall.
Chen Zi'an and Grandpa Su were sitting and chatting, talking about the growth of this year's crops and the situation in Hongxin Brigade. Despite the significant age difference, they chatted quite harmoniously.
However, as they talked, they somehow started discussing the people in the cowshed.
At that moment, the few people in the cowshed were looking anxiously at the pouring rain.
"Grandpa, do you think the Su family can escape?" Chi Yiyuan showed rare anxiety on his face.
Earlier, he had heard rumors and secretly went to the Su family's house to check. He learned that the Su family had been reported, but because many people had barged into the Su family's house, he didn't dare to get close and could only quietly return.
After returning to the cowshed, he informed his grandfather and Grandpa Du about the Su family being reported. They guessed that it might be related to their two families.
Therefore, they quickly erased all traces of contact with the Su family, and even hid the food sent by the Su family securely.
Even so, Chi Yiyuan was still worried.
Seeing those fierce people storming into the Su family's house today, the memories of their home being raided resurfaced.
As the things he had deliberately forgotten over the years came back to mind, the young man's face gradually turned pale.
"No one has found us here yet, so it should be alright," Chi Ge guessed.
"We were negligent. If we had known, we shouldn't have gotten too close to the old Su family," Du Tonghe said worriedly, "People like us, whoever we get close to, we end up harming them!"
What a sin! The Su family had helped them wholeheartedly, but in the end, they ended up harming them.
"Old Du, Hongxin Brigade has been peaceful these past few years, to the point where I've forgotten the turbulent times outside. I've harmed the old Su family!" Chi Ge also felt very guilty.
He had taken a liking to the Su family's children, thinking they would achieve great things in the future, but he had forgotten the potential dangers. Most people in Hongxin Brigade were good, but there were still a few bad apples.
"Grandpa, won't Sweetie be like my sister!"
Chi Yiyuan couldn't suppress his thoughts of those buried memories and asked Chi Ge tremblingly, fearing that Su Xiaotian would be like his own little sister.
Chi Ge noticed his grandson's abnormality, reached out, and hugged him tightly, saying, "Good child, don't think about it, don't think about it. Sweetie will be fine."
Du Tonghe knew what Chi Yiyuan was thinking and quickly comforted him, saying, "Sweetie has so many people in her family, they definitely won't let Sweetie get hurt. When the rain stops, we'll go and see her quietly, and you'll definitely see Sweetie safe and sound."
It wasn't just Chi Yiyuan who didn't want to see anything happen to Su Xiaotian; he also genuinely treated the Su family's children as his juniors and didn't want them to suffer any harm!
Chi Yiyuan seemed to be comforted, or perhaps not.
Yu Ruiyuan, seeing Chi Yiyuan like this, couldn't help but cover her face, but dared not cry out.
Just then, they suddenly saw a person wearing a bamboo hat and a straw cape, slipping and sliding towards them through the rain.
"Old Chi, can you tell who that is?" Du Tonghe asked nervously.
The heavy rain obscured their vision, and they could only see the outline of a person, let alone discern who it was.
"There's only one person, so it shouldn't be someone here to search," Chi Ge said, trying to calm himself.
However, even he wasn't sure if his words were right or wrong.
Finally, as they waited anxiously, the person approached them, and it turned out to be Old Third Su.
The moment they saw Old Third Su, the four people's hearts were put at ease.
They even shed tears of excitement.
"Mantian, why are you here? It's raining so heavily," Chi Ge said excitedly, "What can't wait until the rain stops to be said?"
"Uncle Chi, I'm here to report that everyone is safe. Those people are gone, and we are all fine. Also, we have guests at home, and they want to see you and Xiao Yuan."
Old Third Su wiped the rain from his face and said, "I brought straw capes, you and Xiao Yuan wear them. Also, I brought some food. Uncle Du and Auntie Du, please have some first."
As he spoke, he took out a small basket from under his straw cape. Inside was a large bowl, and in the bowl were several white flour chive pancakes that were still steaming.
"You are too kind, child. We can make our own. It's rare to have something good, it's better to save it for the children," Yu Ruiyuan said politely.
It was difficult for every household. White flour was a delicacy only eaten during festivals, and she felt reluctant to see it.
"Auntie, my mother said that she made a little something good. Xiao Yuan and Uncle Chi can eat it at our house, but we can't leave you two to gnaw on sweet potato jerky."
Her words almost made Yu Ruiyuan cry.
Watching the three of them walk away, Du Tonghe said, "It's our good fortune to be able to come to Hongxin Brigade."
"Meeting the Su family is our good fortune!" Yu Ruiyuan said, "This family, they are all good people. Heaven is merciful, perhaps it is because of their kindness that they escaped today's calamity."
When Old Third Su brought the Chi family grandparents and grandson home, it was already completely dark, but the rain was still heavy and showed no signs of slowing down.
In the Su family's main hall, an oil lamp was lit. Only Grandpa Su and Minister Chen were sitting opposite each other at the kang table.
On the kang table, several bowls of steaming soup and a plate of chive pancakes were laid out.
Upon seeing Chi Ge enter, Chen Zi'an stood up and looked intently at Chi Ge!
"Elder Brother Chi, you and Xiao Yuan should take off your wet clothes first. Let Third Brother take them to the kitchen to dry, and then you can sit on the kang and talk.
However, Chi Ge only stared at Minister Chen and did not take off his damp clothes as Grandpa Su suggested.
After a long while, he finally said, "Are you Zi'an?"
"It's me, Uncle."
"Zi'an, you shouldn't have come, you shouldn't have come. I will implicate you!" Chi Ge waved his hands repeatedly and immediately tried to walk out, but was blocked by Old Third Su standing at the door.
Chen Zi'an quickly stepped forward and grabbed Chi Ge's arm.
"I didn't intend to see you, I just wanted to bring some supplies for you, but the heavens sent heavy rain, which is a great opportunity. If I don't see you, I won't feel at ease," Chen Zi'an said with difficulty.
He had only seen this uncle when he was a child and had never seen him again after growing up.
But his uncle could call out his name, which showed that he knew he was in the county.
Knowing he was in the county and was even a leader, yet he had never come to visit, he was likely worried about implicating him.
When Chen Zi'an came today, he only intended to quietly ask Grandpa Su to share some of the things he brought with Chi Ge and his grandson.
But it was raining, and such heavy rain, and all the villagers had gone home, so he dared to take the risk to meet him.
That's right, Chi Ge was Chen Zi'an's uncle.
However, not many people knew about this.
This was because Aunt Chen had passed away more than twenty years ago.
After Aunt Chen's death, Chi Ge remarried, and after moving between two cities, he finally settled in the capital, gradually becoming estranged from the Chen family.
In the capital, almost no one knew about Chi Ge's relationship with the Chen family. This time, when the Chi family had trouble, it did not implicate the Chen family.
For this reason, even though Chi Ge knew Chen Zi'an was in the county, he had never thought of seeing him, nor had he ever thought of acknowledging him, lest he implicate Chen Zi'an.
But Chen Zi'an had come.
Chi Ge was worried that if someone with ill intentions saw them, it would be a disaster.
Just like this time, when the old Su family was reported!
"Zi'an, you stay in the county and be a minister, don't worry about me. Xiao Yuan and I are living very well in the village. Old Su is a good person and takes good care of me. Everyone in the brigade is also good. It's much quieter here than outside."
Chi Ge spoke of the good things, not wanting Chen Zi'an to worry about him.
He was already content that he still cared about him; he couldn't implicate him.
"Uncle, seeing you today, I can finally rest assured. I brought some supplies this time, and I left them with Uncle Su. He will find a way to send them to you when he has the chance. You must take care of yourself," Chen Zi'an said with a hint of bitterness.
Heaven knew how long he had waited for this day. From the day he took office in Lan County, he had been waiting for such an opportunity. This wait lasted for nearly a year, and finally, he met his relatives.
"I will take care of myself, don't worry. This old body of mine is still useful, and I won't lose this life easily," Chi Ge said with a smile, but his eyes were tearful.
Chen Zi'an felt a little more relieved hearing him say that.
"Zi'an, I heard someone reported the old Su family. What exactly happened?"
"It's all fine now. I will handle this matter. The Su family are people of upright background, not everyone can step on them."
He didn't ask who reported the Su family today, but if he wanted to investigate, he would definitely find out.
"That's good, that's good. Don't implicate the Su family because of this old body of mine. Zi'an, you don't know, the Su family's children are all smart and eager to learn, especially Sweetie, she's a rare genius!" Chi Ge finally couldn't help but say.
Chen Zi'an didn't expect that his uncle and the Su family had met for such a reason.
Sweetie, is that the youngest daughter of the Su family?
Chen Zi'an couldn't help but recall the little girl he saw earlier. She was so young, with bright eyes and white teeth, fair and clean, and looked so beautiful, even more endearing than many city girls.
Although the girl was young, she was remarkably eloquent and spoke without any stage fright. Even when facing those people, she remained neither humble nor arrogant. This disposition alone was very rare.
Moreover, to receive his uncle's praise as a genius, one could only imagine how intelligent she was.
"We've met, and we've said what we needed to say. Elder Brother Chi, please eat. After eating, let Third Brother send you two back!" Grandpa Su urged, looking at the sky outside.
After today's incident, Grandpa Su was no longer entirely at ease with the villagers.
After all, if someone could report them once, he didn't know how many people were watching them from behind.
Caution ensures a thousand miles of safety. It was better to be more careful.
Coming and going in the rain was the best.
[Author's Note]
Today is a big chapter!