Hearing this, the mood among the group lifted. The women, especially the one who had been on the verge of tears from frustration, brightened with renewed determination. With a sense of purpose, they quickly got to work, preparing the meal together.
The other men searched house to house once more, checking if they had overlooked any remaining supplies—especially rice stored in earthen jars. Fortunately, they found some, though not much, and added it to the porridge. Given the amount of rice stored in the largest house in the village, it seemed more evident now that the largest house had once belonged to the wealthiest family in the village.
After a few minutes, the women finished cooking the porridge just as the elderly and children were waking up. However, many of them had developed a fever—likely a result of exhaustion finally catching up to their weakened bodies, their immune systems struggling under the strain.
