Chapter 18
"What a cursed family! The father fell ill and died alone, no one knows where. The mother went mad with grief. And now, the son has mysteriously disappeared. What a tragedy!"
"Yes, Wu Fan was a good boy. I heard he was even writing a novel, which hardly helped support his family. When his father fell seriously ill, he had to become a live-in son-in-law. He was a respectful son, but fate played him a cruel trick!"
"Now, all that's left is a mad woman and a little girl, barely in her teens. How will they survive?"
The villagers, seeing Meng Jiangmei and her daughter Wu Xue weeping bitterly, couldn't hold back their tears. The scene was heartbreaking.
Taoyuan village was known for its sense of mutual aid, where neighbors always supported each other in times of need.
But Taoyuan was also infamous for its poverty, being the poorest and most remote village in the Tianshui district.
A common saying in the district went: "A woman would rather marry a dog than a man from Taoyuan!"
Thus, while everyone wanted to help, their means were limited. Aside from sympathizing with the Wu family's situation, there wasn't much they could do.
They themselves were in a tough spot, like mud statues trying to cross a river—unable to save themselves, let alone others.
It was unclear how much time had passed before Wu Fan, who had fallen into the cave, began to regain consciousness.
"Ah!" He let out a cry, feeling a sharp pain as if his entire body were being torn apart by blades.
But this pain brought him back to reality.
He finally remembered. That day, while he was digging the earth, four men in black, sent by Lin Miao, had chased him. After fleeing for several kilometers, and just as he was about to be shot, he had accidentally slipped into a deep cave.
Ha ha, he wasn't dead?
Wu Fan vaguely remembered that this cave was several hundred meters deep. He had fallen for what seemed like an eternity before hitting the ground.
What a stroke of luck to still be alive!
Isn't it said that those who survive great trials are destined for a prosperous future?
But Wu Fan didn't have time to rejoice for long. The excruciating pain in his body reminded him that he was still not out of danger. If he hadn't died on impact, he might now die from the pain.
"Is anyone there?" he shouted, gritting his teeth despite the suffering.
But he had no hope. It was so dark that he knew the entrance of the cave must be several hundred meters above him. How could he see any light otherwise?
"What should I do, what should I do? Am I going to die here?"
Wu Fan thought of his mother, now mad. Without him, she wouldn't survive. His sister wouldn't be able to endure a life like this either; she would live in misery.
Suddenly, he found an unwavering determination. "I must survive. For my mother, for my sister, for the people of Taoyuan. I must live!"
Ignoring the agonizing pain, he began to crawl slowly, trying to lean against the walls of the cave to rise and regain his strength.
"Ah, there's something!" His hands touched dry wood, and he felt a surge of joy. He quickly tapped his pockets.
The morning he went to dig, he had brought matches, planning to burn weeds and use the ashes as fertilizer. The matches were still there.
With trembling hands, he struck a match. A small flame suddenly appeared.
He quickly lit the twigs around him. Slowly, a fire began to crackle, illuminating the surroundings.
Seized by sudden excitement, Wu Fan added more wood to feed the flames. In an instant, the fire roared, lighting up the cave.
"Ah!" he exclaimed, surprised. The cave was vast, so large that he couldn't see its limits, yet it seemed surprisingly dry.
Forgetting his wounds for a moment, he slowly stood up, holding a makeshift torch, and began to explore the cave to uncover its mysteries.
"Ah!" he cried again, before stumbling and falling heavily to the ground.
In front of him, sitting calmly, were two people.