Bai Qingqing returned to Grandma’s house, and Big Yellow glanced at her before slipping away into the village along the muddy road.
After dinner that night, lying in bed, Bai Qingqing pondered over the strange occurrences in the village and their possible connection to Abao. Tomorrow, she decided, she would go and ask Abao about the situation.
The next morning, greeted warmly by Grandma, she ate a bowl of porridge and followed the path she had taken yesterday, turning left and right until she arrived at Abao’s house.
Abao’s parents were nowhere to be found, and the courtyard was quiet. Big Yellow, lying on the ground, sensed the presence of a stranger and immediately raised its head, vigilantly looking around.
When it saw Bai Qingqing appear in the yard, it wagged its tail obediently.
Bai Qingqing took out a dog bone from her storage space and let Big Yellow chew on it. She walked to the front door of the hall and lightly knocked, “Abao.”
She called Abao two or three times in succession before there was movement from the window. Little Abao, with his grape-like eyes, peered out through the window.
“Why have you come again?” he whispered.
Bai Qingqing leaned closer, smiling, “Don’t you want to see me?”
She noticed the red mark on the child’s face and felt a slight shock. She asked, “Did your mom hit you?”
Abao lowered his eyes and pouted, “My mom only hits me when I don’t listen. Sister, you should leave quickly. If my mom finds out I’m talking to you, she’ll scold me again.”
Bai Qingqing handed him a pack of dried plums and asked, “Abao, let’s make a secret deal, okay?”
“No, I don’t want your stuff,” Abao covered his mouth, “I don’t want it.”
Bai Qingqing persisted, continuing to offer things. Delicious dried fruits and snacks like Happy Fatty Water with osmanthus flavor, each item was tempting to the child.
“Sister won’t tell, and you won’t tell your mom. Nobody will know.”
Bai Qingqing wore a pitiful expression and said, “Sister just wants to ask you a few questions, is that okay?”
Abao blinked his eyes, “What do you want to ask?”
Seeing his attitude soften, Bai Qingqing stuffed the snacks into his hands and asked while doing so, “Where did all the children in the village go?”
“I don’t know,” Abao clutched the snacks, fear evident in his eyes. He said, “Mom said they were all captured by monsters and told me to stay home obediently, or else I would be taken away too.”
He showed a sorrowful expression, sniffing and said, “Even Dabang was taken away. Sob sob, I haven’t seen him for a long time.”
Bai Qingqing furrowed her brows and continued to ask, “Do you know where they were taken?”
“I don’t know,” Abao pouted, tears welling up in his eyes. “Sister, Mom says it’s very dangerous outside. Can you help me protect Xiaohua?”
Bai Qingqing understood he was referring to the dog. “Of course,” she replied. She mentioned a few other people named Awang that Grandma had told her about and asked, “Are there any other people in the village named Awang?”
Abao tilted his head and thought for a moment, then said, “My older brother is also called Awang. Sister, I haven’t seen my brother for a long time. I don’t know where he went.”
“I miss him,” Abao shed tears.
Yesterday, Abao’s mother never mentioned her man’s name, Awang. Perhaps Abao’s older brother is the target she’s looking for.
“Abao,” Bai Qingqing instructed before leaving, “Sister will help you find your brother Awang. Hurry back and hide. Don’t come out unless your mom and dad call you.”
“Okay,” Abao nodded.
Bai Qingqing left Abao’s house and just as she reached the road down the mountain, she ran into Hu Zi, whom she had met in the village before.
When Hu Zi saw her, he immediately approached and said, “So, you’re here. Come with me quickly.”
“Where to?” Bai Qingqing didn’t follow him immediately.
Hu Zi replied, “The clan leader is looking for you guys.”
Bai Qingqing followed him to the ancestral hall in Zhou Village, where everyone except Bai Tiantian had gathered.
The several men who were originally spirited appeared somewhat dejected, as if their energy had been drained by something, and even Captain Fu Chen was no exception.
When Bai Qingqing appeared, Shen Mingxuan’s peach blossom eyes flashed with indifference and coldness, his handsome face displaying a cold expression.
Bai Qingqing glanced around the ancestral hall. This time, there were many more people than when she entered the village. Not only were there men armed with weapons, but there were also several elderly women who looked at her with scrutinizing eyes, as if appraising goods.
These people held a significant position in Zhou Village. Within two days, she had noticed that Zhou Village still retained many feudal ideas and customs.
An elderly man with gray hair sat on a high stool, stroking his long beard and said, “I called you all here today because I have something to ask you.”
“You have been in the village for a few days now. Do you want to leave the village or stay?”
Bai Qingqing remained silent and looked at Fu Chen.
It hadn’t been three days yet, so Fu Chen probably wouldn’t say they wanted to leave. She still had unfinished tasks.
Fu Chen said, “Clan leader, there are so many infected zombies outside now. Going out would be suicide. We really like Zhou Village and hope you can make an exception and let us stay.”
Seeming eager to emphasize how much he wanted to stay, he spoke urgently, “As long as you approve our stay, we are willing to do anything.”
In fact, Zhou Village was already a place where people could enter but not leave. Outsiders who entered Zhou Village would have their money taken from them and then be forced to work in the village before mysteriously disappearing.
In the previous life, the Thunder Squad almost perished in Zhou Village because it was filled with peculiar secrets. Even though they had checked their food, they still fell into a trap and were controlled.
Bai Tiantian hadn’t been found yet, so the Thunder Squad couldn’t just leave.
The clan leader was pleased to hear Fu Chen’s words and chuckled, stroking his white beard. “Young man, it’s because I find you familiar that I allowed you to enter the village.”
“If you want to stay, of course, you can, but…” he pretended to be hesitant and said, “We don’t have much food stored in the village. If you want to stay, you must work with the team and endure hardship. Can you handle it?”
Xiao Yang grinned, showing his white teeth, and said cheerfully, “The few of us big men can handle any hardship. Clan leader, you can assign us work at any time, and we will definitely not be idle.”
The clan leader laughed heartily and said, “Good lad, since you say so, I can rest assured.”
The old fellow clearly had been waiting for this response.
The plump auntie looked at Bai Qingqing and said, “We have an unwritten rule in our village that unmarried men and women cannot meet.”
Bai Qingqing didn’t wait for her to finish and immediately looked towards Fu Chen, clinging to his arm anxiously. She said, “So, I can’t see my brother anymore?”
In the original story, Bai Tiantian was separated for the same reason, which caused the Thunder Squad to be unable to find her whereabouts.
The auntie’s face turned unpleasant when Bai Qingqing interrupted her and said, “There’s a distinction between men and women. You’re already grown up, yet you’re still clinging to your brother. It’s not proper!”
She emphasized her words, saying, “Little girl, don’t worry. Auntie will find you a good husband.”
Bai Qingqing seemed scared, trembling slightly as she held Fu Chen’s hand and leaned her head against his shoulder.
Fu Chen held her hand and said, “Auntie, my sister is timid. Can you let her stay by my side?”
“No!” Several voices spoke up simultaneously, expressing their disagreement.
“The village rules cannot be broken. There’s a distinction between men and women. They can’t meet before marriage, not even siblings.”
“A girl should get married at eighteen. What kind of appearance is it to still cling to her brother?”
Bai Qingqing didn’t know whether to call the villagers conservative or ignorant. They could say anything to achieve their goals.
When Bai Tiantian was forced to separate from them, it was also said that unmarried men and women couldn’t meet privately. Once taken away, they would disappear without a trace. But she hadn’t expected that even siblings were not allowed to meet in the village.
Liang Zhiyu narrowed his fox-like eyes and spoke, “Clan leader, our captain and his sister have never been separated before. Can you be flexible and allow them to meet once every half month?”
There were still voices of opposition in the ancestral hall, and the armed individuals looked fierce and menacing, as if they would immediately suppress any rebellion.
Fu Chen glanced at Bai Qingqing and said, “Auntie, please take good care of my sister.”
“Don’t worry.” The auntie laughed heartily, her rough voice echoing. “I will definitely treat your sister well.”
Cheng Rui’s clenched fist tightened slightly, and Xiao Yang also wore a worried expression. Only Shen Mingxuan had a smile on his lips, looking like he was watching a show.
Bai Qingqing’s face showed panic, but she remained calm in her heart. She wanted to see what tricks the people in Zhou Village were up to.
There was no way they would let the main characters be played around with. In the previous life, the Thunder Squad managed to escape from Zhou Village, and this time would be no different.
Ah Wang’s whereabouts were currently unknown. It was possible that she was taken away forcibly. Being able to see the mission target, Ah Mei, who was also forbidden to meet with unmarried men, could shed some light on the situation. Ah Wang and Ah Mei probably couldn’t be together due to this rule.
After the assembly in the ancestral hall, the group dispersed.
Bai Qingqing followed the auntie back to the south, and as they walked, the auntie said, “Since you’ve decided to stay in the village, tonight, come with me to the place where we will live.”
“Okay, thank you, Auntie,” Bai Qingqing smiled and said.
The auntie had a serious expression and said, “There are many rules in our village. If you want to stay, you must abide by the rules. Minor mistakes will be punished according to clan laws, and major mistakes will result in being expelled from the village.”
“Expelled from the village?” Bai Qingqing covered her mouth with her hands.
Seeing that she was scared, the auntie continued to assert her authority, saying, “If you don’t want to be expelled from the village, you will follow me tomorrow to learn the rules.”
“I understand,” Bai Qingqing quickly agreed.
The auntie led her to a building, pushed open the door, and walked in. Bai Qingqing realized that the place they were living in was a communal sleeping area, where at least five or six people could stay.
A woman on the auntie’s bed immediately climbed out from under the covers and respectfully called out, “Sister Hong.”
The room only had one table, two stools, and a large wardrobe. It was simple and clean, giving off a prison-like vibe.
Bai Qingqing noticed three women among them who were quite familiar. They were the women who had been taken by Zhang Qiang’s group at the service area.
“Why are you as stiff as a log?” The auntie pushed Bai Qingqing and said, “Come, greet everyone.”
Bai Qingqing smiled sweetly and softly, “Hello, everyone. My name is Bai Qingqing. I’m glad to join you all, and I hope you can guide me in the future.”
Seeing her speaking up, the auntie smiled and said, “You will sleep here tonight, and wake up early tomorrow.”
After Red Sister left, the women climbed onto the bed and lay down, placing their hands on their abdomens, maintaining a disciplined sleeping posture.
It was a peaceful night, and the next day, Bai Qingqing followed the women to a room. The large wooden house had a table and chairs neatly arranged, and the women sat in an orderly manner.
Bai Qingqing sat in the corner, feeling a sense of strangeness. Could this be some kind of class?
As she suspected, Red Sister led someone inside, and it was none other than Bai Tiantian, who she hadn’t seen for days. She was wearing a purple attire of a different ethnic group, adorned with a silver crown, looking exquisite and graceful.
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