Becoming the Villain's Discarded Wife
Chapter 86: Discovering a Water Source_1

Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Discovering a Water Source_1

The Li Family’s matter eventually did not disturb the government.

Shi Tou was adopted by the second branch of the family and raised by Li Liang and Liao Hui.

Everyone had been concerned that he would cry and make a fuss upon waking up, but unexpectedly, he became reticent and skittish, hiding from anyone he saw, and never asked about Ms. Wu and the others again.

Seeing Shen Wenchen dressed neatly, Nanzhi was somewhat at a loss for words.

It was getting dark, and she couldn’t help but worry whether going up the mountain to hunt at this hour was safe.

"We’ll be back by tomorrow morning," Shen Wenchen reassured her, not wanting Nanzhi to worry.

"Alright, then be careful," Nanzhi said as she watched the group walk further away before she finally closed the door.

After the Li Family’s affairs had been settled two days ago, her relationship with Shen Wenchen had also slightly improved.

Thinking about his departure in a few days, Nanzhi felt a bit aimless.

Shen Wenchen had told her about his rebirth.

Should she then tell the truth?

She wasn’t the original host and naturally couldn’t accept Shen Wenchen’s affections.

But if she told the truth, what if she was burnt as a goblin?

Thinking about it, she couldn’t help but worry.

If she had known it would be like this, it would have been better to be reborn as a widow!

Now it was neither right to speak nor stay silent.

He had offered his sincere heart only to find she was a fake.

In the backyard, the River Clam in the wooden basin silently shed tears listening to Nanzhi’s inner thoughts. Why were things not unfolding as it had imagined?

Shouldn’t it have been love at first sight and a sweet, affectionate romance?

Why had it turned into a complicated covert operation?

Shen Wenchen and his party went up the mountain, and Eleven thought his demeanor was a bit strange. After pondering for a while, he followed quietly and asked, "Big Brother Shen, what’s going on with you?"

Could it be that he had quarreled with his sister-in-law?

But they seemed quite harmonious these past two days, and besides, they were going to leave in a few days. If his sister-in-law didn’t forgive him, what would he do?

Shen Wenchen kept his usual expression and simply shook his head without saying anything.

For some reason, he always felt that Nannan was slightly different from the last life.

The party roamed the mountains all night, and it wasn’t until the dawn broke that they began to pack up their game in preparation to descend.

They had a decent haul today, catching four rabbits and shooting six pheasants. The sight of the flapping game brought a smile to Shen Wenchen’s face.

If they could bring back such spoils for the next few days, his mother and son would live better.

After eating some of the dried food they had brought the night before, they were just about to head down the mountain when Shen Wenchen suddenly paused.

Why did it seem like he heard the sound of water?

With the riverbed already half-exposed and the village’s well nearly dry, it would be unsafe for Nannan and Zhiyu if a new water source wasn’t found. If their family’s well continued to yield water, naturally the villagers would think of their home, but if their well dried up too, how could Nannan and Zhiyu be safe?

Pondering these matters, he decisively followed the sound.

Eleven and the others, seeing his actions, were curious. What was Big Brother Shen doing?

Could it be that he had spotted some game?

Until dusk fell, Nanzhi had not seen any sign of them and couldn’t help but worry.

Could it be that they got lost in the mountains?

Yet, Shen Zhiyu, like a little grown-up, tiptoed and patted Nanzhi’s shoulder before placing his hands on his hips and declaring, "Mom doesn’t need to worry! If Dad gets lost, he can fly back!"

Hearing his words, Nanzhi chuckled without speaking, when she suddenly saw bursts of light shining from beyond the courtyard wall.

With the noisy commotion outside, Nanzhi’s heart skipped a beat, wondering if it could be bandits descending from the mountains?

"Girl! Come out quick!" Mrs. Liu, beaming with joy, was holding a torch in one hand and pounding on the door of the Nanzhi’s house with the other.

Recognizing Mrs. Liu’s voice, Nanzhi breathed a sigh of relief—it wasn’t bandits invading the village.

"Mrs. Liu! What happened?" Nanzhi opened the courtyard door and looked at the villagers, all flushed with excitement, somewhat perplexed. What good fortune had befallen them?

"Water! We’ve found water on East Mountain!" Mrs. Liu exclaimed joyfully, her eyes shining with delight as she looked at Nanzhi.

Now that every family had food stores, they wouldn’t starve for the time being, but without water at night, none would escape!

Now that the Shen lad had found water, at least everyone’s lives could be saved!

"Found water?" Nanzhi’s eyes lit up—she knew there was water on East Mountain!

"Yes! It was your Wenchen who led those boys and found it!" Mrs. Liu said with a laugh as she patted Nanzhi’s hand, just as Wenchen returned home. Now the three of them as a family could live well—that was the important thing!

Since there was no one at home to look after Zhiyu, Nanzhi suppressed her curiosity about the commotion and could only watch eagerly as Mrs. Liu and the others followed the large group up the mountain.

At the tenth hour of the night, Shen Wenchen returned home covered in mud.

Nanzhi, already anxious about their well-being, had slept fitfully that night, so she awoke to the creaking noise of the courtyard door being pushed open.

"Shen Wenchen?"

Hearing the hesitant probing in Nanzhi’s voice, Shen Wenchen felt a warmth in his heart, but his tone carried a hint of reproach as he asked, "Why haven’t you gone to sleep?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Nanzhi was not bothered by his tone. She felt relieved, put on her overcoat, and opened the door to go outside: "I thought you had gotten lost in the mountains!"

Ada, with the game hanging in hand, immediately came over grinning and ready to take credit: "Sister-in-law, we were supposed to return this morning, but Big Brother Shen heard what sounded like water flowing on the mountain. When we went to look, we really found a hidden spring, and the flow is strong!"

Ada, nodding along, added, "Yeah, yeah, Big Brother Shen said it’s been too hot, and without rain, he was worried you’d run out of water, so he sent us to tell Uncle Li Zheng and led the villagers up to the mountain to channel the water!"

After hearing their words, Nanzhi glanced covertly at Shen Wenchen, who was tidying up the game in the yard.

Suddenly, she felt an unusual sensation in her heart.

Shen Wenchen seemed to be a really good person.

For the following two days, Shen Wenchen, Ada, and the rest were mostly hunting or channeling water on the mountain.

During the daytime, Nanzhi also joined Mrs. Liu and the others, taking Shen Zhiyu to the mountain to watch.

The area in front of the hidden spring deep in the mountain had been dug into a significant hole. It was said that originally, Dashan wanted to direct the water straight down the mountain, which would make it more convenient for everyone to fetch water.

However, they discovered that once they left the deep mountain region, the water would stop as if blocked, refusing to flow outward.

Although they found it mysterious, compared to survival, this was a minor concern.

Who cares why it didn’t flow out—as long as there was enough to eat, drink, and keep alive.

After the first day’s attempt to dig channels for the water proved futile, Dashan simply led people to create a larger pond right in front of the hidden spring.

Considering that the crops in the fields had been eaten clean and no one had much to do at home, Dashan also led them to build a road on East Mountain to make fetching water easier.

The game that Shen Wenchen and his group brought home was increasingly plentiful; they even taught other villagers how to set traps.

For a while, no one envied them.

Looking at the kitchen almost too full to hang another piece of dried meat, Nanzhi felt a pang of discomfort.

Did this count as reaping the benefits for herself?