The following morning, as Li Shuying stirred from her sleep, her mind lingered in a haze between dream and waking. It was only when the rhythmic clatter of wheels against iron tracks reached her ears that she fully regained her awareness.
Her eyes opened slowly.
As her vision adjusted to the light, she instinctively glanced downward from her upper berth, only to find that her brothers were nowhere in sight.
Instead, Gu Zhenhua alone sat by the window, one hand loosely holding a metal cup of warm water and his gaze was fixed outside, unwavering and intent.
Li Shuying quietly gathered herself, smoothing her slightly disheveled hair and adjusting her clothing before climbing down from the upper berth which drew Gu Zhenhua's attention.
Without turning fully, he spoke in a calm, even tone, "Your brothers have gone to the dining carriage. They will bring your meal on their way back."
Li Shuying gave a slight nod. "I see."
He did not respond further, his gaze already returning to the window.
She did not linger.
Making her way toward the washroom at the end of the carriage, she completed her morning routine with quiet efficiency.
By the time she returned, her brothers had yet to return and Gu Zhenhua… had not moved. He sat in the same position, his attention still fixed outside with an intensity that bordered on unsettling.
Li Shuying's brows knitting faintly and she followed his line of sight.
Beyond the glass, endless fields stretched into the distance, dry, brittle, and tinged with a dull yellow. The trees stood sparse and skeletal, their leaves long surrendered to the advancing autumn. Farther away, low mountains rose like shadows against the horizon.
It was a landscape stripped of vitality.
Then she turned slightly toward him.
"What is it?" she asked.
Gu Zhenhua did not answer at once.
For a few moments, he remained still, as though weighing his words carefully.
Only when she had seated herself properly did he finally speak.
"Do you see the fields?" he said.
Li Shuying nodded. "I do."
His voice remained low, steady, yet carried an undercurrent of concern.
"They are dry," he said. "Yellowed. By this time of year, the winter wheat should already have been sown or at the very least, the soil prepared. The Mid-Autumn Festival is less than half a month away."
His fingers tightened slightly around the metal cup.
"Yet along this entire route," he continued, "I have seen only a handful of fields that have been turned. Most remain untouched."
Li Shuying looked outside the window once again and this time more carefully.
Field after field passed by the window, each one echoing the same barren stillness. No furrows. No signs of preparation. No hint of the labor that should have been underway.
Of course it was not surprising to her. The famine had already begun.
Gu Zhenhua spoke again, his tone now carrying a trace of gravity, "The situation here is worsening. If this continues, the consequences will be severe. The nation is still young, barely standing after years of upheaval. Stability has not yet taken root in many regions. The state is already burdened with matters at the borders. Conflicts have not ceased. And if a food shortage emerges on top of that…" His voice trailed off, but the implication was clear. It would not merely be hardship, it would be crisis.
Li Shuying understood all this, perhaps more than he did. Where his concerns were grounded in observation and reason, hers extended into something far advance, she actually know the future.
She knew the scale of what was coming. In the next three years, suffering would spread like an unrelenting tide. It would not be a fleeting hardship, but a shadow so vast that its chill would linger in memory for generations. The scars left behind would not fade easily; they would sink deep into the bones of the nation, dimming its light for years to come.
And yet this was only the beginning.
A faint breath escaped her lips. There was a bitter helplessness in that knowledge. Since her rebirth, the thought of helping her village had never left her mind. She had tried to find a solution, some way to alter what she already knew would unfold. But knowing the future and being able to change it were two entirely different matters.
Even with the system space she possessed… it was not limitless. It had its own constraints.
She lowered her eyes slightly. Sometimes… knowing too much is a burden in itself.
Yet even so, one thought remained firm within her heart, she had to act. At the very least, she had to protect her village.
The negotiations over river water were still ongoing between the neighboring communes. Once an agreement was reached and large-scale fieldwork will began, everything would be set into motion.
And by then… it would already be too late.
Because even if water were distributed evenly and sowing began, What then?
She knew the answer.
This winter would be harsher than most. The crops, sown late and nourished by insufficient water, would not grow strong enough to endure the coming frost.
The harvest would definitely fail.
That was the true danger.
Not merely the lack of yield… but the long, unforgiving winter that followed.
Lost in these thoughts, she heard Gu Zhenhua spoke again.
"When Battalion Commander Zhang came on leave to Taonan county, I met him once," he said, his voice measured, "and we spoke of this very matter."
Li Shuying turned her head slightly, her attention returning to him.
"And do you know what he said?"
She shook her head.
Gu Zhenhua's gaze remained fixed outside, but there was a subtle heaviness in his tone now.
"He said these are clear signs of famine."
For a fleeting moment, Li Shuying's eyes widened slightly. "How would he know?" she asked, the question leaving her lips almost instinctively.
Gu Zhenhua exhaled softly, "It is not certainty," he said. "Only experience."
"During the War of Resistance, in the early 1940s, Battalion Commander Zhang served alongside my father in Zhengzhou. At that time, the northern regions were still under occupation, and Henan had not yet stabilized. A great famine struck there," he said. "Particularly in Henan and the signs, he says, were much like these."
For a fleeting moment, Li Shuying's eyes brightened.
An idea rose within her thoughts. If she were to speak of famine, who would believe her? To the villagers, such words would sound like baseless fear, the idle imaginings of a young girl. But if someone like uncle Zhang were to voice the same warning… Would it not carry weight?
Would it not make people listen?
A faint spark of excitement stirred within her.
Yes… she thought, her pulse quickening slightly. If it comes from someone like Uncle Zhang, the villagers may finally take it seriously.
But just as quickly, that fragile brightness dimmed.
Even if they believed... What then?
Belief alone could not fill empty stomachs. The true crisis was not merely foresight, it was survival. Winter was approaching. And the village… was utterly unprepared.
The summer harvest had already been handed over to the state as part of the grain quota. What remained had been collectively sold by the commune to purchase coarse grains for the communal canteen. Whatever reserves existed were thin, stretched across too many mouths.
So the question remains, what would sustain them through the long, unforgiving months of cold?
So even if every villagers believed her warning, it would not change the immediate reality: they still had to survive this winter first.
Her expression shifted again before slowly settling into something steadier. One step at a time. She could not solve everything at once. But she would find a way.
Across from her, Gu Zhenhua had been watching in silence.
His sharp gaze did not miss the rapid changes in her expression, the fleeting brightness, the sudden shadow, the trace of distress, and finally… the quiet resolve.
His brows furrowed slightly.
Just as he was about to speak, footsteps sounded in the corridor.
Li Jianmin and Li Jianguo returned, carrying a simple tray between them. Behind them came He Jianci, holding another portion.
"Little Shuying," Li Jianmin said lightly, setting the tray down, "we brought your share."
The meal was modest, just steamed buns and a bowl of thin porridge, it was more than sufficient.
He Jianci placed Gu Zhenhua's portion beside him with a respectful nod.
No one spoke much after that.
The train continued its journey, until by eleven in the morning, it finally slowed and pulled into the county station.
As the carriage doors opened, a wave of familiar air greeted them. The moment their feet touched the platform, the difference was immediate. Li Jianmin stretched his arms with a grin, while Li Jianguo's expression softened. Even Li Shuying, who had maintained her composure throughout, could not help the faint warmth that touched her features.
No matter how lively or prosperous the city might be, home was something else entirely. Its warmth was not measured in wealth, but in belonging.
After gathering their belongings, Li Shuying turned toward Gu Zhenhua and He Jianci. "Comrade Gu, Comrade He," she said with a polite nod, her tone sincere, "thank you for your assistance along the way. From here, we can manage on our own."
Gu Zhenhua inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment.
"When can I receive the goods?" he asked directly.
The question brought her back to the deal they had made day before yesterday.
Li Shuying considered it for a moment, weighing the timing and the risks, before replying, "Meet me near Taonan County First High School at two-thirty this afternoon. I will provide the first batch then."
She added, after a slight pause, "However, the quantity will be limited for now."
Gu Zhenhua accepted this without objection.
"Very well," he said. "We will meet at two-thirty."
With that, he turned, He Jianci following closely behind, and the two men walked away from the platform.
Li Jianguo's brows were slightly furrowed, his tone cautious as he asked, "Shuying, what did Comrade Gu mean just now… when he asked about 'goods'?"
Li Shuying paused for a moment and than explained the deal they made day before yesterday.
Both brothers stiffened slightly.
Li Jianguo's expression shifted with concern. "You mean… you are supplying food to his detached troop?"
Li Shuying nodded.
Li Jianguo fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly, weighing each word. "Wouldn't that be risky? Providing supplies privately to army… and for profit… if someone discovers this, it could bring unnecessary scrutiny upon us."
His concern was not unfounded.
Li Shuying, however, remained calm.
"I have already considered that," she replied evenly. "I discussed the matter thoroughly with Comrade Gu. He assured me that the source of the supplies will remain strictly confidential. No one apart from us will know."
She paused, then added, "More importantly, I am not selling at an inflated price. The goods are being provided at standard market rates. When he submits its accounts for reimbursement to unit, everything will appear legitimate."
Li Jianguo listened carefully.
After a moment, he gave a small nod.
That did make sense and over the past few days, he had come to understand one thing clearly, Gu Zhenhua was not someone who acted carelessly. If he had agreed to this arrangement, then he must have already weighed the risks himself.
Li Jianmin frowned, "But if you are selling at market price, then what about profit? You still have to procure the goods first. Doesn't that mean you gain nothing in the end?"
Li Shuying opened her mouth to respond...
But Li Jianguo cut in before she could speak. "This isn't always about profit," he said, his tone firm. "Sometimes, safety matters more."
He turned to Li Jianmin, his expression steady. "And besides, what is wrong with helping Comrade Gu? Have you forgotten? Our father is also a soldier. Just think of it as supporting people like him."
Li Jianmin blinked, then scratched his head slightly, his earlier frustration fading, "…That's true."
The tension between them eased. Then, as if shaking off the seriousness of the moment, Li Jianmin suddenly brightened.
"Enough of this," he said with a grin. "Let's go home! Mother will definitely be happy to see us. And we brought so many things, we have to show her everything!"
Li Jianguo smiled faintly and nodded. "Yes, we should head back."
But just as they began to move, Li Shuying spoke again. "You two go ahead," she said.
Both brothers stopped and turned. "You're not coming?" Li Jianmin asked, puzzled.
Li Shuying shook her head slightly. "I still have a few matters to take care of," she replied. "Also… I plan to bring Eldest Brother back today."
Her tone grew more thoughtful. "Today is Monday. He should still be at school. I will wait outside and bring him home with me." She paused briefly, then added, "He has been returning late these past few days. It's… a little concerning."
Li Jianguo and Li Jianmin exchanged a glance. After a moment, Li Jianguo nodded. "Alright, we'll go ahead and inform Mother."
Li Jianmin slung the bundle over his shoulder and grinned. "Don't take too long, little Shuying."
One by one, they gathered their belongings and began walking out of the station. Li Shuying remained where she was for a moment, watching them leave.
Only when they had disappeared from sight did she turn in the opposite direction.
She walked into the county, her mind already shifting toward what needed to be done next.
She still remembered the address Zhang Wenhao had given her. After weaving through a few narrow lanes, she reached a quieter corner, where the movement of people thinned and the surroundings fell momentarily still and entered a narrow empty lane.
Her gaze swept the area once and when she saw no one she closed her eyes and entered her system space.
Without hesitation, she began harvesting, her movements efficient. The grains were quickly gathered and stored.
She moved next to the livestock.
The animals had grown strong and healthy. After feeding them, she selected a two well-fattened pigs, three rabbits and the one chicken. She put them one by one in meat processing machine, the meat was separated with care, the organs sorted and stored automatically within the warehouse, each portion preserved in perfect condition.
She then measured out several jin of Corn and wheat and processed it to cornmeal and fine white wheat flour, tying them securely.
The vegetable section, already overflowing, drew her attention next. She selected fresh turnips, garlic, eggplants, and crisp Chinese cabbages, their surfaces still carrying the faint sheen of freshness.
Finally, she retrieved a cut of pork belly and a bundle of bright red hawthorns.
She packed everything carefully into a coarse grain sack. Once satisfied, she closed her eyes and exited space.
Li Shuying adjusted the sack over her shoulder and walked out as though she had never disappeared at all.
A few passersby glanced at her their eyes lingering briefly on the bulky grain sack she carried.
She immediately quickened her pace. Following the directions Zhang Wenhao had given her, she soon arrived at her destination.
It was a standalone courtyard, small, enclosed by simple walls, yet well-kept. She paused briefly, scanning her surroundings, then stepped forward and knocked on the wooden door.
A faint rustling sound came from within. Moments later, the door creaked open. A young boy stood there, slightly older than her. For a brief instant, Li Shuying was taken aback.
He looked remarkably like Zhang Wenhao, though softer in bearing. His complexion was fair, his features clean and refined. His face was delicate, like those delicate male idols girls would fancy in her previous life.
His thin brows were slightly furrowed as he regarded her, his posture relaxed, almost languid and lazy. "What do you want?" he asked.
His tone carried a hint of arrogance, but it was not outright rude. Rather, it felt like the casual indifference of someone accustomed to comfort.
Li Shuying met his gaze calmly. "I am here to see Uncle Zhang," she said. "Please inform him that Li Shuying has come."
For a moment, the boy remained still. Than his eyes widened. "Li Shuying?" he repeated, his voice lifting in surprise. "The one who gave my father those apples?"
His earlier laziness vanished instantly, replaced by unmistakable excitement.
Li Shuying paused, then recalled the moment at the station, when she had indeed handed a few apples to Zhang Wenhao before departing to Baicheng.
She nodded.
At once, the boy's face lit up.
"Ah! Esteemed guest, please come in, please come in!" he said hurriedly, stepping aside with newfound enthusiasm. "My father is in the backyard tending to his flowers. I will go and call him immediately."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and ran off, his earlier indifference completely gone.
Li Shuying stepped inside.
The living room was simple but orderly, furnished with modest wooden chairs and a table polished by years of use. There was a quiet elegance to it, nothing excessive, yet nothing neglected.
For a brief moment, she stood there alone.
She set the grain sack down carefully beside her and waited.