Chapter 225

Xu Ran’s orchard took him three years’ effort to finally bear fruits. Now after another three years, the fruits in the orchards had been picked up one batch after another, and the strawberry seedlings in the strawberry fields had been altered several times.

Xu Ran was also in his thirties. Tangtang and Guoguo were 13 years old, and even Baozi was seven years old. He could only exclaim that time was a file that wore and made no noise.

Actually, what Xu Ran was most happy about these years was not how much money he earned in his orchards, but Tangtang and Guoguo already achieved the title of Scholar last year. 12 year old Scholar, they really did not fail his studious education all these years, and so he thought.

Over the years, Zhuo Yun’s family lived in Xu Ran’s house most of the time, and during the rest time, the family stayed in their own home. One much happier thing was when Qing Shu was three years old, Qin Shuwen gave birth to another baby, who was a son.

However, his name was so contrasted with that of Qing Shu. He was called Zhuo Han, nicknamed Doggy. From the name, it fully reflected Qing Shu’s position in their family. Moreover, this name was the one that Zhuo Yun’s persisted in picking. No one could stop him and Xu Ran was so stunned at the time. However Zhuo Yun blocked everyone’s mouth by saying that a kid with a humble name was easy to raise.

After all, Qing shu had been constantly sick since the age of one, and everyone was a little worried. Zhuo Yun was probably worried too, so there came so a name, but it was really heartless.

Compared to Qing Shu, Baozi was vivacious. Xu Ran felt that all of his family’s sports genes were on Baozi, and he would cry from time to time, in a heart-wrenching way.

Uhm, when Baozi howled like this, he was hungry. It was not until this time did Xu Ran realize that a foodie was born to his family.

However, Baozi was a real foodie because he could not only eat, he was also very thin. He had a body shape that made people jealous and hateful. Every time the old couple of Qin Family and Lin Hua came over, they would scold Xu Ran and Liu Tong that a brother needed to be spoiled, so he should be allowed to eat more. As to the shape, he could maintain it when he grew up.

Xu Ran and Liu Tong were really bitter. He ate the most at home, but did not gain weight, while they were the ones to be scolded. So every time when he ate, Xu Ran stared at Baozi so fiercely and was eager to know where the food had been.

Three bowls of rice for each meal, every day without variation. From the current situation, Xu Ran felt that Baozi would have to find a wealthy family to marry, or he would suffer there.

Xu Ran had to say this to Liu Tong every time after dinner. At first, Liu Tong didn’t care at all. But as Baozi grew bigger and bigger, his appetite didn’t decrease at all. Instead, he seemed to eat more. Thus, Liu Tong started to worry.

The whole family were really worried about Little Baozi’s appetite.

This day, while the rain was getting lighter. Xu Ran with Baozi went to the orchard to pick some fruits. Of course, he did not forget to instruct Baozi not to eat too much at noon and eat more fruits, otherwise he would not look pretty when he grew up.

Baozi completely ignored Xu Ran’s words. He picked up a peach to eat and threw some into Xu Ran’s back-basket. It was not a problem for him to do anything else. But to control his appetite was out of the question.

Between the son and father, the former was eating happily, while the latter was exhorting earnestly. At the same time both were busy picking fruits, quite a pretty picture.

“Yee-haw! Yee-haw!”

However, not long after they picked the fruits, they heard the sound of someone riding a horse. The sound of hoofbeat was very hurried. Xu Ran hurriedly got down from the tree, put the basket on his back, carried Baozi in his arms, and then walked out of the orchard. He remembered that Tangtang and Guoguo had got out riding horses this morning.

The two kids had been sensible since childhood. If it weren’t for anything wrong, they would never have been riding in the village.

Xu Ran subconsciously felt that something was up.

As soon as they left the orchard, they saw Guoguo running over on his horse. Xu Ran hurriedly called out from behind, “Guoguo, Guoguo, why are you running in such a hurry? Did something happen?”

Because Guoguo had learned kung fu, and had acute hearing, he heard when Xu Ran uttered his first call, but didn’t stop only owing to the fast speed of the horse.

Xu Ran thought he didn’t hear him, so he ran home with Baozi. However, he saw Guoguo on his horse running back after a few steps. Guoguo jumped down from the horse and said to Xu Ran, “Dad, things are not good. I just heard the news from the town that someone has been infected with the plague.”

After Guoguo said this, Xu Ran was stunned. After the disasters like flood or drought, there must be accompanied by the plague. He patted his head in annoyance.

After summer, the torrential rain had not stopped, and recently there was constant rainstorm-related news about the breaching of the dyke, or about the flooded villages. He should have been on guard.

Maybe it was because he didn’t expect it, or because their life had been too peaceful, he had been completely off guard.

Xu Ran looked up and saw that Guoguo was alone. He asked, “Guoguo, where’s your brother? Didn’t the two of you go together?”

Guoguo said, “Dad don’t worry. Brother said he wanted to buy something first, and then he was going to pick up Uncle Zhuo Yun and the others.”

Xu Ran put down Baozi and said to him, “Baozi, go back and tell Daddy that a plague occurred. I’ll talk with your second brother about what happened first.”

Xu Ran was very serious when he said this. In Baozi’s eyes, Dad would only be so serious when he taught him a lesson. Although he was only seven years old, he was not stupid. He knew that things were not simple, so he immediately ran towards home.

After Baozi left, Xu Ran asked Guoguo, “Guoguo, what’s happening in the town now? Where did you hear the news?”

Guoguo said, “Dad, this is what Doctor He told us. Didn’t you say that the frequently-used ointments at home was used up and when my brother and I went shopping, we could buy some back? Today, we happened to go to Doctor He’s shop. When we arrived, it happened that a person was carried in, and it seemed that he was very sick. After Doctor He checked his pulse, he shook his head and said that he could not help it. We waited for a long time. After the person was carried away, Doctor He had the shop closed, and called us into the room, saying that the previous person might have caught the plague. Because he had met the similar case, he was able to tell.

Xu Ran asked Guoguo, “Can’t Doctor He deal with it?”

Guoguo shook his head. “Brother and I also asked Doctor He about it. He said that the downpour was continuing and there was a shortage of medicinal materials. What’s more, he didn’t know how to treat it. Besides, he couldn’t declare that this person was infected by a plague or it would cause panic. He estimated that more and more people would come to his door, so he closed the shop.”

The plague was a big issue, and it absolutely could not be declared casually. Since now it was not sure whether the source of the disease was in the town, how many people had infected it, it was really a troublesome and serious issue. Xu Ran couldn’t help but worry. Who could come to rescue these people from the plague?

Guoguo continued, “After brother and I heard what Doctor He said, we asked him to prepare a lot of medicinal ingredients just in case. Brother asked me to go home first and tell Dad that he went to inform Uncle Uncle Zhuo and the others. Dad, should we go to town to find brother now?”

Of course they should. Xu Ran didn’t think that he had the ability to rescue others. The most important thing for him right now was to find a way to make good arrangements for his family. Baozi was a kid and Liu Tong and Shao Yu were brothers. All of them were vulnerable, and should be under close protection.

The father and son were discussing what to do by the roadside while Liu Tong was running over with Baozi. He was still gasping when they got near. He asked Xu Ran, “Ran, is what Baozi said true?”

Xu Ran nodded. “It is Guoguo who came back from the town and told us, Tongtong, Guoguo and I are going to the town soon. You with Baozi quickly go to the field, gather as many vegetables as possible and store them at home. Also prepare a lot of hay for the livestock. Guoguo and I will take care of the grains. Besides, in these few days, Baozi cannot go outside. Got it?”

Xu Ran looked at Baozi with a serious expression. Baozi knew the severity of the situation and nodded in a hurry, “Dad, I got it.”

After that, Xu Ran asked Liu Tong to bring Baozi back first, and he went to harness the horse to the carriage. Guoguo had already rode on the horse and headed towards town.

After Xu Ran set up the carriage, he went to chase after Guoguo. In the meanwhile, he thought about his experiences–firstly it was the time&space travel, this time it was the plague, which was life-threatening! Furthermore, he had to take care of the whole large family. Thus he was really worried.

After arriving at the town, Xu Ran asked Guoguo to inform the familiar people. No matter it was true or not, they had to be on guard anyway. He went to buy grains. Because of the need to carry things, Xu Ran harnessed the horse to the wooden cart, which could be loaded with more grains.

Xu Ran thought that when the worst time came, Xu Ran and Qin Shuwu’s families could all live in his place, so he had to store a lot of food. As the plague would take at least a few months, it would definitely not be enough without a thousand jin of grains. Fortunately, they were not short in silver now.

Zhuo Yun also went to buy grains. After Tangtang told him that someone in the town was infected with plague, he immediately asked Tangtang to take Qin Shuwen and the others to go to Xu Village, while he went to the grain store to buy rice.

The two even bumped into each other while doing the shopping, but they just exchanged a look and didn’t say anything.

After they bought food, they went to purchase other things, including oil, salt, various spices, and cloth. Anyway, as long as the stuff could be used in daily life, they bought it.

Xu Ran also counted in the portion of Wu Mei’s family. They had food in their own home, but they must need things like oil and salt.

Xu Ran didn’t dare to buy the medicinal herbs, since he couldn’t get them without a prescription. Thus he let Gao Quan go to the mountain to gather some after returning home. Xu Ran was somewhat glad that Tangtang and Guoguo had grown up when the plague came. They could help the family a lot. If it was several years earlier, he would be more anxious.