Chapter 495

"Alright... um... Dad," Silvan opened his mouth slightly, uttering the word Dad felt somewhat unfamiliar, it had been a very long time since he last called out that word.

Alan turned and walked into the dilapidated house, Silvan immediately followed.

The inside was even cruder than the outside, aside from simple, old, homemade wooden furniture, there was absolutely nothing of value, one had to realize this was the living space for a family of four, the aging mud walls even had cracks running through them, to describe it as having only four bare walls would not be an exaggeration.

On the dining table sat only a bowl of pickled vegetables and a bowl of plain greens, the bowls contained rice porridge that couldn’t be any more watery, and they were only half full.

Silvan slowly sat down, he watched as his father took a sip of porridge, then poured the rest into Silvan’s bowl.

"You are still growing, eat more," then Alan picked up the water kettle and poured it into his empty bowl, a few grains of puffed rice floated on the somewhat murky water, which he gulped down in large mouthfuls.

Inside the body, Bruce’s eyes grew red and moist, seeing this scene, he could barely contain his emotions.

"Dad, you take it, I am young," Silvan pushed the bowl back to Alan.

However, Alan only smiled, pushed the porridge back again, and said gently, "Child, you are right at the age of growing, you eat this porridge, Dad isn’t hungry."

Bruce looked at Silvan’s father’s face, weather-beaten yet full of loving affection, and an indescribable emotion surged in his heart, he knew that in this family, every grain of rice was hard-won, yet the father always saved the best for his children.

Bruce thought of his own father, he took a deep breath, steadying his emotions.

"Dad, we’ll each take half, otherwise, I won’t drink a single drop," Silvan said with utmost firmness.

Alan was taken aback.

"Alright, you father and son, split it in half and drink up, there’s still some in the pot, today I found a small bag of rice that had fallen behind the cupboard a long time ago, it’s enough for you two," Lillian said in an exasperated but fond tone.

With that, the father and son finally began to drink slowly.

After the meal, Silvan went to the bedroom to check on his sister.

Her face was pale as paper, and those once vivid eyes had lost their luster, a thin quilt covered her body in a flat layer, as if there was nothing underneath at all.

Bruce’s heart skipped a beat, he almost couldn’t bear to look.

"Brother," Serene called out softly, wanting to say something, but she was too weak to get the words out, then she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

...

This startled Silvan, he hurriedly checked her heartbeat and, finding she had only fallen asleep, breathed a sigh of relief.

He held his sister’s withered hand, heart filled with mixed emotions, he tucked her hand back under the covers, then walked out.

In the courtyard.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled over the farmhouse courtyard, draping the land in golden gauze, however, beneath this tranquility, a deep sorrow was hidden.

Alan sat on the threshold, staring blankly into the distance, his face was written with exhaustion and despair, those once powerful hands now hung powerlessly over his knees.

"Dad, we cannot give up," Silvan sat down next to him, voice firm, gaze flashing with unyielding light.

Alan raised his head and looked at his son’s young face, a complex wave of emotion surged in his heart, he knew his son’s intentions, but reality’s cruelty made him unable to speak.

He sighed, "Silvan, we have already done our best..."

"No," Silvan interrupted.

"As long as we still have a breath, we cannot give up hope, I will go to the town to find work, once I earn money, I’ll hire a doctor, there will definitely be a way to cure my sister!"

"Dad, just stay home and take care of Mom and Serene, I will be back soon!"

Looking at his son’s resolute eyes, warmth welled up in Alan’s heart, he knew this might be the only way.

After some discussion, Silvan set out for town without hesitation, hoping to find work and raise funds for his sister’s treatment.

However, reality was far crueler than he had imagined, when he arrived full of hope, he found that getting a job was no easy task, he ran around everywhere, asking countless shops and workshops, but received only cold rejections.

After running into walls for several days, his dry rations were long gone, he had been looking for work on an empty stomach, starving and utterly exhausted, but the conviction in his heart kept him going.

Just then, a seemingly amiable middle-aged man approached, claiming to be the steward of a wealthy household who needed helpers to transport goods, Silvan was overjoyed, thinking he had found hope, without hesitation, he followed the man.

However, what awaited him was a nightmare.

The middle-aged man was no steward but a swindler who specialized in tricking outsiders, he lured Silvan to a remote warehouse, forcing him and several other victims to carry heavy cargo.

Silvan exerted all his strength, sweat soaking his clothes, but those swindlers cared nothing for their lives, they refused to pay wages and punched and kicked them from time to time, forcing them to speed up.

Silvan’s heart was filled with despair, he looked at the other deceived people, their eyes also filled with helplessness and anger, he realized he had fallen into a quagmire from which he could not free himself.

However, just as he was about to give up, he thought of his parents and sister back home, he remembered his sister’s paper-pale face and those large eyes that had lost their luster, he knew he could not give up like this.

Furthermore, there was at least one silver lining, there was food to eat, although it was like swill, it was better than starving, therefore, he gritted his teeth, endured the torment, and continued carrying those heavy goods, at the same time, he searched for an opportunity to escape.

Just like this, Silvan persevered amidst despair, he didn’t know how much longer he could hold on, but he knew he couldn’t give up, because he knew that in his faraway home, there was someone waiting for him to return...

A/N:

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