Bo Xi quietly listened as the family explained everything that had happened while she was away.
How the villagers had gathered.How they had tried to beg first, then threaten.How they had attempted to break the door and windows.
By the time Father Han finished speaking, Bo Xi's expression had grown cold.
At first, she felt a wave of relief. No one had been hurt. The door had held, and the family had managed to defend themselves.
But soon that relief turned into anger.
When so many villagers gathered with knives and sticks, could the Village Chief truly not know? In a small village, news traveled faster than the wind. Of course she knew. Perhaps she had even allowed it to happen, thinking Bo Xi would eventually give in under pressure.
Bo Xi slowly exhaled.
From now on, she would keep her distance from the village.
"Let's bring these things inside first," Bo Xi said, pointing toward the large sacks she had left outside the door.
Han Fei had finally calmed down. His eyes were still slightly red, but his breathing had steadied. Looking at the pile of goods, he said in surprise, "You bought so many things."
"You are really strong," Father Han added, clearly impressed. "As expected from someone who passed the military scholar exam."
The sacks were heavy, but with everyone helping, they quickly moved everything inside. Grain bags were stacked neatly in the corner, while bundles of cloth and medicine were placed carefully on the table.
Mother Han looked at the pile of supplies and asked worriedly, "How much did all this cost?"
Bo Xi told them the current market prices.
The moment they heard the numbers, everyone gasped.
"The price rose this much?" Father Han said in disbelief.
Han Fei frowned. "It's even worse than before."
Bo Xi nodded seriously. "Mother, I also heard some news in town." She paused before continuing. "The snowstorm will probably end soon. But the situation afterward might not be good."
Everyone looked at her.
"Like this winter," Bo Xi said slowly, "I'm worried the summer will also be abnormal."
She paused, choosing her words carefully.
"If the summer becomes too long and dry, the wells and rivers might dry up."
The room fell silent.
Mother Han's expression immediately turned serious. Everyone in the village depended on the river and wells. If the water disappeared, farming would fail completely.
Bo Xi looked at Mother Han and continued calmly, "I plan to observe the situation first. But if the river truly dries up… I intend to relocate north with Han Fei."
She paused before adding quietly, "Some of my relatives live there."
Then she looked directly at Mother Han.
"If that happens, I hope you and Father will come with us."
Mother Han did not respond immediately.
Her eyes lowered as she stared at the floor.
"I will think about it when the time comes," she finally said softly.
Her voice carried exhaustion.
Mother Han had been born and raised in this village. Even though her relationship with her sisters was not good, they were still family. Many distant relatives also lived nearby. Leaving meant abandoning the place she had known her entire life.
It was not a decision she could make easily.
Bo Xi understood this and did not push further.
Instead, she simply nodded.
"We still have time," she said gently.
Outside, the wind continued to howl against the walls of the house, as if reminding them that the disasters were far from over. Inside, the family quietly began arranging the newly bought supplies, each person silently thinking about the uncertain future ahead.
Time slowly passed.
The Village Chief came once to visit Bo Xi's house, but Bo Xi refused to meet her. She did not open the door, nor did she send any message. Everyone in the house understood the reason. What had happened during the attack had already broken whatever trust remained between Bo Xi and the village.
The Village Chief did not come again after that.
However, peace did not return immediately.
One night, a group of villagers tried to attack the house again. Perhaps they believed that if they could force their way in, they might take food or supplies.
But this time, Bo Xi was home.
When the door was struck, Bo Xi walked outside without hesitation. The cold anger that had been building inside her for weeks finally erupted. She fought them alone, her movements swift and precise from months of training.
The attackers had expected an easy target.
Instead, they were beaten badly.
By the time they crawled away, many of them had broken arms or legs. In ordinary times, such injuries made their lives harder, but in a harsh winter without proper medicine or food, broken bones could easily become fatal.
After that night, no one dared approach Bo Xi's house again.
Under Bo Xi's suggestion, Mother Han also gave up the idea of building a new house once spring arrived. The family would continue living together instead. With the unstable weather and the danger in the village, it was safer to stay under one roof.
At last, after what felt like an endless winter, the weather finally began to change.
The snow slowly melted.
Small streams formed along the roads as the thick layers of ice softened. The once frozen land gradually revealed patches of dark soil beneath it.
Then summer arrived.
Life in the village slowly began to settle again.
The grain prices, which had soared frighteningly during the winter, finally stopped rising. In fact, they even began to drop slightly as traders started moving again.
The Village Chief gathered the villagers and organized everyone to begin planting their land.
In Bo Xi's household, however, no one joined the village effort.
The tension between them and the other villagers was still too deep.
Still, Mother Han felt uneasy watching the planting season pass by. Farming had always been the lifeline of villagers. Leaving the land empty felt almost sinful to her.
Seeing her worried expression, Bo Xi eventually made a decision.
She hired a few laborers from outside the village to plant the fields for them. That way, the land would not go to waste, and the family would not need to interact with the hostile villagers.
As days passed, the temperature steadily rose.
The air grew hotter and hotter.
Even sitting still in the shade could make sweat form on the skin.
The villagers complained about the heat constantly, fanning themselves with straw hats and cloth. Wells began to lower slightly, though most people did not pay much attention yet.
Bo Xi, however, noticed everything.
Each day the sun seemed harsher than the last.
And deep in her heart, a quiet unease slowly grew.
"Bo Xi, dinner is ready," Father Han called from inside the house.
Outside in the courtyard, Bo Xi was practicing martial arts. Her movements were steady and controlled despite the oppressive heat. Sweat soaked the back of her clothes, and the wooden practice staff in her hand moved swiftly through the air.
"Okay, Father. I'll wash up quickly," Bo Xi replied, stopping her training.
She walked to the well and drew up a bucket of cool water. Splashing some onto her face and hands, she wiped away the sweat and dust. The cool water refreshed her slightly, though the heavy summer heat still clung to the air.
After drying her face with a cloth, she entered the house.
Because of the hot weather, the family had started eating mostly cold dishes. The table held a few simple plates, cold vegetables, pickles, and a bowl of porridge that had cooled down.
Even so, no one seemed to have much appetite.
Everyone sat around the table quietly and began eating.
Bo Xi noticed, as she had for the past several days, that Han Fei barely touched his food. He picked up a few bites, chewed slowly, and then put down his chopsticks.
Her brows immediately furrowed.
"Han Fei," Bo Xi said seriously, "I think we should visit a doctor. It's been many days already."
Han Fei looked a little embarrassed. "It might just be the weather," he replied softly. "The heat makes people lose their appetite."
But Bo Xi shook her head.
"No. We're going today. You can't continue like this." Her tone was firm as she looked carefully at him.
Han Fei had clearly lost weight over the past few days. His already slender frame looked even thinner, and there was a faint paleness to his complexion.
The others at the table also began to notice.
Mother Han frowned with worry. "Fei, have you been feeling uncomfortable somewhere?"
Han Fei hesitated before answering. "I… feel a little tired these days. Sometimes my stomach feels strange, and I don't really want to eat."
Father Han immediately put down his chopsticks. "Why didn't you say earlier?"
Han Fei lowered his gaze. "I thought it would pass."
Bo Xi sighed quietly. "That's exactly why we're going to see a doctor."
Han Fei nodded obediently this time. Truthfully, he hadn't been feeling well for several days. At first, it was just a lack of appetite, but recently he had also been feeling weak and slightly dizzy when standing up too quickly.
After the meal, Bo Xi quickly prepared to leave.