C3 Red Flag Village

Grandpa and his granddaughter each savored a bowl of brown sugar white rice porridge, causing Sung Zhu's little belly to swell.

Her small appetite was one reason, and the other was the size of the bowl grandpa had given her—it was quite large. A single bowl was enough to satisfy her hunger.

"Grandpa, I'm full," Sung Zhu said, setting down her bowl and intending to get out of bed to wash it.

"Eating so little? There's still more, have some," the old man insisted, preventing her from leaving the bed.

"I'm really full, Grandpa. I'll go wash the bowl," Sung Zhu protested, not wanting to let her grandpa do the washing.

But the endearing old man was adamant about not letting Sung Zhu out of bed, let alone allowing her to wash the bowls. "Ah, Zhu, you're so thoughtful. Grandpa is very pleased. But right now, the most important thing is for you to regain your strength. I'll wash both bowls!"

Unable to convince her grandpa, Sung Zhu resigned herself to continue resting.

Yet, her mind was far from idle, as she pondered her next steps.

She was aware that despite the old man preparing a rather hearty brown sugar white rice porridge for her, the family's circumstances might not always allow for such meals.

In her memories, this place was Red Flag Village, an extremely impoverished little hamlet.

How impoverished? There were occasional whispers of people starving to death.

So, after enjoying the white rice porridge, Sung Zhu couldn't be certain what the coming days would hold in terms of food.

"Ah, truly..." Sung Zhu sighed. In these challenging times, just being alive was a blessing.

It wasn't that the villagers were lazy or that the land was too barren to cultivate crops. Quite the opposite: lush green mountains and rivers surrounded them, with forests full of beasts and wild plants, and a river teeming with fish at the village's edge.

In theory, even if the crops failed, the villagers should have been able to survive off the land and water.

Yet, in such a bountiful environment, the harsh reality was that most people struggled to find enough to eat.

The reason was painfully simple: the forest was off-limits for hunting and foraging, and fishing in the river was forbidden.

It was like sitting on a mountain of treasure but only being able to sigh in despair.

People who were truly starving and struggling to survive took dangerous risks, hunting in the forests and fishing in the rivers just to stay alive.

The risk came with a high price; if caught, they faced severe punishment: imprisonment, public shaming, and worse.

"What's on your mind, Zhu? Are you feeling alright?"

The old man finished washing the dishes and came in, noticing Sung Zhu's furrowed brow and immediately worrying that she might be in pain.

"Grandpa, I'm not uncomfortable," Sung Zhu reassured him, her heart warmed by the sight of the old man who had weathered so much.

"Then why the long face? You're just a kid; try not to look so glum. It doesn't suit you," he chided gently, pinching Sung Zhu's cheek affectionately.

She was such an endearing child.

Sung Zhu blinked away her somber thoughts and managed a smile, embracing her grandpa's arm with a childlike charm. "Grandpa, I'm all better now. Staying inside all the time isn't good. Let's go outside for a walk, please?"

Her grandpa was powerless against her sweet, youthful voice, and seeing her spirited demeanor, he thought some fresh air would do them good. He nodded in agreement.

"Alright, we can go out now."

Sung Zhu was elated and started to rise from the bed.

But her grandpa held her back, helping her into a coat. "Put on an extra layer; you've just recovered."

Dressed and ready, Sung Zhu stepped outside with Sung Guodong, her grandfather.

As they left the confines of their humble home, Sung Zhu gasped at the bleakness that greeted them. The lush green hills and water in the distance only highlighted the stark poverty and helplessness of their surroundings.

The villagers they could see were gaunt and pale. Despite it being lunchtime, there was scarcely any smoke rising from the chimneys...

In that moment, Sung Zhu felt the weight of a life devoid of joy.