Chapter 491: Chapter 491: This Will Not Happen Again
"You’re so oblivious, clean up." Hua Chengtian glared at his son.
"No need, no need, it’s just a few dishes, I’ll do it myself," Luo Song said with a smile.
For big brothers-in-law, second brothers-in-law, and little brothers-in-law, Luo Song spared no effort to please them. He wouldn’t dare let them lift a finger.
"How could I let you do that?" Hua Yunxiang raised his eyebrows, pretending to get up to clean, but was gently pushed back into his seat by Luo Song.
"No, really, I’ll do it." As he spoke, he deftly stacked the dishes and put them into a clay pot.
"Well then... thank you," Hua Yunxiang shouted to the departing Luo Song, the deliberate mockery still in his eyes when he saw his father rolling his eyes at him, then chuckled.
He did it on purpose, after all, anyone daring to covet his precious sister, this was just the beginning. If they couldn’t handle this much, they’d better give up early.
Luo Song certainly didn’t mind. He originally wanted to make a good impression, and he was more than happy to have the opportunity. He quickly went to the water source to clean everything and then rested.
Ten hours had already pushed him to his limit. If he didn’t rest, he truly wouldn’t hold up.
Except for those on night watch duty, most people were already lying down resting. The wet ground had long dried under the warmth of several small fires, and lying on the ground wouldn’t pose any risk of catching cold, and the weather wasn’t cold anyway.
"You’re back," Hua Chengtian pointed at a small tent with ventilation front and back. "Go sleep inside."
Luo Song’s eyes lit up. Although he could sleep anywhere, the prospect of having a private space still delighted him, even though someone was already asleep inside.
"Uncle Hua, you should sleep in there," noticing only one small tent, Luo Song suppressed his desire and quickly said.
Letting an elder sleep outside while he went inside wasn’t something his upbringing allowed, regardless of whether he wanted to please anyone.
"Go inside and rest. This past night and day have been exhausting. I just took a nap and I’m not sleepy. I’ll watch the night, and when you wake up, you can take over," Hua Chengtian said, patting the two dogs beside him and smiling softly.
"It’s alright, I..."
"Go, sleep early, wake up early," Hua Chengtian interrupted Luo Song, as if he couldn’t tell that Luo Song’s eyes were almost shut, and he didn’t trust him to keep watch anyway!
Indeed, he couldn’t hold out any longer. Luo Song hesitated for a moment, then nodded and crawled into the tent, soon falling into a rhythmic breathing pattern.
Hua Chengtian shook his head and smiled. He leaned against a large object beside him, looked up at the pitch-black sky. It was truly dark, as the usual array of stars was covered tightly by thick clouds. The weather remained heavily overcast, casting a bit of gloom over Hua Chengtian’s heart as well.
...Hope the earthquake is over.
In the early hours of the morning, a time when people are weary, Hua Chengtian suddenly woke up, feeling a slight tremor beneath him, while the two big dogs beside him snuggled close, whimpering softly.
It was an earthquake, Hua Chengtian’s first thought. He sat upright quickly, but seeing the surroundings empty and everyone else asleep, Hua Chengtian stayed still since the tremor had subsided. Most importantly, the two dogs’ reactions weren’t intense, indicating that it wasn’t serious. Seeing everyone exhausted, he didn’t want to disturb them.
However, he didn’t dare sleep again, and as for Luo Song, who said he would relieve him during the night, he was sleeping soundly in the tent.
Hua Chengtian didn’t wake him, knowing he’d be unable to fall asleep either way.
As the sky started to lighten, everyone gradually woke up, and Hua Chengtian began preparing breakfast by the fire.
By the time the two inside the tent woke up, it was almost daylight.
Luo Song felt utterly embarrassed, recalling how he confidently stated he’d get up to take over, yet ended up sleeping through the night, he felt anxious.
Would Uncle Hua think he was unreliable? With that thought, he grew more worried.
"Uncle Hua, I’m... sorry, I didn’t wake up. Uncle Hua, you can punish me," Luo Song stood obediently in front of Hua Chengtian, looking every bit as if he’d done something wrong.
"Hmm, just don’t let it happen again," Hua Chengtian originally intended to say it was no big deal, but on second thought, changed it to a gentle reprimand to keep this boy on his toes, lest he promise things he can’t keep in the future.
Luo Song breathed a sigh of relief, nodding eagerly, "It absolutely won’t happen again."
Whether or not it’s to earn good favor, Luo Song believed that promises should be kept, and he indeed was in the wrong last night.
"Alright, come help," Hua Chengtian glanced at him, naturally handing over the task in his hands, and then stood up, taking the two dogs for a stretch.
Sitting there for half the night had nearly left him stiff.
By the time everyone was fed and packed, it was an hour later. Overall, they traveled faster than the previous night, and another hour later, they breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the familiar intersection—finally, they were home.
The eagerness to return home was so intense that he didn’t even notice the multiple neighbors at their doorstep.
At that moment, the old and young of the village were all talking about them. After all, they were delayed a whole night from the village chief’s group, which was worrisome.
"Old man, perhaps you should take some people to look for them."
There was another tremor last night. Although it was just a minor shake, it managed to wake up the ever-light sleeper, old Mrs. Hua. She had wanted to wake her husband, but seeing him sleeping so soundly, she couldn’t bear to, especially since the shaking had subsided. However, the thought of her son left her heart anxious and uneasy.
Auntie Hua and Second Auntie Hua nodded in agreement. They too were concerned, not only for their brother but also for their husbands who went with him.
Her sons had returned with her father, but her worry for their father lingered.
It wasn’t appropriate to send their father. The sons should lead a search. At his age, after being out for so long, their father’s body couldn’t handle it.
"Mom, let Da Yi and the others go."
"Yes, let the kids go."
"Why rush," old man Hua looked at his wife and two daughters. "Let’s wait a bit more. They might have made a detour and gone far. Let’s give it half a day. If they don’t return, I’ll lead the search myself."
Old man Hua was still quite confident in his son.
In fact, since they left, it had only been two days, not a particularly long time. It’s just that having seen them leave, people couldn’t help their anxiousness.
Seeing their father calm, Hua Fen and her sister also gradually felt more at ease, realizing he had a point—they were indeed a bit hasty.
He then patted his wife’s hand: "Don’t worry, Chengtian is always cautious. It’s a rescue mission, not a battlefield. They’ll be fine."
With her husband’s reassurance, old Mrs. Hua finally felt some peace, nodding her head.
"Ah ah... ah..."
The baby’s cries came just in time, putting an end to old Mrs. Hua’s wild thoughts, and she hurriedly rushed to her granddaughter-in-law’s room, with Hua Fen and her sister quickly following.