Share Some Food With Me
"Mom, you stay here and watch the kids. Lucky and I will go check on the other villagers to see if there's anything we can help with. And we'll see if the floodwaters have receded any," said Lily Evans.
"Alright, you two go ahead. We're all from the same village, so it's only right to help each other out when disaster strikes. If you see your Fourth Aunt, let her know the kids are doing well," Margaret Evans replied.
Lily Evans and Lucky headed toward where the villagers were gathering.
Fortunately, the rain had stopped by now. Villagers were coming out of their tents in small groups—some starting fires to cook, others counting up their belongings.
As Lily Evans and Lucky walked by, many villagers expressed their gratitude: "Lily, if you hadn't warned everyone to evacuate, we'd have been washed away by the flood!"
"That's right! Thanks to you two, we moved out early. Look, we managed to save most of our things—even hauled our cooking pots up the mountain," a kind aunt called out while cooking. "Lily, Lucky, have you eaten? Come join us for a meal."
"No thank you, Auntie, we've already eaten. But if you need any help, just let us know—we're neighbors, after all, and should look out for each other," Lily Evans said with a smile.
Lily Evans took Lucky around to see if anyone else needed help. The villagers were all pretty capable, and those few elderly folks who had trouble getting around were being looked after by others.
"Grandpa Bullard, your tent is all set up! You'll have a place to sleep tonight!" Lily Evans and Lucky helped an elderly man set up his tent. Grandpa Bullard was so moved he wiped away tears.
Disaster really shows people's true colors. All along the way, Lily Evans and Lucky lent a helping hand wherever they could, and their reputation in the village quickly soared.
The villagers were simple folk. Some blushed as they apologized to Lily Evans: "Lily, we misunderstood you and your mom before. Now we know you’re both good people. We’re really sorry—back then, we believed gossip and thought badly of you. Please don’t take it to heart."
"That's right, Lily’s family is nothing but good. We were prejudiced before. After all you’ve done for us, thinking about how we treated you and your mom before, we’re so ashamed we can hardly show our faces."
Grandpa Bullard sat on a big rock and sighed, "Ah, you really see who’s true in hard times. The Evans Family always bragged about being a scholarly clan, but just look at what they did yesterday! Village Chief John Shepherd and Lily’s family braved the rain to warn everyone to evacuate, while the Evans Family followed behind, spreading rumors and accusing Lily’s family of stealing. Who knows what they were thinking!"
The villagers remembered how Old Lady Evans and her crowd had tried to stop people from going up the mountain yesterday, and everyone sighed.
Lily Evans didn’t say much and kept walking with Lucky. Suddenly, they heard a commotion. Mrs. Thompson was clutching John Thompson’s leg, bawling: "Why won’t you give me a bite to eat? Are you trying to starve me to death?"
John Thompson kicked Mrs. Thompson away and cursed, "With so little food, if you eat it, what will Charlie and I do? You’re tough enough to go hungry for a couple days!"
Mrs. Thompson wiped her tears and sobbed, "I’m so hungry I can’t even stand up. At least give me some hot soup! My clothes are still soaked—are you trying to kill me?"
Charlie Thompson rushed over and gobbled up everything in his bowl, glaring at Mrs. Thompson: "If I catch you sneaking food again, I’ll tell Dad to give you a beating!"
"Oh, I can’t go on!" Mrs. Thompson sat on the ground, wailing with hunger. Suddenly she saw Lily Evans and Lucky walking by, and hurried over, crying, "Lily, you can’t just watch me starve! Auntie’s about to die of hunger! Look, my hands are so cold I can’t feel them! I know you must have food—Auntie’s always been good to you, so please share a little with me!"