If You're So Capable, Don't Move Your House

Lily Evans couldn't help but laugh at Helen Parker's wild imagination. Was this shrew's brain filled with nonsense?

Grandma Evans wholeheartedly agreed with her eldest daughter-in-law's theory. With a look of sudden enlightenment, she glared viciously at Lily Evans and her mother. "Well, aren't you two heartless! Now you're scheming against the whole village! With hearts as black as yours, aren't you afraid of dying a terrible death?"

The village chief and Mark Hunter, along with a few others, were left speechless by the Evans family's antics.

Grandma Evans, looking smug as if she'd seen through all their plots, put her hands on her hips and shouted, "Shameless lot! Don't think you can trick us into moving. We're not so easily fooled!"

The village chief was furious, flinging his sleeves. "Move if you want, stay if you want—I've done my duty by notifying you!" With that, he hurried off to warn the rest of the villagers.

Grandma Evans led Helen Parker and Susan Evans back inside, leaving only Mrs. Charlotte Evans awkwardly standing at the door with Lily Evans and her group.

Lily Evans didn't dislike the kind-hearted Mrs. Charlotte Evans, so she tried to persuade her: "Aunt Charlotte, the flood really is coming. Our village sits too low—if the water rises, no one will escape."

Mrs. Charlotte Evans looked at the group, nodded, and gave a grateful smile. "I understand. I'll try to talk some sense into Grandma Evans."

Lily Evans said, "Good, Aunt Charlotte. Do your best to persuade them. If they don't leave soon, they really won't be able to."

Lily Evans and Mark Hunter continued to warn other villagers to evacuate. Meanwhile, Grandma Evans stewed at home, growing angrier at Lily Evans's supposed schemes. She dragged Helen Parker and Susan Evans through the village, loudly proclaiming there was no flood and that Lily Evans and Mark Hunter were just trying to trick everyone into leaving so they could steal from them.

"What? No flood?" Mrs. Thompson huffed, carrying a basket on her back and a frame on her chest, panting from exhaustion. When she heard Grandma Evans say there was no flood, she jumped up, furious. "How could Lily Evans do this! We're all from the same village—how can she lie to us like that!?"

Grandma Evans said, "That black-hearted Lily Evans—there's nothing bad she wouldn't do!"

Mr. Carter was loading his ox cart and said, "No way, how could anyone lie about something as serious as a flood? The village chief came to warn us himself—it can't be fake. Let's hurry and move."

Grandma Evans scoffed, "Look at you fools, believing everything you're told. No wonder you'll be poor your whole lives! Our family is clever, that's why we live in a big tile-roofed house. If you're so capable, why don't you build one yourself? Lily Evans lives in a shabby hut—yet you trust her? How stupid!"

Mr. Carter, knowing Grandma Evans's stubbornness, snorted, "Grandma Evans, you'd better take responsibility for your words. If we go up the mountain and there really isn't a flood, fine. But if the flood comes and you said there wouldn't be one, will you take responsibility?"

"Yeah, what if there really is a flood!" some villagers chimed in, "Better safe than sorry. My family's got nothing valuable anyway—I'll just pack a couple baskets and head up the mountain. If the flood doesn't come, fine. But if it does, staying in the village could cost us our lives. Besides, the village chief gave the order—I trust him. I'm going up the mountain!"

The village chief's authority couldn't be undermined by a few words from Grandma Evans. The villagers busied themselves moving up the mountain, leaving only the Evans family standing there, looking foolish.

"You're all a bunch of dumb donkeys—sold off and still helping count the money!" Grandma Evans stomped her feet in anger when the villagers refused to believe her.

Mr. Carter called out loudly, "Grandma Evans, since your family is so clever, why don't you stay put and not move!"

Grandma Evans shouted at the top of her lungs, "We're not moving! My family won't be fooled—we'd rather die than move!"

After all Grandma Evans's stirring, only one or two households refused to move, clinging to a bit of luck and believing her. The rest of Clearwater Village packed up and settled on the mountain, finding safety on high ground.

That night, the rain grew heavier...