Crossing the Western Tianshan Mountains

Chapter 155: Driving the Sheep Away

……

Ayala didn't know if there was really anyone singing, after all, there were not many people around. She just felt that the faint singing made her life even more miserable.

She walked hard behind the horse, wiping her tears with her sleeves.

Hanati wouldn't even look back at her.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Ayala finally couldn't hold on any longer and rolled over in the snow, losing consciousness.

Hanati felt the rope in his hand tighten, looked back, hurriedly got off the horse, picked up Ayala and put her on the horse, and continued to move forward against the wind and snow.

When Ayala woke up, it was already the next day. Hanati was just entering the tent to stoke the fire. Seeing her awake, he said, "You're becoming increasingly boring. You can't even walk a few steps... What can you do if you don't come back? What about the sheep? I didn't sleep all night last night. I'm the one taking care of the sheep in the pen, and I have to take care of you too. Just imagine how much trouble you've caused me."

It was obvious that he was in the wrong, but he blamed Ayala first. Ayala felt that her bones were still aching, every inch of her muscles was aching, and her palms were also aching. They were injured by the rope. She didn't say anything, nor did she get up. She just looked at Hanati quietly.

Hanati stoked the fire and went out again. "Let's cook some mutton for lunch."

Hanati killed the sheep and threw the meat directly into the pot, then asked Ayala to go out to light the fire and cook the meat. Ayala knew that this was the meat of a sick sheep again.

She refused again, "Hanati, you have to believe the doctor. Doctor Fang said that these sick sheep cannot be eaten. They will kill people."

"What a joke! You said the same thing yesterday and the day before yesterday, but my brothers and I have already eaten meat, and we are still fine. We are completely fine."

Hanati looked at Ayala's frail appearance and said, "I won't pity you. You live with me and are my wife, but you always go against me. If you don't cook meat for us today, I will still beat you. If I kill you, I will just bury you in the snow."

Ayala was terrified. She had two children at school down the mountain and couldn't afford to be beaten to death. She had no choice but to boil water and cook meat.

Hanati called a few more brothers over to eat meat and drink wine.

Before he got drunk, he said, "Take good care of the sheep. The snow is too heavy. Don't let them freeze to death. Also, don't run around. I'm drunk today. You have to take good care of the sheep and me tonight."

In fact, most of the Hanati are drunk, especially in winter when it is too cold and life in the mountains is too boring. Drinking seems to have become the norm. When the men are drunk, the women take care of the sheep, which is natural.

Ayala replied yes.

When Hanati and the others were really drunk and fell on the bed, Ayala went out and checked the situation in the sheepfold. She found that there were more sick sheep, and the dozens of sheep she had isolated before were already in very serious condition. They no longer ate grass or drank water, but just lay there motionless, like dying old people.

Ayala hardened her heart, opened the door of the sheep pen, and whipped the sheep to drive them into the snow. If she didn't drive them away, Hanati would still eat these sick sheep.

She drove them into the snow, and her own body also sank into the snow, but she still waved the whip vigorously, "Hurry up! You can't survive in the pen, you must leave quickly, go to the snow, let the snow freeze to death, if you freeze to death, the disease in your body will not spread, you must leave quickly, go far away, let the snow bury your bodies, so that Hanati will never find you!"

She repeated the words, breathless...but she didn't want to stop.

The sheep were so pitiful. They were already struggling to survive, yet they had to contract this incurable disease and were driven out into the snow to freeze to death...

She felt that she was too cruel, but if she didn't do this, Hanati would probably continue to eat sick sheep. Hanati was really confused. She couldn't change Hanati, she could only change things.

After driving the sheep into a snow pit, she began to retreat.

The sheep didn't know what was happening, but they couldn't get out. They were so sick that they didn't want to walk. They were so sick that they were almost dying. Now after all this running around, they were stuck in the snow again and couldn't get out.

The sheep seemed to sense the end of their fate and cried miserably one by one.

Ayala burst into tears, stepping back step by step, saying sorry all the time...

……

Ling Fengxi felt a dull pain in his heart. Surprisingly, he spoke to Fang Ya in a gentle tone, "Is this Hanati going to do something stupid? Will he continue to beat Ayala?"

Fang Ya thought for a moment and said, "I'm not sure. I shouldn't have let Ayala leave yesterday."

Fang Ya originally thought that Ling Fengxi would keep Ayala no matter what, but Ling Fengxi just watched the two of them leave. Fang Ya then raised her question, "You know Hanati's personality, why did you let them go? Ayala clearly didn't want to leave."

Ling Fengxi said, "They are husband and wife. We outsiders have no right to interfere in their affairs. Besides, Ayala is so smart, she should be able to protect herself."

Fang Ya was stunned for a moment, "Is that what you think?"

Ling Fengxi asked, "Is Ayala here today?"

Fang Ya shook her head. "Not only did Ayala not come, but no one seems to have delivered the milk either. Gulinar was just talking about this, saying she wanted to go back home and bring some milk. But she doesn't have much milk at home now, mainly because there's no fodder, and the cows and sheep are very thin, so..."

Ling Fengxi was so preoccupied with whether Ayala would get beaten that he didn't hear what she said next. Instead, Wu Yongjie came in, practically looking like a snowman. His clothes, hat, eyebrows, and shoes were covered—everything that could be covered was covered. As soon as he came in, he said, "Ling Fengxi, your idea yesterday was a good one. It was indeed easier with the tarpaulin. Today, we just pull up the tarpaulin and the road will be open."

In fact, this is the dumbest way, because there is really no other way. Ling Fengxi asked, "How many days will it take to successfully open the road?"

Wu Yongjie said, "It will take at least four more days."

Ling Fengxi said, "We must ask the veterinary station down the mountain and the Animal Husbandry Bureau to prepare medicines and injections together, and they need people to do it."

"Correct."

Wu Yongjie seemed to have just come in to take a look at Fang Ya. After he finished speaking, he was about to leave. Ling Fengxi stopped him, "Don't you have something to say? Don't you have anything to discuss with me these days?"

Wu Yongjie paused, turned around and looked at Ling Fengxi, and finally said, "I have nothing to say." Then he went out.