The Eldest Sister Has Space Chapter 1: to be left behind

Chapter 1: Cast Aside

"Pick up these things and get lost."

A small cloth sack was hurled toward Gu Yundong, hitting the ground with a thud. As it burst open, about a dozen withered, tiny potatoes spilled out onto the dirt.

Propped up against a large boulder, Gu Yundong felt drained and fragile, her complexion a sickly pale. She lifted her gaze and found herself staring into the spiteful face of an older woman.

She had finally pieced together her current reality—she had transmigrated. Leaving behind a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, she had arrived in the Kingdom of Jin, inhabiting the body of a thirteen-year-old peasant girl who shared her name. This girl had a father, a mother, and two younger siblings.

It was currently the 17th year of the Hongqing era. A devastating drought had wiped out the harvest in Yongning Prefecture, leaving the populace desperate. Countless refugees had begun a mass migration toward neighboring provinces in search of survival. Her extended family was currently among those fleeing the famine, having traveled for over two weeks since leaving their home.

The woman standing before her with a look of mock charity was Mrs. Zhao, the grandmother of the original owner. Standing nearby were over ten members of the second and third uncles' families. They all watched with cold indifference as the four members of Gu Yundong’s immediate family were being exiled into the wilderness.

Gu Yundong’s body felt completely hollowed out from prolonged starvation. Her vision swam with dizziness, making it impossible for her to even sit up straight. She shifted her gaze away from Mrs. Zhao, ignoring the watching relatives, and finally locked eyes with Old Man Gu, who was perched on a nearby rock.

Mrs. Zhao was only the step-grandmother, but this old man was her biological grandfather.

Unsettled by the girl’s piercingly clear stare, Old Man Gu let out a soft cough. After a moment, he sighed wearily. "Yun Dong, do not hold a grudge against us. Times are incredibly hard for everyone, and our rations are nearly gone. Your branch of the family lacks any strong labor, and your mother is a simpleton who does nothing but eat and sleep. The world has fallen into chaos; we can barely look after our own. Go on, you all must rely on your own luck now. This sack of potatoes should sustain you for a couple of days. After that, you must find your own path. Whether you live or die is in the hands of the Heavens."

Gu Yundong felt a surge of silent contempt. Having endured two years in the end times, she was well-acquainted with the darkness of the human heart. Old Man Gu was committing an act of cruelty and had the audacity to blame it on divine will. It was a shame she lacked the physical strength to act; otherwise, she would never have let him finish his sanctimonious speech.

While she remained silent in her disdain, a small figure beside her began stubbornly wiping away tears. With a trembling, choked voice, he cried out, "We have strong labor! My father only disappeared because he was leading the rogues away. He will return! You... you..."

Gu Yundong recognized him as the original owner’s younger brother, Gu Yunshu. Though he was five years old, his malnourished frame made him look no older than three.

Their father was Gu Dajiang. Two days prior, the group had been ambushed by bandits. Gu Dajiang and the second uncle, Gu Dahe, had acted as decoys to draw the attackers away, allowing the rest to escape. Gu Dahe eventually reunited with the group, but Gu Dajiang never returned. In the eyes of the family, he had almost certainly been killed by the rogues.

Young Gu Yunshu refused to accept this, clinging to the belief that his father was alive and searching for them.

Old Man Gu, unwilling to argue further, simply dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Enough, it is settled. Look after yourselves." He paused, perhaps feeling a flicker of pity for his grandson, and looked at Gu Yunshu. "I can still take you with us. Do you want to come?"

Mrs. Zhao’s face soured instantly. "Why would we take him? We don't have enough food as it is, and his portion is gone. If he follows us, he'll be eating dirt..."

Before she could finish, Gu Yunshu grabbed Gu Yundong’s hand, his expression set in grim determination. "I am staying with my eldest sister."

Gu Yundong’s first instinct was to pull away, as she was unaccustomed to physical touch. In the apocalypse, guarding one's personal space was a survival instinct. However, she was too weak to move, and the boy gripped her fingers tightly, as if terrified of being abandoned again.

Feeling his tiny, skeletal hand trembling against hers, Gu Yundong pursed her lips and remained silent.

Old Man Gu, offended by the boy's rejection, stood up abruptly. "As you wish, then."

Without another word, he walked away, followed by Mrs. Zhao and the rest of the clan.

Yang shi, the mother, stood by in a state of confusion. She carried a basket on her back containing a three-year-old girl who was currently fast asleep, oblivious to the drama. The commotion hadn't even stirred the toddler.

Watching the group depart, Yang shi took a few hesitant steps to follow. Realizing Gu Yundong and Gu Yunshu weren't moving, she hurried back and knelt beside her daughter. "Dongdong? Let's go... let's go..."

Yang shi was mentally disabled, though she could recognize her children. She hadn't grasped the fact that they had been discarded; she only wondered why the rest of the family was leaving without them.

Gu Yundong focused on gathering her strength. Speaking was a struggle, and she didn't have the energy to explain the situation. Gu Yunshu took over, comforting their mother in a quiet voice. "Mother, big sister is exhausted. We will move in a little while." He knew the only reason his grandmother had found an excuse to dump them was because the eldest sister had fainted earlier.

Gu Yunshu was filled with anxiety. His father was missing, his sister was ill, his mother was simple-minded, and his youngest sister was frail. He was the only male left. Despite being only five, he felt the weight of responsibility for his family's survival.

He tried to puff out his chest to look brave, then checked on Gu Yundong, who had closed her eyes to rest.

In truth, Gu Yundong was feeling somewhat optimistic. After a year of surviving the apocalypse, she had learned to take life one day at a time. While this world was in turmoil, it lacked the horrors of zombies and mutated predators. Once the famine passed, life could be rebuilt. Here, there was a future.

As for this family... they were the reason she had a second chance at life. Provided they didn't become a burden she couldn't carry, she intended to protect them and ensure their survival.

As she reflected, the sound of hurried footsteps reached her ears.

Opening her eyes slightly, she saw her second uncle, Gu Dahe, running back toward them.