After a large group of villagers had breakfast, Zhao Xingguo and Zhao Zhengde discussed with several older and more prestigious elders in the village about how to deal with the village's affairs and the national earthquake.

According to the original plan, Zhao Xinguo and Zhao Zhengde intended to organize the villagers first and let everyone save themselves.

It would be best if the government could help.

If the government is unable to come to the rescue, then they will first clean up the wooden houses that have not collapsed, and make further plans after the entire village is cleaned up. This will also allow everyone to have a place to settle down temporarily.

But the hailstorm last night came too fast, and the roofs of many wooden houses were completely holed by the hail.

As a result, many people are afraid to live in wooden houses anymore, for fear of what they will do if they encounter such hail.

They had never heard of hail in winter!

Old Man Ruan, the most senior and respected member of the village, and also the previous village chief, raised his cane, frowned, stroked his beard, and sighed, "Since no one dares to live in the wooden house temporarily, let's have everyone re-inspect all the surrounding brick and tile houses that haven't collapsed. Those with cracks or danger signs should not be occupied for the time being. As for the remaining houses, let everyone discuss among themselves and see which families have good relationships with each other to rent them for a while. Everyone should be vigilant these days. If you encounter any danger, everyone should quickly escape from the house."

"We'll also organize some people who are willing to temporarily live in wooden houses. We'll go up the mountain to cut down trees, clear out the houses that haven't collapsed, and repair the roofs that were damaged by the hail. After all, there are so many people in the village, so there will definitely be some people who are willing to live in wooden houses. If you don't have a wooden house at home but want to move in in the future, you can also come with us to cut down trees... Then everyone can help drag them down, and after they're dry, we can build houses."

Rather than wondering when they would be able to rebuild a brick house, Mr. Ruan felt that for the time being, it would be more practical for them to just get down to earth and build a few wooden houses.

Wanxi Village is surrounded by mountains, and the thing they have the most is trees. It is indeed not suitable to build houses with freshly cut trees before they are dried, but they can be used to repair the roof. When the time comes, the bark of the fir tree can be peeled off and placed on the roof, which will be enough to protect against wind and rain.

"You're right. Let's organize the men to go up the mountain and cut trees. The elders will take care of the logistics and look after the children. The women and young men at home will search the ruins for valuables. As for those who don't need to cut trees or build houses, let them handle it on their own. Whether they want to help or stay at home is up to you."

After Zhao Xingguo and his team had planned all this, they shared their plans with the villagers.

Their village usually implements a democratic system for all matters big and small. If anyone has any opinions, they can do what they want. But after everyone's house is built, if you change your mind and want it back, don't blame them for being ruthless and not agreeing!

Most of the villagers in the village are simple and honest. They obey the words of the village chief Zhao Xingguo and the old village chief Mr. Ruan. Many villagers whose houses have not collapsed have automatically organized themselves to help others dig for supplies, or to check whether the remaining houses can still be used.

"Village chief! I have one more thing I want to ask. Where did the man that Commander Meng rescued from the mountain sleep?" Just when everything had been basically settled, someone in the crowd suddenly asked.

Others can find acquaintances to stay with, but why should that stranger who is not known to anyone live in their house?

As soon as this person asked the question, there was an immediate burst of whispers among the people around him. Everyone was discussing the matter and was not very willing to accept the other person to live in their home.

"Zhengde, what do you think we should do with this person? How about letting him live in your house?" Zhao Xingguo frowned and looked at the noisy crowd below. After thinking for a while, he asked the village secretary Zhao Zhengde beside him.

Zhao Xingguo wanted to let the man live directly in his house, but his own house collapsed in the earthquake, and his family of seven had to live in someone else's house. It would be inappropriate to take this man with him, right?

"I'm afraid there's not enough room for this person to live in my house." Zhao Zhengde also frowned. "You know I have three brothers. This time, besides our house, the houses of the other two brothers all collapsed. My old lady asked all three brothers and their families to live in our house, as well as my wife's family... If you do the math, at least 40 people would have to live in my house. We don't have many rooms, so everyone would have to squeeze in."

"The man Commander Meng brought here earlier was seriously injured. We need to at least give him a quiet room to recuperate. But with so many people in our house, I'm afraid we can't spare a room." Zhao Zhengde was telling the truth. Their house only had two floors, and there were only a few rooms that could accommodate people. On average, at least ten people lived in one room. In this situation, how could they spare a room for a stranger?

Zhao Xingguo frowned. He hadn't expected the man he'd met earlier to run into such trouble. He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit it, and took a deep drag. A bitter taste clung to his lips. Why hadn't Commander Meng told them about the gunshot wound? Even if they were to keep him, they'd have to ask Commander Meng for a pair of handcuffs.

If it weren't for the previous hailstorm, this person would have been able to make the arrangements.

But after the hailstorm last night, there are really not many habitable houses left. No one wants to live in the wooden houses that were damaged by the hail. It is so cold today, the north wind is blowing, and the wooden houses without even roofs are really not suitable for people to live in.

Even though Zhao Xingguo was the village chief of Wanxi Village, he had no way to impose mandatory requirements on other villagers.

Zhao Xingguo crushed the cigarette butt on the ground and turned to look at He Guiping. "Guiping, I remember your house wasn't damaged this time. You're a doctor, and this man happens to be a patient. Do you think he could stay with you and take care of him?"

He Guiping opened his mouth and nodded, wanting to agree. However, He Guiping's wife next to him suddenly elbowed He Guiping in the waist and abdomen, knocking back all the words that He Guiping was about to say.

"Village chief! We don't have any room for that man to live in our house! Zhao Fugui's family of three, as well as Mao Wenxian and other injured people, many of them have told Guiping that they want to live in our house. Although there are only three of us in our family, with so many people living in our house, we have no room left! Besides, we are all from the same village, and it's not good for us Guiping to refuse others, right? It's not good to offend fellow villagers whom we see every day just for a stranger, don't you think? Village chief?" He Guiping's wife spoke very convincingly, and she just didn't want He Zhennan to live in their house.

Qin Suyun was really confused when she saw the people around her shirking responsibility. Although there were not enough rooms in the whole village, it shouldn't be that difficult to squeeze in a patient.

Most of the self-built houses in the village have a large residential area, and it is no problem to accommodate 20 to 30 people in each household.

But why is it that no one wants He Zhennan to live in their homes now?

Qin Suyun was completely confused. She thought about it for a long time but still couldn't figure it out.

What Qin Suyun didn't know was that the villagers didn't originally have much ill will towards He Zhennan. In fact, because he had been injured in an earthquake and landslide in the mountains, and because they were all stranded in the world, they still felt a certain sympathy for him. Furthermore, since he was sent by Commander Meng, everyone had to give Commander Meng some face and help him.

However, the worst thing was that it hailstorm last night, and the wound on He Zhennan's body that was originally bandaged was bleeding badly, and it was wetted by the sudden hailstorm. He Guiping's wife thought of simply changing the bandage, but when she did, she found a terrible result!

Good job!

There was actually a wound on this man's shoulder!!

In this case, how could anyone dare to take He Zhennan in?

I was able to endure it and didn't throw this guy into the hail pile yesterday. I've already done my best!

Having just experienced a crisis like yesterday, no one wanted to let a strange man with a gunshot wound live in their home!

"Then let's discuss what to do with this person? We can't just let him lie in the rubble like this, right?" Zhao Xingguo reached out and knocked on the door beside him, making a dong dong sound, which drew everyone's attention to him.

"Village Chief! Our houses are full, and there's really no room for this young man!"

"Right, right! This young man is injured and needs a quiet place to recuperate. How about we pick out a nice cabin for him to live in?"

Everyone in the crowd was chattering, simply because they were unwilling to let He Zhennan, a dangerous man with a gunshot wound, live in their homes.

"How can this be done?! If we leave people in the wooden house like this, won't they freeze to death?!" Zhao Xingguo frowned and shook his head in refusal.

"Village Chief Zhao! How about this... Look, there are so many people living in everyone's house. There's definitely no way to find a place for that young man! But Miss Qin's house hasn't collapsed, has it? Why not let the patient stay at Miss Qin's house?"

In the crowd, Cao Shufen, who had some conflicts with Qin Suyun and wanted to extort money from Qin Suyun's family, suddenly spoke in a kind voice.