Chapter 361 The Flood is Coming

After drinking the ginger soup, the warmth spread from her throat to every part of her body, and Gu Jiayue's fingers, which were gripping the coarse porcelain bowl, were finally no longer stiff.

Just as she put the dishes on the stove, she saw Aunt Zhang wrapped in a bundle in blue cloth, walking in briskly as she lifted the door curtain.

"Auntie, do you want to use the kitchen? I'll let you."

My aunt smiled and shook her head, her face full of loving care. "It was Chief Jiang. He said you got caught in the rain while rescuing someone just now, and your clothes are soaked. He asked me to bring you a set of clothes to change into."

Gu Jiayue lowered her head and looked at her clothes.

Not only were the clothes soaked by the rain, but there was also a lot of mud on them, and the bottom of the skirt was torn in many places.

She didn't want to bother others, but the injury on her hand made it difficult for her to change her clothes. She could only say embarrassedly, "Thank you very much, Auntie."

"Let's go. There's a small room in the back where we usually rest. Shall I take you there?"

The school was designed by Gu Jiayue, so of course she knew where the room was. She then followed her aunt's footsteps and walked to the back.

When she arrived at the small room, Gu Jiayue immediately saw a bucket of hot water placed by the door.

The aunt glanced at Gu Jiayue, a meaningful smile on her face. "Chief Jiang is really a thoughtful person."

Gu Jiayue's ears burned at these words. She felt that Aunt Zhang's eyes were a little mischievous, so she lowered her head hurriedly: "Excuse me, Auntie."

Maybe I drank too much ginger soup, why are my cheeks getting hotter and hotter?

With the help of her aunt, Gu Jiayue wiped her body and changed into a moon-white skirt.

Aunt Zhang tied her hair into a simple bun and secured it with a wooden hairpin.

As soon as I walked out of the lounge, I saw Jiang Luli standing in the corridor.

The rain was still falling. He held an oil-paper umbrella in his hand, changed into a black brocade robe, tied a jade belt around his waist, and tied his hair neatly with a jade crown. He had shed his previous dishevelled look and looked a bit more elegant.

Seeing her come out, the anxiety in his eyes faded a little, and the corners of his mouth curved up: "Have you changed?"

"Well, thank you." Gu Jiayue gathered her sleeves and felt a little sorry when her fingertips touched the soft fabric.

He is so thoughtful.

Jiang Luli tilted the umbrella towards her. Raindrops dripped down the edge of the umbrella, soaking his shoulders, but he seemed not to notice: "It's just a small favor."

He paused, and seeing her staring at his shoulder in a daze, he added, "Lu Yao has almost finished arranging the school affairs. Let's go and see if there are any omissions."

Gu Jiayue nodded and followed him to the middle courtyard.

The space under the oil-paper umbrella was very small. She could smell the faint scent of ink mixed with pine on him. She suddenly felt a little flustered and her steps were out of step.

She stopped abruptly and blurted out, "Are you so nice to all your friends?"

Jiang Luli paused as he gripped the umbrella handle. A hint of surprise flashed across his dark eyes, and then a smile spread across his face. "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

Gu Jiayue regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth and wanted to bite off her tongue.

What does it have to do with her how others treat others?

She hastily looked away and pointed towards the Cuju field in the distance: "Nothing! Let's go! We have to reinforce the school gate quickly. The river will definitely burst its banks tonight."

Jiang Luli looked at her red ears and didn't ask any more questions. He just moved the umbrella towards her and said, "I prepared a lot of sandbags before and piled them up at the Cuju field. Now it's just right to move them to block the gate."

The school is designed in a trapezoidal shape, with the main gate at a lower level and the classrooms and Cuju field at the back at a higher level. As long as the main gate is blocked, even if water comes, it will not flood in.

Gu Jiayue then remembered that she had designed the school herself and had the craftsmen raise the foundation three feet higher and dig drainage ditches in the corners. She breathed a sigh of relief and was about to take a step when she suddenly stopped. "Oh, right! Did the village chief have someone notify Xinghua Village?"

Xinghua Village is just on the other side of the river. The two villages are separated by only a stone bridge and have the same low-lying terrain.

If Taohua Village is flooded, Xinghua Village will certainly be unable to escape.

Jiang Luli frowned slightly: "I haven't heard the village chief mention it. He might have been too busy and forgot."

Gu Jiayue's heart tightened, and she quickly asked the system in her mind: "How long will it take for the dam to burst?"

The system's voice was slightly laggy: [Detected to have three hours left... However, host, Xinghua Village may not believe us.]

"Whether they believe it or not is their business, but whether we speak out or not is our business."

Gu Jiayue looked at Jiang Luli and said, "Can you have your people run a little? And send someone to the county to tell Zheng Qinghe to prepare for a rescue. In case the people of Xinghua Village refuse to leave, we can be prepared."

Jiang Luli nodded immediately and raised his hand to gesture.

Two dark shadows silently flashed out from behind the pillars, knelt on one knee and listened to the order.

He took off a jade pendant from his waist and handed it to one of them: "Take this to find Zheng Qinghe and ask him to prepare the necessary rescue."

He said to another, "Go to Xinghua Village and tell the village chief that the river will burst its banks tonight and tell them to move to higher ground immediately."

"Yes!" The two men accepted the order and disappeared in the rain in the blink of an eye.

Watching their figures disappear, Gu Jiayue felt relieved.

The two of them hurried toward the Cuju field. From a distance, they saw villagers carrying sandbags toward the main gate. Lu Yao stood on the steps, directing them, his voice hoarse, "Stack two more rows on the left! Quick! Bring the planks over here too, and place them behind the sandbags!"

Seeing things being arranged one by one, Gu Jiayue felt a little more relaxed.

Everything at the school was in perfect order. The villagers were divided into different classrooms, and classes were suspended. At this moment, saving one's life was the most important thing. Studying could be considered after safety.

Time passed by little by little, and the time of the flood predicted by the system was getting closer and closer.

The rain showed no sign of letting up.

It was getting dark, and oil lamps were lit in the classroom. The dim light reflected everyone's anxious faces.

No one wanted to sleep. They were either staring at the rain outside the window or listening to the sound of the river.

"Listen, is that a rumbling sound?" The village chief's hand, gripping his pipe, was shaking. The pipe had long since gone out, but he was oblivious. "That's the direction of our village..."

He looked out the window at the dark night, his voice choked with sobs, "Are the fields and houses I've owned for several lifetimes gone just like that?"

Gu Jiayue patted his shoulder and said, "Village chief, as long as people are around, the houses and fields can always be rebuilt."

Having said that, her heart was in a knot and her eyes were fixed on the clepsydra.

It's only an hour until midnight.

The dripping sound of the clepsydra was particularly clear in the silent night. Everyone held their breath, and even the children forgot to cry.

As midnight arrived, everyone subconsciously looked out the window with their ears perked up.

However, a quarter of an hour passed, half an hour passed...

There was no sound outside the window except the sound of rain.

As daybreak approached, the rain gradually subsided.

Some people couldn't help but murmur: "Is this a mistake? There's no flood at all?"

The village chief also breathed a sigh of relief and slumped in his chair: "Maybe Jiayue saw it wrong? Isn't the rain getting lighter?"