Chapter 45 Firefighting

Yan Kui's clothes were washed quickly, but Wei Yin did not come out of the room for a long time.

I decided not to dry it at all and just took it home and hung it on a clothes hanger in the yard.

Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the courtyard.

Several elderly people from the village rushed over, muttering, "Fire! Fire!"

Following the gaze of the old men, Yan Kui saw thick black smoke rising from the innermost part of the village.

The black smoke was more than ten times more exaggerated than when Wei Yin burned paper money before.

Just as Yan Kui was about to walk out of the courtyard, she heard Huang Maomao from across the street rush out, shouting, "Brother Yin! Fire! Aunt Wang's house is on fire!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Wei Yin came out of the house, picked up the large bucket he usually used to water the ground, and strode out.

When he saw Yan Kui standing at the gate of the courtyard next door, his gaze fell gently on her, and his tone was somewhat stern: "Stay at home, don't go over there, it's dangerous."

After saying that, he immediately ran to Aunt Wang's house with Huang Maomao.

Yan Kui stood outside the courtyard, watching the fire grow bigger and bigger in the distance. Several people, all over sixty years old, ran over one after another.

Some even staggered over, leaning on canes.

In this small village of Luoxia, young and middle-aged people alike have long since left their homes to work elsewhere.

Yan Kui turned around, hugged the basin she had just used to hold the clothes to her chest, and quickly ran towards the fire.

Thick smoke, carrying the smell of burning, billowed out from the old houses at the end of the village, while flames licked at the cracked roof beams, crackling loudly.

Granny Wang would occasionally call out for help.

"Fire! Help!"

Huang Maomao poured a large basin of water directly onto himself, while nearby villagers took two long hoses, connected them to their own taps, and kept pouring water onto the fire.

Huang Maomao originally wanted to rush in to save people, but Wei Yin stopped him and shoved a water hose into his hand: "Put out the fire first! If you go in now, none of us will get out!"

Aunt Wang, wrapped in a wet blanket, hid under the table and slowly moved out, seemingly still able to hold on.

When Yan Kui arrived, she immediately followed the villagers and used the basins she brought to scoop water and pour it over them.

Wei Yin was still using a broom to beat out the sparks when he suddenly saw that small figure in the crowd.

The white printed cotton maxi dress is now half wet, with a blackish-gray unidentified substance covering the hem.

As people continued to pour water on the fire, it gradually subsided.

Seeing that the bucket at her feet was empty, Yan Kui ran to the other side.

Their eyes met.

Wei Yin's eyes reflected the flickering firelight as he said in a serious tone, "You really don't listen to a word."

After saying that, he said to Huang Maomao, "Go find someone to fetch water, I'm going in!"

Then he took the basin of water from Yan Kui, soaked himself, covered his mouth and nose, and rushed into the thick smoke.

Seeing him rush in like that, Yan Kui felt a sudden sense of fear and shouted, "Wei Yin!!"

The heat from inside was intense, and debris from a falling beam grazed Wei Yin's arm. Hearing the noise, Granny Wang, who was huddled and slowly moving, lifted a corner of the blanket, coughing violently, and called out in a hoarse voice to Wei Yin, "Quick, carry me on your back!"

Fortunately, the location was close to the outside, so Wei Yin picked up Wang Da Niang, blanket and all, and whispered, "Don't move!"

They quickly fled the house engulfed in flames.

Outside the courtyard, the village chief led the villagers in a long line, with buckets and wooden basins being passed around quickly among them.

Yan Kui stood in front of the crowd and followed along, watering the plants.

Her once beautiful and lovely sideburns were now disheveled. When a bucket of water was poured onto the kitchen, which was the worst-burned area, the steam hissed and burned her fingertips.

When Wei Yin brought Wang Da Niang out, Huang Maomao was the first to rush up and take her away. Second Uncle rode a tricycle with Wang Da Niang to the clinic.

Upon seeing this, Yan Kui immediately rushed over to extinguish the flames on Wei Yin's back. When she touched his burning skin, her fingers trembled slightly.

"Are you out of your mind?" Yan Kui's voice trembled, but she gripped Wei Yin's sleeve tightly.

Wei Yin poured another basin of water on himself, and the heat dissipated a bit. Feeling Yan Kui's concerned gaze, he suddenly laughed: "Your hands are shaking even more than mine."

In the distance, the well pump at the village entrance finally started humming, and the water flowed towards Granny Wang's house.

The setting sun, like blood, cast long shadows of the two people, overlapping under the locust tree nearby.