Su Jin sighed, "In this day and age, there are very few people like the village chief who are kind-hearted and selfless."
Heavy rain followed immediately.
Su Jin glanced down at the sky and felt that the rain was going to last all night.
After resting for a while, Su Jinxia took Mai Zizi to the front hall for dinner.
The meal is ready. Although it's simple, it's plentiful and there's plenty to go around.
Su Jinxia chatted with the old village chief, "Our village isn't big, but it's quite wealthy. Every household's doors and windows are bright and clean, and you can tell they're living a good life."
The old village chief sighed, but there was little joy on his face.
"That's because at the beginning of the year, government officials suddenly came and wanted to cut down the trees on the west mountain. Our village is sandwiched between the east and west mountains, and the trees on the mountain are what we depend on for survival. So I led everyone to stop them. Later, when things got out of hand, the government gave us compensation."
Su Jin nodded, understanding.
Li Sanliang said sourly, "That's a windfall! What's a few broken trees worth? With the government giving money, the whole village will be rich overnight."
The old village chief didn't say anything. If it weren't for the power of the government, he wouldn't have allowed the killing even if he was offered money.
Only people from the mountains like them know the importance of trees.
After dinner, it was already quite late, so everyone went back to their rooms to rest.
As Su Jinxia passed through the courtyard, she glanced around. The village was situated in a very low-lying area, with mountains on both sides, making it quite dangerous.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier, as if it were about to pour out all the rain that had accumulated throughout the summer.
Su Jinxia and Mai Zizi shared a room, and Mai Zizi fell asleep shortly afterward.
Su Jin was not sleepy and sat cross-legged on the bed, listening to the sounds of wind and rain.
Gradually, the sound of flowing water became more frequent.
The rain was so heavy that it had nowhere to flow, so it accumulated and gradually formed a river.
Su Jin felt uneasy and got up to leave.
The rainwater in the yard had accumulated to a considerable depth and was about to seep into the room.
Su Jin quickly left the courtyard and went out onto the street.
The water on the street was ankle-deep, flowing rapidly, and very filthy.
Su Jin climbed over the courtyard wall, looked around, and listened intently, feeling increasingly uneasy.
She heard the water flowing quite fiercely from the direction of the Western Hills.
As Su Jinxia pondered this, she stepped onto the eaves and flew towards the direction of the Western Hills.
Under the rain, Su Jin lightly touched the branches with her toes and flew all the way to the sky above the western mountains.
The top of West Mountain was riddled with holes and filled with water, which formed small whirlpools that kept seeping into the mountain. The soil was very loose.
If the rain continues, flash floods will erupt in an instant.
Su Jin quickly returned to the village chief's house and knocked on the door.
The village chief put on a coat, opened the door, and was slightly surprised and somewhat frightened to see Su Jin, who was soaking wet.
"What's wrong, young lady?"
Su Jin went straight to the point, "There's a lot of water accumulating on West Mountain, and there's a high chance of a flash flood. You need to organize the villagers to evacuate immediately!"
The village chief's eyes were filled with sorrow as he slapped his thigh, "Just what I feared has come to pass!"
The village chief's wife looked distressed. "Where can we evacuate? Can we outrun a flash flood on our two legs?"
Su Jinxia solemnly replied, "Naturally, we should go to higher ground. I think the forest on Dongshan Mountain is extremely dense, and it's not easy to slip down there. That would be a suitable place."
The village chief's wife said anxiously, "Young lady, you don't know that there are poisonous insects and wild animals on the East Mountain. It is very dangerous. Only a few young and strong men who hunt dare to go in. If a flash flood comes and they lose their lives on the East Mountain, who will take responsibility for that!"
Su Jin hadn't thought of that. "But once a flash flood breaks out, it's not just a matter of one or two people dying. Village Chief, you need to think this through."
The village chief frowned deeply, hesitated for a moment, then his gaze hardened. "Never mind, I'll wake everyone in my family right away and go to each household to inform them. Whether they want to leave or not is their business."
The village chief picked up two rain hats and handed one to Su Jin, saying, "Girl, wear this. Look, you're soaked."
Su Jin pushed the rain hat back, saying, "It's wet anyway, you guys can use it."
“We have more. If you don’t need them, give them to your younger brother.” The village chief insisted on giving the rain hat to Su Jin.
Su Jin had no choice but to accept it after thinking of Mai Zizi.
The village chief put on his rain hat and hurried out.
Su Jinxia quickly returned to the house and woke up Mai Zizi.
Mai Zizi was half asleep when Su Jinxia told her several times that a flash flood was coming before she finally woke up.
"Flash flood? What should we do then?" Mai Zizi was completely unaware of the gravity of the situation.
Su Jin took a deep breath and explained to her, "If a flash flood comes, the whole village will be destroyed. I have already asked the village chief to notify the villagers. You should get up and tidy up quickly. I will go and call the driver and the Qi family."
Mai Zizi nodded as if she understood, then got up and dressed.
Su Jin then went to call the Qi family of three, told them what had happened, and asked them to pack their things and go to Dongshan.
Then he woke up the coachman and told him to go if the carriage could move, but if it couldn't, to abandon it, take the important luggage, and keep his life as the priority.
The carriage was the coachman's lifeline, so he dared not abandon it easily and went to fetch the horse without saying a word.
Soon everyone gathered outside the courtyard. Su Jin sent everyone away first, and she went to the west to take another look at the situation on the mountain.
Before leaving, Su Jin handed the sword to Mai Zizi, telling her to protect herself.
Some people in the village have already started arguing; some are packing their bags, some are spreading the word, and some are still hesitant, asking around if the flash flood is really coming.
When Su Jin came down to the foot of West Mountain, raging mud and water were already rushing down, and the rain showed no signs of letting up.
Su Jin returned to the village and persuaded those who were hesitant to evacuate, assuring everyone that a flash flood was inevitable.
Meanwhile, Mai Zizi was helping the driver push the cart, and the two had already reached Dongshan.
Qi Sanliang was also unwilling to abandon the carriage and walked with difficulty, falling behind for a distance. Li Wenci followed, carrying the child and stumbling along.
Suddenly, Li Wenci exclaimed in surprise, "Yuanyuan, where is your longevity lock?"
Qi Yuanyuan lifted her head from Li Wenci's embrace and said timidly, "In bed."
Li Wenci was shocked and angrily said, "Why did you take it off!"
Qi Yuanyuan was unaware of the gravity of the situation and was too frightened to speak.
"Sanliang! Sanliang!" Li Wenci called out as she quickly caught up with Qi Sanliang.
Qi Sanliang, exhausted from pulling the unruly horse, asked irritably, "What's wrong?"
Li Wenci wiped the rain off her face and exclaimed, "Yuanyuan's longevity lock is still in the room!"
"What! This spendthrift!"
Li Wenci put Qi Yuanyuan in the car and said anxiously, "I'll go find her. You take care of the child."
Qi Sanliang quickly grabbed Li Wenci, "A flash flood is coming! Are you out of your mind?!"
"But that's a longevity lock! If we lose it, what will become of our child's life?!" Li Wenci cried out, shaking off Qi Sanliang's hand and running back.
Qi Yuanyuan was so frightened that she cried loudly and kept calling for her mother.
Qi Sanliang slapped him across the face, "Shut up! Stop crying!"
Qi Yuanyuan shrugged and immediately fell silent.
Qi Sanliang grumbled and cursed as he led the carriage onward.
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