Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Technology Failure
From August to September, things finally took a turn for the better.
It was an ordinary night, the moon was dim and the stars were sparse. The hazy moonlight covered the dry fields like a veil, and the dark and thick night continued to expand people's senses.
Every household had gone to bed, only the patrol team from the security department was still patrolling with torches. The scarlet flames seemed a bit eerie in the darkness, but they did make people feel warm.
"It seems to be raining?"
The young warrior muttered to himself, and stretched out his hand in a trance, trying to grasp the imperceptible touch of moisture.
"Don't be silly, it's been more than half a year..."
His companion's rebuttal stopped abruptly, and he just stared up at the sky, his eyes filled with disbelief and helplessness.
It’s really raining!
The patrol members felt the wetness on their faces and hands, and could hardly suppress the excitement in their hearts, and let out earth-shaking shouts of excitement.
"It's raining" "It's raining"
"Hahaha, it's finally raining."
The sleeping villagers were awakened by the excited howling of ghosts and wolves. Their heads were still hazy, but they started cursing at the people who disturbed their dreams.
"What are you doing here, staying awake so late at night?"
However, when they heard the sound that sounded like ghosts howling, their dizzy brains suddenly became clear, their bodies suddenly jumped up from the bed, and they hurried out of the house without even having time to put on their shoes.
"Click, click, click..."
The bean-sized raindrops quickly wet the dry concrete ground, filling the air with a unique smell of cement.
This is a unique scent that can only be smelled when it has just rained.
Some people were dancing, some were ecstatic, and some were running barefoot in the rain excitedly...
For a moment, the whole village became lively.
He Junxia's family is no exception.
He Junxia turned out all the water containers in the house and placed them in the yard, even the well next to the vegetable garden in the backyard was not left out.
“Clatter…” “Clatter…”
The rain is getting heavier.
The withered branches danced in the wind and rain, the dry river cheered, and together with the cracked earth, they played the most beautiful music in the world.
If spring rain is as precious as oil, then this late autumn rain is more valuable than gold.
Overnight, everything in the world came to life with new vitality.
…
After an exciting night, people came to work on the farmland they were responsible for under the leadership of their group leaders. The cool breeze after the rain made the weather no longer a burden for outdoor work.
As long as this cool weather continues or extreme weather does not come again, they will have a chance to harvest before the New Year by planting another round of crops with a short growing cycle.
The harvested grain can also alleviate the famine in the county.
Yes, famine.
Although each county had a certain amount of grain stored under the command of the state in the early stage, no matter how much grain there was, it would run out one day, not to mention that the county also transported a large amount of grain to the provincial capital.
It has been eight months since the last harvest on farms in the county and its surrounding towns.
In other words, for a full eight months, the county grain storage warehouse had only outflows and no inflows, and the previously stored grain had long been consumed.
Not only did the city residents not have enough to eat, even the farm workers who seemed to have surplus food were living a tight life.
Even the food that the people of Hejia Village had stockpiled earlier at He Junxia's reminder had been almost eaten up, and the edible fruits, grass, and roots on the mountain had been dug up over and over again.
The farm workers who sold the grain they earned as commission for cash during last year's Spring Festival are regretting it now - the little money they earned is only enough to buy a few kilograms of rice now.
I should have known not to sell it. It’s not like my family needs that little money.
Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in the world.
The people in Hejia Village can only be frugal and make sure they can neither eat enough nor starve to death.
The family of He Junxia is the one that lives the best in the entire village.
He Junxia had stockpiled enough food for the family early on, and only sold a small portion of the commission she had received for the grain. She even had a lot of dog food such as sesame seeds and glutinous rice balls.
Their family was completely unaffected by the famine. Not only could they eat enough, but they could also eat well. Every now and then they could open cans of fruit, canned pork, canned fish and other snacks.
However, the first bird to stick its head out will be shot. The current permanent residents of Hejia Village have complex identities, and there was also the kidnapping case. He Junxia's family ate their big meal in silence and never made a fuss about it.
Even Zhang Zhichen was repeatedly told by He Junxia not to tell other children what he had eaten. If anyone asked, he should just say porridge and pickled mustard greens.
He Junxia only sent some rice and sweet potatoes to a few close relatives during the most difficult times. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, she also gave two cans of fruit to the old village chief, who was an elder, and some milk powder stored at home to He Gen.
There is no more.
After all, a little kindness is repaid with a big one. Providing too much help will not only fail to gain others' gratitude, but may also make others dissatisfied and cause them to complain and envy.
Fortunately, with the arrival of autumn rain, everything turned around. The wild chestnuts on the mountain began to bear fruit, the withered grass and trees turned into new green, and seeds symbolizing hope were buried in the soil.
The farm is up and running again.
However, because the farm still had financial problems, the person in charge changed the farm's operating model - instead of paying a fixed salary, 70% of the harvest was distributed as employee wages to farm employees based on their contribution.
This model obviously severely harms the interests of farm workers, turning them from workers with guaranteed income regardless of drought or flood into farmers who rely on the weather for their livelihood. If fate is unforgiving, it is not impossible for them to work hard for several months and end up with nothing, just like before.
But when you live under someone's roof, you have to bow your head.
What's more, the person in charge did not intend to cut employee benefits on purpose. He was restricted by special circumstances and had no choice but to resort to this measure.
Under the pressure of survival, the enthusiasm of farm workers has been unprecedentedly improved, and this time, their efforts have finally paid off.
It may not be a bumper harvest, but the harvested crops have greatly alleviated the famine in the city, promoted the circulation of funds, and everything is developing in a positive direction.
…
February, just after the New Year, the weather is getting warmer
He Junxia took the letter written by Zhang Zhichen and the food, and followed the food delivery team on the road to the provincial capital again.
He Junxia looked at the suddenly unfamiliar tall buildings and felt a little uneasy.
Last year's extreme weather meant that someone had to stay home, and there were also bandits and robbers outside who blocked the road to rob people. He didn't dare to rashly go to the provincial capital, so it had been almost a year since he last met He Chengfeng.
I don't know how she and the child are doing?
"You are...Xiao Xia?"
An uncertain voice sounded in the distance. He Junxia looked in the direction of the voice and saw a white-haired old man looking at him.
He hesitated and said, "Grandpa Zhang?"
Hearing his answer, the old man was immediately happy and said, "Xiao Xia, it really is you. I thought I recognized the wrong person."
He Junxia almost thought she had recognized the wrong person.
Compared with a year ago, Grandpa Zhang has aged more than a year. His hair has turned completely white, his face is haggard and full of wrinkles, and he looks like a man in his seventies.
The two looked at each other, their hearts filled with emotion, and they couldn't help but sigh that time waits for no one.
Grandpa Zhang wiped his eyes and suddenly clapped his hands, saying, "Oh, look at me, I'm really old and confused. I'm just standing outside. Come on, let's go back and talk."
"Chenchen must have caused you a lot of trouble."
He Junxia knew that the old man missed his grandson, and said with a smile: "What trouble is it? We are a family.
Moreover, Chenchen is very well behaved and obedient. He knew that I was coming to the provincial capital to see you, and he even wrote a letter for me to bring over."
Grandpa Zhang smiled widely, his eyes sparkling with tears: "I've grown up and can write letters now. It's all because of you who raised me well."
He Junxia followed Grandpa Zhang upstairs. He Chengfeng was teaching her little daughter to speak in the living room. She didn't even raise her head when she heard the door open.
"aunt"
He Junxia called out softly.
He Chengfeng was stunned, turned around slowly, and when he saw He Junxia, tears burst out in an instant and he burst into tears.
Just like last time, Grandpa Zhang made room for the two of them to reminisce about the past. He Junxia looked at the child sitting on the ground and babbling, then took out a letter written by Zhang Zhichen from her bag to interrupt He Chengfeng's tears.
"Gu, take a look, this is the letter Chenchen wrote to you."
He Junxia handed the colorfully painted envelope to He Chengfeng. He Chengfeng excitedly took the letter but didn't open it. Instead, she asked, "Are my brother and sister-in-law all right? How are things over there? I heard that there was a severe drought last year and many people died fighting for water in the county."
He Junxia smiled and said, "Everything is fine."
He took the initiative to tell He Chengfeng about the funny and embarrassing things Zhang Zhichen had done in the village, which made He Chengfeng laugh.
The slight awkwardness caused by not seeing each other for a long time disappeared in the laughter, and the ignored child grabbed He Junxia's trouser legs and made babbling protests.
Having seen so many of He Gen's children, He Junxia was less cautious with these tiny babies. He bent down and gently pulled out the dirty trouser leg from Zhang Zhiyue's hand and said, "Yueyue, I'm your brother. Come on, call me brother."
"Princess."
The one-year-old child's speech was still unclear, but the cleverness in his eyes was unstoppable, and he stretched out his hands to hug He Junxia.
He Junxia took off his dirty coat and picked up Zhang Zhiyue. The child was not shy at all and giggled in his arms, which made him smile as well.
He Chengfeng held the letter written by her son in her hand, and seeing her daughter and nephew getting along so warmly, she couldn't help but wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
If it weren't for the money and food that her nephew had worked so hard to send her, Yueyue probably wouldn't be alive today. Even if she had barely survived, she wouldn't be as healthy as she is now.
She will never be able to repay her brother and sister-in-law for the favor she owes them.
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