Chapter 50 Sunny and Nice Weather
The sun is shining and the weather is nice, so I can finally hang my quilts out to dry freely.
It rained for two months, and my clothes, quilts, shoes and socks were all wet, and some of them had mold spots.
After the cheers, everyone went home and washed the clothes, shoes, socks and quilts that they had accumulated for a long time and put them out to dry in the sun.
Before leaving, the head of the family, Wen Jianfeng, warned them, "Don't get so excited that you use up all the water in the house."
"The flood water has not completely receded yet, and we will be trapped at home for a while. If the water is used up, we will have no water to use."
The four households on the 15th floor have installed rain-collecting devices, but there are no faucets on the devices and the water pipes cannot be blocked. Therefore, as long as it rains, the water pipes connected to the indoor areas will continue to flow.
Seeing the water flowing like this, people would subconsciously pick up something to catch it. Therefore, every family’s balcony is filled with various containers such as buckets, water bottles and basins, so that it is more convenient to use water.
If the water is full, it will be transferred to another container. Only when all containers are full will the water be allowed to flow out of the balcony drain.
After hearing Wen Jianfeng's reminder, everyone remembered that now was not the time to waste rainwater.
Sun Qing rubbed her face in annoyance. "Forget it, I'll just wash two pairs of underwear to save water! I don't know how many days it will take before I can use running water."
Xiao Zheyu shrugged, "Then I won't wash it. I'll just take the clothes and quilt out to dry. I still have clothes to change."
Zhou Qiuyang said, "I'll go downstairs and get some water to wash!"
"It's so dirty. The residents in the building throw their garbage and feces into the water, and there are parasites in the water." Xiao Zheyu looked disgusted.
Seeing their worried faces, Xia Xiaoman said, "It's just washing clothes and quilts, there's no need to worry so much."
"If you don't want to use the water at home, why not take a speedboat to the small pond on the mountain to wash it, and then bring it back?"
Even though the flood has not receded, it does not mean that you cannot go out. You can go out by speedboat, raft or kayak.
Sun Qing raised an eyebrow, "Isn't this too extravagant? Going to wash clothes in a speedboat?"
"Then go kayaking, if you still have energy to do it after you finish washing your clothes."
Sun Qing immediately backed off, "Forget it, let's just drive the speedboat! If I don't drive it now, I may not have the chance to drive it in the future."
Xiao Zheyu clapped his hands, "Then pack up and go! Pick some wild vegetables and some wood while you're at it."
Ye Xiaojie stayed at home to look after the twins, and Sun Qing helped her wash her clothes, while everyone else went out.
When going downstairs, Sun Qing was still worried that the speedboat would be blown away by the wind and waves, but she didn't expect Xia Xiaoman to really drive it back.
The forest is very quiet after the rain, with only the occasional sound of birds chirping.
Xia Xiaoman and her friends found the small pond they had encountered when picking wild vegetables before, and each chose a spot to wash clothes.
This small pond is actually a low-lying earth pit. Because there was too much rain, the earth pit was filled up, so it looks like a pond.
We brought a lot of clothes and quilts, and one morning was not enough to finish them all. We agreed not to go back at noon and would go back when we finished washing them.
At the beginning, it was quite relaxing, with everyone chatting and laughing. After two hours, everyone turned off their microphones, and even Xiao Zheyu, the most talkative one, was too tired to talk.
The branches around the pond were gradually filled with all kinds of clothes. Near dusk, the group returned with the washed clothes and sheets.
Sitting on the speedboat, the evening breeze blew away the heat, but also brought a faint smell.
Xiao Zheyu pinched his nose, "It stinks! Why is it so smelly?"
Zhou Qiuyang said: "It should be because the weather is too hot and the floodwaters are dirty. When the sun shines on them, the stench comes up."
Sun Qing nodded. "It's really hot today. I think my neck and arms are sunburned."
"Sister Qing, you don't have to doubt it, she must have been sunburned." Su Ran said with certainty.
"Your neck and arms are red, which is not normal. You'd better apply some sunburn cream or aloe vera gel when you go back."
"Sister Xiaoman is also sunburned. Look, there is a clear dividing line on your neck."
"Ah? Really?" Xia Xiaoman touched his neck. "No wonder my neck and arms felt so hot. I thought it was because it was too hot."
She used to work in the fields in the summer and never got sunburned, at most she got tanned to a black charcoal color. It might be because she hadn't done farm work in the past two years, her skin had become delicate, so she got sunburned.
Sun Qing counted the time on her fingers. "I remember the flood happened in early June. It should be August now. No wonder it's so hot."
Xiao Zheyu sighed, "The temperature is rising too fast. It was a bit cold wearing short sleeves yesterday, but today it's so hot that salt is hanging on my clothes. I estimate the temperature today will be at least 35 degrees."
Su Ran retorted, "Above 38 degrees, definitely above 38 degrees. How can 35 degrees possibly cause sunburn?"
After a while of arguing, a few people returned to the community.
There was no rain, the sun was shining, and the flood water receded very quickly.
Before I went out, the water level was still on the sixth floor. When I came back, the water level had dropped to the fourth floor. At this rate, it is estimated that the flood will completely recede tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
The floors that had just been drained of water were exposed to the strong sun and emitted a strong stench.
As soon as I approached the fourth floor, I was blinded by the stench. After several mental preparations, I finally mustered up the courage to step onto the fourth floor covered with a layer of mud.
As Xiao Zheyu went upstairs, he rubbed the mud stuck on his feet on the stairs.
"I won't go out tomorrow. No, I should say I won't go out until the flood has completely receded and the mud downstairs has been completely cleaned up! It's too smelly and dirty."
Su Ran raised his hand in agreement, "I second the motion!"
Sun Qing also nodded, "I won't go out either. I have everything at home anyway."
The others didn't say anything, but judging by their expressions, they also looked disgusted by the sludge downstairs.
When I get home, I hang all the washed clothes and sheets on the balcony. If there is no space on the balcony, I hang them on the windows of my room.
Why not put a rack on the roof to hang clothes?
Although the rain has stopped and the flood has receded, no one knows how long it will take to go out after the flood, and no one knows how long it will take to restore civilized society after going out.
Before all industries in Xia State resumed production, clothes and sheets were considered important commodities.
If you hang clothes and sheets on the rooftop where anyone can go, I believe that they will be stolen the next second after you hang them up.
Open the window and look around. Who doesn’t hang clothes on their balconies and windows in the community?
Especially at times like this, we must not let our guard down.
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