The place where the Chen family raised animals collapsed, and all the animals died. The Chen family also collected the edible frozen food.
Because they didn't have enough space at home, they built several livestock sheds outside, where some of their animals were raised.
The Chen family suffered a devastating loss this time. Chen Kai felt like he was back to square one, with all the wealth they had painstakingly accumulated gone.
"Waaaaah..."
"Waaaaah..."
When Sanya and Xiaobao saw the rabbit carcass that Chen Laosi brought back, they both cried very sadly.
Chen Kai comforted them, "Sanya, Xiaobao, don't cry. We'll buy you more rabbits to raise in the future. Be good, don't cry."
Chen Kai now deeply regrets letting the rabbits roam outside. If he had kept a few, these two little guys wouldn't be so upset.
At this moment, Chen Nong went back to his room and brought out a rabbit, saying, "Sanya, Xiaobao, look what this is?"
Sanya and Xiaobao immediately stopped crying, wiped away their tears in disbelief, and then became excited.
Xiao Bao shouted excitedly, "Rabbit, little rabbit!"
Sanya happily exclaimed, "Great! We have rabbits at home!"
Chen Kai breathed a sigh of relief. He knew Chen Nong had a collecting habit, but he didn't expect him to even secretly keep rabbits.
Zhou Kai and the others were clearing hail in the yard, otherwise it would be difficult to walk.
Seeing such a large pile of hailstones, Zhou suddenly said, "Eldest daughter-in-law, let's dig a cellar later and stuff all these hailstones in to make an ice cellar to refrigerate food."
“Okay,” Chen’s wife replied.
Chen Kai was about to speak up to stop the impending flood when his second wife said, "Mother, with the disaster so severe and food so scarce, some people might take the risk and steal food from other people's cellars. Why don't we use large vats to make ice cellars so we can check the food at any time to see if it has spoiled?"
"Food is our lifeline right now; it's safest to keep it under our noses."
Upon hearing this, Zhou thought it made sense and immediately agreed, ordering people to move the things quickly.
After this disaster, grain prices will definitely skyrocket, and their family won't be able to afford meat anymore. They only have the meat they raise themselves left, so they have to store it carefully and eat it sparingly.
Because Anping Village had caught a lot of field mice with the Chen family, and dried and stored them, every household now has some meat to eat.
But the villagers envied the Chen family the most; they raised a lot of fish, which they hadn't sold yet and were still storing.
Now they regret it, wondering why they didn't follow the trend and raise some fish so they could harvest vegetables earlier.
Having experienced numerous regrets, they now follow the Chen family's every move, such as what Chen Lao Er's wife just mentioned about using large earthenware jars to make ice cellars.
The hail continued intermittently throughout the day, finally stopping the following morning.
Everyone is still assessing the situation. If the rain continues, they'll stay in the warehouse for a few more days.
Now that the hail has stopped, everyone is rushing to repair their houses.
Chen Kai and Xiao Tian didn't tell everyone the good news that the hailstorm had passed; they would find out for themselves later.
After being suppressed for so long, we need to let everyone find new hope.
Daya came back from outside, warming herself by the fire, and said sadly to Chen Kai, "Uncle, the tree where we used to pick locust flowers has fallen, several fruit trees in the vegetable garden have also been broken, and the shaman has fallen too..."
There were several braziers in the house, and the younger children were forbidden from going out, so they had to stay at home and play by the fire.
Er Ya muttered, "This damn weather is making us feel like we're sitting on a fire."
Chen Nong said, "It's too cold. We'll freeze to death if we don't warm ourselves by the fire."
Mrs. Zhou said with heartache, "Once the hailstorm passes, Grandma will buy you some thick fabric and make cotton-padded clothes for you to wear."
Chen Nong and the others were overjoyed and excitedly shouted, "Thank you, Grandma! Grandma is the best!"
After lunch, everyone's mood improved when they realized that it hadn't hailed all morning.
Many people wept with joy, shouting, "The hailstorm is over! The hailstorm is over!"
Chen Kai's four uncles wanted to go home to visit, but Zhou was worried that something might happen to her four brothers, so she persuaded them to stay and let her nephews go back to visit instead.
The house must have collapsed. She was worried that her four older brothers would be devastated. Moreover, the hailstorm was so severe that it must be chaotic outside. If something else happened, it would be fatal!
Zhou advised, "Brother, you should just wait here for news."
Chen Kai's four uncles couldn't persuade Zhou Shi otherwise, so they agreed.
At this moment, Chen Lao Er's wife said worriedly, "When you go back, take a few more people with you. Don't worry about anything else when you get back. Just guard the grain first. When night falls, take the grain and rush back overnight. Be quick. No matter what you see, don't worry about it. Try to avoid taking detours."
Old Man Chen agreed, "We'll do whatever Second Son's wife says."
Chen Lao Er's wife thought for a moment and asked, "Father, Mother, can we borrow the oxcart from our family so that we can bring the grain over and get through this difficult time together?"
Zhou reluctantly replied, "Fine!"
Then he shouted at the in-laws, "You two families mustn't forget our kindness!"
"You think you can eat my food for free? No way! Once the grain is delivered, hand it all over to me. Anyone who doesn't work gets no food!"
The two families nodded and said, "Of course, of course."
They were already very grateful to be allowed to stay here; they really benefited from their daughter's presence this time.
Old Man Wu was worried about his son going back alone, so he asked Old Man Chen to accompany him.
Chen Laowu said, "Otherwise, I'll go too, it's good to have more people."
Just as Old Man Wu was about to agree, Chen Xiaohua shouted, "No way! What if something happens to my fifth brother!"
As for her older brother, well, he's strong, so she's not worried. And her husband? He's protected by her older brother, isn't he?
That's right, Chen Xiaohua's thought process is just that unique.
Old Man Wu was furious; his son was her husband!
Chen Kai and Xiao Tian were also speechless.
In ancient times, women were generally expected to follow their husbands wherever they went, as the saying goes, "A married daughter is like water spilled from a cup." Why is it different in their family?
Chen Lao Er's wife suddenly remembered something and said, "Oh right, bring all the iron tools from home, such as kitchen knives, wood-chopping knives, and hoes. You might need them in the future."
"Also, when you go back later, take your tools with you for self-defense."
In the afternoon, Chen Kai and Xiao Tian discussed how to solve the food problem. A rainstorm was coming, so it was obviously not feasible to go up the mountain to find food. Moreover, it was difficult to find wild vegetables or similar foods outside, except for digging up food from underground.
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