Chen Bin, Wang Haoran, and Chen Aihua exchanged glances, wondering what Gu Nanxun and his wife were up to. They didn't believe Lin Qing would suddenly act out and disregard their safety.
"Fourth Brother, what's wrong with you two!"
Seeing that everyone had left, Wang Haoran finally couldn't help but ask Gu Nanxun.
"It's alright, let's eat something to replenish our energy!"
As she spoke, Lin Qing took out some cakes and pastries from her basket and distributed them to everyone.
"Oh, I see, so Fourth Sister-in-law wants to eat something!"
Wang Haoran believed he had guessed the truth: Lin Qing must have wanted to eat, which was why she and his fourth brother had colluded to lead everyone to the front.
"Nanxun, what happened?"
Chen Aihua and Chen Bin exchanged glances and asked Gu Nanxun, not believing that Lin Qing and Gu Nanxun were doing this simply to eat alone.
“I’m worried that we won’t be able to go back to the village for the time being, and it will be very inconvenient for us if we travel with everyone.”
Gu Nanxun took the pancake Lin Qing handed him and ate it while saying something.
"Can't go back to the village? What do you mean? Cough cough..."
Wang Haoran was engrossed in eating his pancake when he suddenly heard Gu Nanxun's words, and he choked on his pancake.
"Slow down!"
When Xu Fengjiao saw that Wang Haoran had choked on the pancake, she quickly patted his chest to help him and handed him the water she had just gotten from Lin Qing.
Wang Haoran took the water Xu Fengjiao handed him and gulped down several mouthfuls before he finally recovered.
"Nanxun, do you mean you're worried about the village being flooded?"
Once Chen Aihua understood Gu Nanxun's meaning, she couldn't sit still any longer. Her parents, second uncle, and second aunt were still in the village!
"Don't worry, Third Brother, our family should be fine. Our house is higher up than the other houses in the village, and it's near the mountain. If anything happens, Dad and Second Uncle will take Mom and Second Aunt up the mountain immediately."
Chen Aihua felt slightly relieved, but then said, "What if a mudslide also occurs on the mountain behind them?"
Chen Aihua couldn't even imagine what would happen if this happened. If a mudslide also occurred on the mountain in Chaoyang Brigade, then no one in Chaoyang Brigade would survive. They would be sandwiched between two mudslides, and no one would be able to escape.
"No, that mountain is too big. If a mudslide were to occur, the entire commune would probably be submerged! It's impossible for us to be completely silent here. The fact that there's no movement here can only mean that everything is fine."
"Well, let's finish eating quickly and leave! Or you guys can eat slowly in the back? I'll go ahead and gather some information!"
Although Gu Nanxun's words made sense, Chen Aihua was still worried.
“No, we shouldn’t get separated right now. I’ve been to this mountain before. There’s a cave at the top. Let’s go there and settle down first, and then we can go and gather information.”
After saying that, Gu Nanxun also sped up his eating. Although he knew there was nothing wrong, he also knew that everyone was worried.
After everyone finished eating, Gu Nanxun carried Lin Qing on his back and led them to the place marked by the system earlier. The place the system found was excellent; the cave was clean and well-ventilated, not particularly damp, and there was a large open-air platform. Deep inside the cave, there was a spring flowing downwards. Although the flow was not large, it could solve the problem of drinking water for the time being.
"Haoran, you and Chen Bin go see if you can find some firewood to start a fire and warm the lady. Third Brother and I will go and find out some information."
"Okay, Fourth Brother, don't worry! We'll handle it without any problems."
Chen Bin wanted to say something when he heard Gu Nanxun's arrangement, but he opened his mouth and didn't say anything.
Gu Nanxun patted Chen Bin on the shoulder: "Trust your fourth brother, everything will be alright."
Feeling the pressure on his shoulder, Chen Bin nodded without saying anything in the end.
"Zhao Chun, take everyone to thoroughly inspect the cave, and then take a few people out to find some food."
The firewood outside the cave was already soaked, so Chen Bin and Wang Haonan could only search inside the cave. Fortunately, they found some branches that were barely usable.
At this moment, Lin Qing was secretly pondering what to put in her basket. She couldn't keep others from seeing her basket forever.
After thinking for a moment, Lin Qing put a pot, a knife, several bundles of noodles, a packet of salt and some simple seasonings in the basket. She also put a mat, a blanket, a lighter, a flashlight, three kettles, a large piece of plastic sheeting, a bundle of rope, and some food in the basket.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, do you have a lighter?"
Wang Haoran saw that although he had found firewood, he didn't have a lighter, so he asked Lin Qing.
"Yes, here you go."
The fire quickly started burning, and Lin Qing and the others quickly dispelled the chill from their bodies.
Lin Qing took the pot out of the basket and went to the spring to fetch a pot of water.
She asked Wang Haoran to build a frame over the fire with stones, and put the pot on it, intending to boil a pot of water for everyone to drink.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, why did you bring the pot with you?"
As Wang Haoran built a frame with stones, he asked Lin Qing curiously.
"Your fourth brother and I were planning to have a picnic on the mountain when we came back if it didn't rain today! That's why we brought the pot. We didn't expect to use it now."
"Fourth Sister-in-law, you and Fourth Brother really know how to have fun! But it's a good thing you two know how to have fun, otherwise where would we get a pot right now!"
While working, Wang Haoran smiled and said to Lin Qing, "Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law are really lucky."
Gu Nanxun and Chen Aihua headed down the mountain, encountering many villagers seeking refuge along the way. After inquiring, they learned that the village had indeed been flooded, and everyone was trapped on the mountain, unable to return.
Finally crossing the mountain ridge, people thought their suffering was about to end, but at the foot of the mountain they witnessed a heartbreaking scene—their village, the home that carried countless beautiful memories and boundless hope, had been submerged by the raging flood.
At first, the crowd's eyes were filled with disbelief and astonishment, followed by endless grief and deep despair. Tears mingled with rain on their faces, and their throats felt as if gripped by an invisible giant hand, unable to utter a sound.
Gu Nanxun looked at the familiar houses and fields of the past, which had now turned into a vast expanse of water, with only broken branches and scattered debris floating on the surface.
The women covered their faces, their heart-wrenching cries sounding especially mournful in the rain; the men clenched their fists, their eyes red-rimmed, their teeth grinding together, yet utterly helpless. The children clung to their adults in terror, bewildered and lost. The whole world seemed to collapse in that instant; the flames of hope were extinguished by the cold, merciless flood, leaving only desolation and bleakness.
"Nanxun, this..."
Chen Aihua stared at everything before her, her teeth chattering.
"Third Brother, what do you think?"
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