Chapter 48 Looking for People
The rain outside was pouring down relentlessly, occasionally accompanied by bowl-sized hailstones. It was impossible to access the roof to repair the damage.
In desperation, the whole family could only huddle in the main room for the time being.
It was still early, so sitting was bearable. But when it came time to sleep at night, this narrow space would be a bit cramped. Everyone looked at each other, their faces filled with unease.
"Okay, let's eat first. After we're full, we can see if the rain will get lighter." Grandpa Gu looked around at everyone and said loudly.
In this difficult time, we can only fill our stomachs first so that we have the energy to deal with subsequent matters.
Although everyone was still a little worried, they all understood that what Grandpa said made sense, and they all nodded, without anyone raising any objections.
The rain was so heavy that it was extremely inconvenient to do anything.
So grandma and Aunt Cai went to the kitchen together, cooked a pot of hodgepodge, and steamed a pot of pancakes and a bowl of porridge.
Gu Jiayue saw the wild vegetables that Aunt Zhou had given her and asked Aunt Cai to mix them together. This made up today's dinner.
When Hua Chao saw the basket of Houttuynia cordata, her eyes lit up instantly and she cried out excitedly, "Miss, you are so kind to me, aren't you?"
She was so touched. The young lady herself didn't like eating Houttuynia cordata, but she still thought of bringing it back for her. This thought made her feel very warm.
When she followed the young lady to the southwest, what made her happiest, besides being able to accompany her all the time, was discovering the Houttuynia cordata that she never got tired of eating. It was simply the "dream dish" of her life.
She really couldn't understand how there could be such delicious wild vegetables in the world. She could never get enough of them.
Gu Jiayue looked at Hua Chao's excitement and forced a slight smile: "As long as you like it."
I don't understand, but I respect it. As long as you like it, that's fine.
Farmers have never had too many formalities when it comes to eating.
The family sat together, eating and chatting.
Although the meal was simple, it was quite heartwarming to have the family together on such a rainy day.
Soon, everyone finished their meal.
At this time, the rain gradually subsided, and the previously scary hail was no longer so dense.
Seeing this, Grandpa Gu stood up and walked to the wall, picked up his straw raincoat and put it on, preparing to go to the field to check.
"Grandpa, let's go tomorrow. Look, the hail hasn't stopped yet. What if it starts to rain again when we go out?"
"That's right, Dad. The hail can kill people." Everyone tried to dissuade him, their eyes full of worry.
"Don't worry, I'll just go take a look around. I won't go far." Grandpa Gu waved his hand, his tone revealing stubbornness.
He was worried about the crops in the fields. He didn't know how much damage they had suffered after the hail and heavy rain.
Seeing Grandpa being so stubborn, the uncle shook his head helplessly and said, "Dad, I'll go with you. We can take care of each other and everyone can feel more at ease."
After saying that, he put on his raincoat and followed his grandfather.
But before the two of them stepped out of the house, a burst of rapid gong and drum sounds suddenly rang out.
The sound of gongs and drums seemed particularly harsh in the rainy night. Everyone's heart skipped a beat when they heard the sound, and an ominous premonition came to their mind.
Everyone knows that this is the sound of the village calling people to gather.
Grandpa Gu's expression froze. He turned to the people in the house and said, "You guys wait at home. The eldest and second sons, come with me to take a look."
The eldest uncle and the second uncle did not delay. They picked up the things on the wall and followed grandpa into the rain.
My aunt's face was filled with anxiety. She ran to the door and looked out, muttering, "What's going on? They're still asking us to gather when there's hailstorms like this? I hope nothing happens."
Her eyes were filled with worry, and her hands were unconsciously tugging at the corners of her clothes.
Grandma was also worried, but she managed to remain calm. "I think someone lost something important, and they're asking everyone to help find it."
As she spoke, she comforted the panicked junior beside her. "Okay, there's no point in getting anxious. Go back to your room."
This kind of thing has happened in previous years. During a heavy rainstorm, a family in the village had their sheep washed away by the flood. The family was so anxious that they begged the villagers to help find the sheep before the rain stopped.
After two days of searching, most of the sheep were found, but there were still about ten missing.
After a while, my uncle came back in a hurry. He took the torch prepared at home and said anxiously, "Mom, please bolt the door. Uncle Li has gone up the mountain to herd cattle and hasn't come back yet. We need to help look for him."
"This... is a sin! The hail was so big just now, and if Mr. Li didn't find a place to hide on the mountain, it would be terrible."
When grandma heard this, her face turned pale instantly, her eyes full of worry, "Go quickly, and tell your father and second brother to be careful on the road."
"You can also bring an axe with you, so that you can be prepared for any dangers you may encounter on the road."
My grandmother usually speaks frankly and is harsh in her words but kind-hearted. When she heard that a villager was in danger, she immediately urged my uncle to help.
"I understand." The uncle responded, then disappeared into the rainy night again with the torch in hand.
The hail has stopped, but the rain has not stopped. The crackling sound is incessant, which is disturbing and confusing.
Everyone was waiting anxiously, but uncle and others had not returned for a long time.
"Alright, you should all go and rest quickly. Judging from the situation, we will probably be very busy tomorrow."
In the main hall, the floor had been laid out early, and the family sat on the floor.
My younger brother Gu Yuhe was so sleepy that his eyelids were drooping, and soon he fell into a deep sleep.
But the older children were not sleepy at all.
"Mom, why hasn't Dad come back yet?" Gu Bailu asked softly, nestled in her second aunt's arms. Her words were filled with worry for her father, her eyes slightly red, and she was about to cry.
Second Aunt's mother glanced at the grim-faced grandmother and felt a pang of anxiety in her heart. She hurriedly coaxed her, "It's almost done, it's almost done. Don't cry anymore, or you'll upset Grandma."
"Bai Lu, come here, sister will hold you." Gu Bai Lu's sister Gu Xique held her in her arms and patted her gently.
But Bai Lu still tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
No one was sleepy. They all sat on the ground with worried looks on their faces, staring blankly outside.
Under the influence of such emotions, I felt that time was passing extremely slowly.
Seeing this, Gu Jiayue thought for a moment and then said slowly, "How about I tell you a story?"
Everyone became interested after hearing this. Even the timid Gu Bailu poked his head out from his sister's arms and said, "Second sister, please tell me quickly."
Seeing everyone's eyes on her, Gu Jiayue's confidence increased.
He took the oil lamp and placed it in front of him. "The story I'm going to tell you today is called 'The Lamp Flower Granny'."
The oil lamp originally placed on the table could still illuminate half of the room, but now that Gu Jiayue took it in front of her, it could only illuminate a small area.
Sometimes a breeze blew in, causing the oil lamp to sway, and the atmosphere suddenly became eerie.
Once upon a time there was a man named Liu Jizhong, who lived in a farm near Chang'an.
For some time his wife was seriously ill.
One night, before Liu Jizhong went to bed, a three-foot-tall, white-haired old woman suddenly stepped out from under the lamplight and said to him, "I am the only one who can cure your wife's illness. Why don't you pray to me?"
Liu Jizhong was a man of integrity and knew that the old woman was an evil spirit, so he scolded her harshly.
The old woman said: "Don't regret it!"
After saying this, he disappeared without a trace.
Soon his wife felt such severe pain in her chest that she was about to die.
Liu Jizhong had no choice but to pray to the old woman, and she appeared immediately.
The old woman sat down calmly, asked for a cup of tea, muttered something to the tea, and asked someone to give it to his wife to drink. His wife recovered in a moment.
From then on, the old woman often went in and out of the Liu family, and the family members were no longer afraid.
After several years, the old woman said to Liu Jizhong: "I have a daughter who is just coming of age. I hope you can find a suitable husband for her."
Liu Jizhong refused, and the old woman said, "I'm not asking you to find someone, you just need to carve a wooden figure out of paulownia wood."
Liu Jizhong did as he was told, and soon the wooden man disappeared out of thin air.
The old woman said, "Please prepare the bed for the newlyweds, and I will send a carriage to pick you up that day."
One evening, a carriage arrived at the door. Liu Jizhong and his wife had no choice but to get on the carriage.
We arrived at a place at nightfall. The buildings were tall and the furnishings were luxurious, like the palace of a prince or noble.
Liu Jizhong and his wife attended the wedding in a daze.
A few months later, the old woman came to thank him and said, "I have a little daughter who has grown up. I hope you can find a good husband for her."
Liu Jizhong was so annoyed that he picked up a pillow and threw it at him, shouting, "You evil demon, you are so annoying!"
The old woman then disappeared.
Not long after, Liu Jizhong's wife's heartache relapsed.
Liu Jizhong prayed again, but the old woman never showed up again, and his wife died soon after.
Soon after, Liu Jizhong's sister also looked distressed. Liu Jizhong wanted to move, but found that something was blocking him and he was helpless.
One day, Liu Jizhong was reading when a maidservant named Xiaobi suddenly entered the room. Her voice sounded just like his deceased friend Du Shenggong. She said, "I just returned from Mount Tai. On the way, I encountered a demon holding your sister's heart. I will take it away!"
After he finished speaking, he lifted up his sleeve, and saw something still jumping inside.
Then Du Shenggong said: "Quickly put this thing in a proper place."
After he finished speaking, a strong wind suddenly blew up in the room, and the thing in his sleeve disappeared.
Then Du Shenggong left, and Xiaobi fell down. When she woke up, she had no memory of what had happened.
Soon, Liu Jizhong's sister recovered from her illness.
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