Xiao Jiu successfully diverted her parents' attention from her, since those things couldn't withstand close scrutiny.
The attic is nice, but it's also close to the roof. How could it not leak or get any stains after so many days of rain?
How much stuff can you fit in the attic?
Fortunately, at this time, the brigade headquarters beat drums and gongs to summon the men to the village committee to collect lime powder. Every household had to take this stuff home and sprinkle it in every corner of their house, especially the toilet, as it had a sterilizing effect, and it was even more effective now that the ground was damp.
When quicklime comes into contact with water, it releases a large amount of water vapor at a very high temperature, turning into slaked lime, which is calcium hydroxide.
Calcium hydroxide is weakly alkaline, and most pathogens cannot survive under these conditions. Therefore, it not only has a bactericidal effect, but is also more suitable for large-scale disinfection work due to its low price.
In addition to disinfecting their own homes, each household also assigned one person to go to the fields and various corners of the village to spread quicklime.
The village chief repeatedly emphasized over the loudspeaker that everyone must drink boiled water and never drink tap water.
Their two families probably suffered the least damage in the whole village. The older sisters cleaned up much more efficiently than she did, taking away almost everything they could. When they returned home, they were faced with an empty house. Cleaning up the silt was less difficult than cleaning up the water in the cellar. Even so, it was enough to keep them from getting a full night's sleep for three to five days.
The disaster meant that cleaning up the house took until early August before we were finally able to move back in.
After the disaster, the water level was clearly visible, and yellowish-brown stains were left on the furniture and walls in the house.
It took their entire family three days of non-stop work to drain the water from the cellar alone.
The mud and water left over from every household, along with the mud mixed with various stones and debris, eventually ended up in the middle of the road.
Then, the labor force will be organized to transport the mud and soil to places that are not in the way, such as fields.
The floodwaters in the fields haven't receded yet, so the crops will definitely need to be replanted this year; all the work this season has been for nothing.
Xiao Jiu is about to graduate, and school starts on August 10th. She is glad that she did not go to Northeast China, otherwise her family would really suffer a great loss without her.
"Have you heard? Huang Xin and the Huang brothers have made up."
Thinking about this disaster, Xiao Jiu could easily understand: "Was it the gold that saved him and moved him?"
"Huang Jin is a tough guy. He first took his wife to a safe place, and then went back to pick up his brother."
The water level was already waist-deep; if he had arrived any later, Huang Xin would most likely have drowned.
Perhaps only those who have experienced despair can truly appreciate the preciousness of family bonds.
Tang Cuihua listened indifferently, "If Huang Jin can't even do this much, he'll probably be drowned in the villagers' spittle."
No matter what, he's still his brother, and he's disabled. Even if there's no gold to rescue him in the second wave, there will be others to help.
However, due to this disaster, four more people from their village have gone missing. They are all elderly people who are unwilling or afraid to leave.
The younger generation in their family were at their wits' end. They came several times, but the person just wouldn't leave, and no amount of persuasion could convince them. People from the village also came to try to persuade them, knowing how stubborn they were. Most importantly, the person was missing, and they didn't know where the waves had swept them away to.
Those that disappear under such circumstances are unlikely to survive.
With families settled and the disaster receding, various organizations are gradually returning to normal.
During this time, his mother also took the opportunity to wash and re-wash his bedding for school. After all, he was going to high school in the county town, which was close to his parents and convenient for them to keep an eye on him. So, she didn't go to the trouble of picking him up and dropping him off like she did.
Grandma has lost a lot of weight recently, probably because she has difficulty adapting to the new environment. If it weren't for her boiling water for her every day, her stomach probably wouldn't be able to handle it. After the disaster, they drank a lot of traditional Chinese medicine to regulate their bodies. It was all bought by my eldest sister from the health center. It's the kind of medicine that prevents the plague and can improve immunity.
Before leaving, she left a lot of snacks by her bedside, telling her not to be stingy with them, and that she would buy more for her when she finished them.
The old lady was so touched that she kept holding her hand and saying, "Good granddaughter, I didn't spoil you for nothing!"
Grandpa, feeling jealous, exhaled sour smoke rings. Xiao Jiu went up and put his arm around his shoulder, secretly slipping him five yuan.
"Don't say your eldest granddaughter doesn't love you, this money is my scholarship money, Grandpa, please keep it safe, buy whatever you want to eat, don't be stingy with the money, our family earns so much, we can't let our two darlings suffer!"
“You, you, it’s your sweet talk that makes us reluctant to let you go. You have no idea, every time your grandma sees you leave, she secretly wipes away her tears, saying things like ‘every time we see you is one less time.’ It makes my heart ache when I hear that. Jiu, study hard, and when you get into university and leave this little mountain village, you won’t have to suffer like us for the rest of your life!”
...
When Xiao Jiu left, she was wiping away tears. Cui Hua rode her bicycle to see her off and was on her way to work. Naturally, Cui Hua noticed her little actions.
"Alright, stop crying. They feel even more dependent on you because you were home during this disaster. They probably wouldn't be this dramatic normally."
To be honest, they are getting old and just want their children and grandchildren to be by their side, which is understandable.
I'll tell your sister Cuihong and the others to go and keep you company more often, so don't worry!
With all the eggs, grains, meat, and snacks you've given Cuihong this time, she'll definitely be able to raise them to be healthy and strong.
"Sister, I've been spending a lot of time with Grandma this time, and I feel like her senses are getting weaker and weaker. Sometimes when I go into the house to look for her, it takes her a while to realize it's me. Also, her memory isn't good. She often misremembers people. For example, she can attribute things my brother did to me. This is not a good sign. I'm so scared."
She was afraid that one day she wouldn't be able to come back in time, and what would happen if her dear grandmother, who had raised her from childhood, could no longer open her eyes?
Everyone faces and experiences birth, aging, illness, and death, but when it comes to close relatives, it's unlikely that anyone can simply brush it off with a single sentence without feeling anything.
Tang Cuihua let out a long sigh, as if she had said a lot.
Perhaps Xiao Jiu didn't need her to respond; she just wanted someone to talk to.
The roads after the disaster were difficult to travel, muddy and slippery everywhere. Even after entering the county town and getting on a bus, the journey that usually takes two hours took more than three hours. When Xiao Jiu got off the bus, he vomited all over his face, his legs were so weak that they were shaking, and he was so sickly that his face was pale.
"Hey? Aren't you Comrade Zhou's sister, Tao Tao? Are you alright? I've never seen anyone so carsick before. Quick, have a candy to sweeten your mouth, maybe it'll make you feel better. This is a mint, it's really refreshing!"
Xiao Jiu had just finished vomiting while leaning against the wall and was wiping herself with a handkerchief. Her legs were still trembling when she heard someone talking to her. She looked up and froze.
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