Chapter 51
Building bamboo rafts was Hu Zhenzhen's ingenious idea.
Bamboo rafts and kayaks serve roughly the same purpose.
However, large bamboo rafts can carry more cargo and travel at a slower speed, making them more suitable for transporting goods.
Hu Zhenzhen is still unsure how effective the bamboo rafts will be in a real-world scenario.
After all, no one has ever tried it before, and there are no precedents to speak of.
Heaven shows no mercy to the people; the rain continues to fall in H City.
Further north, three or four cities were also caught in the downpour.
H City is the lowest-lying of the cities, and rainwater from the surrounding cities flows towards it. Even if H City's drainage system were operating at full capacity, it couldn't hold such a large amount of water.
The water was already up to an adult's thighs. For a child, the city streets were like a river, and falling in risked drowning.
The clothing store owner's home is in Bishui Township. Bishui Township is named so because there is a winding river in the township.
Beautiful mountains and clear waters were once the greatest praise people could give to his hometown.
But now this shallow river has become the most dangerous place.
The rain was torrential, and the water level kept rising, submerging the entire city and turning it into a large river. If you weren't careful, you could be swept away by the water.
The rain came suddenly, and many people were not at home preparing supplies.
They could manage to get by after a day of rain, but by the second day, some people were facing problems with running out of water and food.
Even without food, one can at least survive on what's in the refrigerator.
But the water outage became a major problem.
The rain outside is so heavy, but not a single drop of water is drinkable.
The water on the ground had reached waist height, and the water, mixed with various substances, had become a breeding ground for plague.
The clothing store owner looked out the window with worry. He lived on the second floor, while the first floor was flooded. The family there, with their own clean blankets, slept in the hallway and occasionally came to use his toilet.
If this rain continues, I'm afraid it won't be long before the second floor can't hold out either.
The most critical issue is that food supplies won't last long in the event of a power outage.
The clothing store owner doesn't like to stock up on goods; he only has enough vegetables for two meals and a bag of rice left at home.
He was worried that even the gas would be shut off tomorrow, so he steamed a whole pot of rice in advance, fearing that his family would have nothing to eat if they were together.
Before the neighbors on the first floor came out, they moved the food out as well.
The clothing store owner invited them to sleep in the living room that night. The family knew they didn't have any water, so they specially provided two bottles of water.
Even so, a group of people trapped inside the building is still a drop in the ocean.
When will the relief supplies arrive?
The clothing store owner could still access the internet, see comments from other people online, and see supply trucks heading towards H City from all directions.
But he didn't know if he could hold out until the supplies were distributed.
When people are in trouble, they inevitably feel anxious.
Especially when the power goes out, his phone only has half battery left, so he only turns it on for a short time at night to avoid losing contact with the outside world.
The rain continued to fall the following night.
The clothing store owner pressed the power button to check the situation outside.
He had barely opened Weibo when the screen was filled with news of the disaster, which made his heart clench.
Bishui Township is still the most severely affected area. Some mothers have already asked for help online. With no electricity or water, and little food at home, they are unable to feed their children.
The clothing store owner's eyes started to sting just looking at it.
"When will this damn weather stop raining?!"
He cursed, but couldn't hide his vulnerability. He buried his head in the blanket, his voice choked with sobs.
His wife heard him and silently patted him from outside the blanket to comfort him.
"Those who can get through this, we're all here for you."
If no one comforts him, he will just choke out a few words and then move on.
People are most afraid of having someone to rely on. After his wife said this, the shop owner suddenly lost control of his emotions and tried his best not to cry.
However, his forceful nasal tone had already given him away.
"The rice in the pot can be eaten for another day if we mix it with some pickled vegetables tomorrow. Let's all hang in there, we'll get through this eventually."
“Don’t worry,” his wife whispered, “Don’t be afraid, I’ve secretly hidden a bag of cookies.”
The clothing store owner suddenly couldn't hold back her tears and started laughing through her tears.
"You've been using all your cunning on this all day long."
Seeing him laugh, his wife laughed too, and whispered, "You're scolding me now, but you won't get to eat later."
It was only seven o'clock, but it was already pitch black outside.
The rain lessened a bit in the evening, but the water level remained high. Many households didn't even have candles and could only wait in the darkness.
"Hey! Does anyone need water? Does anyone need food?"
I could vaguely hear human voices outside the window.
The clothing store owner's ears immediately picked up the sound, and he froze.
"Honey, I think I heard someone call for water."
"Are you hallucinating?" the woman asked, looking at him worriedly.
The two looked at each other and remained silent for a moment.
A voice sounded again from outside the window, "Does anyone need food and water?"
The sound was somewhat distorted, as if it were coming from a loudspeaker, and it became even more muffled under the cover of the rain.
This time, however, the shop owner's wife also heard it and exclaimed, "It seems like it really is!"
The two of them sat up abruptly in bed, drew back the curtains, and peered outside to see what was happening.
The once wide street had become a river, but now there was a dry patch of land.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear in the dim light that it was a bamboo raft.
The bamboo raft was very simple, with a plastic sheet roof that could barely keep out the wind and rain.
Inside, someone was holding a megaphone and repeatedly shouting, "Does anyone need water and food? I'm here to deliver supplies!"
"Someone has come to deliver supplies! We're saved! We're saved!"
The clothing store owner almost thought he had said it himself. It took him a moment to realize that the speaker was his downstairs neighbor who was in his living room.
Everyone's thoughts are pretty much the same.
He immediately opened the window, intending to shout that they needed help.
But his throat was so dry and hoarse that he couldn't even manage to shout when he opened his mouth; instead, he coughed a few times.
Many windows in the building across the street were also open, and people were shouting outwards.
A clever person turned on their phone's flashlight and shone it diligently by the window.
The clothing store owner saw this and quickly turned on his flashlight as well.
A long bamboo pole extended from the bamboo raft and stopped.
"Let me tell you first that we will bring in supplies in batches, and everyone will be able to get them. Right now, it's just an emergency measure, and each household can only get a little bit for the time being."
When he spoke, everyone instinctively remained silent.
"Did everyone understand?"
"Understood!"
The response was so uniform, it was even more orderly than when elementary school students are in class.
"Okay! Two bottles of water, two packets of instant noodles, and four sausages for everyone. Could someone on the second floor please open their window so I can pass the items through here? Everyone, please collect your items in an orderly fashion!"
The clothing store owner quickly opened the window and told his wife to open the door.
"Please state the number of people first!"
After the announcement was made downstairs, people upstairs started checking the number of people in each household.
The same thing happens in every corner of Bishui Township.
Xiang Wei's factory produced more than 20 bamboo rafts in five hours and put them into the distribution of supplies ahead of schedule.
With doubled wages as a bonus, the workers continued to make bamboo rafts day and night in shifts.
Before long, a new batch of bamboo rafts will be sent to H City and put into use.
With a little rowing experience, one can operate a large bamboo raft.
Unlike small bamboo rafts, it doesn't easily lose its balance, making it relatively safer.
Even so, Hu Zhenzhen still chose people who could swim to transport the supplies.
Everyone wore life jackets, and each bamboo raft was equipped with a separate life ring to prevent accidents.
A lamp is tied to the front of the bamboo raft so that people can see the road ahead clearly in the dark.
Some streets are too narrow for large bamboo rafts to pass through; the addresses must be noted first, and then smaller bamboo rafts will be used to transport the goods.
Small bamboo rafts are more difficult to operate and require experienced people to work on them.
As dawn broke, the bamboo raft, which had been working all night, glided back to the storage area to hand over supplies to the colleagues who were guarding the raft.
"You've worked hard, you should go back and rest."
The colleague on the day shift pulled the white-clad friend up from the bamboo raft.
He was panting heavily, having spent the whole night moving goods and supporting himself with bamboo poles; his hands were trembling uncontrollably.
"Remember to keep two chocolates in your pocket. You can't keep up with this job without replenishing your energy in between."
His replacement knew him well; they had both worked as deliverymen on Xijingmen Street and were familiar with each other.
Hearing his concern, the man chuckled.
"Don't worry, you can rest. President Hu has booked all the rest stops at the border. You can go back and sleep as soon as you hit the pillow. I'm waiting for you to relieve me tonight!"
After saying that, without waiting for Bai You to reply, he sighed to himself.
"Mr. Hu is really generous. He hired us to deliver goods, paid three times the normal wage, and even provided accommodation."
With time running out and the task heavy, he stepped onto the bamboo raft and began moving the goods.
Bai You lay still, finally catching his breath. "Who says otherwise? With such a high salary, I'd be willing to do anything, even if President Hu asked me to shovel manure, let alone disaster relief."
"Alright, stop talking nonsense."
His colleague laughed at him, then, having gathered all the goods, he set off, leaning on a bamboo pole.
Bai You's eyes were almost closed. Just before he was about to fall asleep, he managed to get up and asked the truck driver to give him a ride to a rest stop.
As soon as he arrived, the receptionist immediately handed him a key.
"201, go straight and turn left, you'll get there. Have a good rest."
Bai You hadn't even opened his mouth before he was already taken care of.
He didn't immediately follow the receptionist's instructions to go to the room. Instead, he stood there hesitantly and asked somewhat embarrassedly.
"Um, is there a restaurant?"
Bai You's stomach rumbled at an inopportune moment, revealing his embarrassment.
The receptionist smiled gently, "Yes, turn right in front of the buffet restaurant. Mr. Hu has already said that the service is available 24 hours a day."
"Thank you."
Bai You left somewhat embarrassed, turning directly into the restaurant, intending to eat and drink his fill before taking a long nap.
It's only early morning now, and according to the usual practices of hotels, breakfast should consist of light foods like porridge and steamed buns.
If they can provide some pickled vegetables and eggs, that's already considered generous of them.
Bai You was already used to it and didn't expect to eat anything special. He just wanted to eat his fill and get a good night's sleep.
His eyes were so sleepy he could barely keep them open. He squinted as he entered the buffet restaurant and casually found a seat.
Half a minute later, Bai You's nose woke up before his eyes.
"What's that smell? It smells so good!"
He mumbled something, opened his eyes, and rubbed them a few times.
When Bai You saw the new dishes that had just been served at the buffet, he couldn't help but rub his eyes a few more times. "Am I dreaming?"
The waiter next to him had been observing him for a long time, and upon seeing this, smiled and spoke up.
"Sir, you're not asleep yet."
Bai You was startled by his voice and nervously swallowed, "Oh."
This scare woke him up, and he finally understood the situation.
He was definitely not asleep; he was sitting in the cafeteria, ready to eat.
Can--
This buffet is so luxurious!
Bai You looked at the plate only three meters away from him, which contained lobsters the size of which he had only ever seen on TV.
Next to the lobster were whole braised pork knuckles and pots of stewed pig's trotters.
The plates were of varying depths, and Bai You, sitting down, could only see a few dishes peeking out. He quickly stood up.
As he stood up, his eyes widened even more.
Braised fish and four-happiness meatballs made up the majority of the dishes, each one looking like it could only be made in a high-end restaurant, with perfect color, aroma and taste.
Bai You's mouth watered even more, but he still didn't dare to take a single step.
He turned his head and saw that many of his colleagues were sitting in the cafeteria eating, and they all looked exhausted from working all night.
But their plates only contained cheap and filling foods like fried rice and steamed buns.
Does this mean you have to pay for the buffet yourself?
Bai You's heart skipped a beat. If he really had to pay, he would have to think about what to eat. Lobster was not something an ordinary worker like him could afford.
He stood there, motionless for a long time.
This table happened to be right next to the door, and the waiter was right next to him. Seeing that he wasn't moving, the waiter asked him a question.
"Sir, what service do you need?"
Bai You stared at the lobster with a reluctant look in his eyes. He steeled himself and asked, "How much does it cost to eat at your buffet?"
He thought to himself, he'd earned three times his salary, so if it wasn't expensive, he absolutely had to eat it at least once.
He had never even tasted lobster before.
The waiter smiled and said, "Please rest assured, Mr. Hu will cover your food and lodging at the rest stop. You won't have to pay for meals."
This was in response to Bai You.
But the people at the next few tables who were eating fried rice with their heads down all looked up at the same time.
"No money required?"
Bai You's voice trembled with surprise, "You can eat that lobster as much as you want?"
"That's fine, sir," the waiter said, stepping forward as he pointed at the lobster. "Would you like me to serve you, sir?"
"No need, no need."
Bai You quickly refused.
He's used to being rude, and if someone actually serves him, he doesn't know how to eat.
One of the coworkers who had been silent earlier was already picking up food.
It's obvious that they just found out that eating here is free, which is why they dared to go to the meat and vegetable section to pick up some food.
But... but how did he manage to take half of the meatballs by himself!
When a group of grown men eat together, the essence lies in the act of grabbing food. Bai You didn't have time to talk to the waiter; he quickly grabbed a plate and joined the battle for food.
Normally, fried rice is the dish that is consumed the fastest, but when the head chef saw this, he started preparing more fried rice.
After learning that meat and vegetables were edible, these people who made a living by physical strength truly demonstrated their abilities.
When the chef came over with the pot to refill the rice, I was surprised to find that the meat and vegetable section, which was just full of food, was now empty.
Even a large bowl of pig's trotters was devoured, leaving an empty bowl and a few lonely spices.
This really worried the chef.
Mr. Hu hired him because he valued his abilities.
They said they absolutely had to feed these hardworking people and make sure they ate to their hearts' content.
This is only the first round, and the food supplies are already almost gone. This won't do.
He was over forty years old and had a young apprentice. In a moment of desperation, he rolled up his sleeves and rushed to the kitchen.
"Little Sanwa, hurry up and get the pressure cooker ready, let's braise five pork hocks first!"
The head chef was speaking near Bai You.
But Bai You didn't hear him at all; all he could see was eating.
How can there be such delicious food in the world!
He would occasionally drift off into a silent sigh, only to quickly immerse himself in the joy of eating.
After eating his fill, Bai You sat in his seat feeling dizzy for a long time before remembering that he should take some photos since he had eaten so well.
Fortunately, a coworker nearby took the photo, and within a few words, the photo was sent to him.
Bai You chatted with him for a long time and learned that he was a local. He repeatedly said that it must have been tough for him.
Back in his room, he was even more tired, but the memory of his first time eating such a feast was worth commemorating, so he posted a message on his WeChat Moments before falling asleep.
[Bai You: I've come to H City to work, and this is the first time I've experienced the joy of working for a rich boss! No wonder she's Mrs. Zhenzhen!]
A simple sentence, accompanied by pictures of the food his coworkers sent him.
To Bai You, this was just an ordinary post on his WeChat Moments, but to others it was quite different.
He came from Xijingmen Street, where news of Hu Zhenzhen was particularly popular.
The moment the elderly neighbor saw his post on WeChat Moments, she started calling out to everyone.
"Xiao Bai has really made something of himself! He's actually working under Zhenzhen now!"
Several women from the neighborhood were sitting under the tree enjoying the shade when they heard her words and quickly gathered around.
"What? Is it that Xiaobai from the third floor? Isn't he a mover?"
"What a newbie! What is Zhenzhen planning to move?"
"You haven't heard? H City is in such a big disaster, Zhenzhen donated a lot of things, and Xiaobai went to deliver supplies to the people in the disaster area!"
Upon hearing this, the group became even more energized.
"Who told you that? I haven't seen this news online."
"Who else could it be? My son! He went with Xiaobai!"
"Wow, Da Bao has made something of himself. This can be considered a good deed."
The mother, speaking with pride, said, "Of course, I was worried he wouldn't let him go, and Da Bao even scolded me."
Some young people passing by couldn't help but stop and listen to their gossip for a while.
While listening, his fingers were also busy, quickly sharing the information with his friends.
Have you heard? Hu Zhenzhen donated a lot of things to H City and even sent people to deliver the supplies one by one.
[Really? How did you know?]
I heard it from the old lady at the door; her son is in charge of delivering goods.
The conversation was screenshotted again and reposted on short video websites and Weibo.
In less than half an hour, it was marked with a huge "explosive" sign.
[Hu Zhenzhen, donation.]
The trending search terms are short, but the trending posts that follow are numerous and varied.
The post Bai You made on WeChat Moments was also among them, but it wasn't what people were most concerned about.
The most popular one was a Weibo post from a resident of Bishui Township in H City.
In the picture, it was barely dawn, and because of the rain, the photo was not clear and only a blurry image could be seen.
Even so, the green bamboo rafts were still clearly visible.
Square bamboo rafts are rare, let alone several connected together.
It was piled high with bottled water and instant food; you could tell at a glance what they were doing.
[Bai Lang Tao Sha: I never expected to encounter such a disaster at my age. We just ran out of food at home, and I'm completely devastated. I'm so grateful to President Hu for the rescue team that sent the supplies; otherwise, I really think I might have died in this downpour.]
Due to the power outage, not many people from Bishui Township were able to post on Weibo; only a few expressed their gratitude in the comments section of his post.
When such a major disaster truly strikes, even those cyber mercenaries hide away, not daring to fire their weapons easily.
The voices of ordinary netizens are being heard more often.
Honestly, seeing this bamboo raft felt like seeing Noah's Ark.
[The comment above really struck a chord with me. I never imagined that I would be one of those people who could board a ship during such a disaster.]
I truly feel that I haven't been abandoned. Thank you, President Hu, thank you to the rescue team, thank you to our country, and thank you to my compatriots!
The comments section was unusually harmonious.
But not long after, some people seeking attention tried to gain traffic by attacking Hu Zhenzhen.
[Talking about Noah's Ark? It's just a bamboo raft. That's an exaggeration. There are really people who love to fawn over the rich.]
As soon as he said that, he immediately gained the attention he wanted.
What do you mean by "sycophantic"? Should people be criticized for doing good deeds?
I hate people who complain online without donating a single penny.
See my trained right hand? I'll slap it across the face right away.
Netizens have become shrewd and know what this person's purpose is in deliberately provoking trouble. They swarmed in and immediately reported and blocked him.
Before the account owner could even feel smug about gaining traffic, the account was banned.
People like him usually operate multiple accounts simultaneously, using similar shady tactics to gain traffic.
This trick had always worked and had helped him make a lot of money.
But today's result was a slap in the face for him.
All eight of my accounts were reported and banned at the same time; none of them survived.
That wouldn't have been bad enough, but his IP address was also detected by the authorities and marked as a dangerous user.
In other words, he can no longer make money this way.
"Damn it!" he cursed, disturbing his roommate.
"Zhang Chunlai, that's enough! I've put up with you for too long. Can't you be quiet when other people are sleeping?!"
Zhang Chunlai was in a bad mood and couldn't help but complain.
“I didn’t want to either. It’s all the fault of these lunatics. I only mentioned Hu Zhenzhen, and they acted like their mother had died, chasing after me and reporting me.”
"Who are you talking about? Did you insult Hu Zhenzhen?"
Zhang Chunlai was still unaware of the danger. "Yeah, she's just a rich person, yet so many people fawn over her..."
Before Zhang Chunlai could finish speaking, he was already on the floor.
"Damn it, you dare to curse anyone."
My roommate said, "What bad luck! You dare to curse me like that in front of my fan! I had to find such a bastard like you to share an apartment. I'm going to stand up for Sister Hu today!"
With both old and new grudges combined, the roommate carried out the attack with exceptional gusto.
The internet will only become more harmonious and friendly once we lose a deliberately troublesome troll.
Things had progressed to the point where Hu Zhenzhen was being praised by everyone.
In this situation, she can receive praise and love without doing anything.
But Hu Zhenzhen still spoke out.
However, it wasn't on Weibo, but in official news.
CCTV reporters who went to the front lines interviewed Hu Zhenzhen at the location where disaster relief supplies were stored.
"Hello Mr. Hu, I am Wang Tiantian, a reporter from CCTV. May I ask you a few questions?"
Hu Zhenzhen was arranging which community to supply this truckload of goods to first, and only looked up when she heard her words.
"Can."
The preceding dialogues were all common, nothing more than bureaucratic jargon from entrepreneurs about giving back to society.
Until the reporter asked the last question.
"Mr. Hu, what do you think about netizens comparing bamboo rafts to Noah's Ark?"
The reporter asked questions while subtly hinting at them to her.
The authorities have never wanted to cause unnecessary panic. Asking about the topic related to the doomsday car was also an attempt to appease the public through Hu Zhenzhen's words.
Hu Zhenzhen understood her implication, but still chose to answer according to her own thoughts.
"Noah's Ark is a ship that led people to escape the end of the world. I don't think a bamboo raft can be called Noah's Ark."
To the reporter's surprise, she rejected this highly complimentary analogy.
Hu Zhenzhen didn't look at her; her eyes shone with determination as she stared directly at the camera.
"Noah's Ark can only carry a limited number of people, but the purpose of the bamboo raft is to save the people in the entire disaster area. If I have to call it an ark, I would prefer to call it the Ark of Hope."
"Disasters are given by heaven, but hope is spread by people."
"If there are any people in front of the TV who are good at bamboo rafting and swimming, I hope you can also come aboard the Ark of Hope and lend our hope to everyone in the disaster area."
These words shocked all six provinces in the country.
[Having studied swimming professionally, I've never felt so exhilarated! Family, I'm going! Let's go!]
[Professional dragon boat athletes request to compete!]
I've reached the border of H City; I've arrived carrying the hopes of our W City!
[Who understands? Last time I was this excited, I lent my light to Ultraman Tiga!]
High-speed rail, airplane, highway.
The crowd surged forward toward City H.
None of them were forced; they all came with sincere hearts and boundless enthusiasm.
Some people drove all night and then helped the workers at the freight station unload goods when they arrived.
Some people are good swimmers and went into the water with swimming rings, delivering supplies to nearby residents in backpacks.
Some people couldn't do much, so they quietly sent their own quilts to the freight station so that everyone returning from the water could keep warm.
Disasters may be great, but humanity is insignificant.
The ant-like crowds swimming upstream, with rows of bamboo rafts filling the streets, were still quite a sight to behold.
Boxes of supplies were transported from the border to the heart of the disaster, ensuring that everyone had access to clean water and clean food.
Even for an octogenarian who can't come downstairs, there are kind-hearted young people who personally knock on the door to deliver food.
At this moment, the insignificant human beings triumphed over the supreme God, mocking His powerlessness.
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