Chapter 8

Today, it was almost noon before Ji Jiu woke up. Last night, she dug the waterhole until late at night and woke up this late. Good thing there aren't any mosquitoes around here because of the drought. Otherwise, there's hope that her identity will be pied. Or they definitely caught jungle fever from a mosquito bite.

 After washing her face and eyes, Ji Jiu walked over to check the water level. She found that although the basin was not full, it was more than half full. Ji Jiu then put the things in the basket. Including dragging the shovel that she made with her. No matter how tired it was, I had to put it to use again.

 Ji Jiu walked down the stream she had walked up yesterday. Dead fish were floating everywhere, fearing that they would make people downstream sick from germs. So Ji Jiu decided to weave dry grass and tie it with wooden sticks to use as spoons for the dead fish and put them next to the stream first. After the spoons were made in a big pile, Ji Jiu found some tinder to burn to kill germs.

 She kept walking to work until dark and then stopped to rest. Then we continued until the foot of the mountain and it was noon again. Ji Jiu decided to go home and rest first. Tomorrow, she would slowly return to the same spot and continue to work hard all the way downstream.

 With fatigue from the past three days, Ji Jiu simply boiled water to wash his body and drank warm water. As for the chestnuts that were burnt while boiling water, I threw them out and left them before going to bed.

 Ji Jiu slept until dawn the next day when suddenly there was a loud crash of thunder. She woke up to see if she had dreamed or not. If it was really raining, then the dry season would really be over.

 With less than an incense stick of thunder, the rain poured down so heavily that the roof of her hut almost collapsed. Ji Jiu could only thank the heavens for this kindness. Even if she dug a water source, if there was no rain at all, she would not be able to survive for more than two months. Now that it had rained, the village was spared the disaster they had been suffering for a year.

 Confirming that the rain would not stop easily, Ji Jiu lay down and continued to sleep with a smile. She waited for the rain to stop before she went to the village chief and told her the news about disinfecting the water before drinking it. She probably couldn't do it alone. Right now, her body still hadn't received any nourishment after recovering from death. If he gets sick again, he probably won't survive.

 By the afternoon the rain had stopped. Ji Jiu, who had woken up and looked for something to eat in the kitchen for a while, hurriedly closed the house and ran to Uncle Phu Yai's house.

"Uncle Elder. I will tickle you."

"Wait a moment, Ji Jiu. I'll let Auntie open the door for you."

 Mrs. He, wife of the village headman, called out before opening the door for Ji Jiu with a smile that was rare during these dry times.

"Respect your aunt. I have something to tell Uncle He. I don't know if Uncle is home or not."

"Suddenly, come inside first. Auntie was too happy about the rain and forgot to thank you for the chestnuts last time."

"Auntie, you don't have to thank me. They have taken care of me since I was a child. I am the one who must thank you."

 Ji Jiu hurriedly informed Mrs. He, grateful for their kindness towards the original owner.

"Alright, go sit down, Auntie will call Uncle for you."

"Thank you Auntie."

 Ji Jiu sat and waited for a while before an old man walked in with his wife holding a kettle and poured it into a glass for Ji Jiu.

"Respect your uncle. I have something to tell you. Please inform the villagers."

"What's the matter, Ji Jiu? Please tell Uncle. If I can help, Uncle will help."

"Regarding the water in the stream right now, Uncle. Yesterday I went up the mountain and came down the stream and found many dead aquatic animals. I'm afraid that if the villagers drink the water without boiling it first, they might get sick. So I hurriedly came to inform Uncle first."

"Oh, I forgot to think about this. Thank you very much, Jiji. I will tell all the villagers to boil the water before eating it. But are there any other ways to prevent the disease?"

"That's enough. That is, all those dead animals must be burned. In order to prevent germs from seeping into the soil and flowing into the streams, I want us to help bring all those animals up from the streams in the village. I can't do it alone."

"Alright, I'll tell our remaining villagers about this first. You wait with me."

 Village Headman Hun He hurriedly picked up his personal gong and took his wife and Ji Jiu to the village square.

Peng! Peng! Peng!

 The sound of the gong continued for a while. The few remaining families gathered around and asked what the village headman's urgent matter was. But the others didn't know what was going on so they just waited to ask the village headman instead.

"Is there something wrong, elder?" Uncle An hurriedly asked, curious.

"I have something to tell everyone about the water in the stream right now. Ji Jiu went up the mountain the other day and saw all the dead aquatic animals floating around. She was afraid that if we drank water without boiling it first, she might become seriously ill. She quickly came and told me. If you guys have drawn water, boil it before drinking every time, do you know that? If you're sick right now, I don't have the ability to help you all by going to the doctor. You know very well what the drought is like this year."

 The villagers, after listening to the village headman's words, promised that they would definitely boil it first. They were all afraid of death so they didn't dare disobey the advice. Until they survived the dry season until today, they suddenly died because they drank water.

"And there is another matter that I would like to ask of you. Right now, there are still dead aquatic animals strewn around in the stream. If you don't want to get sick, help scoop them up and burn them to kill them. Right now, we don't have many people in the village, so we might have to help each other out."

"What do you use for each adult? Now in the village, there are only old people like me left. My children and grandchildren have all emigrated, not knowing whether it is good or bad."

 The village headman could only sigh after listening. He, too, sent his children away. But due to his burden, he could not leave the village.

"Tie a basket to a stick and use a spoon to get it, Old Liang. After all, every house has a bamboo basket, so let's use it first. You all go back and prepare your things first, and the other two gather at the source of the river at the foot of the mountain. Because Ji Jiu helped manage the mountain stream for us."

 The villagers looked at Ji Jiu in shock. The child.

How much physical and mental effort would it take for these skinny people to clean the mountain stream alone? They, suffering from the drought, hardly have the strength to leave their homes. But this child helped everyone without question. How long have you been doing this?

"Thank you very much, Mother Nu Ji Jiu. From now on, we will help you clean up. You have helped us a lot."

 The villagers hurriedly thanked her and immediately dispersed to prepare their things. Then work together to follow Ji Jiu's instructions. With so many people, the work was faster than if she had done it alone. before sunset They were successful in cleaning all the way downstream.

 The village headman thanked everyone and then dispersed to go back to rest. And he didn't forget to remind them to always boil water before drinking as a precaution. The villagers greeted the village headman with a smile and dispersed.