Rainy Days
Therefore, Zhou Sirlang, who went to visit, quickly returned. Even with an umbrella, he was soaked.
However, the weather was not cold, so he didn't mind much. He said, "The teacher asked me to come back." The Bai family also sent someone over, indicating that they would temporarily relocate to the Bai family once the rain stopped. However, Mr. Zhuang seemed reluctant and politely declined.
Before he returned, people from the Bai family were still there. The village chief's family and several other families with children studying there also sent individuals to check on the situation.
Old Zhou nodded and said, "Whether you go or not, when the rain stops, go and take a look." If they are moving, lend a hand. Mr. Zhuang will definitely need to move his furniture and books from the yard.
Zhou Sirlang agreed.
However, they were all too optimistic. Since the morning, the rain had not truly stopped. Even at its lightest, it was still drizzling, albeit lightly and persistently.
And then, in less than fifteen minutes, it started to pour again. At its heaviest, it felt as though the thunder and lightning from the previous night had returned. It should have been a bright afternoon, but dark clouds pressed down as if night had fallen.
Old Zhou sat on the doorstep, looking up at the dark clouds, his expression becoming more solemn.
Mǎn Bǎo sat beside him, also looking up at the dark clouds, reminiscent of how they had gazed at the sky under the grand banyan tree at the village entrance the day before.
After a night of heavy rain, the rainfall had lessened. The door of the Zhou family was knocked. Without needing to open it, someone called from outside the courtyard wall, "Uncle, open the door, it's Dà Zhù."
Zhou Sìlùng hurried to open the door.
Dà Zhù didn't enter but stood outside and shouted, "Uncle, my father asked for one person from each family to go and clear the ditches on the small and big bays."
Zhou Sìlùng was surprised, "But it's raining."
Dà Zhù smiled bitterly, "We have to go." At noon, my father took a look while the rain was light. The water on the road and the overflow from the river have all poured in. Some fields are flooded, with the rice seedlings half submerged. In your eastern field, a large portion has been washed away.
Upon hearing this, Old Zhou couldn't sit still. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Eldest, you go." Second, take Third and Fourth, put on raincoats, and go check each field... Forget it, I'll go with you.
"Our raincoats at home are not sufficient..."
Old Zhou ignored them and took one for himself first, then said to them, "The rain is not that heavy." "You're young, getting a little wet won't hurt."
Zhou Dàláng and his brothers: ...
Qián Shì came out of the house and glared at him, saying, "The ground is very slippery now." You're of a certain age, why are you joining in? Let Second and Third go. Eldest, you go with the villagers to clear the ditches.
Of course, they listened to their mother.
Zhou Èrláng quietly took the raincoat from his father's hand and hesitated. Before he could say anything, his mother tapped his head and said, "Don't even think about it." "If I find out you went out in the rain, I'll spank you."
Mǎn Bǎo instinctively covered her bottom and silently went back inside.
Feeling that she had no common language with them, she chatted with Kēkē, asking, "How long do you think this rain will last?"
Kēkē remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "I cannot predict the weather, but based on the current distribution of cloud cover and the activity of water molecules in the atmosphere, I conservatively estimate that it will last at least three days."
Mǎn Bǎo's eyes lit up, "So I can have a three-day break?"
Kēkē: ...
Mǎn Bǎo was happy for a moment, then slumped her shoulders, "But it's so boring to stay indoors when it's raining." "I might as well go to school."
Kēkē breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that its host was not completely lazy.
"Yes, heavy rain of this magnitude has a significant destructive impact on current production and operations." The host should consider ways to prevent the rain as soon as possible.
Mǎn Bǎo was astonished, "Can I make it stop?"
"No."
Even in the future, dispersing such large-scale thunderstorm clouds would be very risky. Even if they were smaller... No, it was a collection system, so it was not possible even if they were smaller.
"Then I can only pray to the heavens," Mǎn Bǎo sat on the doorstep, clasping her hands together and looking up at the sky, making a wish. "Heavenly Lord, please stop the rain." "I'm so worried."
Perhaps the Heavenly Lord did not hear Mǎn Bǎo's words, as the rain continued until evening, briefly stopping and then starting to drizzle again.
After finishing dinner and returning to their separate rooms, just as they were about to fall asleep, a heavy rainstorm started outside.
Mǎn Bǎo opened her drowsy eyes, taking a moment to fully wake up. As she listened to the pouring rain outside, she began to worry deeply. Could it really lead to a flood, as Kēkē had said?
But she couldn't swim. What if she got washed away by the water?
Should she go find her parents first so she could hold onto her father's arm…
Lost in her thoughts, Mǎn Bǎo gradually fell asleep again, dreaming that she was swept away by the water, and then woke up with a start.
As she opened her eyes and gazed outside, she noticed that it was already light, yet it was still raining.
The unexpected rain caught everyone off guard, including Mr. Zhuang.
Although he was full of worries, he didn't have time to dwell on them because the river water had surged and reached the front of the school. If it rose further, it would flood the school.
He had to follow Mr. Bai's advice and temporarily relocate the furniture and books from the small courtyard to the Bai family's residence.
Fortunately, it was now the third day, and although the rain was still heavy, it was no longer continuous throughout the day. Intermittently, rain fell, and occasionally, the sun even made an appearance.
But as Mr. Zhuang looked at the churning dark clouds on the horizon, he didn't feel that the situation had improved much.
He was very worried, and Mǎn Bǎo, who had come to help, was also worried. Seeing Mr. Zhuang, who, like her father, was looking up at the sky, she also gazed upward and asked, "Mr. "Zhuang, is the rain going to last for another three days?"
The latest scan conducted by Kēkē indicated that the storm would persist for another three days, but it also forecasted a decrease in rainfall.
However, for the already flooded Qīlǐ Village, this was not good news.
Despite the decrease in rainfall, the duration of the rain was still long.
Mr. Zhuang sighed and said, "It's hard to say. If it continues, the upstream embankments may not be able to withstand it."
"They were just repaired last year."
"Yes, we should be grateful for the repairs last year." Otherwise…"
Otherwise, Qīlǐ Village would have been flooded on the first night.
Mr. Zhuang looked at the dark clouds and said in a deep voice, "The situation in Qīlǐ Village is still manageable, but I wonder how it is in other places?"
Mǎn Bǎo sighed, "It's a pity we don't have wings; otherwise, we could fly out to see."
Despite being full of worries, Mr. Zhuang couldn't help but smile at this moment. He patted her little head and laughed, "You're really a child." Birds wouldn't dare to fly out in the rain. "Even if you had wings, you wouldn't be able to fly in the rain."
Mǎn Bǎo pondered for a moment and then said, "Then how about having a thousand-mile ear? That way, we can hear people talking from very far away and know whether it's raining or not."
Mr. Zhuang couldn't help but burst into laughter, then said, "Come over tomorrow to study after the rain stops." "I'll give you, Bái Shàn, and Bái Chéng extra lessons."
Mǎn Bǎo was stunned.