Chapter 24.2

In the afternoon, the people from Qingxi Village gathered to discuss whether to move out and come to a decision today.

After much discussion, it was still the old problem: most people wanted to move but were afraid of being marginalized by the people from outside, the Qingsong Brigade.

“Village Chief, how about waiting until the water recedes and we go back to check?”

“Right, let’s see again after the water recedes.”

Yang Guozhu sighed, “Okay, let’s wait and see.”

Yang Guozhu was deeply concerned about everyone’s future, very troubled. Unexpectedly, Zhou Baohe took the initiative to find him, saying that they were accepting the people from Qingxi Village to move out.

“To be honest, our village’s land is a bit tight with forty more households. But it’s just a matter for this year. Once the wasteland is cleared, it will be easier next year.”

“We’re all old farmers here. With so many people, we’re not afraid of managing a few more plots of land.”

Zhou Baohe said it nicely, and when Yang Guozhu asked him a key question, “After the autumn harvest, how will the grain be divided? If the grain is distributed to us, your people won’t have any objections, right?”

“I can’t guarantee that everyone will accept it, but the majority will definitely still stand with you. Think about it—these years, even though you didn’t move out, there has been quite a bit of intermarriage between us. Daughters from Qingxi Village don’t help their natal families? Sons-in-law don’t help their mother-in-law’s side?”

Zhou Baohe patted Yang Guozhu’s shoulder, “Don’t think too hard about it; we’re all from the same team, and a broken bone is connected to its sinew.”

Yang Guozhu smiled, “Alright, your words reassure me. Once the water recedes, I’ll go back and see what happens.”

Yang Guozhu felt that they were probably going to move out this time for real.

Zhou Baohe added, “It’s good for us if you move out too. In the future, the water flowing from Daqing Mountain will directly supply us, so even in a drought, we won’t have to fight with the neighboring team for water.”

When the people from Qingxi Village lived in the valley, they relied on the stream water for irrigation and daily use. If they move outside the mountain, they can use well water for daily living, and all the stream water can be used for irrigation.

There was one thing Zhou Baohe hadn’t mentioned—Qingxi Village’s people had a close relationship with Guan Yue. If they moved out, in the future, when Yang Guozhu and others traded medicine, they would all share in it.

They had all been living together, so it wouldn’t be about favoritism now.

The valley was still flooded, and Gu Sui was worried about Guan Yue. He asked people about the way into the mountains and climbed over Xiaoqing Mountain from the south to get to Daqing Mountain.

In the valley, the mountain temple was half submerged, and the lower houses were still submerged underwater.

Gu Sui walked to the cabin where Guan Yue was. She was bored and was inside reading medical texts.

When she saw Gu Sui, Guan Yue whined cutely, “You finally came.”

Gu Sui entered the cabin, “Did you eat lunch?”

“I cooked a bowl of noodles myself; just something to fill my stomach.”

“What do you want to eat tonight?”

“Anything is fine; I’m tired of noodles now.”

Gu Sui, “How about porridge? I’ll stir-fry you a couple of dishes.”

“Sure, I want some spicy shredded potato, dry-fried green beans, and stir-fried bamboo shoots.”

“Okay, I’ll go cook now; you get the ingredients ready.”

“Leave it to me.” Guan Yue went to get the seeds, squatting by the wooden tub under the eaves, first sprouting the yardlong beans, then the potatoes and lettuce.

After an hour, Guan Yue finally had a proper meal for the day.

Only after she was full did she ask how Gu Sui had come over, “The valley’s entrance is still blocked.”

“I came over from Xiaoqing Mountain.”

“Doesn’t that mean you had to walk a long way?”

“Yeah, a bit of a distance.”

Gu Sui thought about their discussion about moving out; if they really did move, it would take more time each day to come up the mountain to cook for her.

Guan Yue didn’t have much feeling about the people from Qingxi Village wanting to move out, but if Gu Sui was leaving too, she felt uncomfortable.

“Are you also moving?”

“I’m the Barefoot Doctor of Qingxi Village; if they leave, there’s no reason for me to stay behind.”

If Gu Sui moved out to live elsewhere, it would make it difficult for him to cook for her.

Guan Yue thought for a moment, “How about I eat two meals a day from now on? That way, you can relax a bit more, or I’ll give you extra pay.”

Seeing her pouting with a little sad look, Gu Sui laughed, “Don’t worry, even if the road is farther, I’ll definitely make sure you have three meals a day.”

Guan Yue giggled, “You said it; don’t back out.”

“Okay, no backing out.”

The road on the mountain was slippery, and it was even harder to walk in the dark. Gu Sui quickly packed up the kitchen and hurried away.

Guan Yue also went back to the mountain to rest.

The next day was bright and sunny. After a full day and night, the water level in the valley had finally started to go down, but it still wasn’t safe for anyone to enter.

On the Qingsong Brigade side, work had already begun, and the people from Qingxi Village certainly couldn’t rest either—they joined in to help with the work. Zhou Baohe kept track of their work points, assigning tasks according to their abilities.

By the end of the day’s labor, the people from Qingsong Brigade felt a bit different. With more hands to share the load, the work seemed lighter.

Hearing that the people from Qingxi Village were going to integrate, some were still unwilling—the flooding in Qingxi Village had ruined the autumn harvest, so they would have to share their grain.

After a day of work, everyone felt that having more people to share the load was still manageable.

After a day of adjustment, the people from Qingxi Village who were inclined to move out had become even more determined. Those who didn’t want to move were wavering a bit.

The people from Qingsong Brigade seemed not as exclusive as they had imagined.

Zhou Baohe was aware of these thoughts. When he returned home and spoke to his wife, he said, “We’re all from the same team; what’s the point of being exclusive? If we’re not united, are we just waiting to be bullied by the people from the outside team?”

His wife, not knowing his true feelings, scoffed, “Forget it, you just want to get more pills, don’t you? You’re really acting like a good-hearted person now? Ha!”

Zhou Baohe laughed, “Don’t go spreading that around.”

After a few days, the valley began to return to normal. The people from Qingxi Village went back to check, and their houses were still there, but every room was filled with thick mud, and the stone walls were wet—there was no way to live there for a while.

As for the crops in the fields, they had been completely destroyed. It wasn’t possible to return just yet, so they had to stay in Qingsong Brigade for now.

Gu Sui also moved out with the people from Qingxi Village. He temporarily stayed at an Educated Youth point outside of Qingsong Brigade.

This year, a large group of educated youth had been sent to the countryside, and Qingsong Brigade’s Educated Youth point was now home to over a dozen educated youth, with limited housing. Gu Sui could only stay with them temporarily.

Every day, besides seeing patients and doing farm work, Gu Sui spent the rest of his time making the trek to Daqing Mountain and cooking for Guan Yue.

Zhou Baohe and Yang Guozhu found him, “You’re still doing the same as before. Your focus isn’t on the farm work; it’s on taking care of everyone’s health and gathering medicines—just do these two things well.”

Zhou Baohe didn’t say much more, but Gu Sui understood—though they had moved out, the relationship with Guan Yue’s side couldn’t be cut off.

Gu Sui smiled, “Got it, I know what to do.”

Zhou Baohe chuckled, “You’re a smart one, Doctor Gu.”

The people from Qingsong Brigade showed an attitude of acceptance. Those willing to settle outside began to prepare for building houses.

Outside of a few wealthier families who could live in brick houses, most people lived in mud-brick houses. For those with less money, they either replaced roof tiles with thatch or built entire houses with thatch.

However, even if their social standing wasn’t great, most people could still find help to build a mud-brick house. Even with thatch roofs, at least the walls were made of mud.

Li Tao’s family decided to move out and quickly started repairing their house. Taking advantage of the summer heat, the mud walls they built dried quickly enough to live in.

After the house was repaired, Li Tao went up the mountain to invite Guan Yue to their home as a guest.

Guan Yue was in a generally indifferent mood today and didn’t feel like going out.

Li Tao wasn’t disappointed, “Then I can still come up the mountain to find you, right?”

“Of course, come whenever you want.”

Li Tao smiled and happily returned home.

Some families, like Li Tao’s, had made the decision early to repair their houses. Others wanted to return to live in the valley. During their spare time after finishing work, they would go back to clean out the rooms flooded by water.

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