19 – Isn’t this dangerous?
Another night of sore back and aching legs, so Taohua woke up late again the next day.
Actually, she had already anticipated she might not be able to get up early, so before closing her eyes last night, she had already told her husband.
She wanted Qin Feng to wake her up when he got up in the morning, but it seemed Qin Feng had forgotten about it.
By the time she opened her eyes, it was already bright outside.
Taohua felt it wasn’t good for her to keep sleeping in like this, so she hurriedly got up and put on her clothes.
But just as she was about to open the door and go out, she suddenly heard Qin Feng talking to a man outside.
With another man outside and Taohua not having washed up yet, she naturally felt too embarrassed to go out and had to stay inside.
The man’s voice sounded familiar, like Zhuzi’s Father from the village.
But Zhuzi’s Father didn’t seem to be very close with her Qin Feng, so why would he come to the Qin family so early in the morning?
Curious, Taohua quietly opened a crack in the window and peeked outside.
In the yard, Qin Feng was about to fetch a stool for Zhuzi’s Father to sit on.
But Zhuzi’s Father refused, quickly waving his hand and saying, “No need to trouble yourself, no need! I’ll just tell you something and be on my way!
Last spring, the village next to ours was hit by a flood, and I heard it wasn’t just our area—several other places were flooded too, and the damage was very serious.
The county magistrate takes this matter very seriously. He said it’s called something, something… oh, that ice flood, yes, that’s it.
Anyway, it’s a task assigned by the county. It seems they want the men from our village to dig the riverbanks. The Village Chief wants each household to send someone, so I came to call you.
Your family is the last one in the village. Why don’t you come with me now? The others should already be there, and once everyone’s gathered, the Village Chief will announce the matter.”
“Alright, wait for me a moment. I’ll go put on some clothes first.” Qin Feng had been busy since he got up in the morning and hadn’t even put on his winter coat yet.
Zhuzi’s Father was still wearing a cotton-padded jacket and couldn’t help shivering from the cold.
He glanced at Qin Feng, both praising and envying him: “You’re really in good shape, tall and strong. You must be full of fire, right? You don’t look cold at all.”
Qin Feng’s expression remained unchanged, and he said calmly, “I just chopped some firewood. I still need to wear clothes when going out.”
Zhuzi’s Father sighed and said, “Then go get dressed quickly. I’ll wait right here.”
Qin Feng nodded and walked back to the house in a few steps.
But as soon as he pushed the door open, he saw his little wife already standing at the door, holding his winter clothes for him.
“Here, Qin Feng, your clothes.”
Qin Feng took the clothes and glanced at her again: “I was going to come in and tell you, but I suppose you’ve already heard everything?”
Taohua nodded and thought for a moment before asking, “Qin Feng, can I go with you?”
“What’s wrong?” Qin Feng asked as he put on his clothes. “Don’t want to stay home alone?”
Taohua nodded again, her eyes pitiful, like a sad little puppy:
“I just want to follow you. Is that okay?”
As she spoke, Taohua stepped forward and helped Qin Feng tie his clothes.
Listening to his little wife’s soft, delicate voice, how could Qin Feng refuse?
“Alright, I’ll go tell Zhuzi’s Father.”
Not long after Qin Feng went out, Taohua heard Zhuzi’s Father speaking outside:
“Alright, then come over as soon as you’re done. I’ll head off first.”
As soon as Zhuzi’s Father left, Taohua immediately ran out of the house.
After a quick wash, Taohua and Qin Feng headed toward the Village Chief’s house together.
On the way, the young wife asked her husband, “Brother Qin, what is ice flood?”
“Ice flood is when the river surface freezes in winter, and as spring arrives and the weather warms up, the ice breaks and piles up on the river, blocking the flow of water. When the water can’t pass through, it spreads to both banks. If the water volume is large, it naturally causes flooding.”
“Oh,” Taohua nodded. “So that’s how it is. Spring is still very cold. If the houses by the river get flooded, how will people survive? Won’t they freeze to death?”
“Exactly,” Qin Feng frowned slightly. “In years when the ice flood was severe, many villages were indeed submerged, and many people froze to death.”
“Ah!” Taohua sighed, but she quickly looked up at Qin Feng, her eyes sparkling. “Brother Qin, how do you know everything? Can I ask you, what exactly did you do before?”
“Me before?” Qin Feng’s brows suddenly furrowed tightly. He paused and said, “Nothing much. When I was young, I had high ambitions and always wanted to go out and see the world. Over the years, I’ve just wandered around north and south, traveling everywhere. When I got tired of it, I came back.”
“Oh, I see.” Taohua felt that her Brother Qin’s answer was as good as saying nothing at all. She still didn’t know what he used to do!
Thinking that her husband hadn’t been honest with her, Taohua felt a little disappointed.
But this disappointment was only as small as a fingernail. In truth, Taohua felt mostly content.
Who cares what he used to do? Anyway, fate has already brought the two of them together as a couple. He is her husband, no matter what!
When the couple arrived at the Village Chief’s house, the courtyard was already packed with people.
Most of those present were men, and a young wife like Taohua was the only one of her kind.
Taohua felt particularly conspicuous and uncomfortable standing among the crowd.
Originally, she had wanted to listen with her husband to what the Village Chief wanted to discuss with everyone, but now she felt too embarrassed to stay.
She quietly tugged at Qin Feng’s sleeve, her voice soft and gentle, “Brother Qin, I’ll go find Xiao Lan instead. Don’t forget to call me when you leave.”
Taohua was quite pretty, and as she stood among the crowd of men, she immediately attracted many gazes.
Qin Feng really disliked this feeling. He stood in front of Taohua, blocking the glances from all directions while watching his young wife walk into the Village Chief’s house.
…………
“Xiao Lan, you’re embroidering? Your mother told me to come to your room to find you.”
Sun Xiao Lan, who was embroidering, looked up and saw it was Taohua. She immediately put down her needlework:
“Oh, what a rare guest! How do you have time to come see me today? Don’t you need to be all lovey-dovey with your Brother Qin? Come, come, come, sit down!”
Taohua walked over as told and sat down beside Sun Xiao Lan, saying:
“I came with him today. You probably know about the village matter, right?”
“You mentioned my grandfather gathering everyone, I know about that! It’s said the county magistrate has ordered our neighboring villages to dig and widen the river embankment.
This great river flows through the entire county, right? There’s a big bend from our village to the next one. Our side is still somewhat better, but that bend near the neighboring village is treacherous—I hear people drown there every year.
They say floods happen because that section is too narrow and the current too swift. So the magistrate’s idea is to send people to widen the narrow, fast-flowing parts of the river channel.
The theory is that once the river flows through a wider section, the water will slow down. That way, when the ice breaks up and piles up, it won’t cause floods as easily.”
Taohua nodded, understanding now.
But at the same time, she was worried: “Even in non-flood seasons, people drown in that bend. Now they want the men to dig the embankment in the middle of winter—won’t that be even more dangerous?”