Natural Disaster: Back to the End of the World

Part 35

Due to the continuous drought this spring, nearly 10,000 acres of farmland in the town were affected. With the hot weather and rising water prices, those who depended on farming started drilling wells to irrigate their crops. When some saw this method was effective, many followed suit, causing the water level to drop rapidly. This led to a large-scale subsidence in one area of the town. Several nearby villages felt significant tremors, and even the closest village, Li Jia Village, experienced the collapse of a few old houses.

The village chief called a meeting with the village leaders to discuss this issue, advising them not to engage in short-sighted actions. Since the village wasn't much affected, the meeting was quickly concluded.

Lei Li had previously asked Lei Lang to resign, but Lei Lang wanted to finish all the tasks at hand before leaving. After finally dragging it out until July, he felt that the hardest part was over, and the weather was cooling down, making him reluctant to leave. After all, Lei Lang wasn't a farming expert, and deciding to return to the countryside to farm was quite difficult.

Yao Ziqing knew that it would start raining around mid-August, with intermittent rain continuing until October, followed by a sharp drop in temperature and snow beginning around November. Although he understood his second brother's hesitation, having been indecisive himself in the past, he and the eldest brother eventually convinced the third brother to quit his job and return home. With the corn harvest season upon them, it was a good time to help out.

Lei Lang helped Lei Li load the harvested corn onto the tricycle. Corn stalks are also useful as animal feed for those who keep livestock. Usually, corn is harvested from May to October, but this year's early heat meant harvesting could begin by July, with the corn still tender. If not harvested soon, it would turn too mature.

The sun was scorching during the day, and few people were working in the fields. Lei Lang and Lei Li went to the field to harvest corn around five o'clock, wearing raincoats. Despite the heat, it was better than getting sunburned.

Lei Lang adjusted his raincoat and used corn leaves to fan himself. "This is really exhausting. It's even harder than running errands outside. I told you, big brother, bringing me back to farm here feels like you're setting me up along with Si'er!"

He could earn around four to five thousand yuan a month doing outside work, but this exhausting labor in the fields was far less rewarding. Lei Li piled the harvested corn onto the tricycle and tied it with a coarse rope. "Alright, it's getting dark. Let's head home and continue tomorrow."

Lei Lang moaned and collapsed among the corn. "Just kill me now!"

Lei Li ignored him, loading the tricycle with corn and a nearly exhausted brother, and pedaled home. Before reaching the house, he saw a well-dressed yet sweaty family looking quite disheveled. Lei Li slowed down and looked back, recognizing them after several glances.

Lei Taosheng, with his wife Lu Ying and their son Lu Xueyi, had apparently trudged all day to return to the village. Although the village hadn't changed much in over a decade—still dilapidated and remote—the town had seen significant changes, making it difficult to find transportation. The car couldn't enter the village, so they had to walk.

Lu Ying's family owns a factory in the city, and since her husband was an in-law, he had stayed in the city all these years. If not for his father-in-law asking him to bring his wife and son to check if the old land could still be farmed, he wouldn't have returned.

Lu Ying understood her father's intention, so she had no objections to coming to this remote area. However, seeing her son endure hardships made her heartache, and she wiped his sweat with an umbrella. "We're almost there, my dear son. Just hang in a bit longer."