Chapter 10: Water for food

Chapter 10: Water for food

Gu Jinli sat up in shock, ran to the mud pit, looked into the deep mud pit and asked, "Is the water out?"

"The water is out, it's really out of the water. We can save the little fish." Ms. Cui cried with joy. She, Ms. Yan from Gu Damu's family and Ms. Xie from Gu Dalin's family had been transporting soil. As soon as the water was dug out, they knew.

Luo Huiniang helped the third grandma over, followed by Gu Jinxiu and Brother Cheng, and behind them was the old lady of Gu Damu's family, Lao Yan.

Lao Yan was supported by his eldest granddaughter Cui Niu, pointing to the mud pit with one hand, and asked in a hoarse and difficult voice: "Is the water coming out?"

Lao Yan was so thirsty that she could not speak. It was the third mistress who took out the few remaining water and forced her to drink it before she could speak.

Mrs. Yan and Mrs. Xie walked over with tired steps and said with joyful faces: "Mom, there is water at the bottom of the pit. We are saved."

After hearing this, Lao Yan said three good words in a row, and tears burst into his eyes.

The third grandfather was awakened by the sound and knew that the water was out. He hurriedly asked the Luo family and his son to pull the rope and pull the people below up.

 The one who was pulled up was Uncle Tian.

He and Gu Dashan were digging soil together. They were both about to rest, but when Brother Damu and Dalin went into the pit to replace them, water began to seep from the bottom of the pit. Brother Dashan said that this was an underground waterway dug.

The third grandfather asked hurriedly: "How much water came out? What color is it?"

Uncle Tian's face was covered with mud, and his lips were white from exhaustion, but he said happily: "Just out of the water, there is not much water. It has just reached the ankles, and the water is muddy yellow."

“Muddy yellow? We are in great luck.” Third Grandpa smiled so hard that the folds on his face were squeezed together. It would have been better if it wasn’t muddy gray.

He then asked the Luo family and his sons to pull out other people from the bottom of the pit: "The water has come out. You can't stay at the bottom of the pit for too long, or you may drown people."

With smiles on their faces, the Luo family father and son pulled up the people from the bottom of the pit one by one.

When Gu Damu, Gu Dalin brothers, and Uncle Tian’s eldest son Tian Daqiang, Gu Jinan, and Gu Dashan were pulled up, they were all covered in mud and their pants were soaked through.

Gu Dashan was the last one to come up. After taking a few breaths, he said to Grandpa San: "Uncle San, the water at the bottom of the pit is quite good. When I came up, the water was already up to my knees. I took pictures of the walls of the pit three times. Strong, but with layers of sand in the ramparts.”

Grandpa San frowned. There was a layer of sand on the pit wall, and the entire pit would collapse.

He explained: "Don't go down yet. Use the rope to hang the water jug ​​down. Let's put in some effort to fetch water. It's better than getting into trouble."

Everyone nodded in agreement. It was difficult to dig out the water, but it was not worth it to cause the loss of life because of the water extraction.

After the water came out, we had to wait for the silt to settle. The third grandfather decided: "Everyone has a rest first, and we will fetch water in half an hour."

Gu Jinli said: "Third Grandpa, we can fetch water now. I have a way to filter the dirt in the water and make the water clear."

They spent a long time digging for water. It was almost dawn and they didn't have much time to wait for the water to settle.

Third Grandpa now trusted Gu Jinli and asked her to tell her the solution.

"Take a jar, crack open the bottom, cover it with straw mats, sand, and gravel, and pour the dirty water from the mouth of the jar. After the water passes through the stones, sand, and straw mats, and then flows out from the bottom, it will turn into clean water." Gu Jinli explained the method again and added: "This method was told to me by the grandparents of the victims."

Luo Huiniang used to think that Gu Jinli was stupid for always helping the victims, but now she is very envious: "There are benefits to helping others."

Gu Jinli smiled and said: "Yes, those grandparents are older, have experienced a lot, and know a lot of local methods."

Third Grandpa looked at the sky and made a quick decision: "Just do what Xiaoyu did. Everyone hurry up and get water, filter it, and get enough clean water before dawn."

After hearing this, everyone started to move. Several men tied the jars to ropes, put them into the pit, and started to draw water.

The daughters-in-law of each family took out all the things that could hold water. Pots, pots, bamboo tubes, and water bags were all placed on the ground.

The third grandma knocked open the bottom of a jar and handed it to Gu Jinli: "Little fish, take it." Gu Jinli took the jar, took out the sand and stones he found while transporting the soil, cut half of the straw mat, and then put the straw mat in half. Cut it into small pieces and put them in the bottom of the jar, then pour in sand and cover with pebbles.

"It's done." She held the jar and said, "Put the water in."

 Luo Wu had a strong arm and took the jar: "I'll do it."

 Gu Jinli gave him the jar, found a pot and placed it under the jar, waiting to catch the water.

Luo's father brought a jar of water and poured it into the jar held by Luo Wu. The dirty water passed through the layers of sand, stone and straw mats, and when it flowed out again, it had become less turbid, but not clear enough.

The Third Grandpa saw that Gu Jinli's method was really effective, so he was cruel and asked the Third Grandma to open another jar, spread it with straw mat, sand and pebbles, and pour the filtered water in and filter it again. This time, the water that came out was clear.

“Oh, the little fish is so powerful. The water is as clear as the water from the well in the village.”

The third grandma was so happy that she couldn't wait to fill up the pot of water. She took the pot away and showed it to the third grandpa, and then to Lao Yan: "Sister-in-law, look quickly, we have clean water. Don't worry about drinking it. Don't save it." .”

 Lao Yan’s throat was damaged by thirst.

 Lao Yan looked at the clear water, her cloudy old eyes kept shedding tears... Finally there was water, and she was no longer afraid that her children would die of thirst.

The third grandmother felt sour in her heart, so she took the water to the fire, boiled it, let it cool, and then presented it to Lao Yan in a wooden bowl: "Sister-in-law, drink quickly."

Lao Yan did not refuse and drank the whole bowl of water.

At this time, clean water from three jars, four pots, four bamboo tubes, and two water bladders has been filtered out.

Gu Jinli looked at the water and finally dared to speak out his proposal: "Third Grandpa, those rich households must also be short of water. We might as well trade the water with them for food."

　　They are all short of food, especially hers!

When everyone heard this, their eyes lit up and they all looked at the third grandpa.

Grandpa San was very decisive and knew the importance of food, so he made the final decision: "Okay, let's go find a rich householder with water in exchange for food."

Uncle Tian said with some worry: "Uncle Gu, if we exchange water for food, the village won't drive us away when they find out, right?"

His family has a foreign surname and lives a cautious life in the village, not daring to violate the village's rules.

Third Grandpa sneered and said: "The underground waterway was found by Xiaoyu, and the water was dug out by us. What can the village say? We will tell the village about the water after we get food."

It makes no sense that they work so hard that they get nothing in the end.

Luo's father walked past the **** and left it to him to find a rich man to buy water.

Luo's father didn't want everyone to have any discord, so he took Gu Dashan, Uncle Tian and Gu Dalin with him.

They didn't take much water, only four bamboo tubes, and headed out of the mountains to the resting place of the wealthy households.

The wealthy households gathered together to rest. They were wary of the victims and would not get too close to the victims. There were servants guarding the outside of the resting place, and the tents and carriages of the wealthy households were surrounded in the middle.

As soon as Luo's father and others arrived near the resting place of the wealthy family, they were scolded by the patrolling guard: "Stop, if you dare to take another step forward, the swords and sticks have no eyes!"

Luo's father said: "Brothers, we don't mean any harm. We have extra water at home. Let's bring it to the masters in exchange for some food."

Luo's father rolled the two bamboo tubes into the middle and said: "There are two bamboo tubes of water here. The water in one bamboo tube is for brothers to moisten their throats. The water in the other bamboo tube can be brought to the masters. We will wait here. information."

The rich families fleeing the famine were also short of water. The servants who cared for the home could only get a small cup of water every day. They were so thirsty that the master nurse asked two servants to run over to get water. He opened the stopper of the bamboo tube and lit a torch to see what was inside. After clearing the water, he took a few sips and said to Father Luo, "Wait."

A quarter of an hour later, the nursing home master came out with a man who looked like a housekeeper and shouted to them: "Come here and talk."

 (End of this chapter)