Chapter 207
“Miaomiao, everyone’s here.” Just as Meng Yingying was struggling to remember, Wu Zhenggui called out to them.
“Okay,” Song Nianchu replied loudly.
“Chu, I can’t remember a lot of the details. Give me a little more time. Maybe I’ll be able to recall something important.” Meng Yingying looked at Song Nianchu pleadingly.
“You’ve already given me plenty of useful information. We’re short on time and have a lot to do, so I need to leave right away. If you remember anything important later, go to the village chief and ask him to have someone send me a message,” Song Nianchu said firmly.
“...All right.” Meng Yingying knew she couldn’t persuade Song Nianchu and could only nod with reddened eyes.
“Come on, don’t be sad. Good people are always blessed. I’ll definitely be fine.” Song Nianchu opened her arms and embraced Meng Yingying.
Meng Yingying’s body stiffened. Ever since she had married Third Wu, she had developed a reflexive aversion to overly intimate physical contact with others.
When it was severe, she would even feel sick and want to vomit. Yet when Song Nianchu held her, all she felt was a warm glow spreading through her heart.
“Chu, promise me you’ll come back safe and sound!” Meng Yingying’s voice was terribly hoarse.
“I promise.” Song Nianchu nodded firmly.
“...”
When Song Nianchu returned to the square with Meng Yingying, her eyes were terribly red. To avoid attracting too much attention, however, she kept her head lowered.
Wu Zhenggui didn’t notice. He only looked at Song Nianchu solemnly.
“Chu, be careful!”
“Mm.”
“...”
Amid everyone’s farewells, Song Nianchu led the fifteen villagers toward the neighboring county, their backs weighed down by heavy supplies.
Mu Shi’an chased after Song Nianchu for a long way to see her off. It wasn’t until Song Nianchu sternly ordered him to stop that he finally remained where he was.
“...”
Song Nianchu was strong, so she carried the heaviest load. The road at the beginning was still easy enough to travel, but once they entered the neighboring county, the terrain became rough and difficult.
They had to cross a mountain to reach the dam. In order to make good time, they barely rested along the way, and before long everyone was panting with exhaustion.
Song Nianchu could only have the others transfer even more of the supplies onto her. Relying entirely on sheer willpower, they finally crossed the mountain.
But when they reached the village downstream from the dam, Song Nianchu and the others all froze.
The entire village had nearly been washed away. Ruins were everywhere, along with cries of grief.
A large number of soldiers were already working at the site, helping with the rescue efforts.
Even so, the devastating scene made everyone’s hearts tremble.
This was only the area downstream from the dam. The situation above the dam could only be worse.
Song Nianchu tightened the straps of the basket on her back and continued forward.
“Comrades, where are you headed?” A soldier directing operations at the scene spotted Song Nianchu and the others and hurried over to question them.
“Hello, Comrade. We’re villagers from Qinghe Fishing Village in the neighboring county. We’ve come to help,” Song Nianchu replied solemnly.
“You walked all the way here?” The soldier noticed that their hair and clothing were soaked with sweat and that their trousers were covered in mud.
“Yes. We were afraid carts would be difficult to take through, so we carried everything on our backs,” Song Nianchu explained with a nod.
The group of soldiers felt their eyes grow hot at those words.
They were soldiers, and serving the people was their duty. When such a serious disaster occurred, they naturally had to rush to the scene at once.
But these ordinary villagers, who had no special strength or training, had also come to offer assistance. How could that not move them?
“Comrade, the landslides farther ahead are much worse than those here. For your safety, you shouldn’t go any farther. Stay here and help with the rescue work,” the soldier advised.
“I’m sorry, but we’d still like to go up and take a look. Many people from our brigade also came to help with the dam’s construction. I want to see how they’re doing,” Song Nianchu declined politely.
Hearing this, the soldier didn’t know how to refuse her. In the end, he called over another soldier.
“I’ll have someone escort you up. There are troops stationed above as well. Once you get there, just follow their instructions.”
“Thank you, Comrade.” Song Nianchu thanked him repeatedly, then had the villagers behind her leave some of their supplies with the soldiers.
“Thank you all,” the soldier said without refusing. Supplies were exactly what they needed most at that moment.
“No need to thank us. You’re rescuing our families,” Song Nianchu replied, thanking them in return before following the young soldier up the mountain.
With someone leading the way, the journey became much easier.
After another hour or so, they finally reached the dam, which had been reduced to a field of ruins.
Just as the soldier below had said, the situation up here was even worse.
The entire area had practically become a wasteland. The breach in the dam had not yet been completely sealed, and water continued to surge through it. As far as the eye could see, everything was submerged in a vast expanse of water.
The young soldier brought them before the officer in charge.
“Commander, these villagers came from the neighboring county to support us. They’ve brought a large amount of supplies.”
The commander was wearing a military uniform, but his face and body were covered in mud and water. He looked as though he had just rolled through a muddy pit.
“Really? That’s wonderful!” The commander looked at the supplies on Song Nianchu and the villagers, his face lighting up with delight.
“Quickly, notify the mess hall and have them come collect the supplies,” he immediately ordered one of the soldiers beside him.
The soldier turned and hurried away.
Song Nianchu directed the villagers behind her to place all the supplies in one spot.
“Comrade, you arrived at exactly the right time!” The commander looked at the pile of supplies, which had formed a small mountain, and gratefully clasped Song Nianchu’s hand.
They had rushed to the scene as soon as the disaster occurred, but many of the roads leading there had been washed away, and the supplies had not yet arrived.
Rescue work was physically exhausting, and many of the soldiers had gone a full day without eating.
As soon as the mess hall’s head cook heard that supplies had arrived, he immediately led several people over.
He inspected the supplies Song Nianchu and the others had brought. When he saw the canned food, his eyes filled with delight.
“These supplies are exactly what we need. It’s inconvenient to light fires and cook here, but with these canned goods, our comrades will soon be able to have hot meals.”
“Take these supplies down and distribute them. Get food to the soldiers as quickly as possible,” the commander ordered.
“Yes, sir!” the head cook answered loudly.
Song Nianchu arranged for several of the women who knew how to cook to go with the head cook and help out.
She and the men stayed behind to assist with the rescue efforts.
“Comrade, you should go help with logistics as well. If I hear anything about the people from your brigade, I’ll notify you immediately.” Seeing that Song Nianchu was still standing there, the commander spoke to her gently.