My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 977 Urgent Need for Emergency
at this time.

Just past noon, the thin layer of white clouds in the sky changed color without anyone noticing.

At first, only a dark gray tinge appeared at the edge, like water slowly spreading when washing a brush.

Before long, the entire cloud layer thickened, its color changing from pale white to lead gray, pressing heavily on the mountain ridgeline.

The wind itself seemed to change its flavor.

The dry, hot wind that had been carrying the scent of wheat earlier now carried a fishy, ​​watery smell.

Chen Ling returned to the farm to fetch chilled watermelons for the workers.

As he saw the clouds drifting by, he stood beside the small water tower, looked up at it for a long time, and his brows furrowed more and more.

“Susu.”

He hurried back into the yard and shouted, "I went to the riverbank construction site to call people to harvest the wheat, but the weather is changing so fast that we can't take turns harvesting."

Wang Susu was pickling salted eggs when she heard this. She wiped her hands and came out, also looking up at the sky: "Is it really going to rain?"

"At the latest tonight."

Chen Ling said confidently, "Look at the clouds in the east, they're all dark. This rain is going to be heavy."

After he finished speaking, he walked out: "I'm going out to make sure all the people repairing the dikes stop work and go back to the village to harvest the wheat."

"So urgent?" Wang Susu followed him to the courtyard gate.

"We have to be in a hurry."

Chen Ling mounted the little blue horse: "The wheat is ripe. It will sprout as soon as it gets rained on. The dike can be repaired two days later, but the grain can't wait."

The little blue horse seemed to sense its master's urgency, pawing the ground with its hooves, waiting for a command.

"drive!"

The sound of horses' hooves rang out rapidly on the village road.

Chen Ling headed straight to the construction site on the riverbank, while simultaneously planning how to arrange things.

Chenwangzhuang has its own harvesters, so the harvest is quick.

But places like Kinmen Village, Taoshugou, and Majia'ao still rely entirely on manual labor.

They had to send someone in a tractor to pick them up, delivering them village by village.

On the riverbank construction site, the shouts of workers ramming the earth still resounded loudly.

Hundreds of people were working hard, and no one noticed that the sky had changed color.

"Fifth Uncle! Fifth Uncle!" Chen Ling reined in his horse and called out from afar.

Wang Laishun arranged the wheat harvest, and they felt at ease letting Xiao Mianyang drive the harvester.

He returned to this side of the riverbank and was inspecting the newly built revetment with several village officials when he heard the voice and turned around: "Fugui? What's going on?"

"Stop work! Everyone stop work!"

Chen Ling jumped off his horse and spoke rapidly: "It's going to rain heavily soon, so tell all the workers to go back to their villages immediately to harvest the wheat!"

He pointed to the eastern horizon: "Fifth Uncle, look at those clouds. In three or four hours at most, the rain will definitely come. The wheat is ripe, and if it gets rained on, it will sprout and the whole year's harvest will be ruined!"

Following his finger, everyone looked and realized that the sky had changed.

The sky, which was clear just a moment ago, is now turning bluish-black with white clouds, and the wind does indeed carry the fishy smell of rain.

"My God..."

An old craftsman took off his straw hat: "The world is really about to change!"

Wang Laishun acted decisively, grabbing a tin megaphone and shouting, "Attention everyone! Attention everyone! Stop what you're doing and listen to me!"

The noise from the construction site gradually subsided, and everyone looked in this direction.

"We just received a notice that heavy rain is about to start! Everyone, immediately return to your villages to harvest the wheat! The dike construction is suspended until the rain stops and the weather clears up! I repeat, everyone, go home and harvest the wheat immediately!"

These words were like a stone thrown into water, causing an uproar on the construction site.

"Is it going to rain? No wonder it feels so stuffy!"

"My wheat is still in the field!"

"Hurry, hurry! We can't afford to waste food!"

The crowd immediately became commotion.

But here is the problem.

The workers here come from four or five villages. The farthest village, Majia'ao, is seven or eight miles away, and it takes more than an hour to walk back.

“Fugui, this…” Wang Laishun looked at the chaotic scene and became somewhat anxious.

Chen Ling had a plan: "Fifth Uncle, have all the tractors from our village's two construction sites come out, and also organize a few horse-drawn carts and donkey carts."

The closest village to Kinmen was where they were allowed to ride bicycles and drive horse-drawn carriages back.

For Taoshugou and Majia'ao, tractors are used for delivery.

"Don't worry, the harvesters are ready, it'll be quick."

"Yeah!"

Wang Laishun slapped his thigh: "You're so quick-witted! I'll arrange it right away!"

Soon, three tractors pulled up beside the construction site.

Each tractor has a trailer attached to the back, and it can easily seat a hundred or eighty people in total.

"From Yangtougou! Get on this bus!"

"This side of Majia'ao!"

"Those of you from Kinmen Village, ride your bikes back, don't delay on the way!"

Shouts, urging voices, and footsteps blended together.

But amidst the chaos, there was order. In less than fifteen minutes, the people on the construction site split into several groups and headed home.

Chen Ling then said to Wang Laishun, "Fifth Uncle, our village shouldn't rest either. Let Xiaomianyang find someone who knows how to drive the harvester so they can take turns. Let Yuqiang and the others take oil drums to the county to get two barrels of diesel for backup."

I rode my horse to check on the situation in several surrounding villages, and also to urge them on the way.

“Okay! I’ll take care of things in the village, you can go without worry!” Wang Laishun was getting anxious now.

His family hasn't harvested their wheat yet.

Chen Ling mounted his horse, then called out to the two young men who were about to get on the tractor: "Sanwa! Xiaochao! You two come with me, we'll ride bicycles and split up to go to the villages to see which families need help, then come back and report!"

"Alright!" Without saying a word, the two young men pushed their bicycles and followed.

Three horses and two bicycles sped along the road.

First, we went to Kinmen Village.

This village is the closest to Chenwangzhuang. The workers who walked back have already arrived, and the village is already mobilized.

Everywhere along the field ridges, figures bent over harvesting wheat, the "swish, swish" sound of sickles being wielded was deafening.

Village Chief Jin was directing the work in the fields, his voice hoarse from shouting: "Hurry! Everyone who can go to the fields, go to the fields! The elderly and children, stay home and bundle the wheat and cook! No one is going to sleep until the wheat is harvested today!"

Seeing Chen Ling, he was like seeing a savior: "Brother Fugui! You've finally come! Our village is short of laborers, and I'm afraid we can't harvest these hundred-plus acres of land in a day!"

Chen Ling dismounted and looked at the sky.

The clouds are thicker, and the air is more humid.

"Uncle Jin, don't panic. Harvest as much as you can. Harvest the ripe and low-lying crops first. The higher-lying areas won't be flooded by the rain for a while, so we can wait."

He calmly analyzed, "I'll have Sanwazi help out here. If anything is needed, just send someone to Chenwangzhuang to let us know."

"Yes! Yes!" Village Chief Jin nodded repeatedly.

"Xiao Chao, go to Peach Tree Gully!"

Chen Ling turned and instructed, "Tell Village Chief Tao that once the harvesters in Chenwangzhuang have finished harvesting their own crops, they should go and help the others."

Let them concentrate their labor on the contiguous plots of land first, and then arrange for the scattered plots later.

"Understood!" Xiao Chao hopped on his bicycle and rode off.

Chen Ling continued riding his horse towards Majia'ao.

This village is the farthest, and the road is difficult to travel.

When he arrived, the workers who were returning by tractor had not yet arrived.

The village is assigning tasks.

Village Chief Ma was a thin old man, but he had a booming voice: "Men, get to the fields! Women, bundle the wheat! Kids, bring water and food! Even if we die from exhaustion today, we have to get the wheat back!"

Upon seeing Chen Ling, he hurriedly came to greet him: "Fugui! You've come at the right time! Our village is located in a mountain valley, in a low-lying area. If it rains heavily, the wheat fields will definitely be flooded! What should we do?"

Chen Ling dismounted and walked to the edge of the field to take a look.

The wheat fields in Majia'ao were indeed mostly in low-lying areas, and the soil was heavy and poorly drained.

"Uncle Ma, like this..."

He quickly offered a solution: "Harvest the wheat in the low-lying areas first, as much as you can. If there's really no time, dig drainage ditches at the edge of the fields so that the water can drain out as quickly as possible if the fields are flooded."

"Also, I've already notified the workers at several river embankment construction sites. They'll come over by tractor later to help you clear the low-lying areas." "Thank you so much!"

Village Chief Ma grasped Chen Ling's hand: "Fugui, you've done our whole village a huge favor!"

"We're all from the same village, it's only right."

Chen Ling mounted his horse: "I'm going to Yangtougou to take another look. You guys hurry up!"

Yangtougou was the most remote village, and by the time Chen Ling arrived, the village had already spontaneously organized itself.

Yang Erbao is leading all the able-bodied men in the village in a rush to harvest the crops; even the elderly in their sixties and seventies have come to the fields.

"Fugui!" Yang Erbao wiped his sweat. "What brings you here? Our village is small, and we don't have much land. We can finish the harvest today!"

Chen Ling looked at the sky and then at the terrain of Yangtougou.

The village is located in a mountain valley, but the wheat fields are all on the slopes, forming a wide, open, basket-like shape, which actually helps with drainage.

“Brother Erbao, your place is on high ground, so the rain won’t flood it for a while, but you still need to hurry. If the rain lasts too long, the mountain roads will become slippery, and it will be even more troublesome if the wheat can’t be transported out.”

"I know, I know!"

Yang Erbao pointed into the distance: "Look, we able-bodied men are harvesting wheat, while the elderly and children are transporting it to the village. It's not a problem!"

Chen Ling felt somewhat relieved.

It seems that these villages have all mobilized and are well organized.

He turned his horse around and rode back, and the scenes he saw along the way were both heartbreaking and poignant.

In the fields of Kinmen Village, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy wields a sickle in one hand and wipes sweat with the other, while the bundles of wheat behind him are piled up like a small mountain.

On the slope of Taoshugou, several women carried bundles of wheat on their backs toward the village, their backs bent like bows, but their steps were steady.

In the low-lying area of ​​Majia'ao, people of all ages lined up, their sickles rising and falling as if racing against time.

In the distance, the roar of harvesters could be heard from the direction of Chenwangzhuang.

The sound was especially reassuring at that moment.

It was already 3 p.m. when we returned to Chenwangzhuang.

The sky turned completely overcast; the white clouds that filled the sky in the morning had now all turned into dark clouds.

It was deep and resonant, as if you could reach out and touch it.

The wind carried a distinct chill.

On the threshing ground, Sister Xiuying was leading several women to harvest the last batch of wheat.

Seeing Chen Ling return, she straightened up and said, "Fugui, our village has almost finished harvesting, except for the five mu of land belonging to old bachelor Chen Laosi at the west end of the village. He can't harvest it all by himself."

"Where's the harvester?" Chen Ling asked.

"They went to Taoshugou, they just left."

Wang Susu said, "Village Chief Tao sent someone to ask for help, saying that their village has a lot of contiguous land and manual harvesting is too slow."

Chen Ling nodded: "Of course, I'll go and take over Chen Laosi's land."

"you alone?"

At this time, Wang Susu was helping many women take care of their children. She was surrounded by a large group of toddlers who had just learned to run, and she had a tiger to help keep them in check. She frowned when she heard the noise.

“It’s alright. Five acres. I’m quick. I can finish harvesting before dark.”

As Chen Ling spoke, he took a sickle and rope from the yard, led the little blue horse, and left.

"I'll send Heiwa and Xiaojin with you!" Wang Susu said, still worried.

"No need, dogs are useless. Maybe raising a couple of monkeys would come in handy."

Chen Ling smiled and mounted his horse.

Chen Laosi's wheat field is located at the south end of the village, by the river. The soil is fertile, and the wheat grows exceptionally well.

But at this moment, only his small, thin figure was busy in the field, a sight that was heartbreaking.

"Fourth Brother!" Chen Ling called out from afar.

Chen Laosi straightened up; he was a bachelor in his fifties, with a slightly hunched back: "Fugui? What brings you here?"

"I'll help you harvest the wheat!" Chen Ling jumped off his horse, rolled up his sleeves without saying a word, and got to work.

The sickle seemed to come alive in his hands; with a few quick "swish, swish, swish," a swathe of wheat fell cleanly to the ground.

He was quick and strong; he could gather the harvested wheat into a neat bundle with a flick of his wrist.

Chen Laosi stared in disbelief: "Fugui, no wonder everyone says you're even stronger than Yang Gangdan, you're stronger than an ox!"

"Fourth Brother, now is not the time to talk. Cut as much as you can." Chen Ling didn't even look up, his hands never stopping.

The two men stood one in front of the other, their sickles flashing.

Chen Ling cut three rows, and Chen Lao Si cut one row; the progress was rapid.

An hour later, more than half of the five acres of wheat had been harvested.

At that moment, the first thunderclap resounded in the sky.

"Rumble--"

The thunder was muffled, yet it sent shivers down people's spines.

"It's going to rain! Thunder so early this year!"

Chen Laosi looked up and immediately panicked: "Fugui, go back quickly, I'll handle the rest myself!"

Chen Ling glanced at the sky.

The dark clouds had completely pressed down, and the sky was as dark as dusk.

A few raindrops began to fall in the wind.

"Let's do it together, there's still time."

Instead of leaving, he sped up.

The raindrops gradually intensified, pattering against the wheat ears.

Chen Ling and Chen Lao Si were both soaked to the bone, but neither of them stopped.

Finally, as the last bundle of wheat was cut down, a torrential downpour began.

Large raindrops pounded on the ground, kicking up dust.

In the blink of an eye, a white curtain of rain hung between heaven and earth.

"Quick! Move the wheat to that shack!"

Chen Ling pointed to a shack at the edge of Wang Jusheng's field where he watched over the melons.

The two men dragged and pulled the bundled wheat into the shed.

Rainwater streamed down her hair, making it hard to open her eyes, but her hands didn't slow down at all.

After the last bundle of wheat was carried into the shack, the two men were soaked to the bone and collapsed on the ground, exhausted.

Outside the shack, the rain poured down, accompanied by lightning and thunder.

Inside the shack, wheat was piled up like a small mountain, exuding the fresh fragrance of new wheat.

Looking at the pile of wheat, Old Chen's eyes reddened: "Fugui, if it weren't for you today, my five mu of wheat would be gone... my entire year's food supply..."

Chen Ling wiped the rain off his face and laughed, "Fourth Brother, we're all from the same village, why are you talking about this? Come on, let's hurry home and change our clothes, so we don't catch a cold."

The two walked back in the rain.

On the way, I saw many people braving the rain to transport the last batch of wheat to the village.

Although they were soaked to the bone, everyone had a smile on their face.

The wheat has been retrieved!

Back at the farm, Wang Susu had already boiled water and prepared ginger soup.

Chen Ling took a shower, changed into dry clothes, and drank a bowl of hot ginger soup, feeling completely refreshed.

In the courtyard, Wang Cunye and Gao Xiulan were playing with Rui Rui and Xiao Ming.

The two little ones, unaware of the adults' hardships, only thought the rain was fun and leaned against the windowsill watching the rain curtain.

"Dad, how are the other villages?" Chen Ling asked.

Wang Cunye said, "Lai Shun just said that our village has finished harvesting. Jinmen Village has harvested 80%, Taoshugou has harvested 70%, and Majia'ao has harvested 60%. They have harvested the wheat in the low-lying areas, but they haven't touched the wheat on the slopes yet."

"We harvested everything in Yangtougou; they have very little land."

Chen Ling nodded.

This result is better than expected.

The rain intensified throughout the night.

Chen Ling lay in bed, listening to the rain, and pondering what to do tomorrow.

Once the rain stops, we have to organize people to dry the wheat, otherwise it will sprout even if we keep it in the warehouse.

In addition, wheat straw that has been rained on should be properly disposed of, otherwise it is prone to mold.