Lin Fan looked at his mother, who felt both familiar and strange, and struggled to sit up, saying, "Mom! I'm fine!"
Seeing Lin Fan sit up with large beads of sweat on his face, Wang Shufang supported him distressedly. "Faner! Just lie down and talk.
You've only just woken up; you need to rest well!"
"Mom! I'm fine!" Lin Fan reiterated.
As he sat up, he woke his younger sister, who had fallen asleep leaning against the bedside.
Lin Jingjing opened her drowsy, large eyes. Seeing that Lin Fan had sat up, she immediately became joyful. "Brother! You're awake!"
Then, large tears began to flow again. "They all said Brother would never wake up, that he was going to go far away with Papa and never come back.
They said Brother didn't want Jingjing and Mom anymore!
Brother! Don't leave!"
Lin Fan stroked his sister's head. "Don't believe their nonsense. How could I bear to leave Jingjing and Mom?
I'm going to buy Jingjing White Rabbit Creamy Candies, pretty clothes, and beautiful hair ties. I'll buy lots and lots of delicious things."
"That's right! Brother is the best! I only need one Red Hair Tie. And only two... no, three White Rabbits! One for each of us. They're so sweet and fragrant!" Jingjing said, her large eyes blinking.
On her thin little face, a result of long-term malnutrition, her already large eyes appeared even bigger.
"Mom! Let's move out!" Lin Fan said.
"Move? Move where?" Wang Shufang was stunned; her son's request was a difficult one.
Their home was right here; where else could they move?
"Mom! I mean, since the rain is so heavy today, let's move out of this room and stay at Third Uncle's house for the night!" Lin Fan carefully voiced his thoughts.
Wang Shufang had always been submissive to her son's requests. Today, after such a major incident and him just waking up...
Logically, she should satisfy his request.
It was just that the request Lin Fan was making now was a bit too demanding.
She thought for a moment before saying, "Faner, this house was built back in your Great-grandfather's generation.
It has lasted all these years. Although today's rain is a bit heavy, don't worry—these earth walls are two feet thick. They're very sturdy; nothing will happen."
This earth-walled house was over a hundred years old. Over the years, there had only been some cracks in the walls or leaks in the roof; there had never been any real danger.
Wang Shufang simply didn't believe the house was in any danger. The cracks in the earth walls had long been repaired with mud. Although the roof hadn't been refurbished in two years and there were more leaks now...
It didn't really affect anything, right? It was just a bit damp inside. Tonight's rain was heavier than usual, and there was more standing water in the house.
But it was only May, and the weather wasn't cold; walking barefoot in the water wasn't a problem.
Lin Fan knew in his heart that in his previous life, it was because of the standing water in the house soaking and softening the foundation of the earth walls that the entire house collapsed. He had only survived because a fallen roof beam protected him, and he wasn't rescued until the third night.
His mother and sister, however, were buried solidly by the earth walls. By the time they were dug out, they were no longer breathing.
The villagers all said that the mother and daughter had traded their lives for Lin Fan's.
Because Lin Fan was the only one who could fall from such a high Hillside and come out completely fine.
Enduring a sharp pain as if his body were falling apart, Lin Fan got out of bed and pointed at the water that had already reached the height of his instep.
"Mom! With the water this deep, the earth walls will be soaked through. This house really will collapse."
"Faner! It's not like water hasn't entered this house while you were away. One time the water was even higher, and nothing happened, right?" Wang Shufang said dismissively.
Lin Fan grew anxious. "Mom! I fell from the Hillside today; just listen to me this once!"
Hearing her son mention the tragic accident, Wang Shufang fell silent.
It wasn't that she didn't know earth-walled houses feared water most; she just didn't want to trouble another family.
Among the mountain folk, no one's home was particularly spacious. She didn't want to swallow her pride and beg for help.
Now that her son mentioned his fall from the Hillside, she suddenly remembered how her husband had also tumbled down the Hillside two years ago. He had lain in bed for three days, and there had also been three consecutive days of torrential rain.
When the rain stopped, he was gone!
Thinking of this, she said, "Alright! We'll go stay at your uncle's house for the night.
But let's eat first!"
Lin Fan wanted to leave immediately, right now. He quickly said, "Mom! The water is so deep; let's move the rice jar to Third Uncle's house too. We'll bring a piece of cured meat and cook at Third Uncle's house so both families can eat together."
"You've thought of everything!" Wang Shufang looked at her son with loving eyes, feeling that he was exceptionally sensible tonight.
"Mom! Bring the money! Take the blankets, pots, and bowls too.
Since we're bothering Third Uncle anyway, we might as well do it all at once," Lin Fan urged.
"I'll go tell your Third Aunt first!" Wearing a bamboo hat and a coir raincoat, Wang Shufang went to the house of Third Aunt, their closest neighbor.
When Third Uncle heard that Lin Fan had woken up, he immediately became happy and said loudly, "I knew it! The Second Brother's family has never done a bad deed in their lives; how could they be so unlucky?
As expected, heaven protects the worthy. Surviving a great disaster is sure to bring future blessings."
Upon hearing Wang Shufang say the rain tonight was too heavy and she feared their earth-walled house wasn't safe, wanting to stay the night at their place...
Third Aunt walked out of the kitchen, exchanged a look with Third Uncle, and then said, "Our house isn't very spacious either. If you come, we'll just have to squeeze in."
Wang Shufang quickly thanked her, saying repeatedly that squeezing in didn't matter.
She hurried back home and, as Lin Fan had instructed, carried the rice jar and a piece of cured meat to Third Aunt's kitchen.
She insisted on cooking the cured meat for dinner tonight. Third Aunt, unable to refuse, finally sounded a bit more cheerful. "Second Sister-in-law! Staying for a night is no big deal.
It's embarrassing for you to bring such a large piece of meat.
I've already started the rice; we'll just share. After all, there are only three of you, unlike my family with seven mouths to feed.
There's no need to use your rice, Second Sister-in-law. I'll put more on now."
No matter what Wang Shufang said, Third Aunt insisted on using her own rice.
Third Uncle brought his three sons and two daughters over to Lin Fan's house. They not only helped move the blankets, clothes, and pickle jars but even helped carry over the bundles of wheat that had just been harvested and hadn't yet been threshed.
Seeing that the water in the house was already nearly a foot deep, Third Uncle said, "Second Sister-in-law! You really should refurbish this roof. Add some tiles when it's time.
Earth-walled houses can't stand being soaked in water!"
They found stones to prop up the cabinet legs first, then placed the rest of the household items inside the cabinets.
Lin Fan stood by, constantly urging everyone to leave quickly. In his previous life, he had been unconscious and had no idea when the house had collapsed.
When the two families sat at the table to eat, Lin Fan finally felt at ease.
Outside, the heavy rain continued to fall, with no sign of letting up.
Lin Jingjing was incredibly excited to be eating with so many people tonight; she was the happiest among them.
Hearing the thunder and lightning outside and seeing the rain pouring off the eaves like a waterfall, Wang Shufang began to worry about her own house.
She ate distractedly and helped tidy up the kitchen.
Thinking it over, she still wanted to go back home to check, but she was stopped by Lin Fan, who was sitting in the main room watching the rain.
During dinner, Lin Fan had seen what was on her mind and had been waiting at the front of the house.
Tonight, Lin Fan didn't plan on sleeping. He was going to keep watch all night and wouldn't let anyone step out of the door, no matter what.
"I will change destiny, starting tonight!"