Chapter 378 The Drought Worsens
Ye Shengge agreed with Tangtang's words. Who knew what the historical progression of this world would be? In the future, there might be large numbers of educated youth sent to the countryside. If the drought and economy didn't improve, life would only become harder.
"I've been in Bai Rong Brigade for over half a year, and it hasn't rained once."
This abrupt statement silenced everyone at the dinner table. Ye Shengge, not working in the fields, wasn't aware of the situation there.
"The ground is already noticeably dry, and the river level has dropped significantly. If the south is like this, imagine what the north is like."
Elder Fan sighed, losing his appetite at the thought.
"Last time I went back to the family compound, many people seemed to have lost a lot of weight. And my parents still send me so many grain coupons every month. Are they not getting enough to eat themselves? How could I be so careless and not ask about their situation at home?"
Ye Shengge patted Chen Tangtang. Even if she asked, Chen Mama wouldn't tell her the truth.
"We'll send some grain home later. We're not short on food."
Ye Dad had been working in the fields recently. No one in the village was without worries.
"If it doesn't rain soon, Bai Rong Brigade won't be able to hold on for long. The whole country will only get more difficult."
"I heard the village chief say they are planning to take people to the mountains to secretly plant some crops. If the drought truly results in a complete harvest failure, this will help us get by."
Elder Dang also sighed. At their age, they feared starvation.
"Why don't we also go to the mountain and plant some sweet potatoes? We shouldn't be eating so well when the village is running out of food."
Elder Fan was always worried about their families being too conspicuous. When everyone in the village was starving, they wouldn't look thin, which would be bad.
Ye Dad pondered for a moment. They wouldn't lack grain, but Elder Fan's concern couldn't be ignored, as they still had to live in the village.
"This matter must be taken seriously. We'll do as the villagers do. We need to be low-key from now on. Don't talk about what we eat or drink at home to anyone outside."
Actually, Ye Dad was saying these words to Chen Tangtang. The Ye and Bai families had always been low-key, almost never interacting with the villagers. Only the women in the family enjoyed gossip, but it was limited to listening, and they rarely spoke about their family matters to others.
Chen Tangtang nodded. Although she was dating Ouyang, she never wasted food. After all, her life at home had also been very frugal. It was a habit that she couldn't change even if she wanted to.
When Zi Yisheng and Ye Mu'en returned from the mountain that evening, they heard about the discussion. They were the most informed, managing the black market. The grain prices in other black markets had been steadily rising, only theirs remained unchanged.
"The situation outside is even more serious than we know. Haven't you noticed it's already hot in February? The weather is so abnormal. If this continues, it will be a nationwide disaster."
The gloom in Ye's family was present in many families across the country. Farmland irrigation was ineffective. Grain imports from abroad were increasing, and already poor countries and people became even poorer.
"From now on, no one in the family will buy new clothes. Slowly mend old clothes with patches. Also, everyone who is home must go to the fields to work."
Ye Dad made a firm decision and went to other families to hold meetings. These were things they had to do now.
The next day, the villagers noticed that the number of people working in the Ye and Bai families had significantly increased. Besides herding sheep, Ye Shengge also followed Chen Tangtang to cut grass, earning four work points daily.
Even Qi Luquan followed them to the fields. Although unaccustomed to it, he persisted. Bai Maternal Grandfather, Bai Maternal Grandmother, and Old Master Ouyang also did some simple tasks, earning three work points a day.
The weather grew hotter. By April, they were already wearing short sleeves. Bai Rong Brigade had secretly planted sweet potatoes and corn on the mountain. Only the western mountain remained untouched.
Ye Shengge, Qi Xuan, and Chen Tangtang also went up the mountain daily. Their families had planted quite a bit of grain. The situation on the mountain seemed better; the crops grew noticeably better than in the lowlands. The three of them would spend a little time each day weeding and checking if any animals had damaged the crops.
Today, Bai Chufan accompanied the three girls up the mountain. The crops were planted scattered on the mountain, so they had to cover a lot of ground.
"This weather is so hot. I'm getting so tanned."
Qi Xuan's skin wasn't very fair to begin with, and now the only pale part exposed was her palm, making her teeth gleam even brighter when she smiled.
"Weren't you even more tanned on Mist Ice Mountain?"
"Not at all. The temperature on Mist Ice Mountain was very low, and the vegetation was extremely dense. There weren't many opportunities to get sunburnt."
"Quick, come look! The sweet potato sprouts have been damaged by animals."
The three heard Bai Chufan's voice and hurried over. They had put in the most effort for these crops, and hearing they were damaged made them feel a pang of heartache.
Chen Tangtang was the first to rush over. Seeing dozens of sweet potato sprouts gnawed, she became furious.
"Can you tell what kind of animal did this? I will catch it!"
Bai Chufan looked at the footprints on the ground and frowned.
"The footprints look quite large. There's danger here. You should go down the mountain first. I'm afraid wild beasts might return."
"I'm not leaving. If we don't catch it, there might not be any sprouts left tomorrow."
Qi Xuan examined the footprints and then looked at the shovel in her hand.
"Why don't we dig some traps nearby? They can deter wild animals and also catch some for food."
Ye Shengge had no experience and could only listen to Qi Xuan and her elder cousin discuss. They even selected an area with a serious expression.
"Just these spots. Let's dig out three today."
Ye Shengge put on her gloves and worked diligently. She was no longer the Ye Shengge who only herded sheep and cut grass. Two months of training had made her capable of earning five work points, and digging a hole was no problem.
When Zi Yisheng and Ye Mu'en arrived, they saw Ye Shengge working, covered in sweat, her clothes soaked.
Upon seeing the footprints on the ground, their hearts sank. Large animals generally wouldn't venture to the edges of the mountains. For them to leave the deep mountains indicated a lack of food, or a greater danger.
"We must notify the villagers. From now on, when we go up the mountain, everyone must go together. Otherwise, if we encounter danger, we won't even have time to run."
With Zi Yisheng and Ye Mu'en joining, they dug six traps, covering all the planted crops.
"Let's go. I'll accompany you to the mountain tomorrow."
The village chief, upon hearing the news, immediately called a meeting. They had more experience than Zi Yisheng and the others.
"Something has happened in the mountains. Tomorrow, I will send people to check the deep mountains, so we can make plans accordingly."
The water in the village river had already dropped by half. The rice paddies needed irrigation every few days, otherwise, rice cultivation would be impossible. The well water level had also decreased noticeably. Bai Rong Brigade and nearby brigades were now requiring villagers to conserve water.