Chapter 174: Reckless and Fearless
“Stop talking nonsense, we need to go check it out! We’re grown men—are we really afraid of getting wet? Grab your tools and head to the reservoir first, I’ll go get the others and meet you there!” Without another word, Tao Ming grabbed his things and rushed out of the stone house, running toward the neighboring houses to call his brothers.
The Bai, Liu, Zhang, and Yu families stood at the entrance of their caves, watching the unexpected downpour, their faces filled with uncontrollable joy.
“Heavens have truly given us a chance to survive! In all these years, when have we ever heard of such heavy rain in the wilderness? Looks like the corn, soybeans, and vegetables we planted are saved!” The deeply tanned face of Yu Qiang was filled with excitement, his joy only making the wrinkles on his face more pronounced. As a farmer through and through, nothing made him happier than spring rain.
And this timely rain wasn’t just rain—it was a lifesaving rain for those struggling in the wilderness. No matter how much silver they earned in the future, nothing could compare to the sight of their crops growing strong in their own fields.
“Yes, Father! With this rain, we might even be able to plant rice! Earning silver is important, but if we can cultivate a few acres of good farmland, plant some rice, and settle down here, we can survive even if we never return home!” Yu Yongcai gazed at the damp earth, his confusion of the past few days vanishing as he suddenly felt a renewed sense of purpose. His family was here—if they could grow food, then any place could be home.
Amidst the heavy rain, Yu Zhengqing stood at the entrance of the cave, frowning. He had planned to head to Feng City tomorrow, but this rain—though rare and life-saving—showed no signs of stopping. He sighed. He could wait another day. Perhaps by tomorrow, the rain would stop.
“Dad, isn’t that Tao Ming and the others? Why are they still coming to work in weather like this?” Through the misty rain, Yu Luo spotted Tao Ming and his group rushing toward their vegetable garden with tools in hand. Hearing this, Yu Haojie followed her gaze, his brows immediately furrowing.
“Bring me a raincoat and a straw hat! I need to see what’s going on. These men—do they have no regard for their lives? Catching a cold in this weather is no joke! Even if your mother has medicine, being sick is still miserable!”
Hearing her father’s concern, Yu Luo quickly fetched two raincoats and hats, giving one set to Yu Haojie while putting the other on herself.
“What are you doing? Stay in the cave!”
“It’s fine, let’s go check it out together.”
By the time father and daughter arrived at the lower vegetable garden, Tao Ming and his men had already jumped into the half-filled reservoir, tirelessly swinging their shovels and hoes to continue digging.
“What do you think you’re doing?! This rain is too heavy! Do you have a death wish?!”
Father and daughter were shocked by the sight before them. The pounding raindrops had soaked everyone’s clothes and hair, the freezing weather making it unbearable to even walk outside without proper clothing, let alone work while standing in cold, muddy water.
Yet these men were still digging like mad, completely ignoring the biting chill and their drenched, shivering bodies. The scene left Yu Luo and Yu Haojie speechless.
They had initially thought the workers had come to check for landslides, but they never expected them to be this reckless, working as if their lives depended on it.
Hearing Yu Haojie’s voice, the laborers barely paused in their work. In their minds, this rain was a blessing, and since they were already drenched, they might as well make the most of it and enlarge the reservoir.
Although Yu Luo had originally told them a smaller size was sufficient, rain was rare in the wilderness—they couldn’t waste this opportunity!
“Master, we’re fine! We’re tough! We just need to drink some hot water later. This rain is a rare chance—if we dig deeper, we can store more water! Look, young miss, the reservoir isn’t even leaking! It’s already up to our waists! If the rain keeps up for another day and night, the reservoir will be full!”
Rainwater dripped from their soaked hair and beards, sticking to their faces. The downpour blurred their vision, making it difficult to see clearly, but they didn’t stop.
They continued digging feverishly, knowing that if the reservoir filled up, they could finally have a steady water source for their crops.
“This is insane! All of you, get out!”
Watching these men working themselves to the bone, soaked through like drowned rats, Yu Luo felt both angry and heartbroken. She shouted furiously over the rain.
“Miss, Master, don’t worry about us! We’re men! We can handle a little cold!”
Zhang Xiaoliang lifted a basket full of mud and hauled it to the edge, turning back to flash Yu Luo a silly grin despite the freezing rain.
As the relentless downpour washed over their faces, Yu Luo looked at these desperate, determined men, and didn’t know whether to be furious or moved.
“GET OUT NOW! Are you all idiots?! There are TWO water wells! If this reservoir isn’t enough, we can just use the wells! If you don’t get out right now, I’ll fire all of you!”
Her threat sent a wave of panic through the men. They hesitated, exchanging glances, before Tao Ming finally raised his hand and shouted, “Out! Listen to the young miss!”
Following his command, the men began struggling out of the two-meter-deep pit. They worked together, first helping the shorter ones climb up, while Yu Luo and Yu Haojie hurried forward to help pull them out.
Once everyone was out, Yu Haojie immediately ordered them to go to his cave.
Hearing this, the men hesitated.
“Master Yu, isn’t that inappropriate? We’re covered in mud…”
“What nonsense is this? No one cares about rules when we can barely feed ourselves! Get inside and warm up! I’ll find you some dry clothes!”
Under Yu Haojie’s insistence, the men reluctantly followed him and Yu Luo back to their cave.
Inside the cave, Ye Jiamei had long since gotten up, pacing anxiously at the entrance. When she saw Yu Haojie bringing in a group of soaking wet, mud-covered men, she immediately rushed inside to start a fire.
As the flames crackled to life, she boiled a large pot of hot water.
The moment the men stepped inside, their eyes widened in astonishment.
Chairs, benches, wooden beds, wooden shelves, a water tank—everything inside the cave was neat and well-organized.
The warmth of the fire and the sight of such a comfortable living space filled their hearts with both envy and admiration.
Meanwhile, Yu Luo headed to her private stone chamber, pulling out several sets of clean clothes, placing them on her wooden bed.
