Chapter 37: Got A Bamboo Hat
Bean-sized raindrops pelted down on everyone like hailstones.
Shang Wan grabbed a table board and held it over her head, shielding herself and Lu Chengjing above, and the nearby villagers also benefited.
The others followed suit, dismantling table boards one after another and holding them overhead to shelter those around them.
More than half of the torches were extinguished by the downpour, and the remaining few flickered weakly, barely providing light.
The curtain of rain obscured their vision, making everything hazy.
Shang Wan worried about Yuan Yuan, Xiao Huan, and Shi Tou, so she had Li Dashan help hold the table board and was just about to run out to find them when Shi Tou’s shout came from the rain curtain, “Sis, we’re hiding at Big Brother Liu’s place, we didn’t get wet, don’t come out.”
Clearly, he knew that with Shang Wan’s current temperament, she would definitely go out to find them, but with such heavy rain outside, stepping out from under the table board would surely drench her like a drowned rat.
Hearing Shi Tou’s shout, Shang Wan felt relieved and wanted to take back the table board, but Li Dashan wouldn’t let her, telling her to rest well.
Lu Chengjing turned his head and whispered to Shang Wan, “Quickly count the number of people.”
The rain came down suddenly, and although everyone reacted quickly under Shang Wan’s lead, there was still some chaos, so it’s possible someone ran to a nearby house to take shelter.
It didn’t matter if the house was sturdy, but if it was a dangerous house, with such heavy rain rushing down, it might collapse.
Normally, Shang Wan could tell how many people there were just by listening, but now with the rain so loud, it drowned out many subtle sounds, so relying on hearing alone might not be accurate.
Shang Wan looked at Zhang Er not far away, who was holding an iron pot as an umbrella, and shouted, “Brother Zhang Er, I need your help with something.”
“Coming!” Zhang Er happily ran over holding the iron pot.
At the same time, Shen Qi under another table board thought of the same issue and asked Old Man Luo, “How many households are there in the village?”
“There used to be one hundred and seven,” Old Man Luo said, “including Lu Xiucai Scholar’s family, a total of one hundred and eight.”
“We need to count the people.” Shen Qi said gravely, “Count by household.”
Old Man Liu was just about to send his own son to run around everywhere when Zhang Er and three other men also topping pots or basins charged into the rain curtain.
The four split into four directions to count; for example, Zhang Er was responsible for counting the households in the east of the village, and after finding people, had them find their own family members, and whoever wasn’t there, Zhang Er would note down.
The three men Zhang Er found had grown up running around the village since childhood and knew exactly who lived there.
Soon, voices calling for people from various households rang out in the rain curtain.
Shen Qi’s side naturally didn’t need anyone else to go out to count; they just waited quietly for the results.
A figure rushed through the rain curtain toward Shang Wan and the others, and only when close could they see it was Rong Niangzi.
Everyone quickly squeezed to make some space for her.
Half of Rong Niangzi’s body was soaked by the rain, and water dripped continuously from her hair. She hastily wiped the raindrops from her face with her sleeve and said anxiously, “My husband is missing!”
Shang Wan frowned, “When did he go missing?”
“Right when the rain started.” Rong Niangzi wrung out the water from her hair, “I was busy helping the wounded shelter from the rain and didn’t see him after that. I thought he went somewhere else to take shelter, but Zhang Er helped me look and didn’t see my husband.”
“Younger Brother’s Wife, what if something happened to my man?” Rong Niangzi’s lips were pale with anxiety, “I wanted to go look for him, but Zhang Er told me to come ask you first. Younger Brother’s Wife, please give your sister-in-law some advice, which way should I go to find him?”
Rong Niangzi was completely panicked, her hands trembling uncontrollably, her voice already choked with sobs, “The roads are slippery in the rain, and it’s hard to see, what if he fell into one of those big pits on the ground, I…”
She didn’t dare say more; just thinking of that scene made her shiver all over. Her two children at home were still young; they couldn’t be without a father!
“There’s no cracks in the nearby ground; don’t scare yourself.” Shang Wan held Rong Niangzi’s ice-cold hand, her calm voice carrying comfort, “Brother Yuan probably ran to a nearby house to shelter from the rain. You stay here and don’t run around; I’ll go look.”
Rong Niangzi wanted to go too; firstly, she was worried about her man, and secondly, this was her family’s matter, so there was no reason for Shang Wan to be busy while she rested here.
Normally it would be fine, but now it was dark, the roads slippery, and the rain heavy; if something happened to Shang Wan, she could never feel at ease for the rest of her life.
Shang Wan said, “I run fast; you can’t keep up.”
It was practically saying Rong Niangzi would hold her back.
Everyone: “…” At least be a bit euphemistic.
“Sister-in-law was overthinking it; sister-in-law won’t go. Everything will trouble younger Brother’s Wife.” Rong Niangzi’s knees buckled as she knelt toward Shang Wan; if there had been space, she would have even kowtowed to her.
“Get up quickly.” Shang Wan hurriedly helped her up, “Brother Yuan has helped my husband a lot before; my husband and I remember these kindnesses. Even if you didn’t ask, sister-in-law, I would still help look for him.”
Lu Chengjing listened in slight astonishment and looked at Shang Wan, ripples rising in the depths of his serene dark eyes.
Rong Niangzi thanked her repeatedly. Shang Wan didn’t delay any longer and stepped out to rush into the rain curtain, but suddenly felt a force on her hem.
She turned her head and saw it was a pretty hand—Lu Chengjing’s.
“There’s a bamboo hat.” Lu Chengjing exerted a slight force with his hand, “Put on the bamboo hat before going.”
The rain hadn’t lessened at all, with occasional thunder booming; if this woman rushed out like that, she’d be drenched like a drowned rat in moments.
Shang Wan wanted to say it wasn’t necessary; with her speed, the bamboo hat wouldn’t stay on.
But the words reached her lips, and looking at Lu Chengjing’s beautiful face that suited her taste in every way, they unconsciously turned into, “Okay.”
She took the only bamboo hat passed over by the crowd, put it on, and in a few steps darted out. In the blink of an eye, her figure in cyan disappeared into the rain curtain.
The bamboo hat was brought by Dan Dajun; he and Shen Qi had been watching this side closely. Seeing Shang Wan disappear into the rain curtain, they were shocked, their eyes nearly popping out.
Could Lady Shang fly? How did she disappear in the blink of an eye?
Lu Chengjing stared at the rain curtain, his left hand slowly clenching, a flash of frustration deep in his eyes.
If he weren’t injured…
Shang Wan held the bamboo hat and circled twice around the area where everyone was, but found no trace of Yuan Musheng.
Could he really have run to a nearby house to shelter from the rain?
Shang Wan hurried toward the nearest house while straining to catch any movement around her.
There were indeed about ten people sheltering here, but none were Yuan Musheng.
“This house’s walls are cracked; don’t shelter inside.” Shang Wan said to them, “Take your rain-blocking things and come out; go back and stay with everyone.”
After saying that, she didn’t care if they listened and hurried to the next house.
She checked three places in a row; two had people sheltering, but still no sign of Yuan Musheng.
Where on earth had this man gone?
Shang Wan stopped, stood in the curtain of rain with her eyes closed, and focused to expand her perception.
She tuned out the noisy rain and slowly sifted through the many sounds.
Shang Wan’s breathing slowed, then her ears twitched, her eyes snapped open, and with a tap of her toe, she sped toward the direction of the sound.
Thanks to the treasures for your support and recommendation votes. The new book is still in PK period; due to rules, extra updates would exceed word count and affect PK, so I can’t add more for now. If we luckily make it to the end of 4 rounds of PK, there will be lots more updates~
