This is clearly provocation!
Want to have a fight right outside my door?
If it weren't a cat, it would really think she was afraid of it, wouldn't it?
Xia Weiliang bent down, directly grabbed its neck, and lifted it up. "Humans have human rules, and I won't fight you."
Xiao Yi: "..."
From his understanding of her, she wasn't joking.
Little Black didn't struggle after being lifted. It just looked at her with its big amber eyes, its paws curled up reflexively.
Perhaps it was because the little guy was unusually well-behaved, Xia Weiliang tried to suggest, "Do you want to come inside for something to eat?"
After all, this was originally its territory.
Unexpectedly, after being put down, Little Black turned and ran.
Xia Weiliang didn't pay it any mind and shouted after its retreating back, "I'll bring you something delicious tomorrow morning!"
"Let's go in."
Xiao Yi went to hold her hand, gently scratching her palm as he did so.
Xia Weiliang pursed her lips and smiled, her face flushing. She squeezed his hand back briefly before quickly pulling away before the door was pushed open.
—
It rained that night.
Xiao Yi had an early morning flight, so he and Yan Zhi left before dawn.
The rain grew heavier, and by the time everyone woke up, they were trapped inside the house and couldn't get out.
Seeing the yard filling with rainwater, Director Huang had to lead Da Zhuang and others, donning simple plastic raincoats, to the yard to clear the water.
Xia Weiliang leaned against the window to look outside. With such heavy rain, she wondered if the flight would be delayed.
Only when she received his WeChat message, "I've boarded," did she finally relax. She sat back down at the dining table, picked up a steamed bun, and ate silently, feeling a bit empty in her heart and lacking enthusiasm for anything.
"How deep is my love for you?"
"How much do I love you?"
Beside her, Da Zhuang and Xiao Shuai sang soulfully.
Xia Weiliang coughed lightly, "If you want to sing a duet with me, just say so."
Their expressions changed, and they quickly shook their heads, "We were wrong, truly wrong."
"Yes, yes, yes, we won't dare again next time."
The drainage system in the yard was finally cleared. When Director Huang and the others came in, they were soaked.
With a towel around his neck, he held a morning meeting and temporarily adjusted the filming schedule.
The guests were currently conveying their hopes or dreams to the traditional artisans in their own ways.
Moreover, Lang Yue's side also had feedback. Seeing these celebrities going all out to help promote, several young people in the village were deeply inspired. With their families' support, they had expressed their desire to apprentice.
Speaking of this, he looked at Xia Weiliang, "We have our Niang Niang to thank for all of this."
Xia Weiliang waved her hands dismissively, "No need to thank me, it's purely the excellent qualities in my bones coming into play!"
Everyone burst into laughter. Su Yuxi looked at her with a smile, his admiration for her undisguised.
Director Huang added, "I just checked the weather forecast, and it's supposed to rain for the next two days, so all our filming locations will be moved indoors." He then instructed Da Zhuang, "Prepare a waterproof mini-camera for each guest, just in case."
"Got it!"
"Also, the most important thing is to pay attention to safety."
After the morning meeting, everyone went about their tasks.
After three episodes of adjustment, the guests and staff had developed a tacit understanding. Once they dispersed, they each dived into filming.
Xia Weiliang was grouped with Su Yuxi and Xiao Shuai. As they went out the door, she suddenly stopped and looked around the entrance as if she had remembered something.
"Sister Weiliang, what are you looking for?" Xiao Shuai asked.
"Little Black."
She frowned and looked around. "With such heavy rain, where could it be hiding?"
"You don't need to worry about that. Cats are much smarter than we are, especially since it's familiar with this area. It's probably already found a safe spot and is sleeping soundly."
Su Yuxi also said, "Little Black has lived here for a long time and is more adaptable than us."
Hearing him say this, Xia Weiliang felt somewhat reassured. "Let's hurry and check on Uncle Qu's place." Su Dan Novel Network
The three of them, wearing raincoats, walked carefully on the bluestone path.
Upon arriving at Uncle Qu's house, he had already moved everything from the yard indoors. Hot tea was prepared, and he silently offered them towels.
"Thank you, Shifu."
Xia Weiliang took the towel and wiped the rain from her face. "Does it often rain this heavily here?"
She looked up at the sky, feeling as though the rain was being poured from the sky in buckets, hitting her with pain.
Uncle Qu thought for a moment and said, "Ten years ago, there was also a rain like this, heavy and sudden. Ati's cow was lost that day... and that was the village's only cow."
The three of them exchanged glances. Xia Weiliang asked softly, "Lang Yue's father... was it that day..."
Uncle Qu lowered his gaze gloomily. "Yes."
No one spoke. Looking at the rain outside again, the splashing water mist completely blurred their vision.
The rain continued for a day and a night. Although the intensity decreased, it showed no signs of stopping.
The rainwater from the mountains gradually surged down, and mud, small stones, leaves, and branches began to wash down from the slopes. The stream at the village entrance also started to turn murky, with the water rising to its banks.
In the current situation, the greatest fear was landslides. Lang Yue, along with the strong young men in the village, began to dig sand to fill sandbags, build flood barriers, and clear drainage ditches to divert the floodwaters. After contacting the county, they also made preparations to evacuate villagers at any time.
Director Huang also received a notice from the station, requiring immediate evacuation.
No one had anticipated that this rain would come so suddenly, disrupting all plans. Brother Qiao and the others had already sealed and packed the mechanical equipment, and the logistics team had also packed their luggage, waiting only for Director Huang's order to leave.
However, everyone's expressions were complex and grave, and the atmosphere inside the house was somewhat oppressive.
Director Huang entered from outside, patting the rain off his body. "The cars are parked outside the village. Pack your belongings and let's go."
Everyone left the wooden house in silence, following him.
Upon exiting the door, someone called out, "Little Black!"
Xia Weiliang looked up and immediately saw Little Black on a tree branch.
It stood there, its entire body drenched in rain. Cats generally feared water, but it seemed unfazed, standing there motionless, watching them...
Under its indifferent gaze, everyone felt a stone pressing down on their hearts. They didn't dare to meet the cat's eyes and lowered their heads, leaving with heavy hearts.
As they passed Uncle Qu's house, Xia Weiliang saw him wearing a straw cape and a bamboo hat, bending over to clear the mud from his yard.
She pursed her lips even tighter.
Walking down the bluestone alley, busy figures could be seen everywhere. Familiar faces occasionally greeted them, wishing them a safe journey.
Especially when they passed the general store, the owner stopped Xia Weiliang, pressed a paper-wrapped package into her hand, and wiped the rain from his face. "This is peppermint tea. It's not much, but take it as a memento."
He didn't have time for further conversation before his wife called him back to pack their luggage.
His house was full of sundries and couldn't be packed in a moment.
Holding this package, Xia Weiliang's heart grew even heavier.
They exited the village and saw the bus parked there.
The driver was anxious, "Hurry up and get on the bus. This rain is getting worse, and if we get caught in a mountain flood halfway, none of us will be able to leave."
Xia Weiliang frowned, thinking of the frail figure of her Shifu in the yard earlier. She suddenly looked up and said calmly, "I left something behind, I'm going back to get it. You... you don't need to wait for me."