Siheyuan: Buyers get rich from hunting

However, outside this courtyard filled with hope and joy, this small world surrounded by warm sunshine and laughter seems to be a corner particularly favored by fate. But not every village can be illuminated by this lucky light and have this tranquility and beauty.

In a remote village dozens of kilometers away from this courtyard full of vitality and vigor, an unprecedented drought is like an invisible beast, mercilessly ravaging every inch of land and every heart longing for moisture. There, the sky, which should have been as blue as a gem and refreshing, now seems to be covered tightly by an endless gray cloth, airtight and heavy to the point of suffocating. Because of this, people have not seen a drop of rain for several months in a row. The rain that was once taken for granted has now become an extremely luxurious desire.

On the ground, cracks crisscrossed, like hideous mouths, silently opening, ruthlessly devouring all signs of life, tearing the once green and vibrant scene into pieces. The crops that should have been lush and swaying in the wind have now withered and withered, like bodies with their souls taken away, lying lifelessly on the ground; and the streams that once meandered and flowed, clear to the bottom, have gradually dried up, leaving only a dead sandy riverbed, as if silently telling the past glory and the present desolation.

Even the wild grasses that were usually the most tenacious and strong, standing proudly in the wind and rain, now hung their heads, with curled leaves and withered yellow colors, completely losing their former vitality and vigor, as if even they were bowing to this cruel reality.

In this small village, which has suffered from drought and is devastated, there live many simple, hardworking and kind-hearted peasant families like Lao Zhao. Lao Zhao, an ordinary farmer with a skin as dark as bronze and hands covered with thick calluses from years of hard work, has a face deeply engraved with traces of time, and each wrinkle seems to record a story about hard work and sweat, hope and disappointment.

Whenever he gazed at the familiar yet unfamiliar land in front of him, a complex emotion would occasionally reveal in his deep eyes: it was a deep and helpless love for the land that gave birth to him, a remembrance of the good old days in the past, and a deep worry and powerlessness about the current predicament.

Every morning, when the first ray of sunlight just shines on the earth and everything has not yet fully awakened, Lao Zhao will get up early. He drags the empty bucket, takes heavy steps, and slowly walks along the riverbed that has dried up beyond recognition, step by step, farther and farther away. His back looks particularly lonely and tenacious in the morning light, and every step he takes shows his persistence and unyielding in life. With every step he takes, the dust raised by his feet seems to be telling the thirst and barrenness of this land, and it also seems to be silently calling for the arrival of rain.

Day after day, he always set out on a journey to find water with hope, with a deep sense of responsibility and love for his family, and endless attachment to this land. But every time, no matter how far he went, no matter how hard he tried, he could only return empty-handed again and again, stepping into the familiar door of his home again with a heart full of fatigue and loss.

The water tank at home, the container that once carried the hope and peace of the whole family, has long been empty and dry without even a trace of moisture. The once clear and sparkling water surface is now covered with a thick layer of dust, quietly covering the bottom of the tank, as if telling the story of these difficult years.

The children's chapped lips seemed to have been mercilessly burned by the scorching sun. The deep cracks were like silent cries, telling of their desire and expectation for water. Their expectant eyes were like the brightest stars in the night sky, but with a hint of imperceptible despair, like sharp needles that pierced Lao Zhao's heart, making him heartbroken, as if he could feel the torment and pain in the children's hearts.

Night fell quietly, wrapping the whole village in a suffocating silence. There were no more chirping insects and birds, no more children's laughter, only occasional coughs due to thirst and low, helpless sighs. These sounds were particularly clear in the silent night, mercilessly striking at people's already fragile hearts, making every night seem particularly long and tormenting.

The villagers gathered around the fire, the blazing flames reflecting their haggard and worried faces. The flames danced in their eyes, but it seemed unable to dispel the haze in their hearts. Everyone talked about the terrible drought and how to survive in this desperate environment. But as the topic deepened, the confusion and fear about the future in people's hearts became stronger, as if an invisible dark cloud was covering the entire village, making it impossible for people to see a glimmer of hope.

Old Zhao sat quietly in a corner of the crowd, silently smoking his somewhat shriveled dry tobacco. Wisps of green smoke slowly came out of his mouth, gradually rising up, enveloping him in it. Through the hazy smoke, one could see that his eyes were empty and distant, as if he had lost his soul, leaving only endless fatigue and despair.

However, on this night that seemed to have been completely swallowed by despair, suddenly, a dazzling light penetrated the endless darkness, like a meteor across the sky, bringing people a hint of unexpected surprise. Then, a deafening roar came from far away, and the sound seemed particularly abrupt in the silent night - it turned out that a large truck loaded with goods was rumbling towards the village, like a ray of dawn in the darkness, illuminating the hope in people's hearts.

Hearing this sudden noise, the originally quiet villagers couldn't help but look up in surprise. They stared at the approaching truck with curiosity and a hint of vigilance that was hard to conceal. After all, in such a difficult time, any change may bring unknown effects, making people both expectant and nervous. But in any case, this sudden change seemed to have brought a glimmer of hope to this village shrouded in despair, and rekindled a spark of hope in people's hearts.

With a heavy brake sound in the empty night, the huge truck, like a sleeping beast, slowly stopped on the empty land in the center of the village illuminated by the moonlight. The vibration of the car body seemed to carry an indescribable force, making everything around it tremble. Then, the door was suddenly opened by a staff member, accompanied by the sound of metal rubbing against the air, and a group of staff members in neat uniforms filed down like well-trained soldiers and lined up in an orderly manner beside the truck.

The staff were all in high spirits and walked steadily, carrying large and small bags of items in their hands, like a group of messengers carrying hope. Under the moonlight, it was clearly seen that the bags in their hands were filled with all kinds of food, and the boxes of clean water sparkled in the sun. However, what was more eye-catching was that they also carried several brand-new hand-cranked water pumps and various professional installation tools. These tools glowed with a cold metallic luster under the moonlight, foreshadowing the upcoming changes.

At this time, a tall and resolute leading staff member strode forward. His steps were steady and powerful, as if every step was stepping on the heartstrings of the villagers. He stood at the front of the crowd, took a deep breath, and looked around the crowd with a firm gaze. Then, he shouted loudly with all his strength: "Fellow villagers! We are volunteers from afar, and we have come all the way to help you!" This loud voice was like a thunder, breaking through the silent night sky and the haze in the hearts of the villagers, echoing over the entire village, stirring up layers of ripples.

The originally quiet villagers were stunned when they heard the sudden shouts. They stared with wide eyes, their faces full of surprise and confusion, looking at this group of strange yet friendly volunteers, and for a moment they were a little overwhelmed. There was curiosity in their eyes, but also a hint of hard-to-disguise vigilance. After all, at such a time when they were exhausted by the drought, any change could bring unknown effects. But only a moment later, when the volunteers began to distribute food and water, a deafening cheer broke out from the crowd. The sound was as turbulent as a volcanic eruption, full of desire for life and longing for the future.

The cheers were like surging waves, one higher than the other, echoing in every corner of the village. They contained not only the joy of the coming rain after a long drought, but also the immense excitement of finally getting a response to the desire for life after a long wait. Villagers came forward one after another, some took food and water, some surrounded the volunteers and asked various questions, and some were so excited that they burst into tears, tightly holding the volunteers' hands and expressing their most sincere gratitude.

Old Zhao, who had been watching all this quietly from a distance, could no longer hold back his excitement. He stood up tremblingly, and the pipe in his hand had already fallen to the ground. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision, but he still tried to open his eyes wide, wanting to deeply imprint the scene in front of him in his mind. Because until now, he still couldn't believe that everything he saw was real, as if it was all as illusory and beautiful as a dream. His heart was filled with gratitude and hope, as if he saw the day when this land would be revitalized and waving to him.

At the same time, the workers did not delay at all, they started working skillfully and quickly. After some observation and discussion, they selected an area that looked relatively wet and immediately started to install the water pump.

The villagers came one after another, each of them had a heavy step and their faces were full of fatigue. However, when they gathered together, an invisible force seemed to spread among the crowd, making the originally depressed people instantly become energetic and full of fighting spirit. Everyone had the same thoughts and efforts, looking firmly at the unfinished project in front of them, full of expectations, hoping that a miracle would happen.

Time passed by, and after a few hours, the first water pump was finally installed successfully! There was a burst of cheers at the scene. At this time, the staff smiled and waved to Lao Zhao standing by, indicating that he would try the newly installed water pump to see if it could operate normally.

Old Zhao walked forward nervously and excitedly, stretched out his hands, which were covered with calluses and trembling slightly due to long-term labor, and tightly grasped the crank. He took a deep breath, and then used all his strength to start shaking. At first, there was no movement, only the crank made a "creaking" sound, as if mocking people's futile efforts. But Old Zhao did not give up, he gritted his teeth and continued to shake desperately.

Gradually, with Lao Zhao's unremitting efforts, a subtle sound came from inside the water pump. Then, a stream of clear water suddenly rushed out of the outlet of the water pipe like a nimble little snake and rushed straight into the sky. In an instant, everyone was stunned by this sudden scene, and time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Old Zhao stared blankly at the gushing water, his eyes gradually moistened. He could no longer suppress the surging emotions in his heart, and tears burst out like a flood. These tears mixed with the dirt and sweat on his face, forming turbid tear marks that slowly slid down his wrinkled cheeks.

Seeing this scene, the surrounding villagers couldn't help but shed tears. Their cries were intertwined, with joy, emotion, and a hope of regaining a new life. The children were so excited that they gathered around the water pump like a group of birds, chirping. They couldn't wait to stretch out their tender little hands, carefully scoop up the cool water, and feel the pleasure brought by the water. The innocent and cute little faces bloomed with bright smiles that had not been seen for a long time, as beautiful as flowers blooming in spring.

"There's water! There's water!" The deafening cheers were like surging waves, sweeping across the silent night sky in an instant. The sound contained endless joy, excitement, and deep awe for life, like an impassioned and generous hymn that echoed in the night sky for a long time. It was not just a simple cry, but also people's deep desire for survival and their earnest expectation for a better future.

Old Zhao stood quietly in the crowd, gazing at the jubilant scene in front of him, and an indescribable warmth and strength surged in his heart. He knew that although the protracted drought had not yet come to an end, at this moment, this selfless assistance from the outside world was like a dazzling light in the darkness, illuminating their way forward and giving them the courage and determination to fight hard against the difficulties.

That night, the lights in the village were particularly dazzling, much brighter than ever before. The light from every window seemed to be a heart burning with the fire of hope, illuminating this place that was once shrouded in haze. The villagers had happy smiles on their faces, determination in their eyes, and they passed on encouragement and support to each other.

They firmly believe that as long as everyone works together and unites, they will be able to overcome the difficulties and obstacles in front of them. The love and care from a distant foreign land will be deeply engraved in their hearts like a brand, and become the most solid and reliable spiritual pillar on their way forward. No matter how many ups and downs they encounter in the future, this deep friendship will always accompany them and support them to keep forging ahead and create a new chapter of their own beautiful life.