Chapter 37: The Typhoon Arrives
Chapter 37: The Typhoon Arrives
Mrs. Zhou nodded. "Yes, they said it on the news this morning. It’s been all over the airwaves."
Jiang Xia recalled the plot from the book. The typhoon was expected to make landfall in the area, and after it passed, the beach would be littered with shrimp.
In the story, only the heroine had a close call, almost being swept away by the waves while chasing a fish. The book didn’t mention any other casualties, just that some families lost their boats.
This made Jiang Xia feel a bit more at ease.
She reminded them, "We should make sure our boat is securely anchored in a safe place."
Zhou Chenglei nodded. "I’ll check on it after lunch."
Jiang Xia appreciated one thing about Zhou Chenglei: he was open to others' suggestions. He didn’t mind putting in the extra effort if it was for the better.
After lunch, Mrs. Zhou took the initiative to wash the dishes. She was always diligent, taking care of most of the household chores, so Jiang Xia didn’t have to do much.
Zhou Chenglei went to secure the boat.
Jiang Xia cut up some watermelon. It had been unbearably hot and muggy all day, with no breeze at all. A bit of watermelon would help cool them down.
The next day, the wind and waves were fierce. The sky was overcast, and the sun was nowhere to be seen. It was clear that a typhoon was brewing out at sea. The waves were too rough to go out, so Zhou Chenglei stayed home to reinforce the grape trellis and check the roof tiles.
Sure enough, it started raining at night. The raindrops pattered against the tiles, and the wind howled outside, carrying the sound of things being blown around in the yard.
The noise was so loud that Jiang Xia was jolted awake from a deep sleep, her eyes snapping open.
Zhou Chenglei’s voice came from beside her. "It’s okay. The typhoon has arrived, but it’s still early. Go back to sleep."
The rain and wind grew louder, and Jiang Xia found it impossible to fall back asleep.
Suddenly, she heard a dripping sound coming from the wardrobe.
Zhou Chenglei sat up.
Jiang Xia also sat up and asked, "Is it leaking?"
Zhou Chenglei nodded. "It must be. I’ll get a basin to catch the water."
This old house, though patched up, still had its weak spots. You never knew where it would leak until a storm hit.
Zhou Chenglei got out of bed, turned on the light, and discovered the leak above the wardrobe. He quickly went to find a basin.
Jiang Xia stayed in bed, but after a while, Zhou Chenglei still hadn’t returned. Suddenly, the light bulb went out, and the power cut off.
Not long after, she heard a series of crashing sounds from outside.
The roof tiles must have been blown off by the typhoon!
She panicked, worried that Zhou Chenglei might have been hit. She called out, "Zhou Chenglei! Zhou Chenglei!" but got no response.
She quickly got out of bed and ran out.
As soon as she stepped out of the room, a gust of wind mixed with rain blew through the hallway, nearly knocking her off her feet!
A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, and Jiang Xia saw the yard in chaos, with debris and broken tiles scattered everywhere. The shed’s roof tiles had been blown off.
She didn’t see Zhou Chenglei anywhere. It shouldn’t take that long to grab a basin, and she feared he might have been knocked out in the shed. As soon as the wind died down a bit, she rushed out, calling, "Zhou Chenglei! Zhou Chenglei!"
She had only taken a few steps when the shed’s roof tiles were lifted by the wind and came flying toward her!
A porcelain basin from the courtyard was also caught in the wind and flew toward her!
Jiang Xia was pushed by the fierce wind, unable to control her body. She instinctively raised her hands to shield herself.
Suddenly, a figure darted out from somewhere, grabbing her and pulling her into the safety of the wall and his embrace.
Jiang Xia heard a loud clatter as the tiles hit the basin.
The tiles shattered all around their feet.
Before Jiang Xia could react, Zhou Chenglei had already scooped her up in one arm and rushed her into the house. He set her down and quickly shut the door, blocking out the raging storm outside.
"Are you okay?" Jiang Xia asked urgently, still a bit dazed.
Zhou Chenglei held a enamel basin in his hand. He had used it to shield his head, but his arm was scratched. It was just a minor injury, nothing to worry about.
"It's nothing. I used the basin to protect my head. Why did you run out in the typhoon?"
"I heard the tiles being blown off and was afraid you might get hurt," Jiang Xia explained. She noticed blood on his arm, but the dim light made it hard to tell for sure.
Zhou's father and mother emerged from their room. "What happened? Are you okay? Did anyone get hurt?"
The power was out, so the elderly couple couldn't see Zhou Chenglei's injury.
"I'm fine. The room is leaking, so I went to get a basin. Are your rooms leaking? I can go get another basin. It's windy out there, and tiles are falling. Don't go outside."
Zhou's father replied, "Our room isn't leaking. Which tiles flew off?"
"The tiles on the shed were blown away." He had checked and reinforced them just yesterday, but the typhoon was too strong.
Zhou's mother went to find a flashlight. "I'll check the other rooms to make sure the grain doesn't get wet. We're lucky we fixed the house earlier, or all the tiles might have been blown away. This typhoon is intense!"
Zhou Chenglei said, "I've already checked; no leaks. You don't need to look. Go back to bed, it's dangerous outside."
"Go back to bed! We'll take another look, but we won't go outside," Zhou's father and mother insisted, still worried. They went to check Zhou Zhou's room and another room.
Zhou's mother planned to stay with Zhou Zhou, who was sleeping soundly and hadn't woken up, but she didn't want the child to be scared if she did.
Zhou Chenglei, after instructing the elderly couple to stay inside, pulled Jiang Xia back to their room.
Once in the room, Zhou Chenglei took out a flashlight, turned it on, and placed the basin on top of the wardrobe to catch the water. He then used a cloth to wipe the water off the top of the wardrobe.
With the flashlight on, Jiang Xia could clearly see the several cuts on Zhou Chenglei's arm.
After he finished wiping, Jiang Xia pulled his hand and examined it with the flashlight. "Two of the cuts are quite deep and are still bleeding. We should put some medicine on them."
The other cuts were shallower.
His back probably had cuts too, as his shirt was stained with blood.
"Take off your shirt. I'll help you clean your wounds," Jiang Xia said.
While checking Zhou Chenglei for injuries, he was also looking at Jiang Xia, worried she might have been hit by a tile.
Jiang Xia wasn't hurt, but her clothes were soaked. Her white nightgown clung to her skin, making it almost see-through.
Under the flashlight's beam, everything was visible. Zhou Chenglei glanced at her to make sure she was unharmed, then quickly looked away. "I'm fine. You should change your clothes and check if you're hurt. I'll be right back."
"Where are you going? I'm fine. Let me help you with the medicine first," Jiang Xia said, holding him back and checking herself.
"..."
"I should change first!" Jiang Xia stammered, feeling awkward. She quickly let go of him.
Zhou Chenglei stepped out of the room.
Jiang Xia changed her clothes in less than a minute, quickly checking herself to make sure everything was in order. She opened the door and called Zhou Chenglei in, her face still a bit flushed.
Zhou Chenglei walked in.
Jiang Xia closed the door behind him. "Take off your shirt."
Second update. Wishing my dear readers a happy Dragon Boat Festival! Don't forget to eat some zongzi.
(End of Chapter)
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