Chapter 3, a beam of moonlight

The "gossips" were also not idle; they simply pretended to pass by the Lin family's door, boasting profoundly about the benefits of mechanical well drilling. They even claimed that this time they would drill more than ten or twenty wells in one go, and that in the future, Baima Village would be renamed Hundred Wells Village

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Mother, one cannot speak like that. Although the Li family is detestable, now that the Baima Well has been done, we cannot draw water either. Lin Baoju sighed, fully aware that this was not a matter to be pleased about

The summer night sky is dotted with stars

Lin Baoju's eyes widened suddenly as if he had foreseen something, "Mother, didn't you say that the water in the water tank was not fetched by you"

The term "digging a well" is no longer something anyone wishes to mention; now they are merely fighting for a breath, making it difficult for the Lin family as well.

Moreover, even before this "high technology" has arrived, the young people of the Li family have already begun to promote and boast, claiming that the mechanical drilling uses diamond drill bits, which can even bore a hole through bluestone. Furthermore, a single well can be drilled to a depth of several hundred meters, equivalent to ten Bai Ma wells

At Lin Baoju's home, no one has ever gone to fetch water from beginning to end

Sudden! Sudden! Sudden!

Just as Lin Baoju was about to give in, a gentle moonlight shone down from the night sky, perfectly landing on the water tank

Wu Cuilan saw Lin Baoju fetching water for Grandma Zhao. Although she felt unhappy, she did not stop her son. People often say, "Do more good deeds, and you will receive more blessings." Her son’s health was not good, so by doing more good deeds, perhaps he could live a long life and enjoy peace throughout his life

Every morning when Lin Baoju wakes up, he always sees the water tank full to the brim. This makes him somewhat admire his mother, who always brings the water back early in the morning

A day has passed, and Lin Baoju is now able to move normally; however, he still feels that his physical health has regressed somewhat.

Moving... it's not that easy to relocate! Lin Shisan sighed, feeling a bit worried in his heart.

This was the first time Lin Baoju had seen such soft and beautiful moonlight. He rubbed his slightly drowsy eyes, and after confirming that he was not seeing things, he focused his attention on the moonlight.

Baby! Baby! Wake up quickly, don't scare your mother!

Wu Cuilan is not well-educated; as a rural woman, she holds superstitious beliefs. She has always believed that the matters concerning the ancestors of the Lin family are true; otherwise, the descendants of the Lin family would not suffer so many calamities. Upon seeing the water in the water tank overflowing, she naturally thought of the ancestors manifesting their presence.

Finally, I heard someone shout: "Money! Damn money! You haven't even drawn any water, and you still want money? I'll take your life!"

Wu Cuilan's expression clearly showed a hint of gloating.

As soon as I stepped out, my father walked in on tiptoe, presenting a bowl of hot soup to Lin Baoju, "Baoju, quickly drink the chicken soup! You, your health is not good; when you get up at night, make sure to wear more clothes."

Apart from the chirping of summer insects, there was no other unusual sound.

His son is Lin Shisan's only pride and also his hope for leaving Baima Village. After living for decades under the peculiar gazes of the villagers, Lin Shisan has indeed grown weary of it. However, he cannot escape this fate, so he places all his hopes on his son, wishing for him to achieve great success and eventually leave this place, thereby breaking the Lin family's destiny

What a marvelous light

Mother, I did not go to fetch water

The ancestor of the Lin family, Lin Taixuan, was well-known to Wu Cuilan. Not only was his reputation known throughout the ten villages and eight townships, but it was also said that he possessed great magical powers that could reach the heavens and penetrate the earth. Therefore, upon witnessing the manifestation of their ancestor, she naturally made a series of extravagant vows, even expressing wishes such as "finding a beautiful daughter-in-law and having a chubby grandson" all at once, fearing that the ancestor might not be able to remember everything at once.

Before Lin Baoju arrived at Baima Well, he could already hear the village gossipers starting to make sarcastic remarks

Only the elderly in the village do not hold much hope for these high-tech gadgets, and they continue to burn incense and pray at home

With an ancestor possessing great supernatural powers watching over him, what does Lin Shisan have to fear?

"Grandma Zhao, what are you doing?" Lin Baoju saw Grandma Zhao from the village actually carrying an empty bucket up the mountain. At her advanced age, she was already trembling just from carrying the empty bucket; how could she possibly climb the mountain to fetch water from the river?

Father... Is our water tank full today?" Lin Baoju asked while drinking soup

"My dear, you have had a hard time these past few days. I hope you haven't worn yourself out too much?" Wu Cuilan looked at her son with relief.

However, Lin Baoju was resolute tonight, determined to uncover the peculiarities within. Although his legs had gone numb from squatting and his eyes ached from straining, he remained steadfast in his vigil.

Lin Baoju smiled and said: "Mother, you have been working hard these past few days, getting up early to fetch water. Please do not tire yourself out too much."

Wu Cuilan is not as far-sighted as her son, and said: "Our family's water tank is still full, which can be considered a blessing from heaven. This is the consequence of the Li family's misdeeds, so let them bear the bitter fruit. What does it matter to us? Anyway, staying in Baima Village is rather meaningless, so it is better to move out as soon as possible"

Indeed, it is full. It seems that the ancestors have truly manifested their presence! Lin Shisan's response confirmed that what Lin Baoju saw last night was not merely a fleeting dream.

Wu Cuilan, wiping away her tears, scolded: "You little brat, you scared your father and mother to death! How could you faint by the water vat? Oh, right, yesterday I asked you to bow to our ancestors, and you, this little brat, actually refused to bow. Surely the ancestors are displeased! Amitabha, you must have 'bumped into a spirit.' This won't do, I need to scatter some rice!" Oh, right, yesterday I asked you to bow to our ancestors, and you, this little brat, actually refused to bow. Surely the ancestors are displeased! Amitabha, you must have 'bumped into a spirit.' This won't do, I need to scatter some rice!

For the Lin family, a day is just a day, but for the Li family of Baima Village, a day is equivalent to a year

Closer, closer than ever.

Several households in the village without strong laborers have drawn water from the Lin family, and they are naturally extremely grateful to the Lin family

"Bao Wa, your Lin family is truly good people! Those shortsighted folks in the village have wronged you!" Grandma Zhao exclaimed, although they were also from the Li family. However, now that there is a water shortage, no one has come to help this old woman.

A strange sensation suddenly spread throughout his body, as if in an instant, Lin Baoju's life force, along with his soul, surged out of his body, flowing upwards with that beam of moonlight

However, the rest of the people grew even more resentful towards the Lin family, believing that they were merely pretending to be compassionate. Some even maliciously speculated that the Lin family must have known in advance that the well would run dry, and thus deliberately filled their water tank to save face for the Li family

When Lin Baoju woke up, his mother Wu Cuilan was fiercely pinching the acupoint between his eyebrows.

Lin Baoju pointed at the full water tank and said, "So, who carried this water?"

Sami? Lin Baoju did not believe in any "God of Collision". He was about to voice his opposition, but he figured that his mother would not listen to him. Moreover, being deeply concerned for her son, he decided to let her be.

"Baoyu, I heard that the White Horse Well has dried up, is that right?"

Eat! Eat! All you know how to do is sigh!

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Lin Baoju suddenly felt an impulse, a strong desire to bathe in that moonlight, to experience the indescribable surge of life.

On this day, the Li family spent money to invite a pair of mechanical well-drilling experts from the county town, intending to use "high technology" to save their Baima Village

Lin Shisan was indeed quite pleased, as he truly felt the sense of superiority that came with being a descendant of the Lin family for the first time

After the failure of the high-tech drilling, the members of the Li family became increasingly irritable. After all, going over the mountains to fetch water every day allowed them to make at most three or four trips. There was not enough water for the people, let alone for the livestock

The moonlight suddenly vanished.

The argument continued without resolution, and in the end, it was unclear how these individuals concluded the matter

Unfortunately, the Li family waited in vain, while the Lin family's water tank remained perpetually full. Moreover, several elderly individuals frequently went to fetch water, yet the Lin family's water tank still did not run dry

Accompanied by the rumbling sound of the diesel engine, the mechanical drilling finally commenced, and the number of onlookers, both young and old, was beyond estimation.

Just as Lin Baoju's consciousness was about to fly out of his body, a strange force suddenly emanated from his waist, forcibly pulling Lin Baoju's consciousness back.

"It's just that I won't pay you, what can you do!" "You've angered me, I'll make you pay dearly for it!"

However, throughout the entire morning, all that could be heard was the sound of the diesel engine, yet there was no one shouting that water had been drawn.

Lin Baoju suddenly saw that in the moonlight, there were countless things surging, just like the countless tiny dust particles you see when sunlight shines into a dark room. However, those things were definitely not dust, for Lin Baoju clearly saw them moving in one direction, and they were also emitting a soft light

After completing the kowtow, Wu Cuilan smiled and told Lin Shisan about the matter. Both husband and wife felt a deep sense of joy in their hearts, and they naturally had unwavering faith in the idea of "ancestral spirits manifesting."

When the lips are gone, the teeth are cold. Since the Li family has no water to drink, naturally, the Lin family will also have none. Therefore, the members of the Li family also wish to see the Lin family suffer, after all, the man of the Lin family is still a cripple.

Dear villagers, are you here for breakfast? I apologize, but our Lin family's pot is not that big said Wu Cuilan, seeing the crowd in the courtyard, with a tone of good-natured exasperation

Wu Cuilan then understood her son's meaning. She grabbed Lin Baoju and bowed to the large stone water tank, saying: "The ancestors have manifested their spirit! Please bless Baowa with good health and academic success, and also ensure that San Ge's leg recovers soon..."

Lin Baoju's legs began to move slowly, and he walked out from behind the door, unable to help but reach out his hand towards the moonlight

Various factors have brought many doubts to Lin Baoju; however, one thing is certain: it is that peculiar "moonlight" that has caused the water in the tank to rise to the brim. Although this inference is quite bold, Lin Baoju believes it to be the most reasonable hypothesis.

Lin Baoju felt a surge of warmth in his heart. The last time his father fell ill, he couldn't bear to kill this old hen. Unexpectedly, when he fainted, his father immediately took decisive action against this old hen.

Lin Baoju felt a sudden tightness in his heart, experiencing a rather unpleasant sensation

In the moment of pulling and tugging, Lin Baoju felt a wave of weakness wash over him, and he helplessly slid down to the ground

During breakfast, Wu Cuilan said to her son, "This is truly the consequence of their own actions for the Li family. Speaking of which, the ancestors of the Lin family were indeed foolish to believe in these ungrateful people from the Li family. This time, they have cut off the water supply; it is truly retribution"

Although several elderly individuals draw water from the water tank at Lin Baoju's home every day, the tank has never run dry due to its sufficient size

The Li family is not foolish; they quickly discerned the signs, as they had never seen anyone from the Lin family go out to fetch water.

Lin Baoju hid behind the door, peering through the crack in the wooden door to observe the movements of the water tank

Amidst a cacophony of cries, Lin Baoju finally awakened. It was at this moment that he realized how remarkable his mother's voice truly was

He wants to see who is actually helping their family fetch water

When it comes to moving, no one is willing to part with the small brick house that has been painstakingly built. If one were to move, everything—the house, the land—would be lost.

Lin Baoju, feeling a pang of compassion, took the wooden bucket from Grandma Zhao's shoulder and said, "Let's go, we can fetch some from our home; our water tank is still full"

Lin Baoju's ten years of hard study were not in vain; he shook his head at his mother's words. He would not believe in ancestral spirits manifesting. What he is currently thinking about is how to unravel this secret

Indeed? Wu Cuilan, seeing her son's astonished expression, nodded in confusion

"Oh, Lin Baoju, are you here to watch a joke or just to enjoy the spectacle?" "Indeed, our Li family deserves to support the useless members of your Lin family!" "... ..."

"You child," Wu Cuilan said, poking Lin Baoju's forehead with her finger and smiling, "I haven't seen you cough these past few days; it seems your health has improved quite a bit. However, you don't need to secretly fill the water tank early in the morning, do you? Mother knows you are considerate, but you also need to take care of your health."

Is it glowing dust

Lin Baoju would certainly not be blindly obedient like his parents, so in the middle of the night, he quietly slipped out of bed

The boss of the drilling team seemed to have lost his temper, shouting: "My drill bit is completely broken, and you still dare not to pay! I will report you bandits to the police! You country bumpkins, there are rocks underground, and you still expect to get water; it would be more likely to bring up magma to burn you all!"

Under the faint starlight, the large water tank stood quietly there, without a trace of movement

However, after that, "high technology" became the number one laughingstock of Baima Village

"I am fine, Mother," Lin Baoju smiled at her. He turned over and felt a wave of weakness throughout his body. Reflecting on the events of last night, he couldn't help but feel a lingering fear.

Lin Baoju and Lin Shisan pretended not to hear, focusing intently on weaving their bamboo goods, while Wu Cuilan was eager to "compete" with these women. However, seeing that the other side was numerous and powerful, she could only pretend not to hear and busied herself feeding her family's chickens and ducks

Lin Baoju immediately thought of that strange moonlight. It was considered strange because the stars were very bright last night, making the moonlight appear relatively weak, as the saying goes, "the moon is bright and the stars are few." ... However, the moonlight he saw in the middle of the night was so bright and beautiful, yet so magical, especially with the peculiar glowing dust within it, which gave him a feeling akin to a spring breeze ...

Before losing consciousness, at the moment when the last glimmer of light vanished, Lin Baoju saw that the water in the tank had already risen to the edge

"Baby, my third son has gone to the county town to work, and now there is no water at home, and there is nothing I can do!" As she spoke, Grandma Zhao had already begun to shed tears.

The Li family, finally unable to endure any longer, appeared together in front of Lin Baoju's courtyard just as the sun was rising.

Lin Shisan also walked out with a cane, ignoring the others, and directly asked the village chief: "Old village chief, what does this mean?"

Before going to bed at night, Lin Baoju had already checked the water tank, which was only two-thirds full. Therefore, he would wait here until the water in the tank was completely filled.

Hurry up and bow! Wu Cuilan saw her son lost in thought beside her and quickly pressed his head down. Wu Cuilan believed that she must prepare some wine and dishes at noon to properly honor their ancestors

Lin Baoju understood that the principle of mechanical drilling is similar to that of oil drilling; it is fast and deep, allowing for the easy completion of a well.

The sun in July is so scorching! However, the members of the Li family must toil daily, climbing mountains and fetching water, with no time to tend to their crops. Many have fallen into a state of panic, and some have even begun to entertain thoughts of relocating

Once there is one establishment, naturally there will be two, three, and so on

Ten minutes have passed, one hour has passed, two hours have passed

Envy, jealousy, and then it evolves into hatred

The atmosphere of hatred has gradually escalated

Lin Baoju's fingers finally touched that beam of moonlight

Moonlight, Lin Baoju had seen much of it, yet this was the first time he was captivated by such beautiful moonlight. The pale yellow moonlight was gentle, beautiful, and evoked a sense of warmth, as if it were the spring breeze of March, bringing with it the breath of life

"Indeed, it was clearly agreed that payment would be made only after the water was delivered. You scoundrel are trying to play tricks!" "What a load of nonsense about high technology, it's just rubbish!" "... ..."

Like a sniper lying in wait, I will not rest until the target is eliminated

At this moment, Lin Baoju unexpectedly recalled the old man Chu he had encountered earlier. It seemed that the old man had foreseen the changes in Baima Village, which left Lin Baoju secretly amazed and increasingly convinced of the old man's profound and inscrutable nature

Lin Shisan saw his son deep in thought and did not disturb his train of thought, quietly taking away the soup bowl

Originally intending to go to the well to assess the situation, I now have no choice but to abandon that plan this year. Lin Baoju thought to himself, let these people stir things up; if it really comes to a standstill, I can only heed my mother's advice and simply move away.