CHAPTER 442: CHAPTER 442: HEART IN TURMOIL

The speed was fast, disappearing in the blink of an eye, Luo Song lowered his outstretched hand, but the glow in his eyes did not dim.

Although Jin’er didn’t respond, she also didn’t reject him, and that was already enough.

If Jin’er disliked him, her character would definitely refuse immediately. But she didn’t.

Of course, it might be because Jin’er didn’t react immediately to his sudden confession.

Yet...so what? As long as she didn’t reject him, there was hope. Besides, looking around the entire Hua Valley, no one else could match Jin’er.

Currently, Jin’er is confused, so he just needs to keep showing Jin’er his goodness.

Luo Song looked in the direction where Hua Jin disappeared, his eyes bursting with a fierce radiance.

Returning home, Hua Jin felt as if she had fled in panic, and stomped her foot in annoyance.

Even adding up her past and present lives, she was already several decades old, yet her reaction was so low; how could she be frightened?

But this was the first time in her past and present lives she was confessed to, so it was normal to not react instantly. Thinking this, Hua Jin immediately felt comforted.

However... that guy actually likes her for real, yet she didn’t notice. She even thought... and embarrassingly said the problem out loud, Hua Jin covered her face.

It seems she shouldn’t read those messy books anymore, even for leisure. The subtle corrosion was too powerful, her mind was polluted.

For some reason, Luo Song’s deep and passionate eyes floated before her, making Hua Jin’s heart jump, she quickly shook her head.

"Jin’er, you’re back," Hua Chengtian called out when he saw his daughter dazed in the courtyard.

"Papa," shaking off the messy thoughts, Hua Jin flashed a bright smile, "Papa, were you waiting for me specifically?"

"Yes, what are you thinking, spacing out like that? There’s still some food in the pot, go and eat quickly."

"Nothing, Dad, where’s Mom?" Hua Jin shifted the topic.

"She’s making clothes for the babies with your grandma," Hua Chengtian thought of the two incoming children, and his mood lifted, his lips going upwards.

Then he waved to his daughter and went to the wood house; he needed to quickly get to work. Before the two babies arrive, he had to make their small beds, no, three beds.

Watching her father’s urgency, Hua Jin heaved a sigh of relief, glad he didn’t overthink, then turned toward the kitchen.

Upon waking, she was startled by her discovery, but reminded by her father, her stomach began to protest.

The sky is vast, but nothing is more important than eating.

After the meal, she specially sought out Grandpa and Father to tell them her morning discovery, and gave them the thermometer so they could verify it themselves, and hopefully formulate plans for what comes next.

Earthquakes are no joke, though when they will happen is unknown, it’s never wrong to prepare early.

The valley is vast, but being surrounded by mountains, who can predict what will happen when the earth dragon arises? Though in the dream it was indicated the valley would remain, one can’t take that risk.

If all goes smoothly, when the extreme heat passes, it will be time for them to descend the mountain.

These are matters for Grandpa and Father to worry over. Hua Jin, having told them her discovery, washes her hands of it, fully trusting in Grandpa’s and Father’s reliability.

Hua Jin felt relaxed, but it deepened the brows of Hua Old Man and Hua Chengtian to the point they could pinch a mosquito to death.

Knowing the temperature was beginning to drop, the father and son hitched the carriage and went to the valley’s entrance to verify personally. Watching the numbers on the thermometer, the father and son grew more serious.

Hua Jin had long since taught them how to read the thermometer, so Hua Old Man and Hua Chengtian could understand it.

"Dad..." Hua Chengtian looked at Hua Old Man.

"It looks like it’s time to prepare to return to Hua Village," Hua Old Man looked towards the direction of Hua Village, speaking softly.

This was a decision he and his son had discussed earlier.

Though living on the mountain these days had become comfortable and pleasant, they were about to face the earth dragon’s rise. The mountain was undoubtedly more dangerous, whereas below was safer, especially flatter lands.

Their village is in a relatively good location, close to Qinggu Mountain but with some distance, and the forest behind the village should be enough to block any disasters like landslides caused by earthquakes.

What’s more, the village now has a thick and tall wall, making it even safer.

However, if they really are to descend, the wall must undergo further reinforcement to withstand the earth dragon’s rise.

Speaking of, Qin Shu’s family deserves gratitude, but all these matters await after descending the mountain.

Currently, they just hope the earthquake comes later, allowing them to harvest the grains in the valley; otherwise, all the time and effort spent planting them would break their hearts.

"Let’s go," Hua Old Man with hands behind walked back.

The next morning, Hua Chengtian got up and knocked on his father’s door holding the thermometer.

"Dad, it dropped again."

This time the temperature had dropped even more severely than the previous day, by a full five degrees, Hua Chengtian handed the thermometer to his father.

Consecutively for two days, it was like this; seemingly the extreme heat truly is passing.

Sure enough, on the third day, the temperature dropped again by five degrees, with the outside temperature now to the fifties.

With a more than ten-degree drop, even living in the valley, the villagers could feel it. As the temperature became comfortable, people were outside more, unlike before when just saying a few words outside left them sweaty.

Where the temperature drop in the valley was not very noticeable, the outside saw a significant decrease. In past days, even staying in cellars, caves, or mountain holes underground was unbearably hot.

Now, though still very hot, it’s not unbearably so anymore, at least people could finally sleep soundly for a bit.

"Cooling down..."

People across the continent noticed it; still very hot, but having endured the extreme heat for over a year, this news is undoubtedly a lifesaver. The breath they were about to release was immediately regained, giving them hope to continue surviving.

Just like that, day by day, the temperature dropped, and by the seventh day, it finally reached the usual summer heat. People who hadn’t seen much light in a year finally found the courage to step out of caves, cellars, and underground holes.

Many dared not come out immediately but adapted in their homes for several hours, till their eyes no longer burned before carefully venturing outside.

The moment they stepped out and didn’t feel the burning sensation that was nearing death from the extreme heat, almost everyone cried—crying that they finally made it through, crying that they survived, and crying for the deceased loved ones who didn’t.

And this extreme heat once again caused a sharp drop in population across nations. Except for Beicang, backed by snowy mountains suffering least, whether it’s Guyan or other countries, population losses were severe.

Especially enemy forces leading the attack on Guyan, without water or food, even those first hiding in the mountains suffered serious losses, armies nearly decimated with less than one out of ten left from hundred thousand troops.

Without water or food, mountain resources almost entirely devoured, desperate to survive, they even resorted to eating their mounts, dying soldiers... in short, to stay alive, no measures were spared.

Now, whether Guyan or Beicang and Nanwu—these nations currently most need a heavy rain, for as long as life revives, there is hope.