Chapter 450: Changes in the Hometown

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Back at the hotel, Si Cong immediately booked four rooms. Everyone went to their respective rooms to rest for a while. In the evening, Zhou Chao once again made some extra money by gambling, even though it was not much, just a few hundred thousand. Still, it added to the revenue of his hotel.

At the hotel entrance.

“Young Master Zhou, aren’t you staying here for the night?”

“No, you guys enjoy yourselves. I’ll head back now. It just so happens that I won’t be around when Wen Xuan and Si Cong continue their discussion from earlier!” Zhou Chao looked at the two of them with a smile.

“Uh…” Zhou Chao’s words made Si Cong and Wen Xuan feel a bit awkward as they exchanged glances.

“Alright, I’ll head back now!” With that, Zhou Chao got into his car, and the hotel’s driver drove him away.

Watching Zhou Chao’s car depart, Si Cong turned to the other two, revealing a mischievous smile. “Let’s go discuss some matters related to the ball!”

Qin Fen and Wen Xuan exchanged a glance and nodded with a smile.

By the time they returned home, it was already past 8 o’clock in the evening. As soon as they entered the house, they saw Jiang Li lounging on the sofa, watching TV while chatting on her phone.

“Brother Chao, you’re back!” Jiang Li looked at Zhou Chao, who had just entered, and quickly sat up from the sofa.

“Why aren’t you in the bedroom? You’re just lying on the sofa, not even watching TV!” Zhou Chao affectionately rubbed Jiang Li’s head, feeling the soft hair, which gave him a very comfortable feeling.

“Don’t touch my head. If I go bald, I’ll bite you!” Jiang Li grimaced and threatened.

Zhou Chao burst into laughter when he saw Jiang Li’s adorable expression.

“Brother Chao, you’re making fun of me again. Haven’t you seen the messages your sister sent you?”

Hearing Jiang Li’s words, Zhou Chao was momentarily puzzled. He quickly took out his phone and checked it. To avoid being disturbed, Zhou Chao had set his phone to “Do Not Disturb” mode, so he wouldn’t receive notifications while not using the phone.

Opening the videos sent by Guo Yan, Zhou Chao saw a blazing mountain range in the footage. After careful observation, he realized it was the North Mountain opposite Guo Yan’s house, across the river. He scrolled down to read Guo Yan’s messages and discovered that not only the North Mountain but also the Dalang Mountain was engulfed in a fierce wildfire. The flames had dyed half the sky red.

Zhou Chao furrowed his brows, immediately dialing Guo Yan’s number.

It took a while for Guo Yan to answer the phone.

The background noise was chaotic, and Zhou Chao could faintly hear someone saying, “Auntie Zhou, the convenience store is out of water. We’ve packed enough food. We can leave now!”

Zhou Chao recognized the voice, but it was not very clear. He immediately spoke up, “Xiao Yan, where are you now? What’s the story behind those videos you sent me?”

“Bro, I’m at your family’s convenience store right now. Mingtang, Dad, and Mom are all here. We’re loading up water and some food from the store, preparing to deliver it to North Mountain.”

“What’s the situation right now? Please give me an update!”

“Lately, the weather in the entire Fog City has been extremely hot. I’m not sure why, but in the evening, the Dalang Mountain suddenly caught fire. Due to the recent hot weather, the fire spread rapidly and has engulfed a large area. Several fire brigades from Fuzhou have rushed to Dalang Mountain. Then, in the evening, North Mountain also caught fire suddenly. Right now, there’s a shortage of manpower in North Mountain, so we’re getting ready to go there to help.”

Zhou Chao, being from Fuzhou, was very familiar with Dalang Mountain and North Mountain, especially Dalang Mountain, which was at the tail end of the Guanmian Mountain Range and had a unique geographical advantage, closely connected to the urban area of Fuzhou. Any negligence could lead to the wildfire spreading. North Mountain was separated from Fuzhou city by the river, primarily covered with bamboo and pine trees. Combined with the scorching high temperatures, even a small spark could lead to a widespread mountain fire, which was now the case in North Mountain.

“Why would you, a young girl, go there? You better stay at home!” When he heard that Guo Yan wanted to go and help, Zhou Chao’s tone became stern.

“I can’t, Bro. I’ve already been admitted to the National Defense University. 1 can be considered a reserve now. In times like these, how can I hide in the background? You’ve always taught me to be someone who contributes to the country. Now is the time for me to do my part. Bro, I’ll hang up now; it’s quite busy here!” Without waiting for Zhou Chao’s response, Guo Yan hung up the phone.

Looking at the phone that had been abruptly disconnected, Zhou Chao muttered with a smile, “This little girl is becoming more independent.”

While he said that, Zhou Chao’s expression turned serious. It was nighttime in Fuzhou, coupled with the rapid spread of the mountain fires and the current high temperatures, firefighting efforts were undoubtedly challenging. He couldn’t help but worry.

Zhou Chao immediately called Lei Mingtang. After all, Guo Yan was with him, and he needed him to look after her.

The call was answered quickly, and Lei Mingtang’s booming voice came through, “Brother Chao!”

“Leizi, you make sure to keep an eye on Guo Yan for me. Don’t let her go to the front lines, understand?”

“Bro, rest assured. If anyone is going to the front lines, it’ll be us Fog City folks. There’s no way we’ll let Xiao Yan and the other girls go. I’ve got her back; you don’t need to worry!” Lei Mingtang assured in his carefree manner.

“Yeah, I’ll be back as soon as possible!”

Zhou Chao’s words caught Lei Mingtang off guard for a moment, and then he continued, “Brother Chao, why are you coming back? We’ll have put out this wildfire by the time you return!”

“Uh…”

“How about this, 1’11 transfer some money to you, use it to buy supplies, and deliver them up there. If you need anything else, just call me anytime!” Zhou Chao realized that by the time he rushed back to Fuzhou, it might already be the next day, and the wildfire might have been extinguished by then.

“Brother Chao, you don’t have to do that. I still have some money. You don’t need to transfer any to me!”

“No, this is my way of showing support. Since I can’t be there in person to contribute, I’ll cheer you on from behind. I’ll transfer it to you shortly, and you can buy whatever is needed on the scene!” Zhou Chao insisted and promptly transferred 200,000 yuan to Lei Mingtang.

“Got it, Brother Chao!” Lei Mingtang didn’t refuse; after all, it was Zhou Chao’s heartfelt gesture.

After ending the call, Zhou Chao’s expression remained tense. He couldn’t help but feel uneasy, as if something was hanging over his head.

“Brother Chao, please don’t worry. Everything will be fine!” Jiang Li looked at Zhou Chao earnestly.

“Yeah, I know. You’ve been out with Mom all day, and you must be tired. Go rest, and take care of our little one in your belly!” Zhou Chao’s serious expression softened into a smile.

“Brother Chao, what about you?”

“I’ll sleep later. 1 need to keep an eye on the situation in Fuzhou!”

Jiang Li understood that Zhou Chao was feeling anxious too. She nodded and headed upstairs.

Once Jiang Li had gone upstairs, Zhou Chao immediately checked his phone and started following updates. He noticed related information on Weibo and a social media platform, and there were numerous posts about Dalang Mountain and North Mountain. Many volunteers were stepping forward. Watching these posts, Zhou Chao’s heartstrings were tugged. It was his hometown, and not being able to contribute in person made him feel extremely restless.

Soon, Zhou Chao noticed that his friends’ social media feeds were flooding with posts about Dalang Mountain and North Mountain. There were also many volunteers offering their help. As he watched videos of people busy at work, providing various supplies, like flashlights, ice blocks, water, and food, he couldn’t help but feel moved.

Everyone was doing their part to help. He saw the mobilization of excavators to create firebreaks, and even the excavator operators who were already retired for the night had rushed to the scene. Zhou Chao was captivated by the scene, wishing he could be there in person to contribute, rather than feeling helpless behind a screen.

Time passed, minute by minute, as Zhou Chao sat on the couch, watching updates on social media and news, keeping himself updated. He stayed awake until late into the night. As the information flow decreased and sleepiness took over, Zhou Chao eventually fell asleep on the couch.

The next morning, at eight o’clock.

“Xiao Li, should we wake the boss up to have something to eat?” Aunt Wang whispered to Jiang Li, who was beside her.

“No need. Let him sleep a little longer. You can also take a rest for now. No need to be busy. We don’t want to disturb him,” Jiang Li replied softly, looking at Zhou Chao, who was sleeping on the couch.

Aunt Wang nodded and quietly walked away. Jiang Li sat on the couch, propping her head with her right hand, watching Zhou Chao sleep peacefully.

Time passed slowly, and sunlight streamed in through the window, falling directly on Zhou Chao’s face. He suddenly woke up, jolting upright from the couch. He quickly reached for the phone on the coffee table, only to realize that it had run out of battery.

“All Li, how’s the situation with the Fuzhou mountain fires?” Zhou Chao urgently asked, looking at Jiang Li, who was sitting nearby.

“Brother Chao, don’t worry. The mountain fires have been extinguished. Three helicopters were dispatched from Fog City to help. According to the latest news, the fires are out. You can relax now.”

“That’s great, that’s great!” Zhou Chao muttered with relief. His tension eased, and he leaned back on the couch.

“Have you contacted Lei Zi, Xiao Yan, and the others? Are they okay?”

“They’re fine. 1 sent a message to Third Aunt this morning. 1 found out that Xiao Yan and Lei Zi were up all night helping, buying and transporting supplies throughout the city. Now, they’re both sleeping at home. You can rest assured!” Jiang Li shared the surprising news of Guo Yan’s dedication.

Zhou Chao nodded in response. He got up from the couch and said, “I’ll take a shower and then get some more rest.”

Seeing Zhou Chao visibly more relaxed, Jiang Li smiled, knowing that a heavy burden had been lifted from his heart..