Chapter 416: Everyone Needs Alone Time
Li Yu, returning to the base, saw An Ya and the other workers still in the fields, channeling the rainwater away under the downpour.
In the ditches, the overflowing rainwater was gushing downstream.
At the very end of the base, there was a drain leading directly to a small cliff outside.
Currently, this drain was brimming with water, desperately surging outwards.
Li Hang said to Li Yu, "Brother, due to the heavy rain, I've turned on our hydroelectric generator."
Li Yu raised an eyebrow, "Hmm, that's pretty smart, no need for my reminder."
Li Hang felt like his big brother was praising him, but also as if he wasn't, leaving him puzzled for a moment.
The two made their way to where An Ya was working in the fields, and upon seeing Li Yu, An Ya stood up, rolled up her sleeves, and said, "This rain is too heavy; luckily, we mostly planted rice this time. If we had planted anything else, it probably would have rotted by now.
By the way, how are the crops in the Outer City doing?"
Li Yu replied, "Don't worry, I've already mentioned it to He Chao, told them to remember to look after them. Oh, and here's a pass for you, you can enter and leave the Outer City whenever you want.
When the time comes, you can also check on the crops in the Outer City anytime since they were just recently planted."
An Ya smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Director Li."
Li Yu didn't say anything further and left with Li Hang.
Li Hang continued to follow Li Yu until Li Yu glanced at him and suddenly asked, "How are you and Ding Qingqing doing now?"
Upon hearing this, Li Hang didn't feel embarrassed, as he was in front of his own brother, and after a pause, said, "It's just as it is, she likes me, and I like her too."
Li Yu gave him a glance, noting that his younger brother hadn't quite grasped his point.
Mutual affection? Isn't that obvious?
Forget it, no need to ask further; he's grown up, I shouldn't worry too much.
So he said, "You go back first, I'll spend some time in the little house in the Bamboo Forest."
After hearing this, Li Hang didn't ask anything further, simply replied "Okay" and left.
Li Yu had a bottle of wine and a small packet of peanuts in his arms.
He had prepared these in advance, taking this opportunity to seek some solitude in the small house within the Bamboo Forest alone.
Everyone needs to find their own way to rest, and Li Yu is no different.
He needs those moments of solitude.
Just by himself, with no one to disturb him.
That's why he was most adamant about building this small house in the Bamboo Forest at the beginning.
The rain continued to patter down.
Li Yu made his way toward the Bamboo Forest, stepping deeply and then shallowly.
The sky was dim, making it unclear what time it was, but if one were to go by the light, it looked as though the sun was setting, nearing the edge of night.
Such moments provided a relaxed feeling.
The rain and the dim sky gave the illusion of relaxation, no need to strive outside any longer.
Maybe this was a primordial instinct inherited in our bones, when during storms in ancient times, there was no need to go hunting or toiling.
Tap tap tap tap—
Li Yu's footsteps tapped against the wet cobblestone path, making a treading sound.
The water splashed up by his shoes didn't have time to drop before being trodden again.
Li Yu walked alone, deeper into the Bamboo Forest.
The bamboo, being part of the grass family, is essentially a type of grass.
Therefore, it grows very quickly; even within the base where everyone regularly cuts some down for use, the bamboo shoots up swiftly.
Especially during the rainy season, which is the peak time for bamboo growth.
Li Yu continued deeper into the Bamboo Forest.
There were no other people around.
In the middle of the winding path, there was a small bamboo pavilion, but that wasn't Li Yu's final destination.
Deep within the Bamboo Forest, along a more hidden part of this narrow path, there was a small trail that only allowed one person to pass through.
This path basically had no cobblestones laid out; it was merely a few blue-grey bricks placed upon the ground of the bamboo grove.
Li Yu stepped on one of them.
Squish~
Water splashed from beneath the brick, wetting the hem of Li Yu's trousers, but Li Yu did not mind and continued walking in that direction.
Suddenly, on the path, Li Yu saw something protruding—the shoot of a bamboo.
Li Yu thought for a moment and did not reach out.
He already had fried peanuts made by his mother in his arms, so he wasn't lacking snacks to accompany his drink.
Otherwise, he would have certainly plucked the bamboo shoot as a side dish for drinking.
After walking a few more steps, Li Yu saw several delightful little things poking out of the soil—these bamboo shoots were the freshest, the newly emerged shoots being the most tender.
I'll have someone come over to dig up the bamboo shoots to eat tomorrow.
Li Yu thought about it and made up his mind.
This patch of bamboo grove was neither large nor small but occupied a full two acres.
Li Yu was within, completely invisible to people from outside.
Especially in the deepest part of the bamboo grove, this secluded house was so well hidden that many people from the base had not discovered it to this day.
The wooden house was very small, not even 10 square meters in size.
The wooden house lay not far from the narrow path, just about a dozen meters away, but within those dozen meters, so many bamboos obstructed the view that one couldn't tell there was a small house hidden here from the path.
This small house was surrounded by bamboo.
The dense bamboo enveloped the tiny house entirely.
But this small house faced the pathway, and in the dense bamboo forest, Li Yu needed to bend over to reach the front of it.
After bending over and walking for three or four meters, the view suddenly opened up.
There was a wooden doorknob, and the door was barred by a small stick.
Li Yu gently pulled the stick out and then opened the wooden door.
Li Yu entered the small wooden cabin and immediately closed the door behind him.
After walking a few steps, he reached the back and opened another small door.
This small door faced away from the little path and was even more concealed.
But once outside, there were some gaps around the doorway.
Beneath the small door lay several large bluestones, each weighing several hundred pounds.
The bluestones now served as steps.
On the bluish steps, some moss grew.
The moss was lush and green, covered with dew.
Desolately.
Around it was only the bamboo forest, very quiet.
This small open space at the back of the small wooden house was only about four or five square meters.
The ground in these four or five square meters was covered with fallen bamboo leaves.
Above it stood giant green bamboos reaching twenty meters high.
Bamboo leaves swayed, and the rain rustled down, most of it blocked by the bamboo leaves and falling onto the open ground already sparse.
But the bamboo leaves could not stop all the rain, which also dripped onto the roof of the wooden house.
Drip-drop by the back door, until dawn.
Li Yu pulled up a wooden stool, sitting at the back door of the small wooden house, gazing at this small open area.
Watching the dark green bamboo forest, the dim sky.
Although it was somewhat damp and cool, Li Yu didn't know why; in such an environment, he felt an immense fullness and sense of security in his heart.
And... a sense of happiness.