Chapter 77 – Leaky Roof
While Yan Xiaosi was talking with Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuyun had already handed her a completed furry ball for her to examine.
“I’ve never made something like this before, so I’m not sure if I’ve done it right. Xiaosi, take a look and let me know if I need to make any corrections.”
Yan Xiaosi took the small, round, and fluffy ball from her hand, and a look of admiration appeared in her eyes.
“Third Sister, your craftsmanship is really good. These scraps of fur have turned into treasures after you sewed them together.”
She couldn’t put down the furry ball that Yan Shuyun had made.
“Third Sister, make more of these. I’ll think of a way to dye them in different colors and attach them to the wooden hairpins and clasps. They’ll look great.”
The thought of being able to sell these furry balls for money immediately invigorated Yan Shuyun, and she had no desire to sleep in the middle of the night.
“Alright, I’ll listen to you and make more.”
Ms. Zhong was skilled at sewing, so she found a needle and joined in the work.
Yan Shuqin and Yan Shuxue were not good at sewing, so they assisted the others.
Yan Xiaosi was only good at using a scalpel and had difficulty with needles, so she sat nearby and watched the others work.
With Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, and Yan Shuxue’s help, making the furry balls went much faster. Unconsciously, more than a dozen round furry balls had piled up in front of Yan Xiaosi. Seeing that the oil in the oil lamp had significantly decreased, Yan Xiaosi yawned and said, “Mom, Eldest Sister, Second Sister, Third Sister, let’s stop here for now. It’s getting late. Let’s all go to sleep.”
Yan Shuqin stopped her work, looked at Yan Xiaosi, and asked with concern, “Xiaosi, are you tired?”
Yan Xiaosi had previously practiced for a while in the Portable Space, and now that it was late at night, she did feel somewhat exhausted.
“Yes.”
She nodded and leaned towards Yan Shuqin, “Big Sister, look, my sleepiness is swinging on my eyelashes.”
Yan Shuqin laughed softly, “You always know what to say.”
She affectionately tapped Yan Xiaosi’s nose, then turned to Ms. Zhong and Yan Shuyun, “Mom, Third Sister, Xiaosi is tired. Let’s go to sleep too.”
Ms. Zhong and Yan Shuyun finally stopped their sewing, and Yan Shuqin and Yan Shuxue helped them clean up the unsewn fur scraps.
After tidying up, the family of five crawled into their quilted covers, with Yan Shuqin still holding Yan Xiaosi as they slept.
With Yan Shuqin’s help in warming the bed, Yan Xiaosi quickly fell asleep.
Rumble…
Splash, splash, splash…
Yan Xiaosi didn’t know how long she had been asleep, but she felt drowsy and vaguely aware of the noisy sounds around her ears.
Drip!
Just as she was about to open her eyes to see what was going on, a drop of cold water fell on her cheek.
The chill on her face instantly woke her up. She reached out and touched her cheek, feeling the water.
“Oh no, the roof is leaking.”
Feeling the water on her face, she finally realized that the splashing sound she had heard earlier was rain, and the rumbling sound was thunder.
She quickly sat up, crawled out of the quilt, and reached out to wake up Yan Shuqin who was sleeping next to her. As she pushed her, she realized that part of the quilt covering Yan Shuqin was already wet.
“Big Sister, wake up quickly, the roof is leaking.”
She shouted loudly, and Yan Shuqin, Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun all woke up.
The oil lamp in the room had gone out, and the five of them hurriedly got dressed and got out of bed.
Ms. Zhong fumbled in the dark for a flint, struck it several times, and finally lit the oil lamp.
When the light from the oil lamp illuminated the entire room, Yan Xiaosi, Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun were all dumbfounded.
The low-lying areas on the floor had already accumulated water, indicating that the rain had been leaking for a while.
Yan Xiaosi looked at the water on the ground, bit her lip, and thought she had slept too soundly.
Fortunately, the area where they slept on the ground was relatively flat and had not yet accumulated water.
“Eldest Sister, let’s pack up the bedding first, or the water will flow over there soon.”
Yan Xiaosi pointed to a stream of muddy water flowing towards their sleeping area.
Yan Shuqin nodded, picked up the quilt with one corner already wet, and threw it onto the broken wooden bed where Ms. Zhong and the others slept.
Yan Xiaosi also hurriedly picked up the mattress that was underneath her and rolled up the broken bamboo mat below the mattress.
Splash, splash, splash…
Rainwater continuously poured through the roof, filling the room and turning the uneven ground into a muddy mess.
Ms. Zhong walked to the broken wooden window, carefully lifted a crack in the window, and looked through the gap at the heavy rain outside, her brows furrowing with worry.
“The rain is so heavy, I’m afraid it won’t stop anytime soon. The leakage is so severe; I have to go up to the roof to check.”
Ms. Zhong put down the broken wooden window and looked anxiously at her four children.
Due to the leaking roof, their clothes were already somewhat wet, and they all looked miserable.
Ms. Zhong bit her lip in pain and said, “Shuqin, as the eldest sister, take care of Shuxue, Shuyun, and Xiaosi. I’m going to check the roof.”
Seeing Ms. Zhong about to take the oil lamp and go up to the roof, Yan Xiaosi grabbed her arm.
“Mom, don’t go. With such heavy rain, you won’t be able to fix the roof.”
The old temple was already in disrepair, and with tonight’s heavy rain, it would be very dangerous for Ms. Zhong to go up there. Yan Xiaosi couldn’t just watch her take the risk.
Yan Shuqin also disagreed with Ms. Zhong going up to fix the roof right now and, together with Yan Xiaosi, held her back.
“Mom, let’s go to a place where it’s not leaking and take shelter for now. We can fix the roof when the rain stops and it gets light.”
Yan Shuxue and Yan Shuyun nodded in agreement.
However, the old temple was so dilapidated that they couldn’t find a place where it wasn’t leaking.
Just when the family of five was extremely anxious, a vague voice came from the roof.
“No need to come up, I’m fixing the roof right now.”
Although the sound of the pouring rain somewhat drowned out the person’s voice, making it vague, Yan Xiaosi immediately recognized that it was Long Hao speaking.
“Mom, Big Sister, Second Sister, Third Sister, Brother Long is already fixing the roof.” Upon hearing this, Ms. Zhong became worried about Long Hao’s safety. She hurriedly fetched the oil lamp, carefully protecting the flame with her hand, and opened the door to walk through the inner corridor to the kitchen. She took a broken bamboo hat hanging in the kitchen and then carried the oil lamp outside the old temple.
She could indeed see a figure on the roof, illuminated by the dim light of the oil lamp.
“Young Master Long, be careful in this heavy rain.”
At the moment, Long Hao was squatting on the old roof, holding dried straw in his hands to patch the leaking areas.
The rain was pouring down on him, soaking him through, and his clothes were clinging tightly to his body.
Yan Xiaosi, Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue, and Yan Shuyun stood under the eaves, looking at Ms. Zhong.
Long Hao did not respond for a long time.
Yan Xiaosi was also worried about Long Hao’s injuries. Despite the heavy rain, she suddenly rushed to Ms. Zhong’s side, looking up at Long Hao on the roof. “Brother Long, the roof is too damaged, if you can’t fix it, just leave it. Come down quickly, you’re still injured.”
