Chen Fang took out another set of raincoat and straw hat from the car and handed them to him: "Old Liu, put on a raincoat before you go."
Grandpa Liu took the raincoat, put it on inside out, and then put on the bamboo hat.
Like an old general going to the battlefield alone.
"Grandpa Liu, please be careful," Pei Yao said, looking at the old man's aged face.
Grandpa Liu turned around and nodded at Pei Yao: "Yes, don't worry."
When he came out, Pei Dalang had already gotten off the carriage and was squatting on the ground cleaning the stones under the axle.
There weren't many stones; they've all been picked up by now.
"Old Liu, why are you out here?" Pei Dalang mounted his horse and looked at Old Master Liu, who was also wearing a straw raincoat.
Seeing Pei Dalang already soaked to the bone, Old Master Liu took the reins from the carriage and shouted across the torrential rain:
"Come on up and sit down, I'll catch the train."
The rain was so loud that Old Master Liu's words dissipated like a wisp of smoke in the rain.
Pei Dalang didn't quite hear what Old Master Liu said, but when he saw him take the reins, he immediately understood.
Pei Dalang also shouted loudly, "Old Liu, please go back to the car and sit down. I'll take care of it. The rain is too heavy, and you haven't been feeling well for long."
Old Master Liu's gaze was firm: "Stop talking nonsense and sit down quickly."
Pei Dalang was still somewhat worried about his health.
Seeing his hesitation, Old Master Liu said impatiently:
“I’m fine. You guys who grew up in the capital have never experienced traveling in this kind of torrential rain at night. I used to walk all the time when I was in the army. I’ll walk, and you can just point the way for me.”
After hearing what Old Master Liu said, Pei Dalang did not refute it anymore.
I had no choice but to sit obediently next to the old man and guide him.
Old Master Liu's horse-riding skills are indeed unmatched by ordinary people.
He grew up on the frontier and had seen all kinds of storms. He used to ride his horse on the frontier roads on countless rainy nights.
Both steady and rapid.
After the carriage arrived at Liujia Village, Old Master Liu parked it to the side.
The two men told the people in the car, then got out and knocked on the doors of several villagers in Liujia Village.
But the rain was so loud that people either didn't hear it or pretended not to.
After all, even if someone heard it so late, who would dare to open the door for a strange man at this hour?
The two knocked on several doors, but no one answered. Pei Dalang was somewhat discouraged.
But the torrential rain showed no sign of stopping; on the contrary, it grew even heavier.
Although it's hot in Lingnan, on a rainy night like this, the rain hitting your body and the wind blowing can make you feel a bit chilly.
Pei Yao had the women sit close together to keep warm, while the men sat on one side.
Shen Yu glanced at Pei Yao, then turned and got out of the car. Liu Yu and Pei Erlang followed closely behind, going door to door with Pei Dalang.
Pei Yao poked her head out of the car and called out "Pei Dalang" twice, but the rain was too loud and her voice was washed away by the rain.
Large raindrops pelted Pei Yao's face outside the carriage, causing her great discomfort. She wiped the raindrops from her face.
She rushed out of the carriage door, and Chen Fang tried to grab her from behind, but only managed to grab a corner of her clothes.
"Yao'er..."
Pei Yao turned around and said, "Aunt, I'm going to help Uncle and Father. You keep an eye on everyone in the car."
Chen Fang looked reluctant but didn't say anything. Su Tao, who was beside her, advised, "Yao'er, there are men outside. You should stay in the car and not go out."
Pei Yao smiled at her: "It's alright. Women are no less capable than men. I will be careful. You should also be careful in the car."
After finishing speaking, Pei Yao got off the carriage without looking back and ran to Shen Yu and Pei Dalang's side.
Pei Dalang glanced at Pei Yao beside him, and then, with a look of surprise, took off his bamboo hat and put it on her head.
"Yao'er, why did you come down here? It's raining heavily outside. You should go inside and take shelter from the rain with your aunt and uncle."
Pei Yao shook her head and called out to him, "Uncle, there are too many of us, and you are men knocking on the door. No one will dare to open the door for us so late. Let's go to Liu Tie's house now. I know where his house is. He can recognize my voice, so he will probably open the door for us. I'll take you there."
After saying that, Pei Yao ran ahead, intending to knock on the door first.
Shen Yu followed behind Pei Yao without the slightest hesitation.
Pei Dalang also went over to lead the carriage and followed behind Pei Yao.
Just as Pei Yao had said, Liu Tie arrived wearing a straw hat and a raincoat after she had only been knocking on the door for a short while.
"Yao-mei? Is that you?"
Liu Tie asked through the door, somewhat incredulous.
Pei Yao shouted at the top of her lungs in the rain, "Brother Liu Tie, it's us! Please open the door quickly! My family and I are all soaked in the rain and we urgently need shelter."
Pei Yao shouted so loudly that she couldn't help but cough a few times right after she finished.
Shen Yu felt sorry for her and wanted to pat her back, but then he looked at the girl's clothes that were soaked by the rain.
Ultimately, they followed the rules and didn't dare to take advantage of the situation.
"Squeak—" The door opened almost as soon as Pei Yao finished speaking.
Looking at Pei Yao and Shen Yu in front of him, Liu Tie asked with concern, "Sister Yao, are you alright?"
Pei Yao reached out and wiped the rain off her face.
"I'm fine, Brother Liu Tie. My family is in the carriage behind us. They'll be there soon. Could you please let us take shelter from the rain?"
"Okay."
Upon hearing this, Liu Tie quickly opened both courtyard gates.
Then he handed the bamboo hat to Pei Yao: "Sister Yao, wear this bamboo hat."
Pei Yao was too embarrassed to accept the bamboo hat he had given her, but just then, Pei Dalang's carriage appeared in front of the courtyard.
Pei Yao quickly waved.
"Over here!"
Shen Yu and Liu Tie quickly stepped forward to lend a hand.
The group found a place to stay; the wooden doors and windows acted as a huge protective shield, blocking out the noisy rain.
Liu Tie brought out some straw stools for everyone to sit on.
The Liu family was poor and didn't have any proper stools. The stools they were sitting on were actually straw stools that Liu's mother had woven herself.
Speaking of Liu's mother, Pei Yao asked Liu Tie, who said that Liu's mother was already asleep.
Liu Mu is getting old, and his hearing isn't very good anymore, so he often doesn't listen to what others are saying.
You have to shout loudly into her ear for her to hear you.
With such heavy rain, everyone's hair was already wet. Liu Tie wanted to give everyone some cloth to dry their hair, but there were no clean cloths at home.
So he could only wear a straw raincoat to the kitchen and bring back a pile of firewood.
Shen Yu watched as Pei Yao seemed to rub her arms together.
He then took off his outer robe and draped it over Pei Yao.
"I don't want it, you wear it yourself, don't catch a cold." Pei Yao reached out to take off the coat that Shen Yu had draped over her shoulders.
Shen Yu wasn't wearing much either, just two pieces.
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