Chapter 388: Tragedy in the Cowshed
388
Woman: "Some soldiers came to the village today."
Man: "It has nothing to do with us. Don't scare yourself."
Woman: "How can I not be anxious? He was supposed to come pick it up two days ago, and he's already been delayed for three days. I don't know when he'll be here."
Man: "Shut up! Are you afraid others won't know?"
Woman: "Who can hear such a small sound? Those are useless."
Not sure if the man was glaring at the woman with a fierce look, the woman reluctantly stopped talking, but she still complained.
"This troublesome guy, how come he hasn't died for so long?"
Man: “Are you done yet?”
Woman: "Am I wrong? How could those ones in the past last half a month? They would have died long ago. But these ones are still going strong."
The man seemed to sigh, "Those two are no longer alive, but someone came over last night. I think it was a woman. It was too dark in the middle of the night so I couldn't see clearly. Did you hear any less coughing today?"
The woman seemed to think for a moment. "I don't feel anything has changed. I really hope they die soon so they don't get in the way."
Man: "If they don't allow you to do anything, they won't be able to bear it. Don't make trouble for yourself."
Woman: "I don't need you to tell me. Humph! I'll just wait."
They both spoke in whispers, barely audible even after a few steps, but Tang Yue heard them all. Her eyes were deep; it seemed this bullpen was anything but simple.
Tang Jianye and Lai Xiang did not hear the conversation between the two people in the innermost cowshed. Now it was completely dark, and Lai Xiang quietly took the two of them and pushed the door into the outermost room of the cowshed.
"Who?" A hoarse and low male voice sounded in the house.
"Dad, it's me." Lai Xiang lowered his voice.
Lai Jiaxing felt that there was more than one figure coming in. Lai Jiaxing couldn't see anyone, but he was very alert. "Xiangxiang, are you bringing people here?"
Lai Xiang nodded, and realizing that her father probably couldn't see, she whispered, "Well, Dad, I brought Xiao Yueyue here, and her comrades."
Lai Xiang's voice was filled with joy, "Mom and Dad, do you still remember the little Yueyue I told you about?"
Lai Jiaxing didn't say anything. Wu Jinghua had already forced herself to sit up on the broken wooden bed. "Yes, Mom remembers. That cute little girl you often mentioned?"
Lai Xiang was obviously very happy. She came over with a thick quilt and covered her mother with it. "Yes, Mom, Xiao Yueyue came to see us. How are you today? Are you feeling better?"
Tang Yue was looking around the room at this time. The walls on all sides were nailed together with broken wooden boards, and there were large gaps between the boards.
The outside of the shed was probably surrounded by a thick layer of corn stalks, but there were gaps between the stalks, so the inside was only slightly better than the outside. The roof was also made of wooden boards, covered with a lot of straw, and even a stone on top.
The bed in the room was made of adobe bricks, with broken wooden boards on top. There was thick straw underneath, a thin mattress on top, and another thick mattress on top. It looked very new, probably something Lai Xiang had brought over yesterday.
Wu Jinghua was covered in two layers of blankets, one thin and one thick. In the corner opposite the entrance, there was a simple stove made of a few stones. On top of it sat a chipped pottery jar, two earthenware bowls beside it, and chopsticks made from branches outside. Apart from these, there was little else to be seen; it was impeccably clean.
Wu Jinghua pulled down the thick quilt that Lai Xiang was covering herself with force. "Why did you bring the quilt over here again, kid? You have to keep it for yourself. Xiangxiang, don't freeze yourself."
Lai Xiang was really happy now. Her room had talismans pasted by Xiao Yueyue, making it like a greenhouse. She felt too hot inside even if she wore thick clothes. She only needed a little cover. However, it was really cold here with her parents.
Lai Xiang forced the quilt over her mother. Wu Jinghua was too weak to fight back. "Mom, I have more. Xiao Yueyue, bring me six quilts. I'll leave two over there for you to use. The two grandfathers next door don't have much to cover themselves with either. I'll send them two quilts later."
Wu Jinghua didn't know what to say. Her Xiangxiang was truly kindhearted. However, she was also a little too naive.
Lai Jiaxing had been looking at Tang Yue and Tang Jianye. Lai Xiang and her mother finally stopped talking, and Tang Yue spoke, "Hello, Uncle Lai and Auntie. I'm Tang Yue."
"I'm Tang Jianye." Tang Jianye only said his name without any title, but Lai Jiaxing and the others understood what he meant.
Tang Jianye took down everything he was holding in his arms and carrying on his back. Tang Yue's hands were also full of things, and suddenly the small and cramped room was filled with things. "Sister Lai, you guys should light the fire and cook first. I forgot something and need to go back and get it."
Lai Xiang was shocked when she heard this. "Xiao Yueyue, it's not safe for you to go out alone. These are already plenty, no need to take more. If you need anything, I'll come over tomorrow and get it."
Lai's father and mother also tried to persuade her. Tang Yue just smiled and left.
She remembered collecting a lot of oilcloth in her space back in Japan. The oilcloth was good quality, and she remembered a lot of it being black. Uncle Lai's cowshed was too vulnerable to the wind and snow. Even the warming charm couldn't keep it warm.
Tang Yue returned with several large rolls of oilcloth. The rolls were taller than she was, so when she entered, they only saw the rolls of oilcloth coming in by themselves.
There was a fire in the cowshed, and against the backdrop of the firelight, the scene was particularly funny and touching at the same time.
"These tarpaulins are all under the car. I just forgot to take them out. If I put a layer of them inside the house, it will be able to block a lot of wind and rain."
Tang Yue put down the oilcloth and spoke. Lai Jiaxing and Wu Jinghua both looked at Tang Yue with tears in their eyes, their lips trembling, not knowing what to say. Lai Xiang was already so moved that she broke down in tears.
It was Xiao Yueyue who helped her save the camera from loss in the beginning, and now Xiao Yueyue is still helping her free of charge. She feels that she can never repay her in this lifetime.
Tang Jianye had already unrolled the oilcloth and started cutting it to size, then he began to sew it down from the top. Tang Yue urged Lai Xiang to cook porridge, and Lai Jiaxing helped Tang Jianye.
The room was small to begin with, so the tarpaulin was quickly laid out. The black tarpaulin blocked out all the light from the room, and as the fire burned inside, everyone felt the temperature rise immediately.
Wu Jinghua and Lai Jiaxing couldn't hide the smiles in their eyes.
Tang Yue looked at the few people and gestured to Tang Jianye, "Aren't there two elderly people next door? Let's go and book a room there as well." As she spoke, a warm talisman was quietly stuck on the roof.
The noise next door couldn't have been heard, but the two old men said nothing. They were lucky to have family visiting. They were envious, but not jealous.
Lai Jiaxing knocked lightly on the door and led the three of them in. Elder Ke and Elder Xu were sitting on a simple bed, their situation even worse than Lai Jiaxing and the others.
In order to keep warm, the two men huddled together. Tang Yue could see that the two old men's faces were pale and even had purple bruises.
If they don't come, tonight might be the end of their lives.
Lai Jiaxing was startled by the coldness of the room. He said hoarsely, "Mr. Ke, Mr. Xu, why didn't you light the fire?"
Mr. Xu began to shiver as he spoke, "I'm so cold I don't want to move."
Tang Jianye glanced at the two elderly men and, without a word, began nailing the tarpaulin. Tang Yue quickly affixed two warmth charms to the locations Tang Jianye had chosen. Lai Xiang was already building a fire on the ground.
The temperature in the house rose noticeably. The two old men felt the warmth, but they were already frozen stiff, and it would take them a while to recover.
"Lai boy, take the children back. The two of us are no longer able to do it. Don't waste these materials." Old Ke said while holding on to his breath.
Tang Yue walked over to the bed. The two elderly people were covered in straw, with a mattress so thin it looked like a rag, and their clothes were incredibly thin. Tang Yue couldn't believe how the two elderly people had managed to survive in such an environment.
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