"Oh, I see." Luo Xiaoyi finally felt relieved.
Butler Zhao opened the door, and Luo Xiaoyi walked in. It was pitch black inside, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, and there was an extremely cold and eerie atmosphere, somewhat like the sinister atmosphere of the underworld.
"Mom, oh no! A mouse! It's crawled all over me! Help!"
Luo Xiaoyi heard Luo Yiting's hoarse and weak screams and panicked struggles.
“Don’t be afraid, Yiting, Mommy will protect you. Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, come into Mommy’s arms.” Luo’s mother’s voice also revealed fear, but as a mother, she had to pretend to be calm and protect her child.
The stepmother's selfless maternal love for Yiting touched Luo Xiaoyi's heart, awakening memories of her own mother deep within her. "Mother"—what a warm word! But where was her mother? Suddenly, her eyes welled up with tears; she missed her mother so much.
"Mom, it's so dark here. I'm so hungry and so cold. I feel like I'm going to die. Mom, are we going to die here with these horrible rats?" Luo Yiting said in a sad, hoarse voice, and she began to sob softly.
"No, we won't die, my dear daughter. Be strong, your father will come to save us. We must hold on until the very end." Mother Luo held her trembling daughter, her own heart filled with fear. Would they be able to get out of here alive?
Luo Xiaoyi continued walking inside when she suddenly heard a rustling sound under her feet, as if many things had suddenly jumped out. She screamed in fright, "What are those things?" She jumped up and down in fright.
“Young Madam, don’t be afraid, it’s just a rat,” Butler Zhao said in a calm voice, turning on his flashlight.
Luo Xiaoyi was so shocked that her scalp tingled. "How can there be so many rats? They're all so densely packed, it's terrifying!" She was so scared that she clung to Butler Zhao's arm.
"Who knows? Maybe the cellar is too damp, and rats like to come here," Butler Zhao said evasively.
“What kind of rats like to come here? I think you caught them.” Luo Xiaoyi said, still a little shaken. Only after all the rats had run away did she dare to let go of Butler Zhao’s arm and walk inside.
The housekeeper was caught off guard by her words and was immediately speechless with embarrassment. He lowered his head and stopped talking.
By the dim light of the flashlight, Luo Xiaoyi saw Luo's mother and Luo Yiting huddled together in the corner, trembling. They looked disheveled and much thinner, their faces pale, covered in tears and grime, staring at them with terrified eyes. Anyone who didn't know them would definitely be startled and think they had seen a female ghost.
"Who are you? What do you want? Don't come any closer!" Luo's mother's weak voice was still making a final struggle.
“Sister, Mom, it’s me. I’ll take you out.” As she spoke, Luo Xiaoyi bent down and took their hands. With the help of the flashlight, Luo’s mother and Luo Yiting saw Luo Xiaoyi.
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