Chapter 187

Edited by Lulu

Ever since Mother Tong returned from Yuanqing with her ankle sprained, she became progressively more upset whenever she thought about it.

Tong Xuelu never said a word to them after she had moved to the city. Did she expect her, as the elder, to take the initiative to visit her first?That did not make any sense!She held herself back from going to visit Tong Xuelu. Now that Tong Xuelu was in trouble, Mother Tong wanted to visit her even less. She forbade her son and daughter-in-law from visiting her as well.She worried that Tong Xuelu would ask her son and daughter-in-law for help if they go visit her.With Mother Lu’s demand, Chen Yueling and Big Brother Tong had to give up on their idea.On Wen Rugui’s side.When one gets sick, one really gets sick. Old Mr. Zong’s condition became critical at one point. In fact, the hospital had released the final notice and asked the family members to prepare their goodbyes.Luckily, however, he was able to pull through after all.Nevertheless, with his current health condition, the others dared not put him on a long train ride back.As such, Wen Rugui’s return time was delayed once again.***Such was Saturday afternoon.Tong Xuelu brought Tong Mianmian over to the Wei family to have someone help look after her when she left with Tong Jiaming and Tong Jiaxin.She had Tong Jiaming head over to the post office and place a call to Ma Mei’s husband, telling him that a house had collapsed and Ma Mei was trapped under it.The person who answered the phone was startled. He didn’t even ask who it was that was calling but instead got the address of the collapsed house and immediately hung up.Meanwhile, Tong Xuelu and Tong Jiaxin went over to the Duan’s place and waited there. They placed the dried branches and firewood that they had collected to one side.Everything was ready, except for the final touch.The sky gradually turned darker.The alleyway was so quiet one could hear a pin drop.Tong Jiaxin was bitten quite a few times on his face by mosquitos. It was so itchy that he couldn’t stop scratching himself. “When is that woman going to come?”Tong Xuelu was bitten all over her face last time. With Tong Jiaxin there with her this time, the mosquitos actually spared her and bit him instead.She looked at all the mosquito bites on Tong Jiaxin’s face and said sympathetically, “I think she’s coming soon. Let’s just wait a little longer.”Ten more minutes had passed. Right when Tong Xuelu started thinking that perhaps Ma Mei wouldn’t be coming today, she finally showed up.Compared to the previous time, Ma Mai seemed to have dolled herself up purposefully this time. She had on a Dacron dress, her waist swaying from side to side as she walked.Ma Mei knocked a few times on the wooden door.Her lover showed up at the door quickly. His eyes lit up when he saw her outfit. “Mei, you look so pretty today.”Ma Mei gave him a playful stare. “What are you talking about? Let’s hurry up and go inside. Oh right, is Da Ya asleep yet?”“Yes, she’s asleep and will stay asleep for a while.”The two headed inside as they talked.Tong Xuelu had heard it all in the past, so their conversation did nothing to her.Tong Jiaxin, on the other hand, looked like his world had just been turned upside down.Tong Xuelu shoved him and said, “Get it together. Let’s get started.”Tong Jiaxin finally recollected himself and carried the firewood over to the Duan’s with Tong Xuelu.Tong Jiaxin climbed over the wall, while Tong Xuelu handed the firewood over to him from the other side.To make sure that it was the right time, she walked to the back of the house and heard the moaning sounds. Coming back around, she then had Tong Jiaxin light up the firewood.Tong Jiaxin climbed back over the wall and walked around to the back of the house. He pushed against the wooden window with his hands to prevent them from escaping through the back window.Tong Xuelu, on the other hand, ran out of the alleyway to get help to extinguish the fire.“Help! A house is on fire!”It was fall, and the weather was dry. Once a house was on fire, the fire could spread very quickly.When the others heard that there was a fire, they all ran out with their water bucket to help extinguish the fire.Tong Xuelu led the way and brought them precisely over to the front of the Duan’s.The crowd saw that there was, indeed, a fire in the yard. It had not yet spread to the house, but soon enough it would, if they don’t put it out.The crowd was just about to knock on the door when Tong Xuelu stopped them. “Don’t bother with the knocking. I think something happened to those inside. I’ve called out to them for a while, but there was no response. Quickly climb over the wall, and knock down the door to save them!”