Chapter 231: Mountain Closure
After taking a scalding hot bath with the firewood burning vigorously in the fire basin, Su Ning finally felt her frozen, numb body recover.
She quickly changed her clothes, dried the wet ends of her hair, and after tidying up, opened the tightly closed room door.
Yan Bei stood straight under the eaves outside the room. Hearing the noise, he immediately turned around and saw her disheveled long hair with obviously wet tips, causing his brows to furrow involuntarily.
“Don’t blow in the cold wind, be careful not to get a headache later. Ning Ning, you sit by the fire basin first and warm up. I’ll go pour you some water.”
The corners of her mouth curved up slightly, revealing Su Ning’s pair of cute little dimples. She nodded and turned back into the room with Yan Bei.
Fu Jiaming, who had disappeared somewhere while she was bathing earlier, suddenly darted out upon hearing the sound.
“Su Ning, how is everyone?”
“They were all rescued. Old man took people to send them to the hospital.”
Stretching her hands forward to warm them by the fire, Su Ning recalled what had just happened while responding, and she somewhat understood why the onlookers Big Aunts said to keep eyes wide open when choosing a man—not just looking at the person but also his old man, mother, and little sister-in-law.
Wang the Cripple’s daughter-in-law, her man wasn’t great, but her mother-in-law was truly good, and there was no troublemaking little sister-in-law either. Encountering this kind, who knew whether to say it was good or bad.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing. By the way, has the accumulated snow on the rooftop been swept?”
“It has, all swept.”
“While waiting for you, everyone first cleared the snow from your house’s rooftop. Then when Yan Qi and I sent them back, we did our own, and even the cattle shed and pigsty where Old Man Liu and the others live were done.”
Fortunately, each brigade valued these livestock, and the cattle sheds and pigsties, not to mention other things, had the sturdiest beams and tiles on the rooftops.
Fu Jiaming poked at the firewood a few times, flipping over the wood covered in a layer of white ash and casually tossing in one or two new pieces.
After pouring the bath water and putting the big wooden bucket back in place, Yan Bei quickly returned from the kitchen and sat down right next to her.
In just the time it took to pour the water, a layer of snow had accumulated on his head and shoulders.
It was clear the snow outside hadn’t stopped or lessened at all.
Wu Meng’s mother and daughter, who had followed back to Team One, felt bad about disturbing more, so they had just arrived and then moved into the health clinic.
When getting the medicine box, they only briefly crossed paths and exchanged two sentences.
With such heavy snow, who knew if the two quilts they took would be enough?
“Ning Ning is back?”
“Godfather, why did you come out dressed like this? It’s cold, hurry back inside, don’t freeze!”
“Hey, I didn’t see you return and was worried, so I’ll go back, I’ll go back!”
Zhang Fu tightened the military overcoat draped around him, smiled and explained, and feeling relieved upon seeing her, he very obediently turned and went back inside.
On his way back, he happened to run into Zhang Qi, who had also gotten up to check the situation. Hearing his father say the person was back, the three young people were in the kitchen warming by the fire and talking.
Thinking about it, Zhang Qi didn’t go over to disturb them anymore, but returned to his own room with him.
“Uncle Zhang really treats you like his own daughter!”
“No need to say that.”
Seeing her expression as if he was stating the obvious, Fu Jiaming couldn’t help but chuckle wryly. He scratched his head, his smiling face naturally carrying a touch of honest silliness.
Indeed, if not treating her as family, why would he have been so devoted to their family matters back then? Besides the Zhang family’s inherent kindness, what they valued most was her face.
“With the snow falling like this nonstop, the roads in and out of the mountains will probably be closed, right?”
“Given this momentum, it will likely enter mountain closure ahead of schedule.”
The crackling burning firewood blocked out the harsh cold outside the room.
The three sat around the fire basin, warming themselves while chatting, enjoying a rare moment of comfort and ease.
After saying a couple things about this sudden heavy snow, the topic turned to serious matters.
“Wang Xu, who was secretly guarding Uncle’s side, sent back news—they couldn’t hold back and made their move.”
At this point, Yan Bei couldn’t help but be glad he had listened to Su Ning’s suggestion back then, sending Wang Xu first to the farthest Northeast instead of the nearer Northwest.
Returning from the Northeast and then detouring to the Northwest, having people stay there temporarily.
Otherwise…
He clenched his fist hard, the knuckles and suddenly bursting sparks emitting a crisp sound at the same time.
“How is Uncle Yan and them? Are they okay?”
“Fortunately discovered in time, and the rescuers were the militia formed by the brigade. They only suffered some non-fatal injuries.”
“That kid Wang Xu may look unreliable and sloppy usually, but when he gets serious about something, he’s quite dependable! Good thing you didn’t let him come back first!”
Digging pits and luring wolf pack, that old thing from the Tong Family is truly devoid of conscience!
If not discovered, not only Yan Zijing’s family would suffer—anyone breathing around would be massacred without exception.
At this point, she had to sigh that Yan Zijing’s family of five—two teachers and three agency staff—were all ‘scholar’. Even following Yan Changrong’s words without giving up exercise, it was just for fitness, learning some fancy punches.
If switched with Yan Ziyu’s family, with Yan Xi that female dragon’s fighting power, they wouldn’t have faced such a huge crisis, nearly wiped out.
But if truly swapped, Yan Zijing’s family doing those heavy labor in the Northeast would also be deadly.
In the end, it was all because the Tong Family acted inhumanely, and also that old man…
Fu Jiaming frowned, the suppressed fire in his heart surging fiercely, burning hotter than the firewood in the fire basin before him. “Damn bastards!”
“Can’t let our guard down, afraid they have more moves. Tell that kid A Xu not to come back for now.”
Yan Bei nodded in agreement—that was exactly how he replied. It would just mean hardship for Wang Xu; this year he probably couldn’t return and would have to spend it alone outside.
Since the Tong Family had made their move but hadn’t achieved their goal, given that person’s style, they definitely wouldn’t stop easily.
Unless…
He lowered his gaze, unconsciously looking at the orange-red flames.
Returning courtesy is only polite—time to give them a proper big gift delivered right to their door, so they don’t have idle time to stretch out their hands.
“Ning Ning, prepare a few more portions of your medicine for me.”
“Mm, good. I’ll make more in the next couple days.”
……
The next day, the sky still hadn’t cleared, and the goose-feather heavy snow that had fallen all night showed no sign of stopping.
The accumulated snow piled up inside and outside the courtyard was already as high as an adult’s calf.
Hu Yingtao was starting the fire and cooking in the kitchen, while Zhang Fu and Zhang Qi, father and son, picked up their tools to shovel snow and break ice.
Xiao Qiu, wrapped in two thick cotton-padded jackets, looked like a plump duck, waddling unsteadily when walking.
Worried she would freeze and get sick, Hu Yingtao wrapped a large knitted bright red long scarf around her, covering her neck twice and half her little face at the same time.
Only revealing her grape-like round eyes rolling around, full of joy at seeing the heavy snow.
“Little aunt!”
“Hehe~”
Su Ning, who had slept late last night and thus gotten up a bit late, discovered upon leaving her room that the whole family was already busy.
Even the little one waving her paws at her had used the snow shoveled aside by Zhang Fu and the other to pile a big snowman.
“Xiao Qiu’s snowman is so pretty!”
“But no more playing in the snow, okay? Do you still want your little hands?”
Her ten fingers were frozen red and swollen like little radishes.
Cupping her two little paws and bringing them close to her mouth to huff warm breath and rub them, the itchy sensation in her palms made Xiao Qiu burst into silver-bell-like giggles.
Zhang Qi, turning back to see this warm scene, also showed a smile in his eyes and stood his bamboo broom upright, stopping his movements.
“Ning Ning, take Xiao Qiu back to the kitchen to warm up first. Breakfast should be almost ready.”
“Okay…”
“Ning Ning!”
Hearing the call from outside the door, Su Ning straightened her bent waist, changed from cupping to holding Xiao Qiu’s hand, and just as she stood up, saw Su Jianqun running into the courtyard panting heavy white breaths. “Young man, what happened?”
“Ning Ning, Grandpa sent me to tell you the snow is too heavy and more might come, so mountain closure ahead of schedule!”
Sure enough, mountain closure ahead of schedule—no entering or exiting.
“Thanks, young man. I got it. Have you eaten breakfast? Or…”
“I’ll eat when I get back. Milk and them have it ready. Ning Ning, I’m off first—still have several families to notify!”
“Young man, slow down, careful not to slip!”
“Hey, rest assured!”
Until he dashed out the gate like smoke and was out of sight, Su Ning then raised her brow toward Zhang Qi. “Big brother, I think this year you and godfather and godmother should just spend the New Year here with me.”
“If the snow really keeps falling for days and nights, I’m afraid we won’t have a choice!”
Hearing this, the furrowed brows relaxed, and Zhang Qi smiled back. “Worst case, brother uses up all his vacation for the next few years in advance, for a truly relaxing New Year.”
“Hahahaha, I think that’s great! Let’s do it!”
Zhang Fu, coming in from the doorway, stomped the snow off his feet hard and, hearing his son’s words, immediately expressed strong agreement.
