As Shen Xiaoyan entered the main room, she heard Yue Qingxin's voice.
Though reading the words alone suggested Yue Qingxin was happy, she had witnessed things she hadn't seen before.
In reality, however, Yue Qingxin's tone was filled with worry.
Shen Xiaoyan was a bit confused, "What's wrong?"
"Why would older sister say that?" Shen Xiaoyan asked as she walked, and by the time she finished speaking, she had already reached Yue Qingxin.
"Sister's attire today is quite warm, do you know it's cold outside?" Yue Qingxin teased.
Shen Xiaoyan didn't respond, otherwise, if Yue Qingxin later said it was warm inside and asked her to take off her scarf, what would she do?
"What were you just talking about, older sister? Something about heavy snow blocking the entrance?" Shen Xiaoyan continued her previous question.
"You haven't looked outside yet," Yue Qingxin sighed and said, "You'll know when you look."
Shen Xiaoyan looked at Yue Qingxin suspiciously. Why did she look like that?
She had a lot to do that morning and hadn't looked outside at all.
So, Shen Xiaoyan quickly walked towards the door, went around the screen, lifted the thick door curtain, and stepped out.
As soon as she lifted the door curtain, Shen Xiaoyan felt as if she had walked from spring into the dead of winter.
The biting cold wind rushed towards her, enveloping her entirely.
Shen Xiaoyan shivered before looking out into the courtyard.
She was astonished by what she saw.
The snow in the courtyard was waist-high, and the heavy snow was still falling continuously.
The waist-high snow was perfectly smooth, with no tracks on it.
The shorter plants in the courtyard, as well as the stone table, had completely disappeared from view.
Shen Xiaoyan's mouth hung open, unable to believe what she was seeing in the courtyard.
What was happening?
Could it be that this heavy snow hadn't fallen bit by bit overnight, but all at once?
Otherwise, how could there be such thick snow overnight?
Shen Xiaoyan stood there blankly for a long time. It was only when she heard someone calling her name from inside that she finally dropped the curtain and returned to the room.
After going around the screen, the room was still as warm as spring.
Although this room didn't have a heated kang bed, there were several charcoal basins. Coupled with the fact that the doors on both sides were not fully closed, the warmth from the inner rooms was also gathering here.
The difference was truly immense.
Just standing at the door, Shen Xiaoyan felt as if her whole body was about to freeze. It took her a while to feel better after entering the room.
"Don't you find it incredible?" Yi Zhixie asked Shen Xiaoyan.
Shen Xiaoyan nodded in agreement. Regardless of anything else, she still found it somewhat unacceptable.
It wasn't that she couldn't accept the heavy snowfall and deep snow, but she couldn't believe that the snow could fall so heavily in just one night.
"There's no way around it; this is the reality," Yi Zhixie said helplessly. "This is just the beginning. If the heavy snow continues, there will be more and more problems."
Upon hearing Yi Zhixie's words, a series of potential events flashed through Shen Xiaoyan's mind.
For example, the heavy snow blocking the entrance was one, the collapse of houses was two, the lack of food was three, merchants taking advantage to raise prices was four, and the common people suffering from hunger was five...
The more she thought about it, the uglier Shen Xiaoyan's face became.
She shook her head, trying hard to stop herself from thinking so much.
These were just her conjectures; they couldn't be taken as truth.
"Is Xiaoming still going to school today?" Shen Xiaoyan looked up, first at Shen Xiaoming.
Since it was still early and not a holiday, theoretically, Shen Xiaoming should still go to school.
But looking at the situation outside, it was unlikely that school would be in session.
Shen Xiaoming thought for a moment and said, "I should go and see first. The teacher hasn't said we can't go."
Shen Xiaoyan nodded, "Then I'll accompany you later."
"Shall I go?" Zheng Wei interjected.
Shen Xiaoyan didn't refuse Zheng Wei's offer, but she added, "I want to go out and take a look."
Mainly, she wanted to see the village and find out how the Pan and Liang families were doing.
Zheng Wei probably guessed Shen Xiaoyan's intentions, so he didn't stop her anymore, nodded, and said nothing.
After the group finished breakfast in silence, Shen Xiaoyan asked Yue Qingxin to watch Sanshengzi while she, Zheng Wei, and Shen Xiaoming went out.
They walked along the corridor to the main entrance. The three of them stood at the entrance, looking at the situation outside, and were at a loss.
The snow outside was almost up to the platform. The current situation was that as soon as they stepped off the steps, they would be stepping into the snow.
However, the snow was different from the ground.
The snow looked smooth, but it couldn't bear any weight.
If any of them stepped on it, they would surely sink in directly.
At that point, there would be no question of going to school; they would likely be immobilized.
Shen Xiaoyan and the other two looked at each other, not knowing what to do.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Shen Xiaoyan. She thought of snow sleds or skis.
But where could they find them now?
Shen Xiaoyan pondered for a moment, then turned to Shen Xiaoming and said, "Xiaoming, you and your brother-in-law wait for me here for a moment. I'm going to get something."
After speaking, Shen Xiaoyan turned around quickly and hurried towards the backyard.
Shen Xiaoming watched Shen Xiaoyan's hurried figure, feeling somewhat confused.
"Brother-in-law, what is older sister going to do?"
Zheng Wei thought to himself that Shen Xiaoyan might be going to take out something from her space that could help them get out, which was why she ran back so hurriedly.
But knowing was one thing, and being able to say it was another.
Now, hearing Shen Xiaoming's question, he could only shake his head, indicating that he didn't know either.
Shen Xiaoming felt a little disappointed but still waited patiently for Shen Xiaoyan to return.
There was nothing else he could do; he couldn't just wade through the snow, could he?
Shen Xiaoyan returned very quickly, but she wasn't alone. Qu Shi and Huo Fen followed behind her.
Each of them was carrying two wooden boards and two iron rods.
When the three of them reached them, Shen Xiaoyan placed the items in her hands on the ground and motioned for Qu Shi and Huo Fen to put down their things and go back.
"What is this?" Shen Xiaoming squatted on the ground, looking at it for a long time, but couldn't figure out what it was. He looked at Shen Xiaoyan curiously and asked.
"This is what will allow us to go to the village," Shen Xiaoyan said with a bright smile. Judging from her words, she was very happy, and her smile couldn't be hidden in her tone.
"We're using these?" Zheng Wei also looked very surprised. He had also been in the space often; why hadn't he seen such a thing?
"Let me demonstrate for you," Shen Xiaoyan said. She placed her feet on two wooden boards, crouched down, tied the ropes used to secure her feet, and then stood up.
Zheng Wei and Shen Xiaoming watched Shen Xiaoyan's movements closely, afraid that if they blinked, they would miss something and regret it for life.