Natural Disaster: Back to the End of the World

Part 19

In a groggy sleep, Yao Ziqing sensed some changes and wanted to wake up. However, before he could fully open his eyes, he felt rhythmic pats on his body. With these soothing pats, he obediently fell back into a deeper sleep.

Lei Xiao, having waited for Si'er to fall back asleep, slowly got out of bed. The cold air made him shiver as he put on the down jacket at the end of the bed and walked to the window. He lifted the heavy curtain and saw that it was still pitch dark outside, with only the white snow on the ground standing out starkly against the night. The large snowflakes danced wildly in the cold wind, and even though the doors and windows were tightly shut, the howling sound made the cold seem even more biting.

After a quick glance at Si'er, who was still sleeping soundly, Lei Xiao quietly opened the door and stepped outside.

There was still half a bottle of hot water left. Lei Xiao refilled it, plugged in the hot water heater, and also plugged in the hand warmer. He found a flashlight, opened the door latch, and took a look around outside.

Their house was old. Although it was built with high-quality materials, the roof tiles had deteriorated over the years, leading to leaks whenever it rained heavily. He was concerned that too much snow might cause the roof to collapse, so he had to be extra cautious. But the situation seemed better than he feared.

Back inside, the water had boiled, and one bottle of hot water could fill four hot water bottles. Lei Xiao took two filled bottles and the hand warmer to Grandma's room. Her sleep was always light, and the noise from the door opening woke her up. Even though it was too dark to see anything, she could recognize her four grandsons by touch. Seeing the second son up in the middle of the night, she thought something was wrong and tried to get up.

"Xiao'er, what's wrong? Is something happening?"

"It's nothing."

With a calm tone, Lei Xiao placed one hot water bottle by Grandma's feet, another in her hand, and the hand warmer behind her back. He then pulled out a blanket from the cupboard and covered her with it.

"It's getting colder. It's nothing. Go back to sleep." Without waiting for a response, he finished his task and left the room.

Grandma stirred under the thick blanket, and soon the warmth began to rise. She smiled and murmured, "This kid..."

Lei Xiao took a hot water bottle into Lei Li and Lei Lang's room. Lei Li and Lei Lang each had their own blankets and a thin cover on top. Lei Xiao replaced their thin covers with thicker ones, placed the hot water bottles between their blankets, and left without saying a word.

Lei Lang, who usually slept like a log, was surprisingly alert. The unexpected addition of a hot water bottle left him puzzled. "What's going on? Was that Second Brother? Is he sleepwalking?"

Lei Li's mouth twitched, unsure, "Maybe... he's worried we'll be cold..."

Lei Lang grumbled, "We're not Si'er, we don't need someone watching over us while we sleep. Is Second Brother's fatherly love overflowing?" He turned over and soon fell back to sleep.

With the remaining hot water bottle, Lei Xiao returned to his room. As soon as he got into bed, Yao Ziqing felt a cold draft and moved away in displeasure. Seeing his small movement, Lei Xiao paused, then lay down, placing the hot water bottle on his side. Soon, Yao Ziqing snuggled up to the warm source, and Lei Xiao, without holding any grudges, placed the hot water bottle on his chest and held him close, finally feeling at ease to sleep.

In winter, with no farm work and the days growing particularly short, the villagers enjoyed sleeping in. But at just past eight in the morning, as the sky was just beginning to lighten, the village broadcast blared with a ringing sound. Though the village was small, it would be troublesome to visit each household if there was an announcement. So, when the broadcast rang, it meant a meeting or announcement at the ancestral hall.