Chapter 100: Moved

September 16, 2023

Author: Zi Tao

After entering the house, they tried to turn on the lights, only to realize the power was out.

Ji Ping muttered quietly, “There was still electricity when I carried Sheng Damei out just now.”

Mu Chenze shone his flashlight around the room, making sure nothing was amiss before turning the beam up to the attic.

That one sweep was all it took—Ji Ping suddenly let out a startled “Ah!”

Mu Chenze jumped at the sound. “What’s wrong?”

People scaring people can be deadly.

Ji Ping pointed to a spot in the attic. “There’s damage here. It was perfectly fine during the day.”

“Did you or Sheng Damei check this place before you left the courtyard?”

“No.”

Mu Chenze moved closer with the flashlight to inspect the damage. “Pingzi, bring over two chairs. I’ll stand on them and take a look.”

“Okay.”

Soon, Ji Ping brought over two chairs and stacked them.

He held the chairs steady while Mu Chenze climbed up.

Mu Chenze shone the flashlight around several times. Aside from two quilts and some winter clothes, he found nothing useful to the case.

After Mu Chenze came down, Ji Ping, still unconvinced, climbed up to check for himself.

Both of them left empty-handed.

They went to the village office to call the town security team and report their findings.

The security officers came over in the rain to investigate, but found no clues.

Still, everyone suspected someone had sneaked in and taken something.

Whoever it was had come well-prepared—not even a footprint was left behind.

Together, they went to see Sheng Damei.

They asked her what was usually kept in the attic.

She replied: winter quilts and clothes, and her mother’s diary.

Her mother was literate.

The quilts and clothes were still there, but the diary was gone.

Only then did they realize someone had stolen Li Qin’s diary.

Sheng Damei had indeed peeked at the diary before, but it was always just daily trivialities, nothing interesting, so she hadn’t bothered this year.

Li Qin’s death might be related to the diary’s contents, but no one knew what was written in it.

Sheng Damei was filled with regret. Her mother had died mysteriously—if only she’d read this year’s diary, maybe she could have avenged her.

“Ah! So much blood…”

Sheng Damei lost too much blood and fainted.

Ji Ping and the others braved the heavy rain, coordinated a village tractor, and rushed her to the hospital.

At the town hospital, they managed to stop the bleeding temporarily, but the doctor advised them to transfer her to the county hospital immediately.

So, they transferred her again.

She started bleeding again.

In the end, an old Chinese medicine doctor stepped in and used acupuncture to stop the bleeding.

He asked about Sheng Damei’s recent experiences.

His diagnosis: Sheng Damei had just had a miscarriage a few days ago and hadn’t rested properly. Coupled with the grief of losing her mother and the guilt of being unable to avenge her, it led to the excessive bleeding.

He recommended hospitalization and medication, with a few days of observation.

Ji Ping stayed to look after her, while Mu Chenze drove the tractor to take the security officers back.

By the time Mu Chenze got home, it was already midnight.

Qin Mahua had been waiting for him, with hot water ready.

“How’s Sheng Damei?”

“She’s out of danger, but needs to stay in the hospital for a few days.”

Mu Chenze replied as he checked the windows, making sure all the metal storm shutters were down so the wind wouldn’t damage anything, then went in to take a hot shower.

He changed into clean clothes, poured out the bathwater, and saw that his mother’s bedroom lights were already off, so he didn’t discuss anything further with her.

At dawn, he’d need to make another trip to the county before the typhoon hit—to bring Ji Ping and Sheng Damei some clean clothes and pick up a few things from a friend…

The next morning, the rain had stopped, but the wind was still fierce.

Qin Mahua hadn’t even started breakfast when Mu Chenze left with a bundle.

Once again, he coordinated with the village tractor.

By a little after ten in the morning, he was back in the village, now carrying a bulging cloth bag. The rain had started up again, the wind was even stronger, and his raincoat was barely keeping him dry.

When he returned the tractor at the village office, he noticed several families huddled in the unused rooms.

One of them was Liu Dapeng’s family.

It was easy to guess—their houses were at high risk of collapsing, so the village chief had moved them here for safety.

Ten minutes later, Mu Chenze arrived at Chu Xuan’s house in the pouring rain. Even with raincoat and boots, his pant legs were soaked through.

The courtyard gate was shut tight.

He knocked.

Chu Xuan’s voice came from inside. “Who is it?”

“It’s me!”

Chu Xuan recognized Mu Chenze’s voice and came out with an umbrella to open the gate.

“Hurry in and dry your pants by the fire.”

Mu Chenze handed her the cloth bag. “No need—I’ll just get soaked again on the way home. This is for you and Xiao Feng!”

Chu Xuan didn’t take it, but asked softly, “What’s inside?”

Mu Chenze quickly shoved the bag into her hands. “See for yourself! Gotta go!”

He turned and ran off.

The yard was a muddy mess. Chu Xuan only took a few steps before stopping.

Mu Chenze ran a little further, making sure Chu Xuan wasn’t following, then turned back to look at her house.

Chu Xuan was looking into the bag, then wiped away a tear, not realizing Mu Chenze was watching.

Mu Chenze sighed. Why is this chubby girl so easily moved? It’s just five big hams, still in their packaging, good for months of storage!

He turned and headed home.

The more Chu Xuan wiped her face, the more tears came.

In this torrential rain, Mu Chenze was still out there scrounging up big hams for her. “That idiot!”

She cursed him out loud, but deep down, she was deeply touched.

She owed him so much in her previous life, and now he was even better to her than before. Was she just racking up more and more debt?

Other girls might repay kindness with marriage.

But she definitely couldn’t do that.

Lately, thinking about her father’s background, the person who harmed Qin Xuehong, and the tragedies that befell Xiao Feng, the Mu family, and herself in her past life—maybe there was some connection.

She wiped her tears again. When she looked up, Mu Chenze was already gone.

She closed the gate, put three hams in her brother’s room, and two in her own.

“When the typhoon hits, we’ll both stay in our rooms, not go out. Just eat steamed buns with a ham—we can last a day.”

Chu Feng had seen how terrifying typhoons could be. “Sis, can I stay in your room tonight?”

Chu Xuan remembered that in her previous life, the typhoon made landfall around three in the afternoon, and their house was right in its path.

Luckily, it was built solidly, with metal storm shutters installed.

She was about to reassure her brother when he added, “Sis, I’m scared, really scared. Let me stay with you for courage, okay?”

Chu Xuan couldn’t refuse. “Alright.”

Chu Feng immediately moved all the cooked food, pastries, and fruit from his room into Chu Xuan’s.

By three in the afternoon, the wind and rain outside were raging. Looking out through the crack in the door, the sky was pitch black, and the house was plunged into darkness—the power was out.

Thankfully, Chu Xuan had prepared candles, matches, and flashlights ahead of time.

She turned on the flashlight and lit a candle.

Chu Feng huddled in a corner of the kang bed. “Sis, our house is pretty close to the beach. Will we get flooded?”

“No. Don’t worry, our place is on high ground.”

“Will those two mud-brick rooms collapse?”

“No, they won’t. Our bedrooms are in front—they’ll block the wind. Those mud-brick rooms won’t fall. Here, have a piece of sachima to calm your nerves.”

Chu Xuan held the treat to his mouth.

As soon as Chu Feng tasted something sweet, his attention shifted.

They ate pastries, peanuts, cracked sunflower seeds, and chatted…

By seven in the evening, they were getting ready for dinner—ham sausage and steamed buns. Just as they took out the food, something started banging hard against the metal storm shutters and door, the walls vibrating with dull thuds.

“Sis, what’s happening? The mud-brick rooms aren’t going to collapse, are they?”

Chu Xuan stayed calm. “Definitely not. I’ll go check by the door.”"