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Chapter 193: Chapter 193: The Arrival of Earthquake 3
Back in her room, Tong Yao operated the electric fan for a while and then began packing all her belongings to move out the next morning. It looked like Yu Zhengxiong was trying to get rid of her, and if she didn’t move out soon, it would seem like she was insisting on living here.
If it wasn’t for Si Chen being here, she couldn’t care less about living in the family quarters.
Si Chen didn’t have much stuff, aside from some clothes and a few books, even less than Tong Yao, but apart from the fan and wooden box, they didn’t have any large items.
She organized things a bit, and then there was a knock at the door. She opened it to find Si Boyi and Si Xiaohui standing outside, covered in dirt, looking like they had just rolled in a mud pit.
Her lips twitched ever so slightly, she stepped aside to let them in, "How did you guys get yourself in such a mess?"
"Not long after we called our mom, there was an earthquake. We happened to be by a puddle left over from the rain a few days ago and were shaken into it." Si Boyi said, with a lingering fear. He was relieved that he had been notified. On their way, the homes of some people had already collapsed.
"Why did you unload everything from the house, sister-in-law?"
Seeing Tong Yao gather up all her daily necessities into a bucket, Si Xiaohui could not help but find it strange, as if she were moving out.
"Oh, I plan to move out. I’ll stay with you for a few days, then find another place to live when your brother returns."
Tong Yao’s words were casual, but Si Xiaohui did not quite understand.
"Why would you want to move out? It’s very comfortable to live here for free! You will have to pay extra rent each month if you move out, won’t you?" She couldn’t help but think it was odd to give up a chance to live for free.
Tong Yao, without blushing or hesitating, made up a story, "This house is too old, and it’s not safe to live in. The hospital building collapsed with a slight earthquake. If this one collapsed, we could get crushed under it. No matter how much money we save, it’s useless if we lose our lives." Being kicked out was so embarrassing, there was no need to flait it about.
Si Xiaohui has a big mouth. If she found out about this, she would definitely spread it back to the village.
Hearing that the house was unsafe, Si Boyi immediately chimed in, "Sister-in-law, why don’t we just move right now? After all, no one will be able to fall asleep tonight."
Move out now?
Unexpectedly, Si Boyi was even more urgent than she was. Tong Yao pondered for a moment and felt that it might be a good idea to move out now, which might prevent Yu Zhengxiong from thinking she was unwilling to leave.
"Boyi, you go back first and bring the wooden cart here. Xiaohui and I will move the stuff downstairs. Then we will put everything on the cart and go."
Besides a small gas canister, a folding table fan and a wooden box, they did not have many large items at home, so it wouldn’t take long to move.
"Okay."
Si Boyi agreed and left the room.
While Tong Yao continued to pack, Si Xiaohui loomed around the room regretfully, "Living in such a nice apartment is so comfortable! It’s a pity that it’s not safe here. If I could live here for free, I wouldn’t even be afraid even if it collapsed!"
The first time she came here, she was stunned. She never thought she would live in an apartment in her life. Now she’s been in the city for a while. Although the apartment doesn’t feel as impressive as it used to be, an apartment is still much better than a mud house in the village.
Sigh! It’s a shame she’s not that lucky. She can only be a doctor’s sister, not a doctor’s wife. Otherwise, she could live in such a family quarter.
Hearing the sour note in her speech, Tong Yao chimed in without lifting her head, "Since you are so reluctant to leave, how about you spend the night here? Leave tomorrow morning. With this hot weather, you won’t catch a cold even if you don’t cover yourself with a blanket."
Si Xiaohui pouted and exclaimed excitedly, "Who wants to live here? The courtyard at my place is much more comfortable than it is here, and I was just talking."
Her place is so good! You can grow vegetables in the yard, and there aren’t those annoying neighbors. She can take a shower for as long as she wants without fearing being watched.
Tong Yao sighed and did not say another word. Si Xiaohui deserved to be scolded a few times to behave herself.
As Tong Yao continued to pack up, Si Xiaohui could not help but blurt out again, "Sister-in-law, it’s weird how all these things happen with the earthquake. Not only dogs bark, but it looks like even the mosquitoes are gone. I used to see some mosquitoes buzzing around you when I came here before, but not a single one is seen today." It seemed that once something happened, you began to notice all the odd things around you.
Tong Yao, who was busy packing, paused and looked around, indeed no mosquito was found. She suddenly realized a serious matter.
The earthquake was such a big deal, yet all the mosquitoes had simply fled without alerting her. They usually buzzed and gossiped around her endlessly, but they were nowhere to be found at crucial moments. Indeed, mosquitoes were creatures not to be trusted.
It would be more reliable to keep a dog.
Having lived in the family quarters for less than two months, Tong Yao didn’t have many things. After a quick pack, she and Si Xiaohui moved some small items downstairs. By the time Si Boyi arrived, they put eveything on the cart, shut the door, and left quietly but neatly.
While they were walking back to their rental house, there was another aftershock. But it didn’t last long and was not as strong as the first one.
People who had experienced two earthquakes were nervous and remained outside till late night before they dared to go back inside to rest.
The news of the earthquake in Li City must have reached Kyoto quickly. Tong Yao was afraid that Si Chen would worry, so she went to the phone booth to call the very next morning. As soon as the call was connected, Wen Yun’s anxious voice came from the other end.
"Yaoyao, is that you?"
Soon after, Tong Yaohui’s voice also came, "Is it Yaoyao calling?"
"Mom, it’s me. I’m fine. You don’t have to worry."
Confirming that it was Tong Yao who had called, Wen Yun’s hanging heart finally fell, "Yaoyao, we received a call from Ahchen this morning. He said there was an earthquake in Li City. He had called the hospital to confirm that you were fine and told us not to worry. But we couldn’t settle ourselves until we heard your voice. If you had not called, we would probably have bought tickets to Li City."
They had received a call from Si Chen early in the morning, and when they heard about the earthquake in Li City, they were almost scared to death.
The news on TV was all about the earthquake. If it hadn’t been for Si Chen’s early call, they would have been extremely worried.
"Mom, you don’t have to come here. There was an earthquake here and we don’t know the situation at the train station. It’s not safe for you to come." After reassuring her, Tong Yao asked, "Mom, has Ahchen said when he’ll be back?"
"He probably wouldn’t be able to return for a while." Wen Yun sighed, "Qing City is the most seriously affected by the earthquake this time. The news reported that the earthquake was of level 7.1, and Qing City suffered a lot. Rescue teams from all over have gone there. Ahchen has gone to Qing City with a medical team to support."
