Chapter 10, Temporary Residence

Is this all there is? Knowing that it is just this bundle of straw, it is already not easy to bring it back from the clouds, yet Charlotte still feels a bit worried. They need the straw to block the door for cover; otherwise, the chicken coop would be empty and completely exposed, making it too easy for others to notice something unusual.

Charlotte turned her head to look at the cloud that had been awakened by the sound of conversation, and the two exchanged glances.

Kua Xiudun fell silent, entering the house with a face full of grievance.

In an unfamiliar place, in a dangerous environment, how could one possibly sleep! Charlotte lay on the straw mat, listening intently to the sounds in the courtyard while counting on her fingers the daily necessities she needed to find a way to obtain.

"Are we moving?" Charlotte sought Cloud's opinion

Although Kua Yi appeared to be only eight or nine years old, at this moment, with her hands firmly placed on her hips, she exuded the demeanor of a capable housewife who could manage a household. She blocked the gate and glared at Kua Xiu, who was trying to run outside, saying: "Lying is the most shameful thing. You go back inside and reflect on yourself properly. You are not allowed to go out today"

One cannot just stand by and watch as the cloud is trampled to death, but now even if I rush out, it would be too late to save him. One more step... one more step and she will step on that leaf...

Charlotte tiptoed to peek outside the straw pile: "It's still quite early before dark, going out is too dangerous. Besides, being hungry for a little while won't kill anyone, don't go out."

Although her voice was soft, this shout, made with all her strength, was enough to startle Kua Xiu and Kua Yi. However, to them, the shout still seemed quite distant.

He carried a grass basket on his back, balancing tree leaves on top, and effortlessly climbed onto the haystack to observe for a while before jumping down

Indeed! The cloud is also feeling quite troubled

"Stop searching, weren't all the grasshopper legs eaten yesterday?" Yun Duan leaned against the wall, speaking with a breathy tone

"Poor Kua Yan, she must have been beaten by her father again." Kua Yi's face showed a hint of sympathy as she continued walking towards the wooden house

What a coincidence..." Charlotte murmured softly

"Now that there is time, hurry up and sleep," Yun Duan said softly before lying down on the straw mat and closing her eyes.

With this thought in mind, she was temporarily able to tolerate the unpleasant odor and began to tidy up and clean with her head down

After being busy for a while, the sky began to faintly brighten. The rooster raised by the neighbor started to crow, amidst the chorus of "cock-a-doodle-doo." In the wooden house, Charlotte seemed to hear some movement, and her heart involuntarily lifted.

The sound of an ancient well wheel being turned echoed in the yard. Charlotte glanced at the tidied chicken coop. Aside from the straw piled at the entrance, which occupied some space, the remaining area was still quite spacious. The two thick straw mats hastily woven yesterday had already been laid on the ground as bedding. However, she was quite dissatisfied with the exposed, somewhat dirty ground. She was contemplating that if she could weave another thick mat from straw to use as a carpet, it would look much cleaner.

In this village, there are at least a hundred households, so why did they specifically choose this one to live in? For them, children's curiosity and keen observation make them far more dangerous than adults

"Don't eat that!" Seeing Charlotte's pained expression made Yunduan's heart ache. She stood up, snatched the grass fruit from her hand, and threw it into the corner of the wall: "Wait here, I will go out to find something to eat."

Yesterday, he first saw Yunduan and Xia Luo, thinking they were two little bugs. However, upon further reflection, it was clear that they were two little people! Thus, he spent the entire day whispering to Kuai Yi about having seen the little spirits, planning to wake up early to search around the stone house again. Yet, Kuai Yi simply did not believe him, insisting that he was lying.

I am not lying! I am not lying!" Kuaxiu shouted at the top of his lungs

After making dozens of trips back and forth, the cloud finally cleared out all the dirty rice straw from the chicken coop and replaced it with dry, clean straw. Charlotte then climbed into the yards of three or four neighboring households and stealthily gathered several large baskets of jasmine flowers, which she piled up in a corner concealed by the straw.

The two individuals were exhausted after a whole day. Despite being burdened with worries, they quickly fell asleep.

Kwai stopped in his tracks and turned back, looking at his younger brother with a puzzled expression and asked, "Was it you who was calling?"

The time spent in the cloud was not long, and soon it returned, dragging a bundle of straw through the fence.

Let's stay for a while and see how it goes. It would be a pity to move after finally tidying up the chicken coop. Moreover, it may not be easy to find a suitable place to live in the short term. For now, we can only hope that the child is not mischievous enough to come and dismantle the chicken coop!

"We didn't leave any flaws, did we?" Charlotte lay on the straw pile, secretly peering into the courtyard.

Charlotte was truly uneasy, so she pulled aside a small gap in the straw pile and quietly peered outside. She discovered Kwai watering the jasmine in the yard, while Kuaixiu squatted in the corner, teasing ants with a small stick. She couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

The air inside the chicken coop suddenly became pleasant, with the fragrance of straw mingling with that of jasmine, making one feel as if they were amidst a field of wildflowers.

In the brief moment of delay, the clouds swiftly moved the leaves aside, clearing a path for Kuai.

After waking up, Charlotte lay there lazily, unwilling to move. However, her stomach felt empty, and waves of hunger compelled her to sit up and rummage through the basket for something to eat

Xialuo, undeterred by misfortune, continued to search and eventually found only two grass fruits. She shared one with Yunduan and sat down on the straw mat to slowly nibble on it. The grass fruits were bright red and enticing, but their taste was sour and astringent. After finishing, her entire mouth felt numb, but fortunately, they were not poisonous. She forced herself to eat a bit more, as it was better than going hungry.

Compared to the wooden house, the chicken coop is pitifully small; even a two- or three-year-old child cannot crawl inside completely. However, for Charlotte, she feels that the chicken coop is equivalent to a villa of several hundred square meters, truly spacious. If there were no dangers, a thorough cleaning and arrangement would make living inside quite comfortable

Dad is still sleeping, do you want to wake him up? Kui used his trump card

Be careful not to let anyone find out. Xia Luo chased outside and anxiously reminded him. As he watched Yun Dan slip through the fence, he realized that his posture resembled someone leaning against the door, which made him feel a bit awkward. He smiled sheepishly and returned to continue cleaning.

A series of footsteps sounded, followed by a rapid stream of speech in a language that was completely unintelligible

Charlotte anxiously watched as he rushed to the door of the cabin under the cover of the leaves, then discarded the leaves, climbed over the threshold, and finally let out a gentle sigh.

Charlotte clenched her fists tightly, watching as the cloud swiftly crossed the threshold and crouched beneath the leaves. ... Kway did not notice him, but her path forward was very likely to step on the leaves ...

What should I do! What should I do!

They are the two children I met yesterday

Although I cannot understand what they are saying at hetushucomcom, the voice sounds very familiar

Uncertain how long he had waited, it felt as though time had nearly come to a standstill. It was only then that Charlotte saw the figure carrying a grass basket appear at the threshold once more. However, this time, his actions were evidently not as smooth as before; Kwai had already finished watering the flowers, wiped his hands on his apron, and was heading towards the wooden cabin

Yun Duan reached out from behind and pulled her down from the straw pile: "Lying there like that is a major flaw!"

As night fell, the door of the wooden cabin was closed, and food became scarce. Yun Duan picked up a large tree leaf from the grass basket and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I am well prepared."

What a close call

With a determined heart, Charlotte took a deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs: "Ahーー"

As soon as the words fell, the door of the wooden house creaked open.

It was not until he safely ran back, climbing from the straw pile to the chicken coop, that Charlotte regained her senses from the extreme shock, feeling her entire body trembling slightly, unable to stand any longer, and she sat down on the ground, unable to speak for a long time.

Charlotte lightly stuck out her tongue, leaning against the straw pile, too afraid to move

Kua Xiu shook his head and pointed in the direction of the chicken coop, saying, "It seems to be coming from next door"

I will go get it again," Yun Duan said as she began to tidy up a bundle of dirty straw from the chicken coop, carrying it on her shoulder. "By the way, take this out to throw away.

This guy from the cloud is really bold!