"Is the roof finished?" Zhangsun Youyue realized that what she had just said was rather heavy, so she hurriedly changed the subject.
"It's done." Jiang Liuli jumped down from the roof and dusted off her hands.
Jiang Liuli soon adjusted her frame of mind as well. Whether they could eventually get out or not, she would stop dwelling on it for now. The more she thought, the more troubled she became.
"Then I'll wash this pot. Oh, and go have a look around. There should be some bowls and plates, right?" Zhangsun Youyue said.
Jiang Liuli thought for a moment, then nodded and left.
Huang Xiao lay on his stomach, watching the two women dig quite a few usable pots and jars out of the village's ruined walls. Seeing them return with intact items, grinning as they compared their finds and showed them off, eased his heart considerably.
They might not be able to keep such high spirits in the days ahead. If they were trapped here for the rest of their lives, how would they get through those days?
"After all that work, I'm covered in dust. It feels awful." Zhangsun Youyue patted herself down.
"Cough, cough, cough..." Jiang Liuli choked on the dust and waved a hand. "Stop patting. If you're dirty, just wash. There's no hot water for you now, though. Look, I found a little stream at the village entrance. The water is very clear. You can wash there."
"Aren't you coming?" Zhangsun Youyue asked.
Jiang Liuli looked at the dust on her own clothes and felt uncomfortable herself, so she said, "All right, let's go together."
The two women had only taken a few steps when Zhangsun Youyue called, "Wait."
Then Zhangsun Youyue turned and hurried over to Huang Xiao. "Senior Brother Huang, it still