Volume Two, The First Floor. Doomsday Chapter 42. The Old House
"Lingling, my precious granddaughter is finally back. Let grandma take a good look at her."
As soon as she entered the room, Tang Ling was pulled to sit on the sofa by the two old men. She was played around by them, and she was even kissed on the cheek from time to time.
Qiu Yanling looked at Tang Ling, who was blushing from being repeatedly rubbed in the arms of the two old people, and smiled helplessly, saying hello to other relatives and friends sitting in the living room.
This two-bedroom house was packed with people.
The polished tile floor was littered with peels and melon shells. A group of people crowded into the small living room, occupying a small space to stay. Relatives and friends chatted and laughed, parents chatted about various things, and listened in on the secrets of the people around them.
There is no balcony in Bagua. There is a window next to the connected dining table. Outside is a long and narrow open-air passage connecting the entrance to the second floor. Occasionally, a few people pass by and take a look at the noise in the house.
Tang Ling, who was forced to stay in the arms of her grandma Zhao Fang, finally stopped being caressed by everyone and was now forced to listen to the chatter of a group of people.
"A total solar eclipse that is rare in a century is expected to appear at noon today. According to expert research..."
The latest news was being broadcast on the TV that was turned on nearby, and the attention of a group of people who were sharing gossip with each other was also attracted by it.
"What is this total solar eclipse? I've never heard of it."
"Well, I heard my children say something before. It seems like something. The day will suddenly become as dark as the night, but it will turn back to day after a while. Anyway, it sounds quite weird."
"It doesn't feel special. Don't we experience it every day, day and night?"
"Hey, you don't understand what I mean. It means that in broad daylight, it will get dark all of a sudden, but it will light up again after a while. It's not like our usual day and night."
"That sounds pretty miraculous."
While a group of people were chatting like this, the iron door was opened again. Tang Jie entered the house panting, carrying large and small bags of things. Qiu Yanling quickly stepped forward to help.
Everyone stopped paying attention to the news and paid attention to Tang Jie who had entered the house. Now the host was back, the ingredients were ready, and a group of people began to prepare lunch.
The living room was mostly empty all of a sudden, leaving only Tang Ling staring at the "Total Solar Eclipse" news broadcast on the TV. Although she did not understand the meaning of what the newscaster said, this did not stop Tang Ling from being interested in the TV.
I am interested in the image of the sun gradually being swallowed up by darkness in the camera.
It wasn't until the newscaster started to announce the next news that Tang Ling came back to her senses. She sat on the sofa and watched the adults around her busy preparing lunch.
No one paid attention to her, and the feeling of boredom gradually came over. Tang Ling rolled her eyes and decided to go around this strange old house.
Tang Ling called this operation a "treasure hunt."
People were busy walking around in the kitchen, living room, and dining table. It was obvious that they did not attract Tang Ling's interest, so the only ones left were the two closed bedrooms.
Between the two adjacent rooms, Tang Ling first chose the door on the left.
"Click."
The door stopped halfway open. This seemed to be its limit, but it was still enough for one person to enter. Tang Ling walked in and looked around.
Compared to the obvious signs of cleaning in the living room, this room seemed less clean.
Although there was no obvious heavy dust, the whole room exuded the smell of old wood and damp white wall ash.
The door that stopped halfway open was blocked by the wooden bed behind it. The ten-square-meter cabin, a small bed, and a desk that doubles as a cabinet were placed in front of the window. In the remaining space, people stood there.
It seemed extremely crowded.
Looking at the pale pink walls and the cartoon desk, you can tell that this was Tang Ling's former bedroom.
Standing here, Tang Ling felt some pictures flashing through her mind.
I play games with my friends in this small room, and sleep soundly on this small bed every night. There are traces of the clothes I wore before in the cabinet. The days and nights I have spent here feel so unfamiliar.
Children always grow up quickly, don't they?
After entering school, my thoughts began to change magically with adolescence, and my imagination began to run wild.
The house that used to feel huge now seems so cramped.
Tang Ling decided to go to the next room.
After leaving his small bedroom and closing the door, the busy adults around him didn't notice that this little explorer had already completed half of his treasure hunt.
Tang Ling hummed proudly and continued to secretly open another door.
This room is bigger than my own room.
There is a large wardrobe, a wooden bed, and a spacious balcony with a desk. There is also an air conditioner on the wall opposite the wooden bed, and the plug hangs in the air. The whole room exudes the atmosphere of an adult.
.
Obviously this is mom and dad's room.
But what attracted Tang Ling was not the vague memory that flashed through her mind when she saw these pieces of furniture, but the row of window glass in front of her.
Outside the blue glass, an empty flat land extends to tall houses and buildings in the distance, and the sun hangs high in the distance.
A nice viewing window.
However, it is far from enough.
The sun was not in the center that time.
Tang Ling suddenly remembered the small terrace outside the house.
The strange scenes reported in the news deeply attracted her.
The impulse of curiosity kept fluctuating in her chest, and Tang Ling turned around and left the bedroom. The "treasure hunt" activity came to a perfect end, and she was about to start a new exploration.
"Mother."
People outside the living room are still busy with their work, and the adults are reassured that the children will stay in their own corners and play without much trouble.
Tang Ling grabbed Qiu Yanling's clothes, trying to attract her attention.
Qiu Yanling, who was busy in the kitchen, saw her daughter appear out of nowhere. She took Tang Ling out of the noisy kitchen, squatted down and asked: "Baby, what's wrong?"
"I want to play on that terrace outside."
"Why do you suddenly want to play outside?"
Qiu Yanling, who knew that her daughter had always had a temperament that would not run around, was surprised by what Tang Ling said at this moment.
"I want to see the total solar eclipse, on the platform outside." Tang Ling replied, looking at Qiu Yanling carefully, her eyes full of pleading, hoping to get her consent.
"Is that so? Baby, promise mommy, just play on that stage and don't run around, okay?" Qiu Yanling thought for a moment and agreed to Tang Ling's request. She touched Tang Ling's head and said, "I'll let grandma take you there first."
Let’s play on that stage. Mom will come out to watch the total solar eclipse with you after she finishes her work later, okay?”
"Um!"
Tang Ling nodded happily. After listening to Qiu Yanling's instructions, she ran to find Zhao Fang and pulled her out of the house.
