Pei Shu'er made sure everyone was dressed warmly enough to withstand the freezing temperatures below minus ten degrees.
She quickly instructed Zhang Chao and his group to deliver hot water to everyone and moved those who were severely frozen into the straw huts.
The drop in temperature was just too sudden; if people had been given some time to acclimate, their bodies might have managed better, sparing them from such suffering.
Once they were a bit warmer, Pei Shu'er had them drink some lukewarm water to warm up.
Meanwhile, Pei Shu'er took out some firewood from the straw hut that hadn't been affected and added it to the fire to keep it from going out.
Still, some people, despite their preparations, were too weak and in poor locations, and succumbed to the cold, dying stiffly on the ground.
"Mother, you can't die! If you die, what will my brother and I do?"
This was the cry of a young girl, her face also frozen stiff, with tears quickly turning to ice.
