All afternoon, Qin Yao never paused, busy around the house front and back.
After airing the bedding, she removed the bed boards and the straw on the bed, taking them to the door to dry.
There was an interlude, when Qin Yao flipped the straw, she found a nest of dead mice inside, quite a spectacle.
Once done, she took a bamboo pole to make a broom, sweeping away cobwebs and scraping the wall, the mud fell like a landslide, visibly thinning the wall.
The quality was like tofu residue, even a slight rain could wash it away, let alone heavy snow!
"How did you even live like this before? Is this how people live?" Unable to hold her tongue, Qin Yao complained as again a lump of falling wall dirt covered her face with dust.
This wasn't some apocalypse with waves of zombies—in good times, how life turned to this was simply unbelievable.
The newly cleaned Liu siblings blushed and bowed their heads in shame, their barefoot toes curling, wishing they could dig into the ground.
Because Liu Ji, their father, didn't care, the children didn't know how to tidy up themselves, and village kids avoided them, calling them dirty and smelly.
Even if they did nothing, merely walking a bit closer would provoke scolding.
Having grown up in such a maliciously discriminatory environment, the four siblings' thoughts were sensitive, inevitably overthinking, feeling Qin Yao disliked them, quietly stepping back two steps.
Qin Yao cleaned up the wall, noticing the wind, quickly pressed down the drying straw with bed boards to prevent it from blowing everywhere.
Finishing up, she turned and saw the four children looking at her in shame and anger.
"What's the matter?" Qin Yao was puzzled, she hadn't been harsh to them, had she?
The siblings shook their heads uniformly.
Qin Yao wiped her sweat and asked Da Lang, "Do you know where to find dry straw?"
Da Lang nodded and asked Qin Yao why she needed straw, she wordlessly pointed at their bare feet and her own worn-out straw sandals, about to fall apart at any time.
Da Lang realized, and Second Lang, Sanlang, and Si Niang lit up; was their stepmother going to make them straw sandals?
In the resource-scarce late-apocalyptic days, even a pair of shoes could become a contended resource.
Qin Yao lived next to an elderly person who specialized in weaving straw sandals to exchange for supplies; whenever she had spare time after tasks, she learned a bit.
Although not as exquisite as market-sold ones, they were fine for daily wear.
Following Da Lang and Second Lang, furtively like thieves, they arrived at Old Liu's recently harvested paddy field, where some straw piles were yet to be retrieved.
Qin Yao raised an eyebrow, "Is it alright to just take them?"
Da Lang didn't speak, but his familiarity showed he often did this.
Second Lang justified, "Dad said grandpa's stuff is his, and his stuff is our brothers', taking from our own home is only right."
Qin Yao was dumbfounded by the chaotic teachings of Liu Ji!
Yet seeing the large bundle of straw in her arms, Qin Yao chose to stay silent.
She signaled the brothers to hurry, as the three, each carrying a large bundle of straw, quickly vanished from the fields.
The Liu Ji's home was remote, near home they slowed their pace, mainly because the two younger ones behind Qin Yao couldn't keep up, gasping as if about to faint, having entirely digested their taro lunch.
"Why did you run so fast?" Da Lang panted curiously.
Qin Yao matter-of-factly replied, "Because I'm older and have longer legs."
Da Lang didn't believe it but dared not ask further.
Second Lang, catching his breath, quickened his steps, catching up to Qin Yao, "Are you going to make shoes for us? You can weave straw sandals?"
This craft was only known by the village elders; he and his brother had tried to learn sneakily before but nearly got beaten up.
Qin Yao suddenly stopped.
The two brothers behind her quickly halted, avoiding bumping into her abdomen.
Yet their sun-darkened faces blushed slightly, "Wh-wh-what is it?"
With one hand clamping the straw bundle, leaving the other free, she gently patted each boy's head, "Stop saying 'you you you,' so impolite, call me Aunt."
The two froze, then, somewhat relieved, called out, "Aunt."
Qin Yao smiled satisfactorily, "That's better. We're home, put down the straw and help me strip off the outer layer, leaving only the toughest center."
The brothers nodded, placing the straw under the eaves.
They were obedient children, and Qin Yao was secretly pleased.
Actually asking them to call her mother was awkward for all, and calling her aunt was just right.
In the house waiting for them were Sanlang and Si Niang; hearing the commotion at the door, they opened it and came out. Qin Yao stopped the siblings, instructing them to address her as Aunt.
Sanlang was puzzled; weren't they supposed to call her Mother?
Second Lang glared at his younger brother; silly, calling her Aunt was fine. They still had their own mother. Who would call an unfamiliar woman Mother?
Da Lang dusted off the straw scraps from his hands and urged Sanlang and Si Niang, "Sanlang, Si Niang, call her Aunt."
Sanlang obediently began, "Aunt..."
Qin Yao responded with an "Hey," and stroked his small head, "Help me watch over the straw that's drying, don't let the wind blow it away, alright."
Receiving his task, Sanlang shyly smiled and nodded, happily picking up a small stick, standing vigil at the straw heap, watching earnestly over it.
Si Niang suddenly rushed over, hugging Qin Yao, tearful, "I want Mom, I want Mom, I want Mom!"
Da Lang looked awkwardly at Qin Yao, unable to reason with his sister due to her young age, especially since Qin Yao was right in front, just about to make them straw sandals, yet he said she wasn't their mother, telling his sister not to fuss seemed inappropriate.
Qin Yao sighed softly, gestured for the embarrassed young boy ahead to strip straw, gently unhooking the small attachment hanging on her thigh, comforting her:
"Calling me Mom is fine, Aunt is fine too, call me whatever you want, be good, okay?"
Si Niang immediately raised her little hand to wipe away her tears, giving Qin Yao a bright smile, "Okay."
"Si Niang really is a good baby." Qin Yao gently wiped the tear marks from her face, pointing to the threshold, giving her a small handful of straw as a toy, instructing her to sit quietly watching everyone work, not to run off.
Without a yard or a fence at home, a child could disappear instantly, needing close watch to feel safe.
Having settled the little one, Qin Yao led the two older ones to start weaving straw sandals.
There was a special frame for making shoes, but present conditions didn't allow it, so Qin Yao used a machete to carve branches as makeshift supports, able to weave well enough.
To make straw sandals, the straw needed processing first, woven into fine strands of cord before placing them on the frame to weave into sandals.
Da Lang and Second Lang had small strength; their twisted cords were loose, able only to help with straw pre-processing; the rest of the task was all Qin Yao's work.
All afternoon, Qin Yao was twisted cords, her palms almost on fire from the friction, until all the straw brought today was finished.
As the sun leaned west, the cords were coiled and stowed inside; Qin Yao barely had time for water, quickly calling the children to bring the fluffy bedding and straw inside, re-making two beds.
In the main room, half the bed boards were removed to make a single bed, instantly enlarging the space, placing a low table used for meals in the center, turning it into a multifunctional space.
The four children had a separate room, sleeping in the small house; Qin Yao brought over the bed boards from the main room, widening the bed so the four could sleep without crowding.
The freshly laid bed exuded a mixed scent of straw and sunlight; Si Niang rolled on it, delightedly saying, "Mom, it's so soft~"