After dinner, Chen Lan told everyone about going skiing the next day. When her mother-in-law heard that Chen Lan was taking her in-laws, the twins, and everyone else with their small sleds to ski, she immediately got interested and readily agreed to join them the next day.
After dinner, it started snowing again, and it seemed to be getting heavier.
Ming Zhe kept muttering, "Please don't snow anymore, please, heavens, don't snow anymore! The snow must stop by tomorrow morning, it must stop!"
He even clasped his hands towards the sky with his small hands, saying, "Bless, bless!"
Chen Lan found it amusing and didn't bother with his antics.
Her mother-in-law, however, didn't care. She yelled, "You brat, don't be superstitious, do you hear me?"
Since everyone had gone to bed early the night before, Ming Zhe, Wen Kai, and Wen Qi all got up early the next morning without any complaints.
As soon as Ming Zhe woke up, he threw off his quilt, grabbed his padded cotton coat and pants, and quickly put them on. Without even taking the time to put on his shoes, he ran barefoot towards the window, intending to open it. He pushed for a long time but couldn't open it, becoming as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
Wen Kai said while putting on his shoes, "Ming Zhe, hurry and put on your shoes. Don't catch a cold, or Big Sister won't let you come."
Upon hearing this, Ming Zhe immediately ran back and put on his shoes, asking anxiously, "Wen Kai, tell me, why can't the window be opened? I wonder if the snow has stopped?"
Wen Kai thought for a moment and said, "It's probably because it snowed so heavily last night that the window froze shut. Hurry and get dressed, finish washing up, and go downstairs to see if it's still snowing."
Before Wen Kai could finish speaking, Ming Zhe dashed to the washroom like a gust of wind.
After Chen Lan was ready and had helped the twins finish washing up, she carried them downstairs.
She saw the three of them looking at her eagerly and immediately asked, "Ming Zhe, did the snow stop this morning?"
Ming Zhe immediately replied excitedly, "Sister-in-law, the snow has stopped, it's not snowing anymore, we can go out and play today."
Chen Lan said with a smile, "Great! Let's eat quickly, and we'll leave right after breakfast."
Uncle De immediately said, "Little Lan, we men won't be going today. We have to shovel snow. It snowed so heavily last night, we need to shovel the snow from the greenhouses and the tremella sheds. I'm afraid if we don't clear it properly, the sheds might collapse if it snows heavily again. You ladies go and have fun!"
At this moment, Uncle Fu asked with some concern, "Little Lan, do we need to shovel snow from our house?"
After Uncle Fu spoke, everyone looked at Chen Lan.
Chen Lan smiled and said, "Uncle Fu, no need. Our house uses a special material alloy steel frame structure. Its greatest characteristic is its sturdiness and durability, and it has a long lifespan. It can withstand an eight-magnitude earthquake and an eleven-level typhoon!"
Uncle Fu smiled and said, "Hearing you say that, I'm relieved."
After everyone finished breakfast, Uncle De and Uncle Fu took the men to shovel the snow from the vegetable greenhouses and the tremella sheds.
They assigned Xiang Xi and Xiao Shuan to take the women and children to the hillside for skiing.
Cui Qiao also said, "Little Lan, we from the sewing society can't go either, because Ming Zhe's comrades' six families are arriving soon, and we need to work overtime. We'll go another time when we have the chance."
Chen Lan couldn't force them and had no choice but to wait for another opportunity to take them along.
Ming Zhe and the other two were still wearing the same equipment as yesterday.
Today, Chen Lan had bought a new set of gear for herself and everyone else, including the twins, Little Stone, Hu Tou, and Little Douzi.
Everyone immediately scattered to their rooms to change into their new clothes, leaving only Ming Zhe and the other two, already dressed, waiting in the living room.
Chen Lan and her mother also took the twins back to their upstairs rooms to change. The twins weren't used to the helmets with hats and kept trying to pull them off with their hands. Chen Lan quickly put gloves on them, and they immediately settled down.
Chen Lan asked her mother to help watch the twins in the room. She took three single sleds from the system warehouse and went downstairs to give one to Ming Zhe, one to Wen Kai, and one to Wen Qi, so they could take care of them.
While the living room was still empty, she took out three double sleds from the system warehouse and placed them in the living room. Then she went upstairs to change her clothes and bring the twins downstairs.
After everyone fussed around for a long time, they were finally ready to go out.
As soon as they stepped out of the yard, the north wind was blowing fiercely. Chen Lan asked everyone to put on their hats and gloves and also checked the twins' hats and gloves.
She had her mother and mother-in-law each hold a child on a sled, and she tied a rope to the front of the sled and pulled with all her might.
Because of the cold weather, the snow had frozen over, so pulling the sled was effortless.
Chen Lan ran ahead, with Ming Zhe, Wen Kai, and Wen Qi following behind on their small sleds.
Xiang Xi followed Chen Lan's example, having Mama Cui hold Little Stone and Mama Liu hold Hu Tou on the sleds, while he tied a rope to the sled and chased after Chen Lan.
Xiao Shuan did the same, having Chun Cao hold Little Douzi on the sled, and he pulled the sled to catch up quickly.
The group chased each other in the valley, their laughter echoing through the hills.
The heavy snow covered the entire valley. The distant mountains, fields, and forests were all white. The scene was one of ice and snow, and finally, the snow had temporarily stopped.
Everyone soon arrived at the bottom of the slope from yesterday.
Because it had snowed heavily last night, the path they had cleared yesterday was completely covered by the snow, and there was no sign of it.
So, a new path had to be made today for everyone to follow and play.
The first trip down the mountain in Changbai Mountain is called "tang lu," which means "making a path" or "pioneering." Once the small sled can slide down the slope smoothly without being blocked by obstacles, it means a path for the sled has been made.
Since the bottom of the slope had been cleared yesterday, there was no need to clear it today. Once the path was made, everyone could start playing immediately.
Of course, the glorious and arduous task of "making the snow path" was entrusted to Xiang Xi and Xiao Shuan.
Xiao Shuan was the first to pick up the small sled they made yesterday, walked up the slope, sat on the sled himself, and with a "whoosh," the sled slid down the incline and traveled a long distance, immediately creating a snow path.
Next, Xiang Xi climbed the slope, straddled the sled with his legs spread apart, and with a "whoosh," the sled quickly slid down the slope, creating a wide snow path. As it was blown by the cold wind, it quickly froze smooth and shiny, making the path even more slippery.
At this point, Ming Zhe, Wen Kai, and Wen Qi were already impatient. They picked up their small sleds, climbed the slope, and repeatedly slid down the mountain on their sleds, "whooshing" a long, long way, their laughter spreading far and wide throughout the valley.