The next day, the weather cleared up as predicted. Bright sunlight sprinkled over the snow-covered ground, reflecting a translucent glow. A flock of unnamed birds clustered densely on the wall tops, chirping melodiously to the morning sun, adding liveliness to the quiet winter day!
The knee-deep snow absorbed the sun's warmth and began to melt layer by layer, turning into meltwater. The snowmelt from the rooftops flowed down like little streams along the eaves, creating various sized puddles on the ground which slowly trickled towards lower-lying areas through the drainage ditches.
Taking advantage of the good weather, Mo Yan and the others moved the sausages and cured meats they had prepared in the previous days outside to sun dry in the courtyard. They also took their bedding off the beds, boiled several large pots of hot water, and embarked on a thorough washing.
