Du Juan packed up her family's belongings and then, taking Daya with her, went downstairs, intending to give Jia Yuemei a hand.
The tube-shaped building was U-shaped, with ten rooms on each of the east and west sides and eight in the middle.
Jia Yuemei lived in the seventh room from the east in the middle section. Du Juan, leading Daya by the hand, walked over and could hear Jia Yuemei humming a tune before they even reached her door, clearly in high spirits.
"Yuemei."
Jia Yuemei turned around and upon seeing Du Juan and her daughter entering through the cotton quilt curtain, hurried to welcome them with a smile and gestured for them to sit down.
"No need to sit. I came down to see how your packing is going. Do you need a hand?"
Jia Yuemei, without any pretense, pointed at the bed in the inner room and said, "That would be great, big sister. Help me fold up the bedding. My back has been aching these past few days."