"Madam, come inside; it's cold outside," Zhang Ma called out from the kitchen window, spotting Xia Lu still standing in the yard where she had been all morning. "You'll catch a cold if you stay out there much longer."
Xia Lu hadn't heard what she was saying. With one hand propping her cheek, she looked over the yard. Such a large front and backyard, completely unkempt, the wild grass and tree branches overgrown—it was a complete waste. Coincidentally, she had been very idle lately and was always looking for something to do.
"OK, it's decided then," she clapped her hands, encouraging herself.
