“Let’s try again.”
After these words were spoken, everyone fell silent. If they were wrong again, the second floor would also be flooded… Even Li Li, who had been so certain before, hesitated, not daring to make a hasty decision.
Tan Xiao was a little bewildered. Looking at everyone's varied expressions, he asked, “What's wrong? Haven't we already found the pearls? Why do you all look like this?”
Li Li said irritably, “We’re worried about making a mistake…”
“How could we make a mistake?” Tan Xiao widened his eyes in confusion. “If it’s not the pearls, then what could it be?”
Everyone exchanged glances.
Yes… If it’s not the pearls, then what could it be?
They had searched this house inside and out countless times! Apart from the boat they pulled out of the whale plush toy, there was nothing else that could be called treasure. These shimmering pearls were their only hope!
Shen Mo pondered for a moment, then said, “Just in case, let's move everything we need from the second floor to the attic. If the second floor gets flooded, we won't be able to use anything there.”
Teacher Cheng said, “Let’s move the books we haven’t finished reading up there too!”
Shen Mo nodded. Perhaps the remaining books held other clues.
Everyone rallied their spirits and began moving things from the second floor to the attic. Some carried books, others carried bedding and pillows.
During this time, Zhu Shu went down to the water once and found a pearl. She rested briefly, then went down a second time to look for more pearls, but she wasn't so lucky and returned empty-handed.
Meanwhile, the attic, crammed with ten people, books, bedding, and household items, was packed to the brim, the air becoming stifling.
Lü Ang, with his large build, felt suffocated and asked Tan Xiao to open the window.
The attic had only one small window. The latch was rusty, and Tan Xiao had to push hard twice before it finally opened.
Salty, humid wind mixed with rain drifted in, bringing fresh air but also wetting the floor near the window. Tan Xiao stuck his head out and looked around—all he could see was an endless expanse of water. The hills and woods were completely gone. The house seemed like a lone island in a vast ocean, facing the risk of being submerged by the tide at any moment.
He pulled his head back inside with a sigh and said, “The window is so small. If this place gets flooded too, we won't even be able to get out.”
“Then we’ll fight it!” Lü Ang said gruffly. “There are ten of us. We can figure something out. Can’t we kill one fish?!”
“It has thick skin and tough flesh. How are we supposed to do that?” Tan Xiao was distressed. “We don’t even have any weapons.”
Their only fruit knife had fallen into the water while they were rescuing Lü Ang.
Shen Mo, overhearing them, said calmly, “The fruit knife should be near the stairs. It shouldn't be hard to find. But we need to confirm the pearls again.”
Including the one Zhu Shu had just found, they had a total of 33 pearls.
But were there only 33 pearls? If they were short a few when they presented them to the guest, would the guest go berserk?
Yan Qingwen said, ��Let's check one last time. This time, we'll go down one by one. The pearls are too small, and the ripples created by swimming underwater will cause them to move. Everyone should be careful and move gently when searching.”
Except for the injured Lü Ang and Li Li, Teacher Cheng and Bai Youwei, who couldn't swim, the other six people went down to the second floor.
Even Xiao Xin went down.
They took turns diving into the water to search for pearls.
Unconsciously… another two hours passed.
At three o'clock in the morning, everyone was utterly exhausted.
They dragged their wet and cold bodies back to the attic and placed all the pearls they could find together—
“Everyone rest where you are. Tomorrow, we entertain the guest,” Yan Qingwen declared decisively.