Manbao brought the cart full of flowers and plants home, and then began dividing them up for Keke to catalog. By the time Bai Shan and the others returned from playing, Manbao's hands were covered in dirt; she was squatting next to a flowerpot, trying to scoop the spilled soil back in.
Bai Shan looked around and asked, "You're just leaving these out here like this?"
Manbao replied, "I dug them up outdoors. Since they survived the winter before, they should be fine now too. Later, I'll grab some rice straw or wheat straw to cover them up—just enough to keep them warm."
Manbao clapped the dirt off her hands and asked, "Where did you guys go?"
"Horse riding," Bai Shan said. "We went to the eastern suburbs to let the horses run a bit."
Manbao's eyes lit up and she asked excitedly, "How did it feel?"
"Cold," Bai Shan said. "We've decided not to ride horses again until spring, and we wouldn't recommend you try, either. Honestly, it's freezing."
