While all the good people were keeping at home and drinking tea, Lau was wading in the snow. That by itself was, some might say, a comment Fate made on the flaws in his character.<br/>It was duty that brought him on the road, though. His brother has married in that far-off village, which was normal. He had chosen, however, to remain with his wife's parents, which was weird. But weird or not, family was family. And one doesn't leave family alone when they might be in need.<br/>Recently, they had learned he has been mobilised - the Lau elders have managed to misrepresent the number of men in the household, so only a couple have been taken away. But it seemed like his brother's relatives have been less adept at manipulating magistrates, because he had been taken away. So Lau has been dispatched to take care Second Aunt didn't want for anything! And he intended to do so, although the place was really unfamiliar. Why, even the roofs were sloped, instead of flat like they were further south, at his home place.<br/>Weird people, those Northerners, he concluded, while jumping nimbly to avoid the falling snow. Then he crouched. Had someone thrown it from the roof?<br/>A minute passed by. Nobody else moved, but how has the snow fallen? Lau was starting to get cold...<br/>Then he slapped his hands and giggled. The sloped roof was the only one guilty!<br/>"So, that's why they built you like that?", he turned to the roof. "You're actually acting like a Crane Wing step, defending the home below from the falling snow like the Crane Wing defends the fighter! Intercepting the snow, then letting it shed off by itself...smart roof!"<br/>He shook his head. Maybe the Northerners had their reasons to build roofs like that, he concluded, before turning to continue on his path.<br/>Big Aunt's home probably had a sloped roof as well, but he didn't know which one it was. And there was nobody to ask for instructions. So he resolved and approached a random house, knocking on the door.<br/>"Good morning", he raised his voice. "I'm Lau, the brother of Lau the foreigner. Can you show me the way to his house? I've never been here until today!"