It is false that the connotations of a word have little effect on its literal meaning. Connotation are your personal feelings that a certain word evokes when you think about it/read it/write it.
For example, the word home means a house, but its connotation is usually positive - you connect it with love, warmth, etc.
The answer is definitely: "And so it piled up to the ceilings" since the author is using exaggeration as a literary technique to make the situation seem even worse than it is.
I hope this answer helps you :)!
I honestly hope that this helps you.
