"My name is Lin Xi'er. What's yours?"
"Zhang Xuan."
Upon reaching the western side of the village, Lin Xi'er slowed her pace and shyly let go of Zhang Xuan's hand.
"My home is just ahead."
She then pointed toward a thatched cottage poking out from the western hill.
Zhang Xuan glanced over. By the starlight, he could vaguely make out the thatched cottage, with candlelight glowing within.
Before long, they arrived at the thatched cottage.
"Mother, I'm back!" Lin Xi'er called into the house before stepping inside.
Zhang Xuan swept his gaze across the thatched cottage and entered as well.
Inside sat a middle-aged woman with black hair streaked with white, dressed in a plain purple gown.
Hearing Lin Xi'er's call, she rose to her feet and stretched out her hands, feeling her way forward.
Seeing this, Lin Xi'er hurried over, took hold of her, and helped her back into her chair.
The middle-aged woman frowned and sternly scolded Lin Xi'er. "Where did you go? Why are you back so late?"
"Oh, Mother, aren't I fine?"
Suddenly, the middle-aged woman's left ear twitched. She sprang to her feet. "Who's there?"
She tilted her head toward Zhang Xuan.
Lin Xi'er quickly explained, recounting everything that had happened between her and Zhang Xuan to the middle-aged woman.
The mother and daughter were both equally strange.
In short, the two of them had latched onto Zhang Xuan. He shook his head with a bitter smile.
"Your mother..." Zhang Xuan asked as he saw the vacant, unfocused look in the middle-aged woman's eyes.
Before Lin Xi'er could speak, the middle-aged woman's expression turned severe. "Hmph! Don't think that just because I'm blind, you can bully Xi Er."
Zhang Xuan was speechless. This was completely out of nowhere.
After eating and chatting for a while,