"Sha Zhu, come over here!" Deaf Old Granny called softly to Sha Zhu.
"Granny, what's going on? Why are you acting so mysterious?"
Deaf Old Granny had noticed that Yi Zhonghai had recently been paying unusual attention to Chi Yu. Whenever Wang Cheng was mentioned, Yi Zhonghai deliberately avoided the subject. Things were starting to slip beyond Control, so she called Sha Zhu over to tell him a thing or two.
"Sha Zhu, listen to Granny. That young man your First Master took in, the one called Wang Cheng—he's no good. If you run into him, be careful."
"And..."
Deaf Old Granny truly was Deaf Old Granny. She saw things more clearly than most.
Sha Zhu nodded with a smile, not taking it too seriously, though he had become somewhat more interested in Chi Yu.
Night fell, and the City of Beijing was especially cold in winter.
The temperature plummeted, and before long, heavy snowflakes began to drift down.
At Yi Zhonghai's home, First Master and First Aunt sat beside a brazier, warming themselves.
"Old Yi, where do you think Wang Cheng went?"
"The factory said he took leave. It seems he went to the countryside. He left in a hurry, so I don't know the details."
"That child, not even saying goodbye." First Aunt shook her head with a smile.
"Who knows when he'll be back? It's snowing so heavily outside." Yi Zhonghai rose and looked toward the door.
A moment later, Sha Zhu swaggered in.
"Oh, First Master, First Aunt, keeping warm?"
"Oh... Sha Zhu!"
"You brat, what do you need?"
"First Master, can't I come over if I don't need anything?" Sha Zhu's eyes kept sweeping over the room, as if he were looking for someone.
"You brat, do you think I don't know you? Go on,