Pan Yun pressed her lips together, circled to the front, and stood in the yard to ask, "Excuse me, is Da Chun here?"
The youth came out of the house. He was so hungry that he had gone a little weak, and his body leaned faintly against the doorframe. He could not make out the person standing in the sunlight, only a hazy outline, but his expression did not change, and he tried his best not to let anyone see his condition. "Brother Da Chun went to the Wei Suo. Who are you? What do you want with Brother Da Chun?"
Seeing his pale face, bloodless lips, and unfocused, scattered eyes, Pan Yun hurried over. "One of his friends asked me to bring him a message. Are you dizzy?"
She took out a sachet and pulled out a handful of candy. Miao He had bought it and left a great deal of it with her.
Pan Yun peeled off the wrapper and shoved a piece into his mouth. "This is candy. Eat some. Do you have white sugar or brown sugar at home? Drinking some sugar water will make you feel better faster..."
The youth did not answer her, but his tongue pressed the candy against the roof of his mouth. As the sweetness spread, he gradually saw the person standing before him clearly.
She was a girl not much older than he was, dressed in a Daoist robe. Yet, like his mother, she made him feel warm and close to her. He had not dreamed of his mother in a very long time.
When he saw Pan Yun, his eyes reddened despite himself. He murmured, "Mother..."
His voice was so low it was nearly inaudible, but Pan Yun had sharp ears and still caught it.
She answered, "Yes?" Then