"Mm~"
When the girl in Edward's arms woke up, she did not see her parents. Seeing that the sun had already set, she rubbed her eyes and asked, "Uncle Edward, where are my father and mother? Did they go up the mountain to watch the stars again?"
"No..."
Edward did not know how to explain this to a five-year-old girl. After thinking it over, he decided to placate her first. "Li Zhao, your father and mother went into the city to buy rice. They'll be back tomorrow, so go to sleep first."
"Okay." Li Zhao yawned again, climbed onto the bed, and pulled up the patched cotton quilt. Before long, she was asleep.
Young children were naturally sleepy, especially since this year's harvest had been poor. Li Jiang's family had little surplus grain left. Although the couple had savings, most of their expenses had gone toward brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and such. Moreover, they could not openly travel to nearby cities to purchase supplies... Thus, Li Zhao could only drink two bowls of rice porridge a day, and for the rest of the time, she could only ease her hunger through sleep.
Early the next morning.
Before the sun rose in the east, Li Zhao was already out of bed, waiting at the village entrance for her parents.
Edward had a trusted villager watch over Li Zhao for the time being, while he ran toward that mountain peak to confirm what had happened to Li Jiang and his wife.
However!
When he arrived, what he saw were two corpses and blood all over the ground. An old man with lifeless eyes stood nearby.
Hearing the noise, Li Gong turned his vacant gaze toward him and asked, "Who are you?"
"I... I'm just an ordinary person! Don't kill me!" Edward did