Saturday.
Xue Yuantong had been so angered by Jiang Ning last night that she rolled around in bed. Eventually, exhausted from all that rolling and unable to stay up any longer, she went to bed "early."
Compared to how she usually stayed up until one or two in the morning, midnight really was early.
This morning, to avoid cooking and get revenge on Jiang Ning, she had specifically made a private arrangement with Chuchu for the two of them to have breakfast together.
At exactly seven.
Xue Yuantong was jolted awake by her alarm. With tremendous willpower, she rolled out of her comfortable bed.
After pushing open the door, she quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth, then ran next door to find Chuchu.
The morning air was fresh. The elderly residents of the row of single-story homes woke early, carrying bowls and basins as they sat outside their doors, eating and chatting.
An old man tossed out a bone, and the little Yellow Dog shot out with a whoosh, catching it in one bite like a dog catching a frisbee on television.
Xue Chuchu's front door was half-open.
Aunt Hua had gone to work that morning. Though it was Saturday, Aunt Hua had been working especially hard lately in order to pay back the money she had borrowed from relatives to buy the house. She only took one day off each month.
Aunt Hua had worked in factories and restaurants before and was used to physical labor, so taking only one day off a month was not too difficult for her.
Xue Chuchu had no classes today. She cracked an egg into a ladle, her movements light and graceful.
Seeing Tongtong arrive, she said softly, "It'll be ready soon. I was just about to call you."
Her hair