This woman was the mother of the boy she called Xiao Cong.
Xiao Cong was fifteen this year, sturdy of build and naturally lively and cheerful.
Ever since he was seven, he had followed his father and elder uncle into the mountains to hunt.
By fourteen, he was already able to stand on his own, venturing alone into the woods several li beyond Village to hunt small animals.
Three days ago, Xiao Cong had once again left Village to hunt in the small woods some five or six li away.
He had set out just after the sun rose in the morning, yet when he returned, it was already deep into the night.
The woman's heart had been full of anxiety, because whenever her precious son left Village to hunt in the woods, he would usually set out in the morning and certainly return home before sunset.
She waited for a long time.
Until, in the darkness of night, her son stood all alone outside the fence of their courtyard, a wild rabbit hanging from his hand.
Moonlight spilled down, stretching his shadow long, long.
"You're back?"
The woman came out of the house and hurried toward the boy.
"Mhm."
The boy merely answered dully. His eyes were vacant as he stared straight ahead.
But the woman did not notice anything unusual about him. All she cared about was whether her son was safe and whether he had been injured anywhere.
Under the moonlight, her gaze hurriedly swept over Xiao Cong's body. Seeing no external wounds on him, she felt much more at ease.
"Why are you back so late? Did something happen in the woods?"
the woman asked.
"No."
Only then did the boy finally lower his head stiffly, letting his hollow gaze fall upon his mother.
"Mother, I