As he listened to Li Bai speak words that sounded almost like a last will, the fat man clutched her hand, his eyes red-rimmed and tears welling up. His lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a word.
What Li Bai had said was the best solution. Making Shao Tong the scapegoat wasn't wise, and everyone understood that. But emotionally, none of them wanted Li Bai to be the one who left.
A commotion rose outside the courtyard gate, as if a crowd was approaching. The long, grating sound of soles scraping against the ground was maddening. It was as though none of them lifted their feet as they walked, dragging them along the ground.
"There's no time! Give me that bowl of plain rice!"
Li Bai struggled to sit up. She was afraid to die, too, but all she could do now was avoid dragging her friends down. Jiang Cheng, Wang Fugui, and Yao Shunyu had been through so much to get this far. Sadly, her journey with them had come to an end.
Jiang Cheng fished the wooden tablet out of his clothes and stuffed it into Li Bai's pocket. "I don't know what this tablet does, but keep it with you. It might help."
Holding the bowl of white rice, Li Bai tremblingly picked up her chopsticks. Just as she had accepted her fate, a hand grabbed hers and took the bowl away.
"You..." Li Bai looked at him in confusion.
Shao Tong held the bowl in one hand and pointed at Li Bai's pocket with the other. Calmly, he said, "Don't be in such a hurry to die. I can translate the writing on that tablet."
"You can translate it?" The fat man's face lit up with joy. "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Tang Qisheng and