There weren't many customers in the shop that morning.
Lu Ming sat behind the counter scrolling on his phone. Wen Ning had gone out on business, while Feng Dema crouched by a washbasin, bathing the Sparrow Spirit's little sparrows.
A few days earlier, the Sparrow Spirit had brought the whole family over again, saying the chicks had lice again, then dumped the children there and ran off.
Feng Dema had one hand covered in suds and the other holding down a struggling little sparrow, muttering all the while.
"Hold still, hold still. Once I finish washing this one, I'll scrub your back."
The little sparrow chirped away, flapping its wings and splashing water everywhere.
The others crouched nearby in a queue, tilting their heads as they watched the fun.
Hearing the commotion, Lu Ming raised his voice.
"Dema, take it easy! You're splashing water all the way out front!"
"Got it, got it."
As Feng Dema spoke, the side door to the backyard creaked open.
A young woman stood in the doorway, peeked inside, then walked in.
She wore a light-colored T-shirt and jeans, with her hair in a ponytail and a canvas bag over her shoulder. She looked neat and fresh-faced, unmistakably a student straight out of school.
She paused when she saw Feng Dema crouching on the ground with his hands covered in suds.
"Excuse me, are you hiring temporary workers? I'm from the university next door, and I'm looking for a part-time job."
Feng Dema looked up.
The instant he saw her, it was as though someone had pressed his pause button.
He stopped holding the sparrow down. His mouth hung slightly open, his mismatched eyes rounded, and he stared straight at her.
The young woman felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze. She smiled and asked