When Zhou You came home from school, his mother was perched on a little stool instead of sitting on the sofa, scrolling through short videos with her phone propped on a stand on the coffee table. Some TV drama was playing on the television, mainly serving as background noise.
Five years ago, Zhou You's family of three had gone on a trip to celebrate his graduation from primary school. Who could have expected a car accident during the trip? His father had died on the spot, leaving only Zhou You and his mother.
After all these years, Zhou You had come to terms with his father's death. Bringing it up no longer left him as lost and distraught as he had been five years ago. Now he only wanted to focus on his studies, to comfort his father's spirit in heaven and repay his mother for raising him alone all these years. "Mom, I'm home!"
"You're back, son?"
"You're right on time today. Hungry? Want a late-night snack? I'll make you something."
Ever since her son had started school early, he had occasionally come home later than usual, always saying he was hungry and asking her to make him something. Once it was ready, he would take the plate into his room to eat.
So Zhou You's mother kept suspecting that her son was secretly keeping a kitten or puppy.
Nobody was home during the day. They couldn't keep a pet with no one to look after it.
"I'm not hungry. Here, a present for you."
Zhou You pulled a scented sachet out of his schoolbag. Inside were protective talismans and a Sword Pellet.
"What's this?" His mother took the sachet. Its fine workmanship made it seem unlike something from a street stall.
"A classmate of mine has connections to