Someone stepped forward to knock on the door.
Three knocks, a pause, another three knocks, another pause, then three more knocks.
Song Ning studied the front door of the house carefully. A torch stood outside this door too, still burning because the thatched eaves above the door had been extended a little farther out.
The torch had a long handle, with a short strip of iron wrapped around the top.
She wondered whether this was some kind of signal.
The man who opened the door was around thirty, with a cloth wrapped around his head and coarse clothes on his body.
His expression was distinctly wary.
Then he saw the drenched figures outside.
His face lit up.
He hurriedly called out, "Master! You're finally here!"
They went inside.
The man bustled about, fetching towels and handing them hot water.
Judging by his accent and mannerisms,
he clearly wasn't from the mountains.
Lin Xiaoming pointed at Song Ning and told him, "Li Er! Lock her up first! Find her some dry clothes!"
The man shouted toward the back, "Monkey! What are you dawdling back there for? Get over here!"
A moment later, a scrawny man carrying firewood ran in through the back door.
He wore a bamboo hat, and most of his clothes were soaked.
He piled the firewood beside the brazier.
Then he removed his hat, revealing a narrow, gaunt face.
Bowing and scraping, he greeted Lin Xiaoming. "Master! You're here!"
"Enough! Hurry up and lock this woman in the side room! Then find her some dry clothes!"
"Yes, yes!" Only then did the man called Monkey turn to look at Song Ning.
When his gaze landed on her face, he froze, staring so intently that he didn't look away for a long while.
Li Er smacked Monkey on the