Evening.
Ren Ye and the other two grabbed a quick bite, then rested separately. To avoid "unnecessary trouble," each took a room and ignored the others.
With his stomach full, drowsiness washed over Ren Ye. He leaned against the wall in the West Room and fell sound asleep.
Before long, night fell.
"Clang, clang...!"
In the middle of an indescribable dream, Ren Ye dimly heard metal clanging in his ears.
He slowly opened his eyes. His body ached a little, and only after moving around slightly did he notice light in the room.
His blurry vision gradually cleared and came into focus. He instinctively sat up straight and scanned his surroundings.
The dilapidated West Room had actually become very tidy. Newspapers covered the walls, neatly folded bedding lay on the wooden bed, and a burning kerosene lamp sat on the little wooden table beside it.
Huh?
Was I still dreaming?
Dazed for a moment, Ren Ye pushed himself up off the floor.
"Clang."
Another metallic clang came from beyond the cloth curtain covering the doorway.
"Old Liu? Ai Fei?"
Ren Ye called out tentatively, reached the doorway in two steps, lifted the curtain, and walked out.
Village houses of this era had extremely simple layouts. The east and west rooms were bedrooms, while the middle room, connected to the front door, was where the fire was lit and meals were cooked.
"Whoosh!"
Ren Ye lifted the curtain and stepped inside. The first thing he saw was the fire in the stove. Then his scalp instantly prickled.
Beside the stove stood the white-haired Old Woman, her back hunched as she held a dipper and added water to the large pot.
The flames fluttered and the light flickered, alternately illuminating and obscuring her figure. Cloth garments covered her withered body, and embroidered