The winter night stretched on, and dawn had yet to break.
Pu Yu had slept for less than three hours. Once she woke, she could no longer stay in bed.
She got up quietly, her eyes sore and gritty. She did not need a mirror to know they must have swollen to the size of walnuts.
The moment she opened the door to the main room, the gentle fragrance of rice porridge drifted toward her.
Surprised, Pu Yu went into the kitchen and found Li Suhua hunched over the stove, slowly stirring with a ladle.
"Grandma?" Pu Yu walked over, her voice still hoarse with sleep. "Why are you up so early?"
Li Suhua did not look up. Her tone was flat. "They made enough noise across the way last night to tear the house down. I'm hard of hearing, not deaf."
"How's that boy Yuan Su? Still got all his arms and legs?"
Remembering what had happened last night, Pu Yu felt her eyes redden again. "He does, but Auntie Lu's medical bills need paying, and his dad took all his money..."
Li Suhua's stirring stopped abruptly.
Only the bubbling of boiling water remained in the kitchen.
"Not a penny left?" the old woman asked with a frown.
Pu Yu nodded sadly.
Li Suhua was silent for a few seconds, then handed Pu Yu the ladle. "Watch the pot. Don't let it boil over."
With that, she took off her apron and went into the inner room.
Pu Yu held the ladle, but her thoughts remained with Yuan Su.
The sound of rummaging through drawers and cupboards came from the room.
It took quite a while before Li Suhua found the old handkerchief wrapped around its contents in layer upon layer.
Inside was the money she had received two