The sun sank in the west. It was the hour when demons roamed.
Every household had its doors shut tight. Almost no one ventured out into such a dark night, especially with the recent rumors of evil demons devouring people.
The night breeze was a little chilly. Huddled in a corner by the door in thin clothes, the girl unconsciously raised her head. A crescent moon had risen without her noticing, bringing a gentle glow to the darkness.
A faint light stirred in the girl's vacant pinkish-purple eyes. Deep within them, a trace of anticipation seemed to hide.
Taro Town was quiet at night, its streets almost entirely deserted. The little girl stood up and rose onto her tiptoes, gazing into the distance.
Time ticked by, but the street remained empty. The light in her eyes gradually dimmed.
Then, at the end of the street, a dark silhouette slowly emerged in the faint moonlight.
Color gradually returned to the girl's dull, empty gaze, and she hurried toward the figure at an eager little run.
Soon, the travel-worn figure came into view.
"Sorry I'm a little late."
Looking at the girl's expectant eyes, Su Mu smiled, then crouched down and gently picked her up. Their figures soon disappeared from the spot.
Su Mu carried the girl into the house in the remote, desolate courtyard.
"Wait just a moment."
He set her down and spoke gently, then found the food, cooking utensils, bowls, and chopsticks he had hidden in the house earlier.
He took out a flint and struck a flame. Soon, a small fire was burning. He added rice and water to a small pot, then set it over the fire to cook.
"I'll cook some rice first, then stir-fry something for you."
He turned to speak to the girl, who waited quietly beside him, then got on with his work. Over the past few days, he had gotten a rough sense of her personality. She was a little dazed, very quiet, and very well-behaved.
The girl stood obediently to one side, her pinkish-purple eyes sparkling as she watched the man bustle about.
Su Mu picked up a knife and deftly chopped the ingredients. Then he took another small pot, poured in some oil, and set it over the fire to heat.
Once the oil was sufficiently hot, he added the prepared ingredients.
Sizzle...
Oil spattered, and the aroma instantly spread through the air.
The girl waited quietly nearby, watching the man hold the little pot in one hand and a spoon in the other.
The fire burned, its flames flickering.
The man worked in the warm red glow. Apart from that, the secluded, desolate courtyard was utterly still. The only sounds were the clink of the spoon against the pot and the crackle of burning wood.
It almost felt as though she had come to a little river on a summer night. Everything was peaceful and quiet, with the faint glow of fireflies and soft moonlight falling gently over her.
The gentle murmur of running water rippling against pebbles lingered in her ears.
The girl, little more than skin and bones, watched the scene quietly. A faint light shimmered in her lovely pinkish-purple eyes as she gazed at the busy man.
"Don't worry. It'll be ready soon."
The man's voice drifted over like a gentle breeze, brushing her cheeks and touching her long eyelashes. Without her noticing, those lashes seemed to grow damp with the mist of the night.
Soon, the dish was ready.
"Once the rice is done, you can eat."
Su Mu transferred the stir-fried food onto a little plate, turning back to speak to the girl with a smile.
The girl raised her head and looked at him, her lips parting slightly. She wanted so badly to say something, but no words came out. Over the days gone by, she seemed to have gradually lost the ability to express her feelings. Whether words of gratitude or praise, she no longer knew how to convey them.
Su Mu had long since grown used to her dazed manner and paid it no mind. Instead, he turned to check the pot of rice.
In truth, he already regretted promising to bring her food every evening. He had only said it out of pity for her. Besides, he had had nothing much to do at night back then, so bringing the little girl something to eat had been a simple favor.
Now, however, he was busy every night. Preparing food for her meant traveling back and forth between several places. Even though his demon body never grew tired, it still took up a great deal of time.
Yet whenever he considered giving up, he could not help thinking of her frail little body, her bright eyes, and the dependence on him she quietly revealed. In the end, he still hurried back to town to prepare something for her to eat.
Forget it. I'll just have to travel a little farther and spend a little more time.
He thought this silently to himself.
By then, the rice was almost ready. He lifted the lid, picked up a small bowl, and spooned it full.
"Go ahead and eat."
He brought the girl over to a shabby little table in the house, placed the bowl of rice in front of her, then brought over the cooked dish.
The girl obediently ate her rice in little bites.
"Don't just eat the rice. Have more of the vegetables, too."
Su Mu picked up some of the food with his chopsticks and placed it in her bowl.
The girl kept her head lowered, her little face almost buried in the bowl as she ate one small bite after another. Steam from the rice brushed her long eyelashes, veiling them in a hazy mist.
For the first time in a long while, the feelings buried deep in her heart, beyond her reach, seemed to find a tiny opening. An emotion called sadness lingered within her.
In another couple of days, she would be sold, and she would never see the gentle man before her again.
There would be no more evenings when she could see Uncle, no more days spent by his side.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing her bowed head and sensing that something was off, Su Mu asked with some curiosity.
"Starting tomorrow, you won't have to bring me food at night anymore, Uncle."
The girl sniffled and spoke softly, keeping her head down.
Hearing this, Su Mu could not help feeling pleased, and he relaxed considerably. Bringing food to the little girl every night had taken up a lot of his time.
"Is that because you'll have food from now on?"
A relieved expression appeared on his face.
The girl shook her head.
"Then why?"
Su Mu asked casually.
"Father is selling me to someone tomorrow. I'll probably be taken somewhere else, so I might never see you again, Uncle."
The girl ate her rice in little bites, her voice soft.
Su Mu froze for a moment and looked at her. She still kept her head down, eating one small mouthful of rice after another. Being sold by her parents was such a cruel thing, such a heartbreaking thing, yet she spoke of it so calmly, as though even being sold by her parents could not make her feel sad.