The iron gate creaked open, and several people began to climb the stairs.
Unlike the new Zizhu Community, which had uniformly installed motion-sensor lights, this older complex just had low-wattage bulbs between floors.
The dim yellow light cast long shadows of the adults and child against the wall.
The shadows swayed unsteadily as if blown by the wind.
"Be careful, hold onto our hands," Yue Xiaofang cautioned Qingqing.
Wei Rong's mother also held her daughter's hand.
Wei Rong gave Qingqing a cheeky look and mimed taking a deep breath.
From the first floor to the second, the scent became increasingly noticeable.
As they ascended the floors, the faint initial smell thickened until it seemed to saturate the air.
It clung to the face masks, almost choking them with each breath.
But it seemed only the two children could smell it.
Yue Xiaofang and Wei Rong's mother kept their eyes fixed on the steps, cautiously minding where they stepped.
