Time quickly passed to July 23rd, Alu had been away to the capital city for half a month already, he should be due back soon. From the start of noon, Chen Ming would sit under the tree making baskets, glancing towards the east occasionally. Under the midday heat, he would only briefly go home to nap, then he'd continue to gaze eastward. It wasn't until the setting of the sun that he realized they wouldn't be returning, that he would retreat back to the house in disappointment.
Afu soon began to feel a sense of anticipation, coming out often to look towards the east. Even Dabao, who was in the west of the village walking the birds and picking up firewood in late afternoon, would bring Qi Qi and Hui Hui to wander in the east before heading home.
At the beginning of late morning on the 24th, Afu was making mattresses on her bed, and Dabao was practicing his writing. Suddenly, they heard Chen Ming, who was sitting under the eaves, asking, "Who are you looking for?"
