The rural night always quieted down very quickly. Long Aixi had already taken a bath and changed into new clothes but felt completely sleepless, so she carried a stool to sit under the eaves, listening to the occasional clucking of the hens in the yard and the little black dog of the grass hissing at her from time to time.
Having just finished bathing, Xia Dabao happened to pass under the eaves and, seeing the little black dog barking at Long Aixi, scolded the grass with a shout, "Stop barking, it's one of us!"
The grass no longer dared to bark but still stared at Long Aixi curiously and vigilantly.
Long Aixi stopped looking at the grass and turned her gaze to Xia Dabao.
Xia Dabao had just come out after bathing, her face reddish and fair from the hot water. She probably hadn't washed her hair, but it might have gotten a bit wet at the roots from her movements in the bath, so she let her hair down to dry in the yard.
