Nan Feng and I had just come out of Uncle Zhou's house and were about to head up the mountain when I suddenly stopped.
Nan Feng had also sensed some movement near the foot of the wall, but didn't react as quickly as I did. Following my gaze, she saw the three-year-old boy still standing slyly in the corner, his mouth around his thumb.
The allure of the cicada monkey sweets were irresistible. The boy was willing to risk the punishment of his mother just to stand near the doorway and smell their fragrance.
Nan Feng thought to herself, if this were her home, she would go inside and take a few out to satisfy the child's cravings.
Before she could act, I had already taken a step forward and approached the boy.
Seeing me, the boy retreated a few steps, a look of fear on his face. It was obvious that his mother must have maligned me frequently, or perhaps she had used my character to scare the child.
