Suizi had prepared dinner, and was now waiting for Jiaojiao's return.
Time ticked away, and it was already dark, but Jiaojiao hadn't returned.
The house was eerily quiet.
Normally, at meal times, their home would be bustling. The small dinner table would be set up and the family would gather around it, talking about the ups and downs of their day.
But today, the unusual silence made Suizi take off her apron and furrow her brows.
Standing at the door, she looked out at the dark cluster of houses in the village, each surrounded by pinpricks of light spilling out from their homes.
It was dinner time and the roads were quiet.
Unable to see Jiaojiao, Suizi felt uneasy.
Jiaojiao was usually the first in line for dinner.
Yesterday, her younger uncle had visited, and they'd made several delicious dishes, one of which was Jiaojiao's favorite, chicken stew with mushrooms. Suizi had purposely saved a plate of it for today's meal.
