Xu Chou rushed back to the city right after burying his mother.
Upon his return, Aze was busy with a few others building a stove. As An Wazi and Lin Xiaoquan were young, they were assigned the task of washing the ingredients.
The two youths earnestly scrubbed the dark substance into wooden basins.
Xu Chou was wearing the clothes Nanzhi had bought for him, but his sleeves were bound with a white strip of cloth. When he saw Nanzhi and Shen Miaomiao discussing something, he promptly knelt on the ground.
"Bosses, Xu Chou is back."
The sound of his heavy kowtow startled Nanzhi and Shen Miaomiao. After he prostrated again, they finally recovered from the surprise and helped him up: "Xu Chou, stand up. Stop kowtowing all the time."
Nanzhi was slightly exasperated.
"Thank you, bosses. Otherwise, I fear my mother wouldn't even have a proper burial."
Tears trickled down Xu Chou's face.
