After breakfast, Su Xiaowan packed everything: clothes, toiletries, water bottle, ration coupons, uncompleted manuscript. She left a letter for Han Dongchen in case he'd worry about her absence upon his return, and also left the address of her uncle's place.
Her two older cousins had changed into clean clothes, the same set they wore when they arrived. The clothes they took off were neatly folded. Su Xiaowan did not insist they take the clothes Han Dongchen had given them. Given the clothes were distributed annually, and all the new ones were worn by Han this year, it felt inappropriate to give her cousins the old ones.
After packing, she left home. Because her cousins were quite the eye-catchers, all the wives of the officials greeted them when they saw them, so the whole family compound soon learned she was going home for a visit.
On the road, she ran into Zheng Haimei and Wang Hong. Su Xiaowan greeted them by her own accord, it was enough just to know who they were.
