In lieu of an answer, Song Zhuyu posed his own question, "Are you eating now?"
Taken aback by the abrupt change in topic, Chen Ru stammered, "N–No?"
"Alright, don't eat for now and listen to me." And then, with a calm and measured voice, Song Zhuyu recounted everything he had seen and heard tonight, starting from the abnormal state of Ma Yuhan's corpse to the dirt beneath his nails, the rite of adulthood he had learned from Tan Jiahu, the two missing souls— everything. When he finished, Chen Ru rushed to the corner and retched.
"Ew…" he coughed, wiping the corner of his mouth. "Thank goodness you gave me a heads up, Father Song."
"Right," Song Zhuyu shook his head with a troubled sigh. "I'm such a thoughtful and considerate senior."
