In the evening, Zhou Shuren came back staggering, he skipped dinner, changed his clothes, and went straight to bed. He must have been really exhausted, for the moment he lay down his snoring began. Zhou Shuren had never been one to snore. Zhulan fanned him, feeling a pang of heartache.
Zhou Shuren woke up at dawn, ravenous. As he opened his eyes, he saw his little son was already awake. The boy was an exceptionally well-behaved child, rarely crying or fussing. Upon waking, he didn't make a sound but just lay there, gazing around, even though his sight couldn't have been that far. He seemed curious about everything.
Zhou Shuren held his son's little hand, marveling at how much the child had changed lately, having grown much chubbier. "Son, I'm your dad," he said.
The little fellow, upon hearing his voice, suddenly burst into tears. He had been fine on his own, but now that there was someone with him, he felt it was okay to cry.
