Shen Yunfang glanced at the time and decided it was about right to head home. She planned to freshen up a bit before starting her workday.
But just as she came down the mountain, she saw Ergouzi loitering at her doorstep.
Ergouzi also spotted Shen Yunfang and hurried over, saying, "Sister Yunfang, you're back, I brought you some sparrows."
As he spoke, he carefully pulled out a small package from his pocket, wrapped in leaves.
"I might have roasted them a tad too much. The bones can be chewed right along with the meat, so chew it a few more times when you eat it. It's really tasty," he said, as if savoring the flavor of the sparrows, and took a slurping swallow of his saliva.
"Alright, thank you," Shen Yunfang said, smiling as she ruffled his mop of hair. The boy might be a handful, but he was a good kid, generous and righteous.
