Having reached the village before sunset, Wufu slowed her pace, munching on a piece of sesame candy while leisurely admiring the scenery as she walked home.
As dusk fell and smoke rose from household hearths, children wearing open-crotch pants played at their doorsteps. As Wufu passed by, they stared at the sesame candy in her hand, licking their lips with longing eyes.
Wufu smiled, stretched her hand behind her, and pulled a cloth bag out of her basket, grabbing a handful of candies.
"Come, the first one to call me the prettiest sister gets a candy," Wufu announced with a beaming smile, holding up the sweets.
The children immediately swarmed around her, shouting in unison.
"No pushing, no shoving, line up," Wufu said in high spirits, handing out one candy to each child, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
The kids who received the candy were even happier than her. Sesame candy! In poor families, and not during festivals, when would they ever get such treats?
