In the following days, whenever the children went to fetch water, the woman in floral clothing would wait at the entrance of the village, still repeating the same question, "Is Mr. Lu at home today?"
The children would honestly reply, "Mr. Lu is at home."
However, as time passed, her tone grew more and more impatient, as if she was desperately trying to suppress something.
"Did you meet the bride today?" Lu Yu asked with a slight smile, twirling the two agate stones in his hand. The agate stones, polished to a bright and clear shine, were so attractive that if they were not Lu Yu's beloved items, the old village chief would have asked for them long ago.
"We did," the children replied in unison.
"Was there any change?"
"Today's bride wasn't as pretty as before."
"She seemed a bit fierce, like my mom when she's about to scold me."
"Today her mouth was so big, it looked really ugly!" the children burst into chatter about their impressions of the bride who often questioned them.
