The old house at the Nine-miles Team is drafty in summer and cool in winter, and after yesterday's rain, the whole room is unbearably damp, with rats frequently strutting around.
Wang Xue huddles in a pile of straw, hungry and exhausted, dizzy. There's a patch of dried blood on her forehead from using ash to stop the bleeding, covering her entire face with a gray dust.
She's been here since she woke up after Fu Aiguo knocked her unconscious yesterday, her mouth gagged continuously except during meals.
From yesterday to today, she has only eaten one ice-cold corn bun.
She feels like she's about to die.
Fu Aiguo is not far from her, anxiously twisting a dry twig. He had an agreement with them to wait here, someone was supposed to come to pick them and Uncle Niu's son up.
But the agreed time was last midnight, and no one has come yet.
Uncle Niu brought them two corn buns but had no idea when they would leave.
He can only wait.
They can only wait.
...
