The old lady took a few steps forward and took Little Douzi's hand. She beamed at Lin Lan. "You don't need to come pick him up for lunch. Just eat by yourself."
"I know."
Lin Lan agreed with a smile and waved to the pair. As she turned to leave, she heard Little Douzi ask the old lady if his new clothes looked nice.
The old lady said they looked very nice. Lin Lan glanced back and saw the old woman and the little boy walking home hand in hand, a warm feeling spreading through her heart.
****
After breakfast, Zhang Yazhen watched grim-faced as Xiong Jianjun, two fresh scratch marks on his neck, shouldered his hoe and left. Only then did she stand up, rubbing her faintly aching upper arm.
She untied her apron, tossed it onto a bamboo chair, and walked out into the courtyard. She stood there for a moment, staring at the roof of Lin Lan's house, before shouldering a large basket and heading out toward the brigade's pig farm.
