"Sister-in-law, come on in."
Joseph Lancaster was carrying the enamel basin into the bedroom, so happy he actually forgot there was still one earbud plugged into his ear.
Violet Zimmerman hesitated for that moment and just felt something jerk free, then slip from the crook of her arm. By the time she reacted and tried to catch it, the tape recorder Joseph had shoved into her hands had already fallen to the floor.
Along with the earbud stuck in Joseph's ear.
Staring at the tape recorder with its casing smashed off, both of them froze. It took several seconds before Violet snapped out of it and squatted down to pick the tape recorder up.
"Joseph, this…"
The tape recorder was a new one Joseph Lancaster had just bought, not even a week old, and cost several hundred yuan—basically a worker's whole year's wages back then.
The young man felt a twinge of distress, but seeing his sister-in-law's upset, nervous expression, he smiled and said,
