After finishing the meal, it was getting late, with only a quarter-hour left before 5 a.m. to 7 a.m, Song Tingfan returned to his room and grabbed his book bag, a simple crossbody cloth bag sewn by Lin Qiao for him.
He carefully slung it over his shoulder, checked the contents inside, and, after confirming everything was in order, said, "Sister-in-law, Grandpa, Grandma, I'm off to study."
"I'll walk you there," Lin Qiao said, bending over to wash her hands.
The young boy's eyebrows raised slightly, seemingly pleased that his sister-in-law was seeing him off.
"Grandpa, Grandma, you stay home for now, and later I'll take you for a walk around the village," Lin Qiao said after which she escorted Song Tingfan to the school.
After crossing the stream, they stepped onto the long, winding dirt path along the fields, the ground uneven, flanked by overgrown weeds with slightly yellow leaves.
