In the end, Bai Jingye rode his bicycle back to Baizigou. By the time he arrived at the Xu family's home with a basket of eggs, it was already past one, nearly two in the afternoon.
At this hour, the twins were fast asleep. Xu Changqing was taking advantage of the rare moment of rest, sitting at the entrance of the outer room to catch the breeze while flipping through a book.
When she saw her uncle, Bai Jingye, approaching from outside with a basket in hand, a flicker of surprise crossed Xu Changqing's eyes, and she quickly stood up to greet him.
'She couldn't help but wonder. Even her aunt had gone into the county town, so why was her uncle back in Baizigou at this hour? And he'd returned so quickly, too.'
Bai Jingye glanced at his niece, who would always greet him with a single "Uncle" and then fall silent. "Are you the only one home?"
