In the evening, after Xiao Man finished all her homework, she sat in the main hall reading, insisting on waiting with Grandma for Grandpa to come home.
Grandma couldn't dissuade her, so she let her be. The two of them sat under the electric lamp; one held a book while the other twisted thin hemp rope. The rope was for Second Granny Qiu, though they didn't know what it was for.
As Grandma twisted the rope, she would look up from time to time. Xiao Man noticed that Grandma was always looking toward the electric lamp and couldn't help but ask, "Grandma, what are you looking at?"
"Nothing, really. I just feel like there's something over there," Grandma answered.
Xiao Man's heart skipped a beat. "Grandma, there really is something there. Can you make it out? What does it look like?"
Grandma laughed. "You silly child, how could Grandma see anything? I just feel that spot seems... a bit brighter!"
