Li Wei stood frozen before the burned remains, the question he had whispered earlier echoing in his mind: Where am I going to lay my head tonight?
He still couldn't grasp it. It was all gone. Everything he owned, every bit of comfort he had collected over the years, was reduced to ash and twisted beams.
With the bundle of food still pressed against his chest, he watched the smoke curl into the fading sky. Hot tears fell silently down his cheeks.
At the mouth of the alley, an old neighbor appeared. Mrs. Liao, her back curved like a willow in winter, stood there with wide, shimmering eyes.
"Li Wei..." she rasped, one trembling hand covering her mouth. "I saw... it all happened so fast... I tried to get help, but..."
Her voice cracked. She looked down, ashamed and unable to meet his eyes.
Li Wei forced himself to straighten, though his knees wobbled beneath him. He bowed deeply, his voice small but steady. "Thank you for trying, Auntie Liao."
He looked up at the sky, now streaked with purple and orange, the colors deepening as night crept in. Images of the grand house filled his mind: the polished floors, the shining halls, the warm meal that had felt like a feast.
"I will find a way," he said, though inside he felt like a candle flickering in the wind. "I must. For Ma. For Ying."
Mrs. Liao nodded, tears slipping silently down her wrinkled cheeks. "If you need to rest tonight, my room is small, but you are welcome," she offered softly.
Li Wei hesitated. Every part of him wanted to collapse into her warmth, to accept even a single blanket on her floor. But something deep inside him, a quiet thread of determination, pushed him forward.
"No, thank you, Auntie. But I think I should go to the house tonight. Maybe they will let me stay in the servants' quarters," he said, surprising even himself with the courage in his voice.
Clutching the food bundle, he turned and walked back to the damp little clinic. Inside, he forced a wide, bright smile as he offered the food to his mother and the nurses nearby.
His mother beamed at him, her pale hands trembling as she took a piece of bun. Li Wei laughed with her, shared small jokes, and acted like everything was normal, because he knew the truth might crush her.
Deep inside, though, his heart ached and twisted.
After she finished eating, he bowed low, said his goodbyes, and stepped out into the night. Outside, he found a quiet corner on the street and sat there, thinking in the deepening shadows.
He thought of the grand house, the place that had given him warmth and food in just one day. More than he ever imagined possible.
Slowly, as if guided by something stronger than fear, he stood up and began walking. He went straight back to the big house.
At the tall gate, he knocked softly at first, then a little louder.
After a while, the maid appeared, her eyes widening in surprise. "Hey, you again? What's wrong?" she asked gently, though her voice held a hint of worry.
Li Wei opened his mouth, but no sound came at first. Finally, he managed to say, "I went home after work and found it all gone. My home is burned. There's nothing left. Please, can I stay here? Anywhere, even a corner. I'll sleep anywhere you allow, and I'll work twice as hard. I promise."
His voice cracked, and tears began to gather at the corners of his eyes.
The maid looked at him, her own eyes softening, her chin trembling slightly. Without a word, she motioned for him to come inside. Together, they walked quickly down the hall to find the senior maid.
After hearing Li Wei's story, the senior maid's sharp gaze softened too. She turned to the other maid and said firmly, "Prepare a bed in the workers' rest room. Make sure it's clean and warm."
Li Wei bowed deeply, tears spilling freely now. "Thank you. I'll work as hard as I can. Twice as hard."
"Go," the senior maid said gently. "Rest tonight. Tomorrow will be another long day."
Finally, Li Wei stepped into the small, clean workers' room. It wasn't big, but to him, it felt like a palace. He pressed a hand to his chest, thinking of his mother, of Ying, and of the warmth he had managed to protect even when everything else had turned to ash.
He lowered himself to the floor, too overwhelmed to even climb onto the simple bed.
Just as his eyes began to close, he heard a loud voice echo from the hallway.
"Prepare! Miss Mei will arrive tomorrow!"
Li Wei's eyes snapped open, a new ripple of worry and curiosity curling through his tired mind. Tomorrow, it seemed, would bring yet another test.
"But who is Miss Mei?"