Evening had fallen, and Yu Tingwan returned to the old house.
She cobbled together something to eat, washed up a bit, and lay down on the bed.
She was clearly very tired, yet she couldn't fall asleep.
Yu Tingwan pressed her lips together and turned her head to look at the pair of cotton shoes.
Stuffed with cotton inside, the stitches were dense; at a glance, they were warm. Hui Niang usually scrimped and saved, but she was genuinely generous when it came to her children.
By some curious impulse, Yu Tingwan sat up from the bed and put them on.
She walked a few circles on the ground.
Very warm, very comfortable.
And they fit perfectly.
The next day surprisingly turned out to be a rare sunny day.
The sunlight was warmly embracing, as if it could drive away the chill of winter.
Villagers hurried back and forth, joyfully exclaiming that it wouldn't be long before the road to the town would be unblocked.
But Yu Tingwan knew it wouldn't be.
