By the time she finished making all the kidney bean rolls and had arranged them one by one in a basket lined with a damp white cloth, she heard the rooster crow again.
Lin Lan stretched wearily, massaging her aching lower back and sore arms. Peeking out the back door, she saw that dawn was just breaking.
Just then, a knock came from outside. She walked into the courtyard and listened closely. It sounded like the old madam calling at the gate.
She hurried to the courtyard gate. "Is that you, Grandaunt?"
The old madam's voice answered, "It's me. You're up?"
Hearing her aged voice, Lin Lan felt a sting in her nose. She quickly unlatched the steel bar and opened the gate to see the old madam holding a flashlight. "Why are you here so early?"
The old madam looked at her—wearing an apron, her hair tied up, her eyes red—and felt both pained and gratified. "I was worried you'd overslept and your customers wouldn't be able to pick up their order."
