"What? You can't reach them? How can there be no news?"
The Li Family was in chaos. Their own situation was dire, and their hope of going abroad to seek refuge with the Zheng family was now dashed.
That same night, Li Wanqing accidentally overheard her parents talking.
"The Zhengs haven't been in touch. What do we do now?" her mother said anxiously.
Her father said, "If it comes to it, we'll leave Beijing City and go back to the countryside to lay low for a while."
"The house in the countryside has been uninhabitable for ages. Where would we live?"
"As long as we have money, we won't starve to death anywhere."
"What about the two girls? Are they coming back with us? What if the Zhengs come looking for us later and can't find us? Besides, they're used to this kind of life. The countryside is so harsh. Will the children be able to adapt?"
