Gu Jiao returned to Bishui Alley after about 2 hours; truly committed to her act, she even bought something—a few skewers of sugar-coated hawthorns.
She carried the sugar-coated hawthorns to her doorstep, unexpectedly hearing hushed conversations coming from the alley.
"You should go in."
It was Xiaojiu's voice.
"I'm scared."
It was… a young man's voice, which sounded familiar to Gu Jiao, but she couldn't immediately recall who it was.
Xiaojiu sighed with a mock seriousness, "When you make a mistake, you should face it bravely."
The young man hesitated and said, "But my hair hasn't grown back yet."
"Jiaojiao! You're back! How come it's so late?"
Granny Zhou emerged from Aunt Sun's house and spotted Gu Jiao carrying the sugar-coated hawthorns.
The conversation in the alley came to an abrupt halt, followed by the sound of escaping footsteps—the young man had left.
"Bought some sugar-coated hawthorns." Gu Jiao bent down and handed a skewer to Granny Zhou's little grandson.
