Early the next morning, Xiao Furen and Li Zhaohe rode their bicycles to the county town.
That evening, only Li Zhaohe returned by bicycle. He brought a message for Yuan Si, saying that Xiao Furen had run into a friend in the county and wouldn't be coming back for the night. However, he had Li Zhaohe bring the bicycle back so that she and her mother could still ride back to the county town on Monday.
So, on Monday morning, the mother and daughter got up early to make breakfast. They planned to head back to the county town right after eating, as Yuan Si couldn't be late for work.
Just as they finished breakfast, while Yuan Si was cleaning up in the kitchen, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.
"Who could that be so early in the morning? I hope this doesn't make us late." The old lady grumbled as she went to open the gate.
Yuan Si frowned. She had already seen who it was—the educated youth from the village, Wu Hao, was the one knocking.
