An Ning ate the piece of cantaloupe on her fork in one bite, then finished the rest of the fruit in the container in a few more.
With a CLATTER, she tossed the fork into the container and snapped the lid shut with a CLICK.
An Ning expertly took the napkin Jiang Xia handed her, wiped her hands and mouth, and waited to get home.
The car stopped at the toll booth. The young woman working there took the card Jiang Xia handed her through the window. With a BEEP, the toll appeared on the screen. She collected the payment, gave back the change, and raised the gate. They were on their way.
Once they were off the highway, An Ning felt an inexplicable sense of joy, looking forward with anticipation.
The car drove along the newly paved cement road. Ten minutes later, they made a turn and entered Shili Gou.
It was then that An Ning noticed the main village road had been paved with cement, and many flowers, plants, and trees had been planted along both sides.
