We're going to find Aunt Lan. When we find her,
we'll bring her somewhere she can rest."
Lili brightened a little. "Is Aunt Lan nice?"
"Your grandmother likes her very much," Yan said.
"That means she is nice."
Mother Yan laughed softly. "She can be very nice. She can also be
stubborn enough to make me want to throw my phone out of a window."
"Did you throw it?" Lili asked.
"Not yet."
Bai took a bite of food. "I recommend keeping it. Phones are difficult
to replace these days."
The conversation wandered toward ordinary things. Lili wanted to know if
Aunt Lan liked sweet buns. Mother Yan said she did, though she would
complain that they were too sweet before eating every last one. Yan
added that Aunt Lan used to bring snacks when she visited, and Lili
immediately decided that this was another reason to like her. Bai
listened while she ate, and although the conversation was simple, it
eased something in her. The family had left the apartment because a
