It was the end

June turned into August. Still no rain.

The rice, never fully ripened, was already dry and frail, if Lai Yiteng touched them the leaves would make hollow crackling noises. His dark and silky hair spilt onto the ground, unkempt. His stomach growled.

"Yiteng," his father called, "it's time for dinner!"

Lai Yiteng ran back from the fields. Even though times were getting worse, his parents never seemed that desperate like the other people in the village. At least, they did not argue in front of him. The meals, however, had gotten very sparse.

All the fish that had been in the shallow river and rice paddies had already dried up and rotted.

"Don't worry…" his mother soothed, seeing Lai Yiteng's sad expression during dinner. It was getting harder to keep up a front. "We have plenty stored. It can last us until next year, the meals are just a bit smaller, alright?"

The baby in her arms made a giggling noise and played with a red tassel on her dress.