A Pitiful Kid

Sangsang silently got up at midnight and put on her loose-fitting handmaiden robe. Then she wore her old cotton shoes, pushed open the door and walked to the courtyard.

She wiped off the snow on the edge of the well and collected water to fill the water vat. She put the firewood in good order at the foot of the wall and then brought the broom to the front of the shop. She swept the floor, cleaned the table and tidied up the scattered calligraphy stationery. Finally, she squatted at the gate, checking over the house to see whether there was something that still needed to be cleaned.

These were the things that she did every day, but today she was more attentive and careful than before. It was already dawn by the time she finished all these things. She squinted her eyes to see the slowly brightening sky, then went to buy two bowls of hot and sour sliced noodle soup at the entrance of the street.