A Ruse

In the dead of the night, Little Li was sitting and leaning against a couch in the side hall just outside Eunuch Liu's bedroom. Drowsiness overwhelmed him as his upper and lower eyelids battled each other again and again. Every time he nodded off and his body was going to fall, he jolted himself awake, not daring to truly fall asleep.

Tonight was his turn to be on night duty for Eunuch Liu during the second half of the night. This was the time when Eunuch Liu would frequently want to drink water or even get up to go to the toilet. So the moment he called out, someone must promptly respond by preparing drinking water or lighting up the lamp.

"Woof...! Woof…!"

Dog barks suddenly rang out from outside Eunuch Liu's courtyard. They were particularly ear-piercing in a silent night like this. Little Li was once again jolted awake just when he was about to doze off again.