Liu Sanbian scooped up a bowl of noodles from the pot himself and returned.
Before leaving, he tossed all the silver he had onto the stove next to the noodle pot.
He carried the bowl and, when passing the dirty black wooden board placed beside the table, suddenly stopped in his tracks.
He crouched down.
He reached out.
He extended two fingers.
Gently, he lifted one corner of the board.
What met his eyes was a deeply dark shade of red!
It looked just like the chili oil that had just been added to the noodles.
He slightly raised his eyes.
Looking further inside; this pool of dark red spread into the darkness unoccupied by light beneath the board.
He did not know how much area it actually covered.
Liu Sanbian did not continue to look; he lowered the slightly lifted corner of the board, withdrawn his fingers.
The swath of dark red retreated back into the darkness.
He slightly lowered his head and licked his lips, then slowly stood up.