The conversation quickly turned back to everyday matters.
Zhou Heng's father mentioned that the factory had recently received a big order. Zhou Heng's mother complained that pork prices at the market had gone up again. Mrs. Xu, meanwhile, shared which supermarkets near her new house were fresh and affordable.
Xu Wuyi listened quietly, occasionally picking up a piece of food with his chopsticks.
These trivial conversations made him feel grounded. It was as if the battles, those moments on the razor's edge of life and death, had temporarily receded into the far distance.
After dinner, Zhou Xiaoyu offered to help the two mothers clear the table, while Zhou Heng pulled Xu Wuyi out to the backyard for some fresh air.
Night had fallen, and the backyard was illuminated by ground lights. The two sat down at a stone table. Zhou Heng lit a cigarette—a habit he'd picked up after starting work, something he did when stressed.
