Cuicui rushed to me in three steps, her feet bare and visible injuries on her wrists.

She came over without saying much, first wiping the dirt off my face.

Then she took out a handful of sweet dates from her pocket.

She took a bite herself and bit off the date's pit.

Then she brought it to my lips.

My tongue touched the date, tasting its sweetness.

I don't remember how long it's been since I last ate.

For me, this half a date is incredibly fragrant.

I quickly finished it.

Cuicui continued to bite off the pits and feed me the dates.

Watching me eat, her tears kept flowing.

Finally, she didn't say anything and picked up the bamboo core beside her, dipped it in the oil paste from the tripod.

She made three incense sticks, lit them, and then knelt in front of me, devoutly kowtowing.

I couldn't see her mouth move.

But I wanted her to fulfill her wish.

Because, even if Cuicui doesn't truly care for me, here, only she remembers that I love sweet dates.

And only she would come to feed me sweet dates!

I've been in darkness since birth.

So I cherish every beam of light.

Even if it's illusory, like a flower reflected in a mirror or the moon on water.

I don't want to hate her...

After burning the three incense sticks, Cuicui suddenly looked up at me.

Her eyes, dark as black beans, sparkled.

Her mouth moved a few times, then she suddenly knelt down and started digging soil, covering all the dirt over the fire pit with the tripod.

"Cuicui, what are you trying to do?"

Cuicui didn't answer me.

When I could no longer hear the sound of flames, the surroundings suddenly brightened.

The clan chief, along with the people from the village, looked at Cuicui and me with fierce and sinister expressions:

"Well, you little slut, you want to steal our tripod! Today, I'll flay your skin!"