The day before the peace talks, Li Huaiyan accompanied me to see the Lantern Festival.

He stared at a rabbit lantern, lost in thought and said, "Si Yao liked this the most."

I pretended not to hear it and pulled him to the other side of the street.

There were people performing acrobatics over there.

Someone was blowing fire, someone was walking on a tightrope.

One stall was particularly crowded with people.

I pulled Li Huaiyan and squeezed our way through.

We saw something that could barely be identified as male or female, chained up by an iron chain.

It seemed that all the bones in its body were dislocated, with an odd posture.

Its mouth was sewn shut with thread and needles, and there were many rings hanging from its ears.

The flesh on its body was also turned inside out, extremely grotesque.

It posed in a begging position for tips under the whip of the person next to it.

"How disgusting, He'er, let's go." Li Huaiyan said disdainfully in a low voice.

I responded with a smile, "It really is disgusting."

As Li Huaiyan turned around holding my hand, that monster saw us.

It frantically moved its body but could only move within a limited range.

Its mouth, sewn shut, could only emit muffled sounds from its throat.

People around laughed heartily, saying this monster sure could cause a ruckus.

Only one person whispered, "Why do I feel like it's crying out for something?"