At nightfall, Li Ang opened his eyes. He silently got out of bed, walked over to his temporary roommate's bedside, and delivered a swift hand-chop to the back of the unfortunate passenger's neck.
The hapless traveler didn't even manage a grunt before decisively passing out.
To be sure, Li Ang pried open the man's eyelids and waved a flashlight beam back and forth over his eyes.
Only after confirming the man was unconscious did Li Ang put on his raincoat, cover his face, pry open the window, and slip out.
In the nighttime silence of Dusheng Village, only a few dim lights still flickered. Li Ang ran toward the ravine, using his flashlight's beam to find the grave of the village teacher, Meng Qixi.
Perhaps out of gratitude for Meng Qixi's selfless dedication, the villagers had built him an excellent tomb. Words of praise were inscribed on the headstone, and flowers lay before it.
