Night fell.
At seven o'clock, it started drizzling again. The temperature would drop at night, and the chilly wind forced everyone to hunch their necks. Aunt Wang had gone to the city to celebrate New Year's Day. The two chubby tabby cats had been hanging out at the farmhouse all afternoon and went into the kitchen when it rained at night, as the kitchen was warmer.
Yao Tao prepared a large table of delicious dishes. Sheng Yi couldn't cook but helped out a little, occasionally adding firewood or petting a cat, feeling that this country life was so pleasant.
The two female college students had left in the afternoon, seemingly urged home by a phone call from their family. Tonight's dinner gathering was all familiar faces. Yao Tao had a loud voice and talked a lot, Sheng Yi was outgoing and lively, continuing the conversation one topic after another, and the atmosphere at the dinner table was very good.
