Chapter 17

Liu Zhiyi moved her arm up and down, pressing it under the produce stand with only the watch face showing, using it to survey her surroundings.

"Mama's" senses were sharp; she didn't dare even breathe too hard.

Soon, Liu Zhiyi found the source of the sound.

There was a large pool of water on the floor and the stand, a few threads of blood mixed into it, and toppled in the pool was a shoulder bag — the one Zhi-Zhi's mama had carried.

But Zhi-Zhi was nowhere to be seen.

What had happened?

Liu Zhiyi swung her arm to both sides, going over the whole area.

No sign of Zhi-Zhi.

She swept a rough look around the market, not even sparing the ceiling.

Except for the spots blocked by the stands that she'd have to stand up to see — she didn't check those closely, thinking it might give her away.

And in none of these places did Liu Zhiyi find Zhi-Zhi; she might be hiding behind a stand — a small child wasn't tall, after all.

And "mama"?

Liu Zhiyi felt uneasy.

She noticed the iron gate at the market entrance wasn't flush against the wall — behind it was a wholly black gap.

Liu Zhiyi hadn't noticed it at first, but in the bright market a pitch-black gap like that stood out sharply.

Had the market door been open like that before?

It struck her as odd, so she looked closely.

The gap sat at an awkward angle; she had to reach her arm a bit farther onto the stand to see behind the door.

Though the inside of the gap was black, the market's light still let her dimly make out something.

Liu Zhiyi narrowed her eyes and worked the watch screen with her finger, zooming in.

There seemed to be… a black shape?

No… that wasn't a shadow, it was a black bag.

Found her. Liu Zhiyi drew a breath.

It was "mama."

Liu Zhiyi hadn't recognized her at first, because "mama" had her back turned outward.

She was bent over, head down, her head rising and falling — no telling what she was doing.

—Hsss.

There was a sound; Liu Zhiyi turned an ear to listen closely.

It was faint but distinctive, and it kept rhythm with the rise and fall of "mama's" head.

What sound was it?

—Hsss.

After that sound came another, right on its heels.

—Gulp.

That one, Liu Zhiyi recognized.

It was the sound of swallowing something.

So…

Liu Zhiyi stared at "mama's" back.

What was she eating?

Liu Zhiyi thought of Zhi-Zhi's words, clapped a hand over her mouth, lowered her arm, and, pressed to the stand, pushed herself off to one side, putting distance between herself and "mama."

She didn't dare look "mama's" way, afraid of seeing something horrible.

Before she'd backed off far, a muffled breathy sound reached her ear again, sounding like crying.

Before Liu Zhiyi could react, her arms suddenly filled with a weight.

It startled her into a jolt, and on reflex she flung the thing in her arms outward — but it clung tight to her waist.

Liu Zhiyi raised her hand, about to bring it down in a slap, when she suddenly heard a familiar whimper…

She shone the watch at what was in her arms.

Sure enough.

It was Zhi-Zhi.

Honestly, catching her own face huddled in her arms without warning was no small jolt to the heart, either.

Seeing her, Zhi-Zhi opened her mouth, as if to say something.

Liu Zhiyi immediately reached out and covered it.

Only once Zhi-Zhi had steadied a little did Liu Zhiyi let go and type on the watch.

Liu Zhiyi: What happened?

Communicating with a child wasn't easy; it took some doing before she could piece together the whole story from Zhi-Zhi.

Zhi-Zhi had been hiding with her mama in the braised-food shop, but the moment "mama" could move again she'd rushed over and chopped Zhi-Zhi's mama in two.

Liu Zhiyi watched Zhi-Zhi cry and act it out — both hands to the mouth in a gripping gesture, then a pucker and a suck.

Zhi-Zhi: And then ate her up.

What kind of eating needed sucking?

Liu Zhiyi thought of the pork belly left when "mama" chopped the "people," and was more baffled than ever.

And why would "mama" go after Zhi-Zhi's mama first?

There was too much she couldn't work out.

But the most important thing at this stage was to finish the task.

Liu Zhiyi still couldn't think what vegetables to get, and Zhi-Zhi happened to be right there.

Liu Zhiyi: Zhi-Zhi… what did you and mama come to the market to buy?

After sending the message, Liu Zhiyi felt a little uncomfortable.

Maybe it was asking a little girl whose mama had just been eaten, out of her own self-interest, that didn't sit right.

And she wasn't the sort who was good with words; the questions she asked couldn't help coming out blunt and stiff.

Liu Zhiyi's mind churned over a lot, but Zhi-Zhi didn't seem to mind any of it.

Zhi-Zhi: …Ribs.

Liu Zhiyi watched her type fast on the watch, wiping tears as she went.