Chapter 1 Past Life
August in Haicheng was sweltering, like a sauna. Walking on the street felt like being next to an oven; sweat dripped down relentlessly, disappearing with a couple of hissing sounds as soon as it hit the ground. The usually congested roads were now packed with cars passing by only once every few minutes. On the sidewalks, you could count the number of people walking on one hand. From the slightly ajar curtains of the shops nearby, wisps of cool air drifted out, and a small dog nearby was dozing off contentedly.
Holding a cardboard box full of daily necessities, Gu Yin dragged her ill-fitting high heels to the store entrance, intending to enjoy the air conditioning. She bent down and peeked into the store, only to see the shopkeeper sleeping on the counter. Gu Yin breathed a sigh of relief; the cool air temporarily dispelled the irritation caused by being fired.
Yes, Gu Yin was just terminated. She had just returned from filming last night and hadn't even had a chance to report back to the company when her agent notified her to return to the company to terminate her contract.
When Gu Yin received the call in the morning, she paused for a moment before asking the same question: "Why?"
Although she has only just gone from being a minor celebrity to a minor one, judging from the drama she just finished filming and the announcements she's been seeing recently, it's only a matter of time before she reaches the second or third tier. It doesn't make sense for an artist who's just started making money for the company to be terminated instead of properly managed. Besides, she's never had any conflicts with the people in the company; in her opinion, they get along quite well. So, she asked them this question.
The agent paused for a moment, then said, "Gu Yin, haven't you been online lately? Sigh, don't blame the company. It's just a small workshop. It wasn't easy for them to train you, but there's nothing they can do. The boss needs to survive, and we need to make a living. All I can say is that the person behind this has a lot of influence. You... you'd better watch yourself." Then she hung up the phone.
Gu Yin rarely went online while on set. Even when she did, she would only watch legal programs or read local news from remote areas. When she heard her agent say this, she opened a webpage. Before she could even search for her own name, she saw that she was the number one trending topic, followed by a black and red "hot" character.
Gu Yin blinked and clicked on it with a puzzled look.
Upon seeing the unpleasant information, the finger that was swiping the screen paused for a moment before continuing to swipe down. The person who had originally had a cool and aloof expression slowly frowned.
Gu Yin never knew she would become so popular. Looking at the hundreds of millions of views, then at the photos that were misleading due to clever camera angles, and then at the fake chat logs that she herself didn't know about, and the so-called "friends'" revelations, if she hadn't really done these things, she would have started to doubt herself.
You don't even need to read the comments to know they're criticizing you. That's how this industry is. No matter if you have any scandals or not, once they're exposed, even if you explain and provide evidence later, it's too late.
Although she dislikes the entertainment industry and came to it with a purpose, she doesn't condone these fabrications, rumors, and mudslinging! Moreover, to achieve her goals, she wants to stay in this industry unless absolutely necessary.
When she arrived at the company, her agent was already waiting in the office with the termination agreement and a bank card.
After sitting down and taking a sip of water, Gu Yin explained, "Sister Liang, you should know what kind of person I am. Those reports online are all false. I don't even know when I had those 'best friends' or those so-called 'friends.' Isn't that ridiculous? Is this mudslinging by our rivals? Is it because of the script from before? Or the commercial we're shooting tomorrow?"
Sister Liang sighed and pushed the contract in front of Gu Yin, thinking it was a pity to waste such a good talent. She spotted her at first glance among a bunch of extras. Her features were aloof and she was unbelievably beautiful. At the time, she thought that she had really struck gold if such a beautiful person hadn't been discovered by others. But when she signed the contract, she found out that this girl had high standards. She wouldn't film local dramas, she wanted to be in different places for each drama, she wanted to take ten days off every month, and she wanted a guaranteed salary of 15,000 yuan. If the boss hadn't just started his business and needed artists, he would have turned around and left.
The small workshop, including the owner and the accountant, had fewer than ten people. Seeing her pretty face, the owner finally agreed. The day after signing the contract, Gu Yin started taking on work—minor roles with no lines, background characters in variety shows with her face completely obscured, and countless unheard-of commercials. Gu Yin did whatever she was given, without complaint. The owner, seeing her diligence, treated her kindly. Their small workshop didn't expect to cultivate a top-tier star, but just as they were beginning to see hope, it was abandoned. The company felt it was a pity, and as her agent, she felt it was a pity too.
"Ayin, the boss and I don't know which power we've offended, but since yesterday, there's been a constant stream of negative news about you. I used my connections to ask around, and they said it's been bought into the trending topics. The boss and I have been trying to suppress it, but we can't. This morning, the boss gave me the termination contract and told me to terminate it, saying he couldn't do anything about it. He also told me to tell you not to ever go back to this industry, otherwise no one can save you. Did you offend someone? Someone from Beijing, you know?"
Gu Yin frowned and thought about the people around her for a while, then shook her head: "I don't know. I've only been to Beijing once, and that was as a flyer distributor. I'm just a nobody. Who could I have offended? Who would bother with me? Besides, I'm basically not active in the entertainment industry. I'm always alone. I can't think of anyone I could have offended."
Sister Liang nodded, sighed, and handed her the bank card: "Sign it. This is 500,000 yuan, the company's compensation for breach of contract. Just leave the contract here after you sign it. I'll go up and talk to the boss. By the way, you can stay in the dormitory for another week. Find a place to stay as soon as possible." After saying that, she looked at Gu Yin with guilt and got up to leave.
Gu Yin looked at the closed door, leaned back in her chair and sighed, "Looks like I'll have to find a job again. What a hassle." After saying that, she quickly picked up a pen, signed her name, grabbed her card, packed her things, and went downstairs.
To be honest, Gu Yin wasn't unhappy about being terminated, just a little annoyed. Finding another job that allowed her to travel across the country was incredibly difficult. She didn't have a high level of education or much savings. Since Gu Yin didn't stay in one place for long, she didn't rent an apartment. Now that the contract was terminated, not renting an apartment would mean much higher hotel costs. She considered hostels; she had stayed in one before when she was an extra. But the thought of sharing a room with several strangers made her, who was used to single rooms, feel a little uncomfortable.
Thinking of this, Gu Yin twitched the corner of her mouth. Could she be so sentimental? Gu Yin was getting a little tired of standing, so she shifted her feet and accidentally stepped on the dog's tail. The dog barked, and Gu Yin was startled. She then came to her senses and apologized to the dog. Seeing that the dog only glared at her and then ran away, Gu Yin gave an awkward laugh.
Looking up at the red light not far ahead, she knew there was still some time before she could get through. She put her suitcase down, took out her phone, and saw that her friend had sent her a message.
“Ayin, I’ve found something new about the information you asked me to keep an eye out for. There is indeed a village like the one you mentioned in the town where I’m teaching, but it’s very remote and cars can’t get in. I have some students from that village here. They go home once a month, pick up their food, and return the same day. I asked them, but they’re probably too young to know anything about those years. It’s almost the end of the month, and their parents will bring them back to school after they go back to get their food. Do you want to come over here? When they come, you can ask them yourself. The older ones might know something about what happened back then.”
Gu Yin immediately stood up straight and hurriedly pressed her hands on the phone keypad: "Yes, yes, yes!! I'll book your flight right away! I'll stay in your city tonight and then find a car to go there tomorrow morning! Thank you, darling! Wait for me! I have to cross the street now, so I can't talk to you right now. Send me the details, and I'll discuss it with you in more detail when I get back!"
Seeing that her friend replied with "okay", Gu Yin picked up the box and felt much more relaxed when she thought of the information she had found earlier. She had a feeling that this trip would not be in vain!
Because she received good news, even though she was wearing ill-fitting high heels, her steps were noticeably easier than before.
Gu Yin walked across the zebra crossing with a smile on her face. Seeing that there were still two seconds left before the green light turned green, she quickly jogged to the other side.
When we were about three meters away from the sidewalk, we heard a loud "bang" from ahead.
Seeing a young man sitting in a wheelchair sliding backward, and hearing the sound coming from him, Gu Yin glanced ahead and saw that the steps in front were quite high, so the wheelchair obviously couldn't go up without someone pushing it.
Gu Yin took two quick steps forward, stretched out her leg, and the sliding wheelchair stopped due to the obstruction.
Gu Yin put the box down, placed her hands on the wheelchair, and said softly, "Sit still, I'll help you push it up. The light is already red."
Chu Yan, who was about to refuse, heard her words and saw that the red light was indeed on. So he relaxed his body, gripped the wheelchair tightly, and thanked her in a low voice: "Thank you for your trouble."
He had only recently started using a wheelchair and hadn't quite adjusted yet. He used to have someone helping him, but because he was going for a follow-up check-up today, he didn't want others to see him looking disheveled during rehabilitation, nor did he want his grandparents to be upset, so he went out with the driver by himself.
The car had just broken down, and the air conditioning was malfunctioning. It was too stuffy to stay in the car, so he got out and waited on the side. There happened to be a dessert shop next door, which was full of people. They kept looking at him when they saw him in his wheelchair, and some children even ran up to him to look at him. Not wanting to stay in that atmosphere, he told the driver and then tried to wheel himself to the mall across the street. But clearly, he overestimated himself. He couldn't even get up that small step. Plus, the weather was too hot, so he became a bit irritable.
A loudspeaker blared from the side. Chu Yan looked at the wheelchair that couldn't be pushed up and said softly, "Why don't you help me down and sit to the side first? That way the wheelchair is lighter and easier to push up."
Gu Yin took off her shoes and put them aside, wiping the sweat from her forehead and nodding: "Okay, you're too heavy, I can't push you."
After saying that, she bent down, put both hands under Chu Yan's armpits, gritted her teeth, and lifted him up onto her body. Gu Yin exhaled, "I'm sorry for the intrusion!" Then she put one hand behind his buttocks and lifted him up a little.
Chu Yan froze, about to speak, when he saw a truck speeding towards him from the left, its horns blaring as other cars swerved to avoid it.
Chu Yan's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, his pale face growing serious. Looking at the strange car, he forcefully pushed Gu Yin's shoulder and shouted, "Back up! The car is coming!"
Gu Yin had just been holding on tightly, trying to lift the person up and put them on the stone pillar behind them in one go, but when he pushed her like that, she lost all her strength and staggered back two steps.
"What are you doing...!!" Gu Yin, who was pushed and staggered but still didn't let go of Chu Yan, was so angry that she looked up and wanted to curse. But before she could finish speaking, she heard the continuous sound of horns around her. She saw that Chu Yan was staring at the left lane and was still pushing her anxiously.
Gu Yin followed his gaze and saw the car's front end so close, surrounded by terrified screams and the anxious whistles of traffic police in the distance. Without thinking, she turned around and used all her strength to try to knock Chu Yan onto the sidewalk. She thought she could escape by following the momentum, but she didn't expect that her strength was still too weak.
The moment Gu Yin was hit and thrown into the air, she thought of her deceased parents, her deceased grandparents, her uncle's family, and... her younger brother. She felt so unwilling to accept it.
With a "bang," Gu Yin rolled off the windshield of a car. She felt like she was falling apart, as if all the bones in her body were out of place, and she was in so much pain that she couldn't breathe!
The driver staggered out of the car and looked at Gu Yin in horror.
Gu Yin forced a reassuring smile and said, "I...I'm fine, cough, cough...cough!! I'm not in pain, sorry for getting your car dirty, later...cough cough!!
The driver of the car was a young girl who was driving normally. After being hit by her, she would probably be traumatized by driving in the future. Gu Yin looked at her with guilt.
The young girl shook her head and said, "Hang in there! I'm calling an ambulance now! Don't say anything!" With trembling hands, she pressed 120 on her phone and handed it to an older woman who had gathered around. The woman's hands were shaking so badly that her mind was a mess and she couldn't communicate the situation properly with the hospital.
Gu Yin smiled and looked at Chu Yan, who was lying in the distance. She saw him quiet down for a moment and then struggle to drag himself slowly toward her. He looked extremely disheveled, a far cry from his previous handsome appearance. Judging from his position and the broken wheelchair in the distance, he had obviously been hit.
Gu Yin looked at the little girl and said with a smile, panting, "Go and tell him to cough and not move around, wait for the ambulance to come..." Even though she was in this state herself, she still couldn't bear to see others suffer.
The little girl looked over there, nodded hurriedly, got up, and ran over quickly.
Gu Yin didn't know what she said, but she saw Chu Yan look up at her.
Gu Yin tried to grin, but blood trickled down her lip. Looking at Chu Yan's terrified, angry, and desperate red eyes, Gu Yin shook her head and silently said, forcing a smile, "I don't blame you."
Chu Yan understood Gu Yin's lip reading, but before he could say anything, the police and doctors had already arrived.
He clenched his fists, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the other side. He had always been a materialist, but at this moment he silently prayed to God, hoping that the girl on the other side would be safe and sound! He would even trade places with her!
When the Chu family driver rushed over in a panic, he saw his boss lying motionless on the ground in a sorry state. Looking at the shattered surroundings and the bloodstains on his boss, his legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground. It's all over, the job he just found is probably gone!
When Chu Yan woke up again, he was already in the hospital.
"Boss, you're awake? Are you feeling unwell anywhere? I'll call the doctor. Don't move; you're covered in injuries!"
Chu Yan looked at the assistant speaking by the bedside, pursed his lips, and spoke in a hoarse voice like shattered glass: "Where is she?"
Ji Yang paused for a moment, poured a glass of water and placed it on the table next to the boss, feigning ignorance, and said, "Your leg wasn't fully healed to begin with, and the doctor examined you after the impact. Fortunately, it was just a scrape on your thigh with a broken rib, but nothing vital was injured. You'll be fine after some rest. However, you have fractures in three joints of your right hand and a mild concussion. The doctor told you not to think too much and just focus on recovering. I haven't alerted anyone at the old house, and you don't need to worry about the company. I've already made arrangements before I came. Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat…?"
"What happened to the girl who saved me? How is she?"
Seeing him looking at him quietly, with what seemed like expectation in his eyes, Ji Yang felt a pang of pity and sighed, "The girl who saved you... she... she couldn't be saved and unfortunately passed away. Don't worry, I've already arranged for the company's HR director and a psychologist to personally go to her hometown to inform her. Her family will come to discuss her funeral arrangements, and then we'll handle everything accordingly. She was a good girl, it's such a pity..."
Unfortunately, fate is too cruel. Hopefully, the two people with the sharpest tongues and the best at giving pep talks can comfort the girl's family.
Chu Yan's mind went blank. It was like this again. So why save someone who was already crippled? Why?
Ji Yang didn't know how to comfort his boss at this moment. He went to see the girl, who was young and beautiful with a bright future ahead of her. As the beneficiaries, they really didn't know what to say. With the person gone, no amount of material things or gratitude would be useful or meaningful.
The door was pushed open, and Ji Yang breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was a doctor. Just as he was about to speak, he saw the police officers following behind him.
The two police officers greeted him, then looked at Chu Yan on the bed: "Mr. Chu, we need to ask you about the situation regarding this case, and we hope you will cooperate." They then looked at the doctor.
After examining Ji Yang, the doctor said, "The patient just needs to rest in bed, get his injections and dressings on time. If there are any problems, just call me." He then nodded and left.
Seeing the door close, the two policemen sat down, took out their notebooks, and began to take notes.
“We questioned the driver who caused the accident. He said he was supposed to be off today, but it was too hot, so he went out for a few drinks with friends at noon. Halfway through the drinks, another shipment arrived, and his boss called him to work. He wanted to earn more money, so he went. The air conditioning in his car was broken, and while waiting at a red light, he felt dizzy from the heat. He said he probably had heatstroke, so he stepped on the gas and crashed into the car. We confirmed that he had indeed been drinking and showed signs of heatstroke.”
Chu Yan gripped the bedsheets with both hands as if he wanted to crush them, and scoffed, "Drunk? How could someone drunk bump into us without missing a beat? Please investigate this carefully; I don't believe it was an accident!"
The two police officers nodded, made their notes, and left.
Ji Yang took the two men out and told the police about the suspects. He suspected that it was a business rival's doing, given the precedent.
Chu Yan closed his eyes, his mind filled with images of the girl being hit and thrown into the air, and the scene of his parents being trapped in the car and unable to get out before the explosion.
A choked voice came from the hospital bed: "I'm sorry, if you hadn't helped me, this wouldn't have happened... I'm so sorry."
When Ji Yang returned, he saw tears streaming down his boss's face and sighed silently.
The Chu family, one of the four most powerful families in the capital, has only had one son per generation for three generations, so they are extremely strict about the requirements for their heirs. Chu Yan is an outstanding individual who graduated from a top university in the world. He originally returned to China to take over his family's company, but he was involved in a car accident on his way back from the airport. The business world was in an uproar. Everyone thought he would follow in his parents' footsteps, but he only suffered a disability in both legs and survived. He was much luckier than his parents.
However, he will be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. The two elderly people of the Chu family, who lost their son and daughter-in-law in their early years, turned gray instantly. Before the outside world could react, they quietly sent their only grandson abroad. The old man personally went to the company to suppress the unrest, but the Chu family did not experience much turmoil.
Chu Yan returned to China with impressive results, ready to take over the reins from his grandfather. However, he was involved in a car accident as soon as he left the airport. The outside world thought that Chu Yan would never recover, and that the Chu family would fall out of the ranks of the four major families. They guessed that when Chu Yan reappeared in the public eye, he would be devoured by the company's veterans. Instead, they received news that the Chu Group had undergone a major upheaval. Most of the veterans were arrested or retired. Who would have thought that Chu Yan, sitting in a wheelchair, could still drastically reorganize the company?
This purge completely tore apart some stubborn parasites, leaving them bleeding. Although the Chu family was also severely damaged, Chu Yan, relying on his abilities and connections accumulated overseas, secured investment from the industry leader through his classmates' relationships. The precarious Chu family directly surpassed the other families to become the head of the four major families! The other families, who were originally eager to get a share of the pie, immediately fell silent.
Thinking of his ruthless and cold-blooded boss, and then looking at the boss silently shedding tears, Ji Yang closed the door without a word and sat guard at the door. The boss probably wanted to be alone right now.
The HR director and psychologist from the Chu Group arrived at Gu Yin's hometown the following afternoon.
In a small town on the southwestern border, a cement road winds through one mountain after another. Finally, the gate of Lijia Village came into view. After driving for another five minutes or so, three- or four-story buildings appeared on the other side of the river. The two drove across the river and saw many people enjoying the cool air in the pavilion at the village entrance.
Today, in 2024, the new rural development initiative has swept across the entire country, ensuring that the elderly are cared for, children are educated, the poor are supported, those in need are helped, and the widowed, orphaned, lonely, and disabled are all provided for. These measures demonstrate the prosperity and strength of our nation.
Upon seeing strangers arrive in the village, everyone fell silent and watched them with curiosity.
The psychologist warmly distributed some fruit he had bought on the street to everyone, greeting them with a smile: "It's hot today, everyone's taking a break from the heat."
The old man smoking a pipe next to him took the fruit and said with a smile, "It's hot, we'll go to work in the fields later. Who are you relatives? I've never seen you before, you look unfamiliar!"
Upon seeing this, the HR director took the fruit from the psychologist and distributed it to the others.
The psychologist said kindly to the old man, "We are Gu Yin's friends. We heard that the scenery in her hometown is beautiful, so we wanted to come and visit. But she was busy, so we shamelessly came on our own. Unfortunately, our flight was delayed, which is why we only arrived now." In case the old man didn't know the young man's name, he added, "Gu Yin is Gu Qinglang's daughter."
The old man rolling his pipe paused, and the surroundings fell silent.
Seeing their reaction, the psychologist glanced at the HR director and then cautiously asked, "Did I say something wrong?"
The old man put his pipe into the pipe, lit it, took a deep drag, and after a while said in a deep voice, "So you're Xiaoyin's friend. How is she doing now? Is she still alone? Or is she still traveling around?"
Hearing him say this, it was clear that Gu Yin had other stories to tell. The psychologist pursed his lips and told the truth: "Sir, we are employees of the Chu Group. Gu Yin bravely saved our boss on the road, but unfortunately she was hit by a car and died despite all efforts to save her. Our boss asked us to come and inform Gu Yin's family and pick them up to handle the funeral arrangements. We are very sorry. Gu Yin is a kind and good girl. She acted bravely and righteously. She is truly remarkable!"
The old man's pipe fell to the ground with a thud. His mouth opened and closed, and he reached out to grab the hand of the person next to him: "Let's go, let's go?"
The HR director and the psychologist bowed their heads and said, "I'm sorry."
The surroundings grew quieter. The old man touched his face, stood up with trembling legs, and said, "Let's go, I'll take you to her house." He then led the way into the village.
They hadn't gone far when the HR director heard the murmurs of villagers talking behind them.
"What a tragedy!"
"It's truly a tragedy! This family has suffered numerous losses, including the death of their only son! How could they be so unlucky!"
"How will Gu Da live when he finds out! His brother's whole family is gone, and his own wife and children are gone too! Sigh..."
"Thunder strikes the truly filial son, wealth begets the ruthless; a rope breaks at its weakest point, and misfortune always finds those with a bitter fate!"②
After he finished speaking, everyone sighed again.
The HR director and the psychologist grew even more somber. They wanted to ask about the specifics, but the old man clearly didn't want to say much and quickly walked away.
The Gu family's house wasn't far from the village entrance. After walking for five minutes, they saw a large courtyard with a two-meter-high wall. Inside the courtyard was a persimmon tree, laden with fruit, as well as a pomelo tree and a pomegranate tree. The pomelos and pomegranates on the trees would be ready to be picked in two months.
The two-story bungalow was unfurnished, with moss growing all over the exterior walls. Unlike modern apartments where the stairs go up from the inside, the stairs to the second floor were on the outside, like those in a school building from the 1980s.
This house looks quite old; in the city, it would basically be classified as a dilapidated building.
A middle-aged man with graying temples was lying on a deck chair under the pomelo tree. Hearing the noise, he looked towards the door.
"Old village chief, what brings you here?" Uncle Gu Qingming stood up and asked with a smile.
Seeing the two strangers next to the old village chief, he frowned and said helplessly, "Old village chief, I've already said, I don't need the government's help. I'm not all alone; I still have my daughter, Yinni'er, who sends me money every month! I can't even spend it all! What's so special about giving me welfare? Besides, I can support myself by doing some carpentry! I really don't need it; you should leave!"
The old village chief lowered his head, pressed his hand to the corner of his eye, and waved his hand: "These aren't government people, they're Xiaoyin's friends. You two talk, I'll go home and get you some food."
After saying that, he turned and left hastily. If he stayed any longer, he would have burst into tears!
Uncle Gu didn't notice the old village chief's strange behavior. When he heard that it was Gu Yin's friend, he happily got up, went inside, poured two glasses of water, and gave them to the two of them.
"I'm usually alone and I'm used to drinking plain water. I don't have any tea at home to serve guests, so please forgive me."
Uncle Gu smiled sheepishly.
The psychologist looked at his empty left leg and then at his tense and uneasy hands, and felt a pang of heartache.
"Plain water is fine, it's healthy! We drink plain water at the company!" she said, trying to maintain a smile.
Seeing that they didn't seem to mind, Uncle Gu breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Are you and Yinni from the same company? Yinni just talked to me on the phone last week. She'll be back to stay for a while next month after she finishes her busy work this month. Is your company very busy right now? Is Yinni eating well? Has she lost weight again? I always tell her that, and she always agrees verbally, but she's always thinner than the last time she comes back! I also made some pickled vegetables. Take some back for her when you go back; she loves them!"
Even after seeing all sorts of patients, the psychologist couldn't help but choke up at this moment, and could no longer maintain the smile on his face.
The HR director took a deep breath, looked apologetically at Uncle Gu, and said briefly, "Uncle, we are employees of the Chu Group in Beijing. We are here because Miss Gu Yin saved our boss on the road, but unfortunately, she was hit by a car and could not be saved. We are here on behalf of the Chu Group and our boss. Miss Gu Yin was very brave and kind, and we are very sorry." After saying this, the two bowed deeply. As for compensation, he couldn't bring himself to say it now; it would be too hurtful.
Uncle Gu's smiling face slowly disappeared. He reached for the cane beside him, and after several attempts, he finally managed to hold it firmly. He refused the two men's help and slowly walked into the house.
Looking at that desolate and heavy figure, the two of them didn't know what to say for a moment. They looked up at the pomegranate tree by the door and stared blankly.
Pomegranates symbolize many children and abundant blessings—what a beautiful meaning!
Half an hour later, a sound came from the doorway, and the two looked over.
"Let's go, it'll be dark soon and we won't be able to go out," Uncle Gu said as he came out of the house, a smirk on his face as he looked at the two of them.
Looking at his reddened eyes, neither of them said anything.
The HR director stood up, reached out and took the basket from Uncle Gu's hand. Inside the basket was a woman's coat, some incense and candles, and a small earthenware jar. If you got close, you could smell the sour aroma emanating from the jar. He carefully held the basket, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart. It was a pity that the little girl would never be able to eat it again.
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