The scorching summer evening was still and windless, with cicadas chirping incessantly. It was a night like any other, utterly ordinary, no different from the countless nights before. Yet, this night was also unlike any other. Everyone who could return had returned, and the entire courtyard was gathered together, their faces flushed with excitement. If you looked closely, you could see just how thrilled they were—and who wouldn't be? This was a monumental occasion.
They sat there, glancing at one another, until Zhao Guihua cleared her throat and broke the silence, "Why is everyone so quiet?"
Her words instantly heightened the excitement. Aunt Zhou chimed in, "Is the news about the demolition real? Could it just be a rumor?"
"Oh, come on, Aunt Zhou, don't you trust my sources? An old customer of mine is involved in this. He said it's almost certain—even the household registrations have been frozen. You can't transfer your hukou now even if you wanted to."
