Gu'er looked at Li Zhi, a warmth spreading through her heart. Li Zhi was still young, but she understood that Gu'er was in a tough spot. She saw Gu'er's bicycle but still refused a popsicle, even though she desperately wanted one. 'If only the Zhou sisters were like her,' Gu'er thought, 'things with the Zhou family never would have gotten so bad.'
She gave Li Zhi'er a fond hug and pressed the popsicle into her hand.
Seeing that Gu'er was sincere, Li Zhi smiled and took a bite of the popsicle. The icy, sweet flavor melted in her mouth, and a look of pure contentment washed over her face.
"Well, well, look who's here."
A grating voice cut through the air as Cui Mei came out of the house.
Following her out were Gu'er's maternal grandmother, Zhou Ercao, and Li Ying. Her eldest cousin, however, wasn't home. 'I wonder if she got married or just went out,' Gu'er mused.
