Yuan Ying Villa, on the surface, lacked the ethereal quality of Reflection Villa. It stood merely as an ordinary structure in the middle of the lake, complete with a portico, inner chambers, and a garden. That garden was supposed to embrace the mountains and water, offering a magnificent view of the lake and peaks from within. Yet, stepping inside proved otherwise; crossing the garden fence revealed not a trace of moisture, only an endless plain. Walking further across that plain would bring one to a highway—the world of ordinary people, from where one could hitch a ride back to Xiangcheng.

Seeing how polite Uncle Ou was, the group let down their guard. Xiao Shu took the lead, supporting the sightless Hua Gu as they entered the villa first, followed by A Li, with Xiao Yu bringing up the rear, carrying the black cat. Just as Xiao Yu was bowing his head to step inside, Uncle Ou reached out and stopped him, saying gently, “Have you thought this through? Are you sure you need to bring that along?” He gestured toward the black cat perched on Xiao Yu’s head, his expression one of gentle regret.

“Yeah, I’ll keep it for now. I’ll figure things out when we get home,” Xiao Yu replied vaguely, a hint of helplessness in his tone—a nuance only the two men conversing understood.

Uncle Ou nodded, his face turning serious. “Very well. Someone visited my humble abode unexpectedly some time ago. They said you would certainly pass through this place and gave me something to hand over to you.” Saying this, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a boleng gu (a traditional spinning toy), slowly rotating it in his hand. The two short strings with wooden beads swung in the air as it spun, striking the drum faces and emitting a dong dong dong sound.

Xiao Yu froze, and memories flooded his mind. It was the night of the Lantern Festival, his mother holding his hand as they strolled through the fair. The street was brightly lit, filled with vendors selling toys and colorful lanterns. They stopped at a small stall, and the vendor, seeing how young Xiao Yu was, picked up a boleng gu to amuse him. It worked instantly; Xiao Yu clung to his mother, insisting he must have that specific toy. His mother sighed, pulling out the ten yuan she had, and handed it to Xiao Yu, who seized the boleng gu in ecstatic joy. However, the family ended up eating plain congee for two days afterward; his father chided his mother for spoiling Xiao Yu by spending the family’s meager funds on a mere toy. Yet, Xiao Yu remained perfectly content, unable to put the boleng gu down.

Though many years had passed, the memory felt as fresh as yesterday. His mother’s delicate figure was still deeply etched in his mind. Thinking of this, tears streamed down Xiao Yu’s face. He took the boleng gu, gently spun the handle twice, and the two dong sounds seemed to transport him back many years.

“This… this was left by my mother?” After a moment of hesitation, Xiao Yu, his eyes blurred with tears, finally managed to ask the question he held back.

“Yes. Your mother is indisposed, and I have arranged for her to stay at my place temporarily.” With that, Uncle Ou nodded toward him and gestured subtly toward the inside of the villa, indicating his mother was within.

Hearing his mother was nearby, Xiao Yu instantly became agitated, breathing raggedly. Clenching the sickle in one hand and the boleng gu in the other, he tried to bolt inside with the black cat still on his shoulder.

The old man, however, was in no hurry to let him enter. He extended his arm to block the path and pointed at the small cat on Xiao Yu’s head. “Have a companion hold this little fellow before you go see the patient. She is weak, and the bacteria carried by small animals might aggravate her condition.” With that, he smoothly took the sickle and the boleng gu from Xiao Yu’s hands, freeing them so Xiao Yu could hand the little black cat over to A Li.

The first group to enter the villa had been Xiao Shu and Hua Gu, followed closely by A Li. Originally, A Li intended to follow Xiao Shu and Hua Gu inside, but seeing Xiao Yu stopped by Uncle Ou, she naturally grew worried. She paused, standing behind Uncle Ou, listening to their conversation. Now knowing that Xiao Yu’s mother was recuperating inside the villa, A Li felt a sense of relief for him. Seeing the old man’s insistence that Xiao Yu not bring the little black cat to visit the patient, she took the cat into her arms, helping Xiao Yu out of the awkward situation.