The child lifted her eyes, shyly gncing at Fang Siying. Her small face had turned even paler, and her big eyes were brimming with tears. With a pleading expression, she trembled slightly and said, in a pitiful voice:

  "You must know, don't you, Teacher?"

  "Know? Know what?" Fang Siying pulled the child closer, sitting her on the edge of the bed. She gently lifted the child’s chin, looking closely at her frightened little face.

  "What's really going on?"

  Bai Tingting remained silent for a while, then walked away, lifted the pillow, and pulled something out from beneath it. Shyly, she brought it to Fang Siying. Fang Siying looked at it in surprise and was taken aback. In the child′s hands was a poorly made cloth doll.

  Not only was its arm broken and its leg bent, but even its head was swaying, held together only by a few threads around its neck. The doll′s clothes were ragged, and the white cloth face had turned so dirty it looked like earth, with the eyebrows and eyes unrecognizable.

  Fang Siyi took the doll, staring at it in disbelief and saying, "What... what is this?"

  "My doll," the child murmured, hurt by Fang Siyi's expression. "I think... she doesn′t look very pretty."

  "But, but—what about your other dolls?"

  Bai Tingting quickly lifted her head, her eyes bravely meeting Fang Siying's gaze. With determination, she said all at once, "I don't have any other dolls. I only have this one. I found it on the hillside behind the house. Xiao Heitian, Xiao Chou, Jin Quan'er... they're all it. I gave it many names."

  Fang Siying's eyes widened as she watched the child lovingly hold the doll, futilely trying to fix the doll’s torn clothes. She was speechless, unable to say a word. What kind of wealthy family was this! She bit her lip, feeling overwhelmed, her eyes moist.

  Every nerve in her being tensed for this child. It took her a long time to regain her composure. Gently stroking Tingting's hair, she spoke in a comforting, sincere tone:

  "This doll is so lovely, Tingting. I think, in a few days, we can make her a new dress to wear."

  "Really? Can you do that?" Tingting's eyes sparkled.

  "I can," Fang Siying said, her tears nearly spilling over. She didn′t want to visit Tingting′s wardrobe anymore; she could already imagine what it looked like. Watching Bai Tingting carefully put away the doll, she took the child′s hand and said, "This afternoon, we won′t do homework. We'll do it ter tonight. Now, would you like to go for a walk with me outside?"

  "Yes!" the child cheered.

  "Then hurry! Go tell your dad we're leaving!"

  Bai Tingting ran off like a fsh.

  Half an hour ter, Fang Siying and Bai Tingting stood before the ruins of Hanyan Vil. Staring at the house, which was reduced to broken walls and ruins, Bai Tingting spoke with a longing expression, "They say my te mother still often comes here even now."

  "What?" Fang Siying asked. "Who said that?"

  "Everyone says so." Bai Tingting looked up at the empty shell of the house. "I hope I can see her. I won’t be afraid of my mom’s ghost."

  Fang Siying paused for a moment. "There are no ghosts in the world, you know?"

  "There are." The child spoke firmly. "Mom will come back. Dad and I are waiting, waiting for her ghost to appear."

  "Has anyone ever seen her ghost?" Fang Siying asked thoughtfully.

  "Yes. Many people say they've seen it. Last week, one night, Yazhu passed by here and even swore she saw a woman′s shadow walking through the empty garden. It scared her so much that she ran home quickly. If it were me, I wouldn′t run. I'd go over and talk to her."

  "Oh, don't think about such things," Fang Siying said uneasily, as she hated when adults instilled thoughts of ghosts into children. "Let's go."

  "Are you scared?" Bai Tingting asked. "I'm not scared!"

  "Don't be afraid of my mom," Tingting continued, her gaze intense. "My mom is the kindest, most lovely person."

  "Really? How do you know?"

  "My dad said so!"

  "Oh!" Fang Siying stopped, her gaze returning to the ruins of Hanyan Vil.

  The broken house stood among the wild grass, thorn bushes, and vines. She imagined what it must have looked like when it was whole, picturing the "gentle and lovely" mistress and her bright-eyed, affectionate husband living here together.

  She was lost in her thoughts. Beside her, the little girl stood just as absorbed, lost in thoughts of her te mother.