Creak –

The sound of the old wooden door being pushed open interrupted the quiet reverie of the youth lying down on the bed. He opened his eyes, his gaze calm and dim, as deep as the sea.

Seeing the old woman that walked in, the youth smiled, “Granny, it must have been troubling for you taking care of me.”

The woman was very old. The skin of her face had lost its luster and moisture, and folds overlapped like layers of dead bark. She smiled and waved her hand, revealing a mouth with only a few broken teeth left in it.

This granny was a mute. The youth was already aware of this through their past several days of contact. He expressed his thanks to her again and took the bowl from her hands.

The black and white porcelain bowl was thick and heavy. It was unknown how many years it had been used for, but the lip of it was covered in small cracks. Still, the inside and outside was washed extremely cleanly. Now it was full of cooked porridge and some wood mushroom-like herbs were floating inside.

The youth sighed with emotion....