Tang Yaxuan's heart felt as if it had plummeted into a bottomless pit. Unmoored and terrified, she could only watch as her life spiraled toward a dead end.
She scanned the dilapidated, filthy little courtyard. Chicks scurried about, shitting everywhere. The short, stout woman from the house next door led a cow into the yard to feed it, all the while hurling loud, veiled insults. As the cow ate, it also urinated, its hide already smeared with fresh dung. With a flick of its tail, Tang Yaxuan felt something warm splash onto her face. She tried to retreat back into the house, but the doorway was blocked by several creatures she was told were her younger siblings. Their eyes burned with hostility, their expressions making it clear they saw her as an enemy.
