Guo

"Have you packed everything?"

Aldrich heard her mother's words as he put the bag in the car. The early morning chill of the old town had yet to recede and Aldrich's eyes kept wandering from the alleys to the distant ridges' tops.

"For the hundredth time, Mom, yes! Where is Dad? I am getting late, you know."

"He's coming… call me after settling down there, Ok?"

Mrs. Guo kept tucking Aldrich's white jacket. Aldrich could vividly see the uneasiness in her eyes, as it would be the first time for Aldrich to be away from his home for a long period.

Huff! Huff!

The rough breathing of an old man made the pair of mother and son look towards the entrance of the shop. Mr. Ben came running towards them, huffing and puffing balls of white fog. The sun, below the horizon, had yet to make the surrounding air bearable for the old man.

"Hah! Hah… Here I am!"

"Ben, you couldn't put away that wooden carving even now? Look how nervous our Alu is?"