Her chest heaved as she stared into the darkness, hugging her knees, biting her lip.
Thinking of her tragically killed companions, tears suddenly streamed down her face again.
Suddenly, she felt a pang of homesickness, yearning for the courtyard of her childhood.
She still remembered "Ting," which meant "courtyard," derived from her father's love for its tranquility.
Her father loved that courtyard and also loved Ting.
But she also knew her "father" had been missing for ten years...
The woman was hugging her knees, reminiscing, when she suddenly sensed something, turned her head abruptly, and in a quick glance, saw a dark silhouette in the room.
Her heart pounded with fright, and without asking more, she instinctively tried to summon the animals.
But then, the voice sounded just in time.
"Ting, it's your father."
The woman paused slightly but remained tense.