With a wave of his hand, he announced, "Eat!"
But the children were all heavy-hearted, the food tasteless as wax in their mouths. Even the steamed buns they usually loved no longer held any appeal. They sat there, one and all, sighing and lamenting.
Many households were in the same state, including the Village Chief's. The five clan patriarchs sat at the lower end of the table, their brows furrowed tight.
Chapter 48