The cacophony of gongs, drums, and firecrackers erupted simultaneously outside, causing Miss Tang to freeze mid-motion as she packed her tofu.
She had overslept. She had rushed to finish a batch of tofu and was now desperate to get to the market; if she missed the morning rush, she wouldn't sell out, and her household relied entirely on those few copper coins. The rice jar was already scraping bottom, and she couldn't survive on thin rice gruel day after day; her body wouldn't hold up.
Her feckless father, lacking money for his drink, had been raving at home lately, sometimes even smashing things. She couldn't stop him, and she dared not try. She knew her father better than anyone—once his eyes turned red with fury, he didn't care who you were; he would destroy everything in his path. She didn't dare risk it.
Chapter 273