His soul is still in there. Luhan’s words made me think of you. You’d said something similar, standing in almost the exact same spot. That’s why I made the intercom. It chilled my heart, reminding me of how I’d wanted to rescue my family’s honor.

Luhan was like you, I realized, a descendant of my enemy, exuding mystery and menace. You both enchanted me, and I gave myself up to you. Then you broke my dreams apart and made me see how lowly and helpless I really was.

Watching the three women fight filled me abruptly with loathing. Not looking back, I ran down the stairs, the latches still clanking in my pocket. When I got to the entrance, I dropped them in a trash can.

First thing the next morning, Granny marched up to the head nurse and demanded to know who’d given Luhan permission to take care of Granddad. The head nurse was a woman in her forties, known to everyone as Auntie Yun. I’d seen her in the corridors, dressing down nurses much older than herself in a shrill voice. Her face was long and so was her philtrum, which meant she was going to live to at least a hundred years. She didn’t look apologetic in the face of Granny’s ranting. The nurses didn’t enjoy caring for Granddad, she said, but here was Wang Luhan willing to do it, and doing it well, so what was the problem? The hospital didn’t have anything against volunteers, and the head nurse didn’t care what kind of grudges were involved—the old man was in his bed, and not one hair on his head had been harmed. Granny asked if they could change the lock on the door, but Auntie Yun said no to that too. Why not just bring him home, she added, you can install as many security doors as you like, not a fly will get in. Granny was furious, but that did no good. She stood sentry at Room 317 that afternoon, and when Luhan showed up, Granny chased her away with a broom. She came home to shovel down some dinner, then went back to the hospital, this time bringing a wooden plank with nails hammered into it. Sure enough, Luhan came again, and got attacked once more. Apparently she got a cut on her forehead and bled quite a lot.

Meanwhile, I was stuck at home with Auntie watching over me. Granny had threatened to break my legs if I snuck off to see Luhan again. Auntie sighed and pulled me in for a hug. You’ve got it wrong, she said. You saw her taking care of your granddad so you think she’s a good person—you’re too naive. No one does good deeds unless they expect something in return. And you’re so good to her … Auntie looked down, bit her lip, and muttered, You never got me earrings. I pushed her away, ran into the bedroom, and climbed up to the upper bunk.