A shrill gust of wind swept past the ears of a six-year-old boy. He nervously swung his little legs, struggling to run toward the house, all the while muttering, "Mom, it's going to rain!"
The young woman cleaning the hall saw the scene outside and hurriedly dropped her broom. She freed her left hand to scoop up the boy and hurried into the inner room. Once inside, she quickly grabbed the quilt from the bed with her right hand, opened the bed board, revealing a small hidden space. The confused boy blinked his innocent eyes and said, "Mom?"
"Evan, hide here and don't come out. Mom's going out for a bit." The young woman set the boy down nervously, quickly replaced the bed board and quilt to restore everything to normal. But the boy's cries could still be heard clearly. The woman's face changed again and again; though she was deeply distressed, she made a quick decision. She raised both hands, a cluster of shining light appeared in her palms. With a wave, the light flew to the four corners of the bed. After a flash, the room returned to calm, and even the boy's crying ceased.
No one knew how much time had passed. When the bed board was opened again, the boy was already fast asleep, with a few undried tears still visible at the corners of his eyes. The person who opened the bed board was a tall, burly man. Upon seeing the child, he quickly picked him up and left.
From then on, that house became abandoned, with no one ever visiting again. The boy grew into a teenager, now sitting by the riverside lost in thought.
"Mom, where did you go?" he muttered, tears glistening as they fell onto the riverbank. He was the same boy placed under the bed five years ago, surname Yang, given name Han—Evan Yang.
Just then, a flustered voice called out, "Evan, something's wrong!"
Evan Yang quickly got up and saw an elderly man approaching from nearby. This old man was the village chief, known to everyone as Mr. Li. "Grandpa Li, what's wrong?"
"What else? Your dad's fighting with someone again. This time it's worse than before!" Mr. Li said anxiously.
"Dad got drunk again? Where is he now?" Evan asked urgently.
"At the village entrance..." Mr. Li replied quickly. Hearing this, Evan hurried toward the entrance. On the way, memories of the past years flooded his mind. Ever since his father, Liam Yang, took him out from under the bed and brought him to the village, he'd fallen apart—spending his days like a drunk, sometimes quarreling with others. But the villagers, knowing his story, never blamed him or paid him much mind.
Until today, when outsiders came to the village—no one knew how Liam Yang got into trouble with them. By the time Evan arrived, Liam had already been carried home by helpful villagers. The middle-aged man he was tangled with was still there, frowning. As their eyes met, Evan felt embarrassed and hurried forward to apologize, "Uncle, I'm really sorry. My dad..."