Before dawn.
.........
"Who's there?" Lady Zhang answered, careful not to speak too loudly for fear of waking Lian Shouxin.
"It's Aunt Chunzhu." Xiao Qi crawled to the window and peered outside before speaking.
"Quick, let your Aunt Chunzhu in," Lady Zhang said.
Lian Zhizhi hurried down from the kang and went out to let Chunzhu's wife in.
"Is Fourth Brother asleep? Oh, perhaps I should come back tomorrow," Chunzhu's wife came inside and saw Lian Shouxin sleeping at the edge of the kang. She lowered her voice diplomatically.
"What's there to be afraid of? He'll sleep, and we'll talk," Lady Zhang smiled and said, "Look at the state he's in; even thunder wouldn't rouse him."
Chunzhu's wife then smiled and took a seat on the edge of the kang.