Deng Xiaojie, feeling irritable, found fault with everything. "What time is it already? Why haven't we turned off the lights to sleep?"
Cui Aiju rolled her eyes at her. "Didn't you see that Qiao Zhiqing hasn't come back yet? You're really selfish."
Deng Xiaojie, already fuming with nowhere to vent her anger, retorted, "What do you mean? How am I being selfish? Does this kerosene not cost money? Are we just supposed to wait for her alone?"
Cui Aiju hadn't expected Deng Xiaojie to snap back at her. "Deng Xiaojie, don't go looking for trouble. I'm not a pushover you can bully whenever you like."
Just then, Li Rongjuan stepped in to mediate. "Alright now, you've all been working all day. Aren't you tired?"
The room quieted down. Bai Suli turned over in her bed. "Did Qiao Zhiqing fall into the latrine or something? Why has she been gone for so long?"
