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Han Yanyan and the scavenger stood facing each other with laser guns pointed, neither willing to make a move for a moment. The man slowly raised his left hand to signal.
"Don't be nervous," he said, "You want this? No problem. I'll give it to you."
He began to step back and then left.
Compared to other scavengers, he was much gentler.
On the way back, Han Yanyan remarked, "He seems like a nice person."
Ding Yao did not respond.
Two months later, they encountered the man again, and this time Han Yanyan struck up a conversation with him.
"My name is Abuke," he said. "What about you?"
"Nita," Han Yanyan replied.
They both knew they were using false names. Scavengers were rarely weak, at least capable of self-protection. They lived away from human settlements for their own reasons, often disguising their appearance and true names.
For instance, Han Yanyan wore a messy hairstyle resembling a bird's nest and was also wearing a mask.
Yet those beautiful eyes visible above the mask were striking.
"Nita, is this your child?" Abuke asked.
"Yes," Han Yanyan countered, "Are you alone?"
Abuke avoided the question and asked, "Where's the child's father?"
Ding Yao answered directly, "He went to town early in the morning."
It was already afternoon; if he had left that early, he would be back soon.