By the time Jun Ming returned from the office, it was already dark outside. His shoulders ached, and the knot of his tie had been bothering him for the last hour. He loosened it as he stepped through the front door, the bag in his other hand brushing against his leg.
Laughter drifted out of the living room.
For a moment, he thought they had guests. Then he walked farther inside and saw Umi sitting on the sofa with Hua Lang tucked into her arms. She was scrolling through her phone, occasionally moving her thumb over the screen while her other hand rested comfortably on the piglet's back.
Across from her, Tian had curled up in the single armchair with a piece of fruit in his hand. His attention was on the television, where a cartoon character was trying to squeeze through a window much too small for its body.
Tian laughed when it got stuck.
Hua Lang lifted his head at the sound, but Tian was already taking another bite of fruit, his eyes fixed on the screen.
