Chen Ke was startled.
"The stairs have been removed, so there's a break between the fifth and fourth floors, and we've turned the area below into a toilet. You just squat at the top of the stairs and let it go," Jacob explained.
Chen Ke was momentarily at a loss for words. That actually made a lot of sense...
"Okay, I'm going to check on the kids. You can come with me or find a corner to rest in. I'll come find you later to chat," Jacob said.
"It's fine, I'll come and see the children with you," Chen Ke nodded.
The two of them walked toward the sleeping children. Many were already asleep, with a substantial number being girls, at least half. But since there were a limited number of folding beds, even some of the older girls were sleeping on the ground.
By a load-bearing pillar, Chen Ke saw a blackened spot where they had lit a fire, indicated by some wooden sticks and combustible material nearby.
