SC Chapter35

At the end of East Street, there was only the baker left in the cake stall. Beside him was a small cradle where a quiet child slept. Every day before class, Xiao Yuan would kiss the child’s soft cheek, squeeze his little hand, and whisper goodbye. People came and went on the street, which was very noisy, but even when the child was woken up, he rarely cried either. He would just open his round eyes and look at the bustling street.

When Xiao Ning had a moment of leisure, he would pick the child up from the cradle and coax him, softly calling him, “Niannian.”

Xiao Niannian, whose features increasingly resembled Shen Yunjie’s, wore a soft smile, revealing a newly grown little white tooth when he grinned.

The neighbors were very fond of this soft, white child. They would use buying a cake as an excuse to come over and touch or tease him. Xiao Niannian was not shy either, and he would smile all day with his eyes curved, drooling all over his bib. The aunties next door even vied to make him tiger-head shoes and small hats.

Spring went and autumn came, year after year. Xiao Yuan began to shoot up, losing his soft, doughy look. His features became increasingly handsome and clear, but his baby face remained unchanged, making him look innocent and naive. Xiao Niannian also grew from a nursing baby in a cradle to a soft, round dumpling who could toddle on his short legs to the doorway to meet his elder brother after class.

Xiao Yuan would see Niannian running towards him, swaying precariously in the distance, and would cooperatively bend down to embrace the soft dumpling who crashed into his arms. Niannian would tightly circle Xiao Yuan’s neck with his small arms, calling “Gege” in his milky voice. While Xiao Yuan walked onto the bluestone slab path, bathed in the setting sun, holding his younger brother.

Xiao Ning watched the children walk up to him as he wiped the flour from his hands, and patted Xiao Yuan’s shoulder: “Go wash your hands. Dinner will be ready soon.” The years flowed by as gently as fine water, stirring no dust. Xiao Ning sometimes thought that the years Shen Yunjie was here felt like a grand dream. Only when he occasionally saw Shen Yunjie’s shadow vaguely in Shen Nian’s eyes did he recall the scene of him closing his eyes, covered in blood, in his arms that year. His heart no longer ached and only felt cold—a coldness that feel like the dead of winter, tearing at his soul.

If not for Xiao Yuan and Niannian, Xiao Ning thought, from the day Shen Yunjie left, he would only curse the years for being too long, with no hope of meeting again.

“Big Father?” Xiao Yuan’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. “The food will get cold if you don’t eat now.”

Xiao Ning snapped back to reality. He shoveled a couple of mouthfuls of rice, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and said, “Go upstairs and do your homework.”

Xiao Yuan nodded obediently, holding Niannian’s small hand as they walked upstairs. It was already dark outside, and a wind began to blow for no apparent reason, therefore Xiao Ning closed the stall.

As night fell, Xiao Ning bolted the door. Just as he was about to go upstairs, he heard a knock on the door.

“No more cakes. Please come early tomorrow.” Xiao Ning spoke to the person outside the door, holding onto the stair railing.

A moment of silence passed outside the door, and then a voice entered his ear through the door panel, “Do you have blossom buns?”

The sound projected clearly into the room, steady and light, indicating a solid foundation in internal martial arts. Xiao Ning said calmly, “What kind do you want?”

“Not burnt, not raw not undercooked.”

Xiao Ning’s heart leaped. He suddenly raised his head, staring intensely at the door panel. The person outside waited a long time without receiving an answer and grew slightly impatient. Suddenly, a palm struck the door. The two panels remained intact, but the bolt inside shattered instantly. The main door swung open with the wind, revealing a figure outside, dressed in white with black hair billowing. Their posture was like bamboo, and a snow-white veil covered their face. The pale and slender fingers gently closed the door as they said, “Boss Xiao, shall we discuss a business deal?”