Ever since Zhao ii received the notebook from Shi Yang, she began the habit of writing a diary every day. Starting with a mix of pinyin and Chinese characters, she later wrote fluent cursive and never stopped.
By early December, Shi Yang and his classmates in the third grade of middle school began intensive courses. Morning self-study started an hour and a half earlier, and evening self-study also extended later, so Zhao ii couldn’t catch rides with him to and from school anymore.
Luckily, the residential area started a bus route, and both starting points of the two bus lines were set at the entrance of the residential community.
After two days of taking the bus with Zhao ii, Liu Xiue only needed to prepare change for Zhao ii each day, allowing her to take the bus to school by herself. In the evening, at school dismissal ti, she would wait for Zhao ii to co ho, peering through the grocery store’s glass window.
Shi Yang was getting busier with his studies, and unless his mother went to the city, he wouldn’t easily visit Zhao ii’s house. Usually, if Liu Xiue made sothing delicious occasionally, she would have Zhao ii carry it over to Shi Yang’s house.
On weekends, Zhao Dazhuang watched over the grocery store while Liu Xiue stayed ho to make a chicken stew with mushrooms. Once it was ready, she specially served a portion, wrapped it in a plastic bag, and asked Zhao ii to take it to Shi Yang while it was hot.
Zhao ii peeked inside and said to her mother, "Mom, put in so more mushrooms. I’ll eat at Brother Yangyang’s place; I love mushrooms."
Liu Xiue opened the plastic bag, "You can just co back and eat!"
Zhao ii insisted, helping to hold the bag open, "Mom, I’ll eat there and then co back after playing for a while at Brother Yangyang’s."
Liu Xiue glared at her, "Your Brother Yangyang is about to take his high school entrance exam; don’t disturb him."
Zhao ii hurriedly assured, fearing her mother would disagree, "I won’t disturb Brother Yangyang’s studies. When I visited his house last week, I didn’t disturb him either."
Liu Xiue helped her rewrap the plastic bag, watched her hold it in her hand, and advised, "Hold it nicely; don’t spill it. Watch your step while walking."
Zhao ii agreed and left ho.
Once inside Shi Yang’s house, Zhao ii noticed Shi Yang’s mother wasn’t there. She asked Shi Yang, "Where’s Auntie?"
"She went shopping," Shi Yang said, holding the ceramic bowl as he opened the plastic bag to take a look and smiled, "Wow, chicken stew with mushrooms."
Zhao ii bead, "It slls great."
Shi Yang glanced at the separately wrapped rice in the bag and asked Zhao ii, "Are you eating here?"
Zhao ii nodded, "Yes, I’ll eat with you. Otherwise, you won’t enjoy your al."
Shi Yang laughed and habitually ruffled Zhao ii’s hair.
The two of them shared a plate of food together.
Shi Yang picked so mushrooms for Zhao ii, knowing she loved them.
Zhao ii happily munched, her mouth greasy, chewing vigorously on a chicken wing when she heard a sweet call from outside, "Shi Yang! Shi... Yang!"
Shi Yang was in the middle of picking mushrooms for Zhao ii when he heard the voice. He quickly put down his chopsticks, ran to the window, and leaned his head out to see.
He glanced outside, waved at soone, turned back to the table, wiped his mouth with a paper towel, and said to Zhao ii, "You keep eating; I’ll be right back."
Zhao ii replied, recognizing the voice as sowhat familiar. She held the chicken wing she hadn’t finished and moved to the window to look outside. She saw a familiar figure standing outside the iron gate.
She looked carefully, recognizing it was Liu Qujing calling for Shi Yang.
Shi Yang was running towards the gate at a quick pace. Zhao ii watched his hurried figure and pouted, wondering what the rush was for. The person was waiting outside; they couldn’t possibly leave.
Shi Yang and Liu Qujing stood face to face outside the gate. They spoke in hushed tones, making it hard to hear what they were saying. After a short while, Liu Qujing left, and Shi Yang turned back, holding a fluffy plush toy in his hand.
Zhao ii eyed the toy in Shi Yang’s hand and asked, "Brother Yangyang, who was that just now?"
Shi Yang casually replied, "Liu Qujing."
Zhao ii threw the chicken wing into her bowl, deciding not to eat anymore, and asked, "How did she find her way here?"
Shi Yang placed the toy on the sofa beside him, rubbed his hands—he had forgotten to wear an outer coat in his haste—and sat back at the table, picking up his chopsticks as he answered, "Oh, she visited my house before."
Zhao ii’s eyebrows drooped, a bit unhappy, "When did she co here? How co I didn’t know?"
Shi Yang held his chopsticks, "Just a few days ago."
Zhao ii replied in a muffled voice, "Oh."
Shi Yang glanced at her, "What’s wrong? Why the sudden change in mood?"
Zhao ii shook her head. She didn’t quite understand why either but suddenly felt down.
Shi Yang picked up a chicken piece and said to Zhao ii, "When you go ho later, take this toy with you."
Zhao ii turned her head to give it a disdainful glance, "I don’t like playing with dolls."
Shi Yang chuckled, ate the chicken skin himself, and tossed the chicken at into Zhao ii’s bowl, "You can give it as a gift."
Zhao ii’s eyes brightened, "Yes, I’ll give it to Xu Xu then."
Shi Yang recalled the particularly good-looking young boy and chuckled, "Would he really want to play with this kind of thing?"
Zhao ii wasn’t entirely sure, "Maybe. If he doesn’t want it, I’ll give it to one of the girls I’m close with in my class."
After finishing their al, Shi Yang tidied up the table and began studying at his desk. Zhao ii lay on the sofa, reading a book. She recently beca fascinated with Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales, the pinyin version. It took her half a day to read a story because she read slowly, her eyes following each line, needing to read along in her mind to absorb it.
Just as Zhao ii finished reading two stories, Qu Chaozong’s loud voice rang out from the courtyard, "Hey! Shi Yang! Open the door!"
This ti, Shi Yang rembered to put on his coat, opened the door, and brought Qu Chaozong inside shortly after.
As Qu Chaozong walked in, he imdiately spotted Zhao ii curled up on the sofa. He dashed over in two steps and pressed his ice-cold hands against Zhao ii’s face, "Oh my! ii, you’re here to accompany your Brother Yangyang studying again?"
Zhao ii squealed from the chill, and Shi Yang ca over, smiling as he pushed Qu Chaozong away, "Leave her alone!"
Qu Chaozong chuckled, patted Zhao ii, and said, "Move over a bit."
Zhao ii sat up to make room, and Qu Chaozong dropped onto the sofa, removing his coat. As he unzipped it, he noticed the toy lying on the sofa, paused, and said, "Wow, ii, is this your new favorite?"
Shi Yang replied, "No, soone else gave it to ."
Qu Chaozong imdiately sat up straight on the sofa with envy, "Who?" He picked up the toy, a cute little brown bear dressed in a suit.
Qu Chaozong patted the bear, "Wow, this definitely looks like a couples’ set! They brought the male bear to you and kept the female bear back for themselves. Who’s this person? So romantic!"
Shi Yang hadn’t even considered the idea of it being a couples’ set, "Liu Qujing ca earlier and said it was a New Year’s gift for ."
"Oh wow!" Qu Chaozong teased, "That’s amazing! The flower of Class Three went to such lengths for you; you should just go for it!"
He finished, turning to Zhao ii, placing a hand on her slim shoulder, "This way, you might even get a little sister-in-law for our ii. Wouldn’t that be nice?" Then, he winked at Zhao ii, "Isn’t that right, ii?"
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