"Co rest with for a bit!" He Zhilan kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed. She naturally rolled to the side closest to the wall, clinging to it like a gecko, laughing, "It’s quite cool this way~"
At that mont, He Teng genuinely couldn’t help but let out a snicker, admitting defeat to the whimsical He Zhilan.
Perhaps it was because the cicada’s song in the courtyard felt so familiar to both He Teng and He Zhilan, or maybe because they were back in a ho that brought peace of mind, that even though it was hot and they were under the quilts, the two of them quickly cuddled up together and fell into a deep sleep.
When the two woke up, the evening sun had already set halfway, its blood-red hue staining most of the sky. Like a painting hung atop a mountain, the fiery clouds were so beautiful they seed otherworldly.
Over at the mountain, occasionally a pheasant would flutter its wings, flying from the tall trees into the dense forest. The elentary school children who had co ho for vacation laughed and chattered as they passed by the door, greeting He Father and He Da with a cheerful shout, calling them Grandpa He and Uncle He.
He Father and He Da were chatting as they entered the house, leaping over the sweet potato vines used for feeding pigs as they made their way into the yard, dropping the load of vines beside the haystack. He Father glanced at the haystack and exclaid with surprise, "How co two eggs are missing? I saw three when I left in the afternoon, now there’s only one left? Wonder which kid ca in and took two."
Inside the house, He Zhilan woke up just in ti to hear this and imdiately climbed over He Teng to get up, put on her shoes, and flung open the window facing the courtyard. She laughed and joined in, "Dad, I know! It was Big Brother who stole them!"
He Zhilan’s tattling was done with utmost seriousness; she raised her hand and pointed at He Teng, who lay on the bed pinching his eyebrows, with an air and tone of utter righteousness.
"Yikes?" He Father jumped in shock, "When did you two get back?" Then his expression was replaced with surprise, "Not even a word to the family, giving us a surprise, are you?"
"Exactly, Dad guessed it!" He Zhilan laughed and ran out, "Brother and I arrived around three or four in the afternoon. The mont I entered, I saw the three eggs in the haystack, so I had Big Brother make sugar syrup egg, drank a bowl, and felt so content!"
"Content, huh? Did your big brother starve you in the army?" He Father shook his head laughing, "Great, from now on, Dad will make you two every day, since the hens at ho lay eggs every day—enough for our little glutton!"
"Dad is the best!" He Zhilan acted coquettishly non-stop. Seeing He Da watching her, she playfully stuck out her tongue at him, "Has Second Brother gotten a bit bigger?"
"You’ve noticed too? Your Second Brother has indeed put on so muscle. He has always been about the sa build as your Big Brother. If Ateng can grow so tall and strong, Ada naturally can as well," He Father said with a happy smile. Seeing He Teng erging from the house, he then asked He Teng and He Zhilan what brought them ho so suddenly.
"The army gave so leave, so I decided to bring Zhilan back to stay for a few days and see Dad and Ada," He Teng explained.
He Father took this at face value, nodded, and ntioned he was going to cook. After hearing this, He Zhilan followed him to the kitchen, offering to help out and take the chance to learn so of the family’s signature cooking skills from her father.
Reviews
All reviews (0)