Song Wei stood in stunned silence for a few seconds, watching Lin Zhen hop energetically toward the kitchen to wash dishes.
She blinked her eyes. She never expected that Heidan’s brother, a burly and rough-looking man, actually had the potential to be a househusband.
But the “househusband” soon shattered that image, shouting in his booming voice toward the yard:
“Heidan! What are you standing there for? Grab a rag and clean the table, then sweep the floor!”
While Lin Zhen washed dishes, he had Heidan running in circles with his chores.
Heidan didn’t mind being ordered around. He chirped happily, “Sister Song, please sit over there. I will finish sweeping the floor quickly.”
Song Wei looked around, realizing there wasn’t much left for her to do, so she brought in the hawthorn she’d prepared earlier.
Anticipating that Lin Zhen might not have sugar, she had brought some white sugar along.
She planned to make candied hawthorn skewers: simmering the sugar into syrup, dipping the skewered hawthorn berries, and letting them harden into shiny treats. But first, the wooden skewers had to be made.
Lin Zhen sat on a stool, a knife in his hand, and with a few swift strokes, he split the wooden sticks into skewer-sized sticks.
Meanwhile, Song Wei and Heidan worked on sharpening the sticks and threading the hawthorn onto them. They ended up making about 20 skewers, each holding five hawthorn—just enough to enjoy without going to waste.
Lin Zhen took over melting the sugar into syrup and coating the hawthorn skewers.
In the meantime, Song Wei grabbed a bundle of wheat straw from the yard and began weaving a straw dummy. Her strength made the task effortless, and soon, she had tied a sturdy target.
Heidan kept darting between the kitchen and the yard, like a curious little dog sniffing out new adventures.
When Song Wei finished her straw target, he eagerly followed her into the kitchen, where Lin Zhen was coating the skewers with syrup.
In the kitchen, Lin Zhen held a finished skewer of candied hawthorn, dipping it evenly in the sweet syrup. The vibrant red berries gleamed under the glossy coating, making them look irresistibly delicious.
Heidan sniffed the air, practically drooling as he stared at the sugary treat.
“Is it done yet, Big Brother? Is it ready?”
Although they hadn’t seen each other for several years, perhaps because of their blood relationship, Heidan became familiar with Lin Zhen in just a few days.
Lin Zhen, however, didn’t appreciate being pestered while working.
“Didn’t you just eat breakfast? Why are you so greedy?”
He handed the first finished skewer to Song Wei, flashing a wide grin.
“How about this? You can eat the first one.”
Heidan stared at his brother, dumbfounded. Brother, why do you have two faces?
Song Wei glanced at the treat and said, “It’ll taste better after the syrup hardens.” She then placed the skewer onto the straw dummy to cool.
Lin Zhen continued coating the hawthorn skewers, while Song Wei arranged them on the straw dummy.
When all the skewers were finished, some leftover syrup remained. An idea sparked in Song Wei’s mind.
“Let’s use this to make sugar painting!”
She rolled up her sleeves, scooped up a spoonful of syrup, and began creating designs on a clean wooden board.
Though not skilled at cooking, Song Wei was good at drawing simple shapes. In no time, she had crafted a little puppy from syrup, much to the amazement of the two brothers watching her.
“It’s a puppy!” Heidan exclaimed, eyes wide with delight.
Song Wei moved on to other designs. She worked in silence, utterly focused, while Lin Zhen watched her with a strange intensity.
The girl sitting across from him seemed so small, her head slightly bowed as she concentrated. Her delicate profile was illuminated by the light, her pale complexion almost glowing. Despite her slight frame, she exuded an unshakable strength, like a single white flower growing defiantly out of a rocky cliff.
Lin Zhen had never met anyone like her before. He couldn’t find the words to describe how he felt—only that she was unlike anyone else.
“What are you staring at?” Song Wei turned her head abruptly, catching his gaze.
Lin Zhen froze, feeling his heart race and his ears burn. He stammered, “N-nothing.”
The man who had faced life-threatening battles without flinching was suddenly reduced to a flustered mess under the scrutiny of a young girl. He looked like a guilty bear caught stealing honey.
Song Wei blinked at him, puzzled, then shrugged and returned to her sugar painting.
Lin Zhen let out a quiet sigh of relief. He scratched his head. How do I tell her? What if I scare her off and she stops coming?
Song Wei handed the cooled sugar puppy to Heidan.
“Here, this one’s for you.”
“Thanks, Sister Song!” Heidan beamed.
She had also made various other animal paintings—cats, pigs, monkeys, bears—all of which left Heidan utterly dazzled.
Heidan, the little country bumpkin, was dazzled by what he saw and felt that Sister Song was simply a fairy from heaven, super super awesome!
Song Wei handed Lin Zhen a sugar bear. “Do you want one?”
“Of course!” Lin Zhen’s face lit up as he took the bear, grinning like a fool.
Song Wei squinted at him. Why does he look… kinda dumb?
She picked up a sugar rabbit for herself, licking it while the remaining sugar paintings were stored on the straw target alongside the candied hawthorn skewers.
Heidan held both a sugar puppy and a skewer, reluctant to eat either.
“Big Brother, Sister Song, can I go play outside?”
He wasn’t just looking to play—he wanted to show off.
Having been isolated before, Heidan now had newfound confidence, thanks to his amazing sister and his older brother. With treasures in hand, he wanted to dazzle the other kids in the village.
Song Wei didn’t mind. “Go ahead. Just don’t let anyone bully you.”
Lin Zhen added, “If anyone starts a fight, hit back! If they don’t back down, tell them to come find me. Just don’t lose.”
Song Wei raised an eyebrow. “What if someone bigger picks on him? He can’t win.”
“Then find allies. Bribe them with candied hawthorn. We’ve got plenty to spare.”
Song Wei had to admit it was a practical solution.
Heidan nodded solemnly, clutching his treasures. “Got it! I’m off!”
With Heidan gone, the house grew quiet, leaving just the two of them. Song Wei suddenly realized how awkward the situation was.
She was a single woman, spending time alone at a man’s house. If any of the gossip-loving aunties in the village saw this, the rumors would spread faster than wildfire.
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