On a sunny spring day fragrant with rapeseed flowers, the fierce Xin Dayi gloriously succumbed to allergies and became a stay-at-home child.

“Eve is staying home sick with allergies?” Rousi asked Yan Xi gently. Despite her seemingly caring tone, a flash of delight flickered in her eyes.

A Heng looked at Mary with some sympathy, knowing the girl had nearly reached her limit.

Xin Dayi was a simple-minded child who wore his heart on his sleeve – this, A Heng had known crystal clear for a long time. But being too simple-minded could be a terrifying thing.

When a certain someone hid behind the Yan family beauty, stealing glances at the tall beauty with a blushing face, from dawn till dusk…

When a certain someone snatched the greasy ribs that the Wen family girl had secretly hidden in her lunchbox behind Yan’s back, and placed them with a fawning smile into Rousi’s overnight beauty-enhancing aloe soup…

When a certain someone no longer played online games with Yan beauty, but instead spent whole nights gazing at the moon in melancholy, then promptly floated to Rousi’s side the next day to recite tearfully: “Mary, are you thinking about the flatbread from the west gate? Mary, are you hungry? Mary, if you’re hungry, tell me, Eve, I’ll make you some noodle soup…”

When a black-clothed, masked figure of uncertain identity with wild hair lurked in the corner every time Rousi headed home…

When mentally unstable patients drooled and grinned stupidly always appeared beside Rousi as she smiled – pretending to be elegant, pretending to be melancholic, pretending to be coquettish, pretending to be profound…

When a bear-like large dog would look up at Rousi with tearful, resentful eyes whenever she looked down upon the world in her high heels…

This could be tolerated… but good heavens, what couldn’t be tolerated?

“Then Eve probably won’t be able to come to school for a while, right?” Mary probed, looking at Yan Xi with her smile nearly reaching the heavens.

Yan Xi’s face twitched involuntarily: “He didn’t say.”

“Mary, are you thinking about me? Hehe.”

The entire classroom broke into a cold sweat.

They had thought they could have some peace for a few days…

Everyone reluctantly opened their eyes wide toward the doorway and saw – a bear? A head swelled to twice its size like steamed cornmeal buns, eyes so puffy only slits remained, and what was once a ruggedly handsome face now only recognizable by the signature glossy black messy hair and foolish grin.

Though they didn’t want to admit it, this person was indeed Xin Dayi.

“Why the hell did you come?” Yan Xi, who had been drinking water, spat it out upon seeing the youth.

“Hehe, it was boring staying home alone, so I came to see you all. Hello comrades, thank you for your hard work!” Xin Dayi waved like a leader, while making an effort to focus his tiny eyes and cast amorous glances at Mary.

Mary shuddered.

“Damn! Your pig trotters are swollen like braised ones, and you still dare to wander around here! Quick, get back home before I hit you!” Yan Xi’s bright eyes widened as he threw a book at the doorframe.

Xin Dayi ducked to the side, looking pleadingly at Yan Xi: “A Xi, let me just say one thing, just one thing, then I’ll leave, okay?”

This tone was unlike Xin Dayi’s usual masculine manner, truly childish.

Yan Xi waved his hand and rolled his eyes, feeling quite helpless.

Xin Dayi ran to Mary’s desk, somewhat embarrassedly ruffling his messy hair. Squinting his eyes, he carefully raised his pig-like head to look at Mary, grinning foolishly as he spoke: “I think I miss you a bit, Chen Juan.”

For the first time, he pronounced the girl’s Chinese name with such reverence, his swollen face turning bright red.

Mary was stunned. After a moment, she smiled faintly, the scarlet silk scarf against her jade-like neck blooming like a rose as she politely nodded: “Thank you.”

Her tone was neither warm nor cold.

Xin Dayi scratched his hair and lowered his head.

“Well then, Yan Xi, A Heng, Mary, comrades, I’m off!” He grinned with his swollen face and rushed out of the classroom like a gust of wind, still as reckless as ever.

But A Heng sighed, for she saw the youth’s reddened eyes as he turned away.

Dayi must have developed genuine feelings.

After dinner, A Heng, Si Wan, and Yan Xi went together to visit Dayi at the Xin residence.

Upstairs in his room, Xin Dayi was wearing pajamas, swinging his legs on the bed while humming, a Walkman beside him playing classic violin pieces with their rises and falls.

Yan Xi and Si Wan exchanged glances, both secretly laughing as they tiptoed forward. Taking advantage of Xin Dayi’s self-absorption, they grabbed the corners of the blanket and lunged forward, completely burying the youth in the covers.

“Who? Who’s ambushing me?!” The person in the blanket struggled violently, limbs flailing.

A Heng giggled.

“Ah ah, I heard A Heng laugh…” The youth’s voice was muffled under the blanket as he let out a weird laugh. “Hehe, Yan Xi, Si Wan, you two better watch out, I’m coming out!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xin Dayi used brute force to push open the blanket with both hands. Upon seeing Si Wan and Yan Xi, he hooked one arm around each, grinning as he knocked his head against both youths’ heads.

Si Wan rubbed his head, his eyes full of sunshine as he smiled: “Still so strong even when sick!”

Yan Xi’s slender index finger poked Xin Dayi’s swollen face: “Used to be just a flatbread, now you’re a whole pan!”

“Perfect for making dumplings,” A Heng chuckled.

“A Heng, I’ve noticed you’re getting more and more mischievous! I’m sick, okay? You heartless girl!” Xin Dayi burst into tears.

A Heng looked at him kindly, smiling as she held up the food container in her hand, waving it at Xin Dayi while showing eight teeth in her smile: “Dayi, I made chicken soup, want some?”

“I’m allergic, not giving birth, what do I need chicken soup for!” Xin Dayi raised his head.

“It’s mixed with Sophora root, for detoxification,” A Heng explained.

Sophora root was effective in treating acute allergies and detoxification. Back in Wushui, her father had taught her this when learning about medicines.

“A Heng spent three hours cooking it, and neither Yan Xi nor I have even had a taste, yet you’re being picky…” Si Wan gazed at the youth before him with a plaintive look.

“Who’s being picky? I’ll drink it, hehe, I’ll drink it. I trust A Heng’s cooking.” Xin Dayi scratched his hair, hugged the food container, and sat at the table, scooping up large spoonfuls to drink.

“What did the doctor say?” Yan Xi asked.

“Pollen allergy!” Xin Dayi answered promptly, head down, gulping soup.

Yan Xi rolled his eyes and smirked, looking around the room carefully for a long while before finally pulling out a box from a hidden corner of the bedside table. Xin Dayi broke into a cold sweat and tried to rush over, but it was too late – Yan Xi had opened the box.

Bags of milk. Originally a full box, now only half remained, clearly quite a bit had been drunk.

“What do you have to say?” Yan Xi threw the box in front of Xin Dayi, his tone cool.

Xin Dayi broke into a cold sweat: “Well, TV always says drinking milk helps you grow taller.”

“Dayi, I remember you’re allergic to milk. Every time you drank it as a child, you ended up in the hospital. What, still haven’t changed?” Si Wan’s expression turned ugly.

Since childhood, Yan Xi has liked drinking milk like water. Xin Dayi watched enviously, and despite knowing he was allergic, he insisted on drinking when told not to. He would hide in corners to drink secretly, resulting in vomiting, diarrhea, full-body redness, fever, and crying continuously in the hospital. After he recovered, Yan Xi beat him up severely and never drank milk in front of him again.

“It was fine when I first started drinking, who knew this milk would be like Maotai, hitting you harder afterward…” Xin Dayi’s usually loud voice dropped eight octaves as he felt guilty.

“Oh, by your logic, I should start buying Maotai bottles now and fill them with milk. In less than a year, this young master could also taste what it’s like to be rich.” Yan Xi smiled without humor.

“Tch, I knew you dead kid weren’t telling the truth. You’ve never had pollen allergies in your life, so how come you’re suddenly allergic this year? Couldn’t even find a better excuse to fool me, you think I’m as stupid as you?”

Xin Dayi knew he was in the wrong and hung his head, saying nothing.

“Dayi, what exactly are you thinking?” A Heng felt she couldn’t fathom the structure of this youth’s mind.

“Nothing,” Xin Dayi’s voice was dry.

“You just want to grow taller to be worthy of the girl, right?” Yan Xi said irritably.

Mr. Xin’s face reddened.

“Dayi, are you still hung up on Chen Juan?” Si Wan was somewhat surprised.

He had thought Dayi was just showing off after seeing a pretty girl and would get over it once the novelty wore off. He never imagined Dayi would take it seriously.

Yan Xi’s mouth twitched as he looked helplessly at Si Wan: “Si Wan, aren’t you quite close with Chen Juan? Help Auntie make a match here. This kid keeps coming up with foolish ideas, it’s heartbreaking to watch.”

Si Wan looked like he’d swallowed a fly, and after a while, opened his mouth with a stiff handsome face: “I’ll try.”

Reassured, Xin Dayi returned to school in high spirits after just a few days.

The preliminary rounds of B City’s high school basketball tournament were about to begin. Both Si Wan and Xin Dayi were on the school team, staying late at school every day, covered in dust from the basketball court. Yan Xi didn’t have the patience to wait for the two, so he walked home with A Heng each day.

One time, when they were almost home, Yan Xi, unfortunately, forgot his newly bought oil paints in the classroom, so he told A Heng to go home first while he returned to school.

A Heng had dinner at home, took a bath, and watched TV with her mother and grandfather for quite a while, but Si Wan still hadn’t returned.

Mother Wen looked up at the wall clock: “It’s already 8:30, is Si Wan still playing basketball at school?”

“Recently, training has been intense with the competition coming up,” A Heng explained to her mother, though she wasn’t quite sure herself.

“Oh, as long as he’s not running around somewhere else,” Mother Wen nodded, turned to look at her father-in-law, and smiled, “Dad, don’t wait up, go to bed first, your reading glasses are sliding down your nose.”

Grandfather Wen was indeed tired and nodded.

Grandfather Wen had injured his leg on the Vietnam battlefield before. Worried that the old man’s feet might go numb from sitting too long, A Heng helped him stand up and supported him back to his bedroom.

“Mom, you rest too, I’ll wait for Si Wan,” A Heng said after returning to the living room, having helped the elder soak his feet.

“I’m not sleepy,” Mother Wen smiled and shook her head.

“Mom, you played piano, you’re tired, let me massage you,” A Heng looked at her mother somewhat nervously.

Mother Wen paused, then nodded.

A Heng’s massage skills were first-rate. When Zai Zai was bedridden for years, A Heng massaged his legs every day. Through years of practice, she had developed excellent control of pressure.

Mother Wen felt very comfortable on her shoulders and soon dozed off. When she woke up, her daughter was smiling at her.

“Getting old, it’s easy to get sleepy,” Mother Wen smiled and patted her daughter’s hand.

Si Er used to love giving her massages too, but her little hands would always scratch here and there, never hitting the right spot, while sweet-talking her: “My mommy is the best and most beautiful mommy in the world. Mommy, look how filial I am, you should love me more than brother!”

Every time, Er Er would make her laugh.

Mother Wen smiled at the memories.

“Mom, when I earn money, I’ll buy you a massage chair,” A Heng gently held her mother’s hand and spoke softly, her face slightly red.

She continued smiling, calmly accepting her daughter’s kindness, gently caressing the child’s cheek as she replied seriously: “Alright, mom will wait.”

Still feel blessed and touched.

She thought she must be getting old. Only the elderly would be so eager to soak up their children’s warmth; only the elderly would greedily want all their children to be by their side.

Was there no way in this world to have both?

She pondered for a long time, but even as she drifted off to sleep, she couldn’t think of a suitable method that wouldn’t hurt anyone.

Everyone in the Wen family except A Heng was asleep, but Si Wan still hadn’t returned.

As she was about to doze off in the living room, there was a rustling sound at the entrance.

A Heng stood up and saw Si Wan peering cautiously into the living room.

“Mom and Grandpa are asleep, it’s fine,” A Heng said with amusement.

Si Wan sighed in relief and walked into the living room.

A Heng was startled – the youth’s shirt was tattered, and there was a bruise at the corner of his mouth.

“A Heng, don’t tell anyone about me getting hurt today, okay?” Si Wan’s expression was serious.

A Heng nodded, then asked after catching her breath: “Who hit you?”

Si Wan hesitated for a moment, then looking at A Heng’s clear eyes opened his mouth embarrassedly: “…A Xi.”

The next day, when A Heng saw Yan Xi, she hesitated several times to ask but couldn’t get the words out.

Yan Xi had been gloomy all morning, then at noon, he threw out a question: “Chen Juan, do you have a boyfriend?”

Chen Juan was startled and shook her head.

Yan Xi raised his eyebrows: “What do you think of me, am I worthy of you?”

Xin Dayi and A Heng were stunned on the spot.

Chen Juan: “Yan Xi, are you joking?”

Yan Xi glanced at her coolly: “I never joke about things like this.”

Chen Juan lifted her phoenix eyes, her features as cold and beautiful as a rose: “Yan Xi, are you so confident I’ll accept you?”

Half of Yan Xi’s lips curved up, his eyes bright and shallow as he shrugged: “What do you think?”

Chen Juan laughed softly: “Fine, I don’t mind.”

Xin Dayi froze for two seconds, and on the third second, he bolted out of the classroom.

A Heng also rushed out, following behind Xin Dayi.

“Damn it, go back, don’t follow me!” Xin Dayi shouted at A Heng while running.

“I won’t!” A Heng shouted back at the youth.

“Wen Heng, I know you hate me for bullying you before, you’re just waiting to laugh at me. Now you’ve seen it, you must be so damn happy!” Xin Dayi’s eyes reddened as he spoke without thinking.

“Yes, I’m happy!” A Heng gritted her teeth, running after the youth.

“I hate you! Why do you get to drive Er Er away and still act like a good person, making everyone take your side?!” Xin Dayi rubbed his eyes, but tears still fell.

“I don’t like you either! Too mean, too mean!” A Heng’s eyes also reddened.

“Why are you running so fast? Are you in a hurry to get reincarnated?!” Xin Dayi cursed through tears as he saw A Heng about to crash into him.

“You’re not manly, why are you crying!”

“Wouldn’t you cry if your closest brother stole the person you like?!”

“I don’t have any brothers!”

“Get lost! You think… your brother, Yan Xi, I’m… dead or something?!”

“You… said you hate me…”

“No matter how much I hate you, we’re still brothers!”

A Heng sniffled, finally catching up to Xin Dayi’s side.

“Did you… practice… marathon… before…” Xin Dayi was out of breath from running, finally, his legs gave out and he collapsed onto the soccer field’s grass, gasping for air.

A Heng’s face reddened slightly, staying silent. She remembered the times when Yun father chased her around the whole town, that’s how she developed her leg strength.

“Why aren’t you… saying anything?” Sweat dripped from Xin Dayi’s forehead to his neck.

“Xin Dayi, please stop crying, okay?”

“Who’s… who’s crying?” The youth sniffled, feeling he was perfectly normal. But damned liquid kept blurring his vision, clearing then blurring again.

“Here…” A Heng handed her handkerchief to the youth.

Xin Dayi roughly wiped his eyes with the handkerchief but caught a strange smell. He sniffed it and realized it was coming from the handkerchief.

“What’s that smell?”

“Ah, Lu Rou Fan, yesterday, it rolled on it…”

“Is that the Lu Rou Fan that picks up smelly socks, smelly shoes, garbage, and junk and brings them home?!…”

Well, it should be.

A Heng nodded at Dayi’s despairing look.

“Wen Heng, I’m going to kill you!”