Zhao Meimei was running wild outside the whole day. When she came home for dinner at night and had just climbed up the staircase, the scent already hit her. She took a sniff and dashed upwards.
She knocked the door open, hurriedly changed her shoes, and darted toward the kitchen: "Mom! Did you make braised pig’s trotters!"
Liu Xiue turned back with a smile, her finger accurately poking Zhao Meimei’s forehead: "Smells good, doesn’t it?"
Zhao Meimei was drooling: "Good! Mom, what’s today’s occasion?"
Braising pig’s trotters is a labor-intensive task, usually reserved for holidays or festivals.
Liu Xiue beamed with joy, adding seasoning to the pot as she spoke: "We’re celebrating your successful admission to Sixth Elementary. Once the new school term starts, you’ll be a student there."
"Really?" Zhao Meimei perked up: "That’s great, I can ride Brother Yangyang’s bicycle to school every day!"
Liu Xiue: "The pig’s trotters need to stew a bit longer. Go invite Brother Yangyang over for dinner, and if Aunt Xu Jing is around, invite her too."
Zhao Meimei received her orders and sprinted towards the door, changing shoes on the way, calling out: "Mom! Cook them a bit longer, I like them mushy!"
During dinner that night, Liu Xiue served Zhao Meimei and Shi Yang each a piece of front trotter meat: "Eat while it’s hot, there’s more in the pot. Yangyang, I’ll pack two for you when you leave. When your mom returns, you both can reheat them and they’ll taste just as good."
Shi Yang ate with greasy lips, nodding with a smile.
Zhao Dazhuang and Liu Xiue exchanged a glance, neither bringing up the main topic.
After coaxing Zhao Meimei to sleep that night, Liu Xiue returned to her bedroom to debrief with Zhao Dazhuang on the pillow.
"Judging by Yangyang’s behavior, I think they don’t want to make it public."
Zhao Dazhuang lay with his arm resting under his head: "Then let’s pretend we don’t know. We should treat Yangyang well, relationships are nurtured, and we shouldn’t take their kindness for granted."
Liu Xiue nodded in agreement: "I get it. From now on, I’ll treat Yangyang as if he were my own son."
Zhao Dazhuang turned to face Liu Xiue: "You have no idea. Today, when I went to the factory, it felt like a dream; they didn’t even need me to sign in at the gate, just let me in directly."
Liu Xiue analyzed: "Wasn’t it just yesterday that Yangyang mentioned his mom knew the factory leaders? Do you think his dad might be a big shot at the factory? Otherwise, how could their family be doing so well?"
Thoughtful, Zhao Dazhuang mulled it over: "Quite possible. Better not talk too much in front of Yangyang’s mother about our factory matters. If she shares with her husband what we say and they think we chat too much, it’d seem uncultured."
"Got it, I’ll remember." Liu Xiue pushed Zhao Dazhuang: "Hey, Meimei’s father, what do you think about Yangyang’s offer to help pick Meimei up after she enters Sixth Elementary? Should we agree?"
Honest, Zhao Dazhuang was considerate of Shi Yang: "They’ve already done us such a big favor; we shouldn’t impose further. Besides, Yangyang will be in ninth grade and busy with studies. If necessary, we can open the convenience store later and close earlier. It’s a bit tight financially, but for the sake of our child, it’s manageable."
Liu Xiue understood there were no other options. Zhao Dazhuang’s factory required punctuality, deducting pay for lateness, and repeated tardiness docked bonuses. What little was left would dwindle without the bonuses.
"Alright, that’s settled then." Liu Xiue turned over: "Go to sleep now. After taking two days off, make sure not to be late for work tomorrow."
With Zhao Meimei’s schooling arranged, the household resumed normalcy. Zhao Dazhuang would return from work, contentedly helping Liu Xiue at the convenience store.
When Zhao Meimei and Da Bao had their fill of playing around, she’d visit Brother Yangyang’s house to eat and drink.
Shi Yang’s house always had plenty of tasty treats. Zhao Meimei loved watching TV on their colored big screen and could sit quietly all afternoon.
Concerned that she’d harm her eyes, Shi Yang limited her TV time to an hour. After that, he’d turn it off and play games with Zhao Meimei.
Shi Yang had a huge box of toys and a bookshelf full of books.
His reading taste was eclectic, spanning various genres.
From picture books to storybooks, extending to recent additions to his collection like world classics and sports magazines.
Zhao Meimei enjoyed picture books. In kindergarten, she learned quite a few characters and could barely read a whole book by guessing, even if her understanding was often off.
Zaimei liked reading aloud, nestling beside Shi Yang on the bedroom bed, tracing words with her fingers, moving along slowly, reading each character: "Once...there was...a person’s...son...born..., in...she...her own....daughter named..."
Shi Yang peeked over and chuckled, reminding her: "You shouldn’t skip unfamiliar characters...for example, this sentence, Once upon a time, a rich man’s wife fell seriously ill, and on her deathbed, she called her only daughter to her side and said..."
Shi Yang: "If you come across a character you don’t know, ask me, and remember it for next time. Otherwise, you’ll never learn it."
Zhao Meimei nodded with a mature demeanor: "Alright, I’ll listen to you."
In the residential building amongst the kids, Zhao Meimei was the unequivocal leader. Da Bao and others followed her lead, learning from her.
But before Shi Yang, Zhao Meimei was a dutiful sidekick, obediently following Brother Yangyang, utterly devoted, trusting, and reliant on him.
She diligently flipped through picture books, asking him about unfamiliar characters.
Shi Yang took the opportunity to explain to her carefully, and Zhao Meimei, being naturally smart, remembered everything he said. By the end of the holiday, she recognized quite a few characters, many of which she wouldn’t officially learn until the fourth or fifth grade. By then, Zhao Meimei could already use these characters skilfully in essays and diaries.
Zhao Meimei’s literary inspiration stemmed from Brother Yangyang’s vast collection of miscellaneous books. Her perspectives and understanding of many things were intertwined with Brother Yangyang’s. As she grew, it was rare for her to disagree with him; even when considering things, she would unconsciously mirror Brother Yangyang’s views.
Shi Yang cherished Zhao Meimei, liked her a lot, and felt they were kindred spirits, naturally becoming Zhao Meimei’s informal mentor through life experiences.
Zhao Dazhuang often marveled, saying Zhao Meimei was a spitting image of Shi Yang, no wonder they got along so well.
At the time, Zhao Meimei was young and didn’t understand subconscious imitation or why she felt such loyalty to Brother Yangyang.
But from the very beginning, when Zhao Meimei clung to the big iron gate, lifted by Shi Yang, Shi Yang unfurled in a unique space in her heart, occupying an irreplaceable small corner in her little inner world.