Shi Yang was giving Zhao Meimei a ride, cycling home side by side with Qu Chaozong.
Qu Chaozong had a long, thin face with unremarkable features, not really standing out in appearance, but his family was quite well-off. Ever since he and Shi Yang became buddies, they’d often go out shopping for clothes together, inadvertently matching their styles.
Qu Chaozong wore a plain shirt that was quite trendy at the time. It was half-open, revealing a tight white tank top underneath. With his broad shoulders and slim waist, he looked quite neat and sharp.
Qu Chaozong pedaled forward vigorously to catch up to Shi Yang, then turned his head to ask, "Hey? Wasn’t the class flower from class three looking for you earlier? Maybe she wanted to confess?"
Shi Yang kept a straight face, "Don’t know, she didn’t say."
Qu Chaozong smirked, "Didn’t say? She was calling you non-stop, and you didn’t even acknowledge her!"
Shi Yang: "I don’t know her, why should I bother?"
"Tsk tsk!" Qu Chaozong suddenly kicked Shi Yang’s bike.
Shi Yang was caught off guard, and his bike wobbled. He quickly planted his foot on the ground to stabilize it.
Zhao Meimei was squinting her eyes against the wind, holding the front handlebar when the bike suddenly jolted. Startled, she quickly reacted; instead of re-grasping the handlebar, she turned around and hugged her Brother Yangyang’s waist.
Shi Yang noticed quickly and, while holding the handlebar with one hand, wrapped the other around Zhao Meimei, comforting her softly, "It’s okay, Meimei, don’t be scared!"
Zhao Meimei hugged Shi Yang, looking up with her little dark eyes showing no fear, chuckling as she lifted her short legs, trying to kick Qu Chaozong’s bike, shouting, "Don’t bully my Brother Yangyang!"
Qu Chaozong laughed out loud, "Alright, I’ll give you some respect!"
Shi Yang glared, "Don’t mess around on the main road!"
Qu Chaozong: "Got it, I didn’t even use any force!"
Qu Chaozong continued their previous topic, "I say, you’re so used to being chased by girls that even the class flower of class three isn’t good enough for you. What kind of girl are you looking for?"
Shi Yang, holding Zhao Meimei, worried she’d fall, carefully guided the handlebar with one hand, "I never thought about it."
Qu Chaozong sneered, "Who are you kidding! If you hadn’t thought about it, why’d you wash your underwear in the morning?"
Shi Yang quickly turned his head to warn, "Don’t talk nonsense! Meimei’s here!"
Zhao Meimei released Shi Yang, turned around to hold the handlebar again, looked up at Shi Yang’s chin, and asked, "Brother Yangyang, do you wet the bed too?"
Shi Yang thought, who am I? How could I wet the bed? The reason I wash my underwear in the morning is because I’m too full of energy, can’t contain it.
Shi Yang pressed down lightly on Zhao Meimei’s head, brushing it gently, "Nothing like that, don’t listen to his nonsense."
Zhao Meimei didn’t believe him but sensed Shi Yang wasn’t willing to tell her. She pondered; when she wet the bed, she also didn’t want others to know, feeling embarrassed. Brother Yangyang must feel the same, she’d keep it a secret for him and not tell anyone.
Zhao Meimei figured it out and couldn’t help but boast to her Brother Yangyang, "Since the beginning of this year, I haven’t wet the bed at all. My mom said I’ve grown up and won’t wet the bed anymore."
Shi Yang couldn’t help but laugh, praising, "Hmm, you’re amazing."
Zhao Meimei was satisfied, quieted down, and continued squinting against the wind.
Qu Chaozong raised an eyebrow, scoffing, "Really treating her like a child bride to console?"
Shi Yang cursed him, "Get lost!"
Qu Chaozong didn’t want to go home since no one was there, so he went with Shi Yang to the family compound.
Qu Chaozong suggested, "In this heat, why don’t we go for some cold noodles? The place we went last time with the fruit soup was pretty good."
Shi Yang asked Zhao Meimei, "Meimei, do you want some?"
Zhao Meimei’s eyes lit up, "I do."
Having grown up, aside from banquets with her parents, she hadn’t been to a restaurant.
Shi Yang smiled, "Alright, let’s go tell your mom first, or the adults at home will worry."
When Shi Yang brought Zhao Meimei to the general store, Liu Xiue was busy selling goods. Seeing them return, she quickly poked her head out of a small window, "Oh, you’re back? Feeling hot? I’ll get you some cold drinks."
Shi Yang refused, "No need, Auntie. My classmate and I plan to have cold noodles, and I’m taking Meimei with us, okay?"
Liu Xiue glanced at Qu Chaozong, she’d seen him a couple of times, recognizing him. She smiled and said, "Here to play with Yangyang today?"
Qu Chaozong greeted her politely, "Hello, Auntie."
Liu Xiue nodded with a smile and asked Zhao Meimei, "We’ve got stewed eggplant at home from this morning. Are you still going for cold noodles?"
Zhao Meimei nodded, "I don’t eat eggplant. I want to go with Brother Yangyang for cold noodles."
Liu Xiue was busy selling goods, so she didn’t say much. She smiled at Shi Yang, "Alright then, you all go, and be safe on the road."
Shi Yang took Zhao Meimei to a dog meat restaurant run by people from the Xian tribe. They sold hot noodles in winter and cold noodles in summer, making it authentic and tasty. It was mealtime, and quite packed.
Zhao Meimei sat with Shi Yang and them at a small table near the window, on which there was a plastic tub of disposable wooden chopsticks and two small plastic bottles containing condiments.
Zhao Meimei, intrigued by the new surroundings, picked up a pair of chopsticks to fiddle with.
Qu Chaozong chatted with Shi Yang.
Qu Chaozong: "Autumn sports day is coming soon, and the shoes I bought last year are coming apart. Let’s go shop for a new pair one day, okay?"
Shi Yang agreed, "Sure, let’s wait until the weekend when we have some time off."
Qu Chaozong took a pair of chopsticks and gently snapped them apart, smoothing the splinters together, "What events are you signing up for this time?"
Shi Yang picked up the chopstick holder, selecting two pairs that looked straighter, snapping them open, "Still the fifteen hundred and the four hundred relay."
Qu Chaozong grinned and leaned in closer, "Hey, let’s make a deal. If the prize is still a hard-shell notebook, you have to give yours to me."
Shi Yang glanced at Zhao Meimei playing with chopsticks beside him and declined, "No way."
Qu Chaozong was puzzled, "Why not?"
Shi Yang said, "Meimei is starting school, and I haven’t given her a present yet. If I win, I want to give it to her as a gift."
Zhao Meimei, holding chopsticks to aim, heard her name and quickly turned to join the conversation, "Give me what?"
Shi Yang chuckled, ruffling Zhao Meimei’s hair, "I plan to give you the prize from the sports event as your elementary school start gift."
Hearing that Shi Yang wanted to give her a gift, Zhao Meimei promptly put down the chopsticks, turned around, wrapped her arms around Shi Yang’s waist, and eagerly finalized the deal, "Really? Brother Yangyang, you’re so nice. Then right after the sports day, you can give it to me?"
Shi Yang burst into laughter, promising, "Sure, I’ll give it to you after the sports day."
Qu Chaozong rolled his eyes in dissatisfaction, "She’s only in first grade, what’s she need a fancy notebook for?"
Before Shi Yang could reply, Zhao Meimei swiftly claimed, "I can use it! I can use it to keep a diary."
Her Brother Yangyang said he’d give it to her, so it was hers. Whether she could use it or not, she would. Whether she knew how to use it or not, she’d figure it out.
In Zhao Meimei’s mind, the gifts from her Brother Yangyang were like the medals awarded to soldiers from their superiors, a true honor.