"A bit to the right, no, not enough, a bit more to the right, too much, too much, to the left..." In front of Wu Lingyu’s house, Xu Qingfan was pasting the couplet under several people’s directions.
"Alright, it’s aligned now, Brother Qing Fan!"
"Here you go, Brother Fan."
After taping all four corners of the banner with transparent tape, Xu Qingfan clapped his hands and jumped down from the stool, "Done."
"Thank you, guys." Wu Lingyu’s small hand touched the freshly dried ink on the couplet, expressing her gratitude.
"It’s nothing, just a side task."
"Yeah, no big deal, we’re all good friends here," Xiao Ruawen also added, patting her chest.
"What are we going to do now, Brother Qing Fan?" Lin Wanning asked after helping him move the stool back inside.
Xu Qingfan glanced at his wristwatch, "It’s almost five-thirty already, what else can we do but go home to our moms."
"What? It’s that late already? I need to get home!" Xiao Ruawen exclaimed in surprise upon hearing the time.
Back then, the daily routine of an elementary school student was usually to sleep by ten at night and wake up at seven in the morning, even during vacations they wouldn’t stay up later than eleven at night. Thus, going home at five-thirty was considered quite late.
If it got dark and they hadn’t gone home yet, it meant it was time to start searching for them outside.
Having deeply experienced this in his previous life, Xu Qingfan once went fishing by the river with classmates after school in second grade and ended up returning home only when it was nearly dark.
Fortunately, Xia Xiaoxiao was in his class and knew Xu Qingfan had gone fishing, so she didn’t call the police, but the scolding Yao Jiping gave him could still be heard over the entire Lianhua Courtyard afterward.
"Then let’s go, we’ll hang out next time. Ruan Wen, you’re heading back to Gualv Square, right?" Xu Qingfan asked.
"Yeah, I’ll walk back with you guys," she replied.
As they left the building, the alley, still unlit by street lamps, was dusky, and other than Wu Lingyu, the three little girls clung fearfully to Xu Qingfan’s clothes.
The five of them raced out as if running a fraction slower would allow ghosts to catch up to them.
Once back in the daylight, Lin Wanning was still clinging to his clothes, looking up at him eagerly, "Brother Qing Fan, will you walk Ningning home?"
Since Lin Wanning’s home was quite far, and he was concerned about her taking the bus or a cab alone, he said, "Let’s go to my place first, and then I’ll bike you home."
"Heehee~ Yay!" The little girl let go of his clothes and skipped ahead, leading the way.
Wu Lingyu, envious, watched the carefree Lin Wanning walking ahead and quickened her pace to stay close to Xu Qingfan.
"By the way, Yu, are you spending New Year’s here or going to West Gate?" he asked.
"In Li City, what about you, Brother Fan?" Wu Lingyu turned her head to look at him.
"Lin Jing might come by then."
"Then, Brother Fan, remember to tell me in advance, I’ll ask my mom to prepare duck necks," Wu Lingyu immediately responded.
Talking and laughing, the group quickly returned to Gualv Square.
"Goodbye Xiao Xiao, goodbye Brother Fan, goodbye Ningning!" Xiao Ruawen waved to the three of them as Wu Lingyu had already parted from the group at the convenience store.
"Goodbye, class president!"
After watching Xiao Ruawen enter the marketplace, Xu Qingfan took the hands of the two beside him, "Let’s go, we should head home, too."
The three walked hand in hand on the sidewalk. Since Xu Qingfan was half a head taller than the other two, walking down the road with them looked like a big brother escorting his two younger sisters, which didn’t appear odd.
As a dump truck drove by on the street, Xu Qingfan stiffened and turned his head to ask Xia Xiaoxiao, "The 28th has already passed, has your dad still not come back?"
"He said the roads were icy, so he’s delayed by two days," Xia Xiaoxiao replied, a hint of worry crossing her face.
"Driving in winter is indeed dangerous," Xu Qingfan remarked offhand.
[You’d better be delayed because of icy roads.] He muttered internally.
"The weather forecast said it’s going to snow, and still driving north, so silly!" Having once traveled to Yanjing, Xia Xiaoxiao was well aware of the dangers of winter driving. Knowing her dad was heading towards danger despite the warnings, the little girl couldn’t help but pout in complaint.
Xu Qingfan wasn’t sure how to respond, yet thankfully they had reached Lianhua Courtyard, so he said, "Xiao Xiao, you go upstairs first, I’ll bike Wanning home."
"Oh." Xia Xiaoxiao glanced at Lin Wanning clinging to Xu Qingfan, feeling as if she had a lemon in her mouth.
"Are you seated securely?"
"Giddy-up!" Lin Wanning placed her little legs on the pedals, her ears against his back.
Xu Qingfan shook his head amusedly and stepped on the pedal, setting the bicycle in motion.
"Hmph!" Watching the scene from the third-floor corridor, Xia Xiaoxiao pouted jealously. Once the bicycle was completely out of sight, she turned and went back to her apartment.
"Wash your hands, dinner will be ready soon. Why are you alone, where’s Xiao Fan?" Lin Jing had just brought out some cooked dishes from the kitchen and asked her daughter upon seeing her.
"He’s biking Lin Wanning home. Mom, can’t you talk to dad? He didn’t come back last year, and it’s the same this year," Xia Xiaoxiao complained after washing her hands.
Lin Jing’s smile stiffened briefly but recovered quickly, "Alright, we’ll talk to him when he comes back. What did you and Xiao Fan do this afternoon?"
Upon mentioning the afternoon’s events, Xia Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up: "Mom, let me tell you, this afternoon at Gualv Square..."
"Brother Qing Fan, the pink clouds!"
As they rode on the wide road, the downhill breeze blew their bangs around, leading Xu Qingfan to stop pedaling and look upward at a thirty-degree angle.
The bright streetlights, the halted drawbridge, and the continuous stretch of pink clouds in the sky.