"Mom, I’m back," Xu Nian’an greeted Ji Ying and Xu Nianhua, who were chatting in the yard, with great joy.
Xu Nianji periodically sized up Xu Nianhua, which utterly perplexed her. Why was her eldest brother staring at her like that?
By the time they sat down for dinner at home, Xu Nianji pulled Xu Nianhua aside for a closer look, and noticing her ponytail, he asked, "Where on your head did you get stitches? Did it hurt a lot? How about your leg? Is it still hurting? It’s all your second brother’s fault for not taking good care of you and letting you get injured."
Xu Nianhua subconsciously glanced at Xu Nian’an, who was looking down beside her.
Xu Nian’an said, "I told big brother everything."
"I’m fine," Xu Nianhua immediately reassured, though Xu Nianji wasn’t convinced. He insisted on seeing her wounds, but Xu Nianhua hastily protested, "Big brother, it was such a hassle to tie my hair up, and I’m hungry. Let’s go home. I haven’t even seen Zhuangzhuang yet. I bought him lots of gifts. Let’s hurry."
Xu Nianhua urged him to walk faster.
As soon as they reached the door, Xu Nianhua rushed back home; she joyously walked into the house, saying, "Zhuangzhuang, your auntie is here to see you."
Just as she entered, she saw her sister-in-law, Zhou He, come out of a room holding Zhuangzhuang. She said, "Nianhua, you’re back."
"Zhuangzhuang, look, your auntie is back," Zhou He greeted Xu Nianhua with a smile, holding Zhuangzhuang.
"Wow, Zhuangzhuang has grown up so well, and his name suits him perfectly," Xu Nianhua observed, gazing at the chubby, fair face of Zhuangzhuang wrapped in a blue blanket. Just like his nickname, sturdy and robust, his round, bright eyes were clear and pure, without a blemish.
"Come inside, it’s cold out," Zhou He stepped aside, urging them to come in quickly.
Inside the house, beside a chair, a pot with lively fire made the place warm and cozy. On the chair, Ji Ying had thoughtfully taken old cotton and old clothes to make several chair pads, soft and comfortable, which didn’t feel cold at all, even in winter.
"Zhuangzhuang, look what your auntie brought for you," Xu Nianhua brought out her suitcase and unfolded a bunch of toys—colorful and cute, they immediately caught Zhuangzhuang’s attention.
Zhuangzhuang clutched a yellow rubber duck, squeezing it hard to make it squeak, not wanting to let go.
"Nianhua, Zhuangzhuang is still small. You don’t have to buy him so many toys next time," Zhou He remarked, looking at all the toys and assuming they must have not been cheap, even without knowing the exact amount.
Xu Nianhua disagreed, saying, "Sister-in-law, it’s because he’s small that he needs these toys. I even bought him some clothes."
As she spoke, Xu Nianhua took out a set of baby clothes, a bright red outfit, soft, comfortable, and warm, that looked festive and adorable. When buying them, she mentioned Zhuangzhuang’s approximate age, and the shopkeeper recommended a size slightly larger, something he could wear now and still fit into later.
"Sister-in-law, look, can Zhuangzhuang wear this?" Xu Nianhua held the clothes up against Zhuangzhuang, and even without him wearing it, she liked it more and more.
Zhou He nodded, "Perfect for the New Year, and he can still wear it when it’s cold next spring."
The style of the clothes was something she had never seen in the county; it resembled a red little tiger and looked exceptionally adorable.
"Zhuangzhuang, do you like the clothes your auntie bought for you?" Xu Nianhua touched Zhuangzhuang’s little face, feeling its softness, just like cotton candy.