Extra Chapter: Back to Childhood
The morning sunlight streamed into the bedroom, gentle breeze blowing as it pushed aside the curtains. The aroma from the kitchen wafted into the bedroom.
Unconsciously, Xie Yang sniffed the enticing smell and slowly opened his eyes.
“Grandma,” he softly called out, pushing aside the mosquito net and carefully getting out of bed.
Calling out to his grandma, Xie Yang walked towards the courtyard.
Hearing Xie Yang’s call, grandma responded, “Good boy, grandma is here.”
Xie Yang ran over and hugged grandma’s legs.
Grandma lifted him up and wiped his face with a warm towel. “Are you still sleepy?”
Snuggling in grandma’s arms, Xie Yang cuddled her neck and cooed, “Not sleepy.”
Grandma placed him on a chair and brought him a bowl of small wontons.
Xie Yang swung his short legs and quietly enjoyed his breakfast.
Grandma packed three sets of small clothes and his snacks. After Xie Yang finished the wontons, grandma poured him a glass of milk and pointed to a small sapling in the yard, saying, “Would you like to plant this little cherry tree with grandma?”
Xie Yang nodded, asking, “What kind of tree is this? Will it bloom?”
“It’s a cherry tree, and it will grow beautiful white flowers,” grandma replied.
With an iron shovel, grandma dug a hole in a small piece of land in the yard, letting Xie Yang place the cherry sapling in it and cover it with soil.
Grandma held Xie Yang’s hand and used the hose to water the sapling.
Curiously, Xie Yang asked, “Will it grow big if we water it every day?”
Grandma smiled and said, “Yes, when you grow up, we can eat cherries.”
After tidying up the yard, grandma took Xie Yang’s hand and left the house.
Xie Yang curiously pressed against the bus window, looking at the scenery outside.
Grandma touched Xie Yang’s hair with some affection.
Xie Yang was obedient, quiet, and sensible; she hardly had to struggle to take care of him.
He never misbehaved at home or when outside. Since there was no one to take care of him, grandma took him with her when she went out.
Fortunately, Xie Yang was really obedient.
When she was busy, Xie Yang would sit quietly beside her and not run around or touch other people’s things.
Today they were going to the home of a local wealthy man. The villa was located halfway up the mountain and had a large area of land.
There was a tea plantation on the hillside.
Because grandma had learned tea-making when she was young, she got the job.
It was a seven-day short-term job, and she needed to help with tea picking and frying.
While grandma was busy in the tea plantation, Xie Yang sat quietly in the pavilion, reading fairy tales.
The security system here was very good, so grandma didn’t worry about Xie Yang getting lost. It was hot, so she didn’t want Xie Yang to stay in the tea plantation with her.
Xie Yang doodled on the fairy tale book with colored pencils.
“Who are you?”
Xie Yang heard a voice and looked up. A cool-looking boy stood in front of him. Xie Yang hugged the book and got off the chair, whispering, “Hello, big brother.” He looked cautiously and timidly at Qi Xu.
Xie Yang was cute and fair-skinned, very lovely.
Qi Xu had never seen such a beautiful child before. He curiously sized up the little boy who was a head shorter than him, looking at the fairy tale book in his arms. “Can I have a look?” he asked.
Xie Yang nodded and hesitated for a while before handing him the book. “Big brother, you can read it.”
Qi Xu opened the old fairy tale book. The pages were yellowed, and there were various doodles by Xie Yang inside.
“Did you draw these?”
Xie Yang nodded, shyly looking away.
“You only drew mom; where’s your dad?” Qi Xu pointed to the little people he drew, curious.
Xie Yang was stunned for a moment and explained in a low voice, “This is grandma.”
Qi Xu asked, “Then where are your mom and dad?”
Xie Yang looked at him blankly, then shook his head. “Only grandma.”
Qi Xu pursed his lips upon hearing this. So he didn’t have parents.
“Do you want to read the book?” Qi Xu asked.
“I want to,” Xie Yang replied.
“Then let me take you to read it,” Qi Xu suggested.
Xie Yang shook his head and refused, “I want to wait here for grandma. She will be scared if I’m gone.”
“Then let me take you to find your grandma. We can tell her, and I live nearby. You won’t get lost,” Qi Xu said.
Xie Yang wanted to play with this cool big brother.
He held Qi Xu’s hand and ran into the tea plantation.
“Grandma.”
“Good boy, what’s wrong?” Grandma heard his voice and responded.
She wiped the sweat from her face and looked up to see him holding a little boy coming over. She was curious; where did this child come from?
Hearing this, Qi Xu silently remembered the term “good boy” in his heart.
Xie Yang held Qi Xu’s hand and walked up to her. He explained to grandma, “This big brother said he lives here and wants to take me to read. He said I won’t get lost and will bring me back.”
Grandma took a glance at the little boy standing behind Xie Yang.
Although somewhat worried, she could feel Xie Yang’s anticipation, so she didn’t discourage him. She just reminded him, “Go ahead, but remember to thank the big brother.” Xie Yang nodded happily.
Qi Xu brought Xie Yang back to the main house, which wasn’t far from the tea plantation.
On the second floor, an entire level was Qi Xu’s playground.
There were all kinds of toys inside, as well as various coloring books, picture books, and everything else.
It was the first time Xie Yang had seen so many toys.
They would doodle on books, build with blocks together, and play marbles.
Xie Yang was very well-behaved; whatever Qi Xu played, he would accompany him.
After playing for a while, Xie Yang took out the little biscuits grandma had prepared for him from his small backpack.
Xie Yang handed the biscuits to Qi Xu. “These are grandma’s homemade biscuits, very delicious.”
Qi Xu took a bite and nodded. “Not bad.”
Xie Yang said, “Thank you for playing with me today, big brother, but I have to go back now, otherwise grandma will worry. Could you take me back to where we were just now?” Qi Xu asked in surprise, “So soon?”
Xie Yang nodded.
Although reluctant, Qi Xu still escorted him back to the tea plantation.
Xie Yang rushed into grandma’s arms, cuddling her arm.
Qi Xu watched him, a smile on his face.
Grandma said, “Say goodbye to your big brother.”
Xie Yang smiled sweetly at Qi Xu. “Goodbye, big brother.”
On his way back, Qi Xu kept turning back. He really liked this little boy who called him big brother.
Hearing that the people in the tea plantation would be staying overnight at home for a few days, Qi Xu came back to the tea plantation early the next morning.
He found Xie Yang eating biscuits under the pavilion.
Xie Yang saw him and greeted happily, “Good morning, big brother.”
Qi Xu couldn’t help but pat his head.
Xie Yang handed him a biscuit. “Would big brother like to have this?”
Qi Xu shook his head. “How about big brother takes you to swing?”
“Okay,” Xie Yang agreed. “Wait for me, big brother. I need to tell grandma.”
“Sure.”
Xie Yang ran into the tea plantation, and Qi Xu watched his small figure shuttle through the tea garden.
He felt inexplicably fond of him.
During their time in the tea plantation, Qi Xu would come to play with Xie Yang every day, take him home, teach him to read and recognize characters, and play various small games with him. The two were inseparable.
Until the seventh day, when grandma’s work in the tea plantation ended, they had to go home.
Qi Xu held Xie Yang’s hand, unwilling to let him go.
“Can’t you stay?” Qi Xu asked.
Xie Yang’s eyes moistened as he looked at Qi Xu reluctantly.
He really liked this big brother he met in the tea plantation.
Although it was only a short seven days.
But the big brother played various small games with him every day, told him fairy tales, and painted with him.
Grandma touched Xie Yang’s head, somewhat sadly saying, “Say goodbye to your big brother.”
Xie Yang choked out, “Goodbye, big brother.”
Before leaving, Qi Xu left grandma’s phone number.
Qi Xu liked to call Xie Yang. Gradually, they became good friends who could talk about anything.
Until the year Qi Xu graduated
Qi Xu came to Liuli Village with a gift to bid farewell to Xie Yang. They hadn’t seen each other for many years.
Xie Yang still looked fair and lovely, a head shorter than him.
“Big brother.”
Qi Xu lightly responded.
He came to say goodbye to Xie Yang. He was going abroad and might not be back for a long time.
So he gave Xie Yang a mobile phone, with a WeChat account registered inside and his own WeChat already added.
“Let’s use this to keep in touch in the future.”
Unfortunately, due to the time difference, they gradually reduced their contact.
Especially in the second year after Qi Xu went abroad
Xie Yang was left alone.
At that time, all his spare time was spent on part-time jobs and studying. Occasionally, he would chat with Qi Xu, but gradually they lost touch.
Later, when Xie Yang wanted to message Qi Xu, he would hesitate, finding even a simple greeting unusually difficult.
After graduating from high school, Xie Yang was busy with part-time jobs every day.
He hardly checked WeChat, so he missed the message from Qi Xu returning to China.
“Welcome.”
“Hello, may I help you with…”
Xie Yang looked towards the door, words stuck on his lips.
Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure, overlaid with the face in his mind, Xie Yang suddenly froze in place.
Qi Xu held a bouquet of beautiful roses, walking towards him step by step.
“I’m back.”
AAAAH