“Mother…” Xia Dabao couldn’t help but act coquettishly, “Look at you, they haven’t even left yet and you’re already talking about what they’re going to do tomorrow. Now that you’ve said that, it makes me scared to slack off.”
“Isn’t that just perfect?” Nan Feng said with a smile, “How about this, I’ll go and have a word with Auntie Zhao. If Xiaobei acpanies Abao tomorrow, it can be included in his day’s pay, and then Auntie Zhao shouldn’t have any objections.”
…
With her mother’s arrangements, Xia Dabao and Tian Xiaobei set off without any troubles.
Xia Dabao was in charge of driving the horse cart, while Tian Xiaobei sat at the back, watching over two baskets of lychees, with Axian standing at the doorway looking forlorn, resenting his sister for not taking him along but too embarrassed to cry.
Ye Ge and Nan Feng stood at the doorway to see off Xia Dabao. After the horse cart had gone far, Nan Feng finally said, “It’s really strange, why do I always feel like something is off?”
Ye Ge gently asked, “What seems off?”
“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time and realized what’s off… Abao is a girl, Xiaobei is a boy, and they are about the same age,” Nan Feng was slow to catch on emotionally.
Ye Ge couldn’t help but chuckle, “I realized that when they first mentioned it yesterday, but I carefully paid attention to their expressions and actions, and they didn’t act flirtatiously at all, so I think they are just purely good friends.”
Nan Feng then snuggled up to Ye Ge, “But could sparks fly as they play along?”
“If it really happens, that means Abao has grown up, and we shouldn’t worry about that. Didn’t we agree before that the children can make their own decisions regarding marriage?”
Nan Feng looked at Ye Ge and then nodded, “Yeah, I think the boy Xiaobei isn’t bad either, he can read and write and understands things well. If it really es to that, let’s help them pave the way forward.”
“It’s a bit early to discuss this now,” Ye Ge said, but he felt a bit melancholic, “In the blink of an eye, our Abao has grown so much, and as a father, I really can’t bear to see her getting married.”
“Yes, I hope someone truly loves and cares for her, yet I’m also worried that she might suffer after getting married and be too afraid to tell us,” Nan Feng felt equally melancholic.
“Let’s not talk about this for now; e on, let’s go back inside, and I’ll make you some lychee sweet soup.”
“Great, I love that,” Nan Feng replied before calling back Axian, who was still looking longingly off into the distance at the door, “Axian, e inside now, no need to watch anymore, your sister will bring you something tasty when she returns tonight.”
“Mother, how do you know my sister won’t return until tonight?”
“If I hadn’t mentioned it, your sister might not have wanted to e back until tomorrow,” Nan Feng said, then looking at the still disappointed Axian, “How about this, I’ll take you to the market this afternoon and buy you some candied haw.”
Axian then smiled.
He truly wished he could grow up a bit faster so he could go sell lychees with his sister. Selling lychees must be a lot of fun.
…
Xia Dabao drove the horse cart very fast, and Tian Xiaobei, sitting at the back holding onto two baskets, thought the lychees would have been tossed out if the baskets hadn’t been a bit empty.
If he hadn’t gotten to know Xia Dabao a bit, he would have thought her rash for driving so fiercely.
All he could do was hold tightly to the wooden edge to avoid falling off accidentally.
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