novelraw Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Bang bang bang—knocking suddenly rang out.
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The happy origami-making family heard the sound; Lin Xiaoli turned her head and realized the knocking seemed to be coming from the lower part of the door again.
The sound was gentle and not very strong—who the knocker was could be guessed at once.
She understood immediately and hopped off the table in high spirits: "Is it little Xia Ying? I'll open the door!"
When she reached the doorway she didn't forget to tell her son, "Xiaojie, come over too; it should be little sister Xia Ying here to play with you."
Liu Wenjie said lazily, "I'm not going over; it's so late, she's probably not here to play."
Lin Xiaoli muttered, "You really don't treasure little Xia Ying at all."
Mom opened the door softly, and sure enough, outside stood little Xia Ying's cute, dazed figure, a small box in her hands.
The moment Mom saw little Xia Ying she brightened, squatting down: "Little Xia Ying, good evening!"
Little Xia Ying sounded a little nervous: "Good evening, Aunt."
"Little Xia Ying, your voice is so nice—what brings you here?"
Little Xia Ying slowly held out the small box in her hands: "This..."
"What is it?" Mom took it carefully, found a lid she could open, and when she lifted it she gasped at the golden, steaming prawns inside.
"Freshly made boiled prawns? They look delicious!"
Little Xia Ying explained unhurriedly, "Yesterday Grandpa asked what I wanted to eat, so I said I wanted prawns today. After work Grandpa bought some back. Because I remembered that Older Brother Wenjie seems to like prawns, after Grandpa finished cooking I picked the meatiest ones to bring to Older Brother Wenjie."
The honest little Xia Ying spoke in detail, since she didn't know how to describe it briefly.
Lin Xiaoli stared at little Xia Ying in a daze, suddenly touched by this sincere affection.
She bit her lip, her eyes trembling: "Little Xia Ying is so good to your Older Brother Wenjie; I'll call him for you."
Little Xia Ying waved her tiny tender hand: "No need, no need, I'm heading home now! Don't make Older Brother Wenjie come over."
Lin Xiaoli smiled: "How could Aunt accept such a precious gift on his behalf? You have to give it to him yourself—wait a moment!" Lin Xiaoli shouted, "Xiaojie!"
"Ah?"
Inside the house Liu Wenjie had only managed an "ah" before Mom, who had zipped over, firmly took his hand and dragged him to the door.
Liu Wenjie, still watching Dad fold origami at the table, protested, "Mom, what are you pulling me for?"
Lin Xiaoli gave a half-smile: "Handicrafts can be done anytime, but little Xia Ying's feelings mustn't be wasted. All right, you two chat; Mom's going back to fold origami with Dad."
"Huh?"
Lin Xiaoli pulled Liu Wenjie to the doorway and slipped away, returning to the coffee table to fold origami with her husband—though in truth she was secretly telling him what little Xia Ying had just done, her face carrying a shy, innocent smile: "Childhood sweethearts are so lovely~"
At the doorway, Liu Wenjie looked at the small box his mom had thrust into his hands and glanced at Xia Ying outside.
Little Xia Ying stammered, "Wen...jie-ge, good evening."
"Mm, good evening. What's this?" He looked at the box in his hand.
Facing Lin Xiaoli she hadn't been so nervous, but facing Liu Wenjie she felt a strange tension: "I already told Aunt—it's just some food."
[Your childhood sweetheart has delivered...]
Little Xia Ying cut off the system's voice and said softly, "Eat it while it's hot; I'm going home. It's my bedtime."
With that she ran back to her own house, waved, and closed the door.
Liu Wenjie was startled—did the system just stop halfway?
This system can actually be interrupted? Isn't that a bug?
Looking at the already-closed door of little Xia Ying's house, Liu Wenjie glanced at the box in his hand and slowly opened it.
"Why is she giving me stuff again? Didn't we already move past what happened before?"
When he opened it and saw the plump, fragrant prawns inside, Liu Wenjie had to admit they looked delicious.
How did she know he liked seafood?
He raised his head and glanced at the tightly shut door next door.
To the air he said, "Thanks."
Then he too went home and closed the door.
About three minutes after Liu Wenjie closed his door, the door of Xia Ying's house opened again and her head peeked out through the gap.
Seeing no discarded shrimp-like trash in the hallway, she figured Older Brother Wenjie hadn't thrown away what she'd given him.
She smiled sweetly.
Then she closed the door again.
Early the next morning, a new day.
Because handicraft homework had been assigned, the children all brought the origami toys they'd made with Mom and Dad the night before when they came to school.
When Liu Wenjie entered the school, he glanced at the novel little toys everyone was holding.
Thinking of last night's "combat prawn" that Dad and Mom had made for him felt absurd.
Yes—Mom had folded a paper prawn, then Dad glued on a few gun barrels and wings and dubbed it the combat prawn.
It was something the couple had come up with while having fun, inspired by that little girl.
As soon as he stepped into the classroom, the chatter of the kindergarten children rose in waves.
"What did your mom and dad make for you? Mine's a big airplane!"
"Mine's a super fighter!"
"My mom made me a rose—it's so pretty!"
"Mine's a big crab! Look! My dad's amazing!"
Liu Wenjie's gaze drifted to the corner of the classroom. Familiar little Xia Ying sat obediently at her desk; there was no handicraft on the table.
Her expression was odd too—timid, as if she were trying to shrink into herself.
Liu Wenjie suddenly remembered this little girl lived only with her grandpa. She did have parents, but they were divorced and she hardly saw them all year.
Would her grandpa do handicrafts with her? Probably—if she asked.
"Xia Ying, what did your mom and dad make for you? Take it out and let us see—everyone's put theirs on the table."
The little girl next to her was curious and asked everyone about their handicrafts.
When Xia Ying heard this she jumped as if startled, as though she'd been afraid someone would ask.
The question left her raising her head, momentarily speechless.
The girl kept pressing: "Xia Ying? Say something—what did you make? Don't hide it, let us see."
Xia Ying's forehead was beaded with nervous sweat as she guarded the little book bag in her desk.
"I... I made..."
Watching this, Liu Wenjie understood—this girl's worries were easy to read.
Last night's delicious prawns flashed before his eyes.
He sighed and walked over. After eating her food he couldn't just keep quiet: "Xia Ying, bring your book bag and come out with me."
Seeing Liu Wenjie, Xia Ying's voice trembled: "Older Brother Wenjie..."
"No nonsense, bring your book bag and follow me."
"Mm... okay."
Hugging her little book bag, Xia Ying followed Liu Wenjie out of the classroom to a quiet corner.
"Older Brother Wenjie, what's wrong?"
Liu Wenjie asked, "Did you do the handicraft the teacher assigned last night?"
Xia Ying looked guilty: "I... I did."
Liu Wenjie "oh"-ed and held out his hand: "Really? Let me see."
"Mm..."
"What does 'mm' mean? Take it out."
Xia Ying slowly unzipped her book bag and pulled out the simplest paper airplane, her face ashamed.
Liu Wenjie frowned. "This is your handicraft?"
Xia Ying's voice dropped even lower: "It wasn't supposed to be like this. I wanted to make a better one, but I couldn't do it. After a whole night this was all I could manage..."
"You didn't ask your grandpa to help?"
"Grandpa came home from work very late last night. I saw he was tired so I didn't say anything."
Liu Wenjie helplessly unzipped his own book bag, took out the combat prawn Mom and Dad had made last night, and removed the gun barrels and wings, leaving only the folded prawn body.
"Take this. Mom got the idea from the prawns you gave me last night, so in a way it was made for you. Take it."
Xia Ying stared at the delicate paper prawn but didn't take it right away; instead she asked with concern, "This is Older Brother Wenjie's homework. If you give it to me, what will you do?"
"You're worried about me?" The audacity!
He smiled confidently: "You know I'm amazing. Making a handicraft is simple; I can finish one in two minutes."
He stuffed the prawn into Xia Ying's hand. "Hold it tight. And when you talk to people, speak louder—especially when someone asks you a question. Don't be so quiet; sometimes even I can't hear you. If you stay this timid how will you make friends?"
After handing it over, Liu Wenjie left, but halfway he added, "Thanks for the prawns last night—they were delicious. But don't bring me anything again, okay?"
Xia Ying held the paper prawn like a treasure, watching Liu Wenjie's figure: "Thank you, Older Brother Wenjie..."
She lowered her head to the handicraft; suddenly her eyes reddened and she wiped away the tears with the back of her hand.
Looking again in the direction Liu Wenjie had gone, she hurried after him, following at a distance.