Zhong Ruanxing dragged her suitcase as lightly as if flying, and had just input the password to open the door when Zhong You rushed over like a little monkey and hung on her legs.
It had been more than half a year since she was last hung on like this, and the little thing had put on quite a bit of weight. Zhong Ruanxing felt her slender thighs could no longer bear the heavy weight of her sister's love.
Zhong Ruanxing shook her leg. "Get off me."
Zhong You clung on tightly with both legs and hands, having her own tricks. No matter how Zhong Ruanxing shook her legs, she wouldn't let go. "Sister! Youyou misses you so much! Did you miss Youyou? You must have!"
Zhong Ruanxing said, "If you don't get down, you won't get a share of the gifts."
Zhong You promptly let go and stood properly on the ground in one second, with both hands obediently behind her back. "Youyou is super obedient!"
So cute she could just die.
Zhong Dad walked over to take her suitcase from her. "Have you eaten?"
Zhong Ruanxing smiled and nodded. "I've eaten. Where's Mom?"
As she spoke, she walked towards her parents' bedroom. Zhong's mother was in the room wiping here and there with a handkerchief. The doctor had instructed that when she wanted to do something, they shouldn't stop her, as long as it wasn't dangerous. Just let her do as she wished.
Seeing her mother busily occupied, Zhong Ruanxing felt her eyes moisten a little. "Mom."
Zhong's mother turned around and happily walked over when she saw her. "Xingxing, you're back from school for the holidays? Why didn't you call Mom to let me know, so I could've gone to school to pick you up."
She held her daughter's hand and looked her over carefully, finally stroking her face gently and distressedly. "You've lost weight again. Is it because the schoolwork pressure is too much? Tell Mom what you want to eat, and I'll ask Dad to make it for you."
Zhong Ruanxing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She chatted with her mother for a while. Zhong's mother seemed to think of something again and hurried back into the room to rummage around. Zhong Ruanxing followed behind her and watched for a while. Seeing that her mother had sunk back into her own memories, she rubbed her eyes and left the room.
When she returned to her bedroom, Zhong You was already helping her unpack, taking all her clothes out. She was standing on a stool, struggling to hang them in the wardrobe.
Zhong Ruanxing grabbed her off the stool in one swoop. "You little bootlicker, you just wanted to find the gifts, didn't you? That's why you opened my suitcase."
Zhong You kicked her legs in her embrace. "Sister wrongly accuses someone! I wanted to help fold your clothes!"
Zhong Ruanxing threw her onto the bed and tickled her for a while. Zhong You cried out and laughed. After the two sisters had fooled around for a bit, she finally held her sister's face and gave her two big kisses, before taking out the gift for her. "Here's the new Lego you wanted, go ahead and assemble it."
Zhong You happily pounced on her to give her a big wet kiss, getting saliva all over her face.
Zhong Dad walked over and asked, "Xingxing, do you have any dirty clothes? I'll take them to be washed."
So Zhong Ruanxing handed over some dirty clothes to Dad. "Dad, I want sauteed shrimp with green onions for dinner tonight."
Zhong Dad's ever silent face revealed a smile. "What else do you want to eat?"
Zhong Ruanxing thought for a moment and listed out a few dish names. Zhong Dad carefully noted them down in his phone memo, then headed out with his trolley to buy groceries.
Before coming back, Zhong Dad had already helped make her bed. After Zhong Ruanxing tidied up her luggage and took a shower, she flopped onto the big bed she had missed. She took a deep breath and sighed, "The smell of home." Her whole body sank into the quilt.
With eyes closed, she revelled in the feel of it.
As long as Zhong Dad was on holiday, he would give the domestic helper time off. He had bought ingredients and come back to busy himself in the kitchen. Zhong's mother sat on the sofa reading an old book. Zhong Ruanxing and Zhong You sat in the latter's "children's playground" assembling the new Lego.
The solemn desolation of winter seeped in from outside, yet inside the room it was warm and bright. As evening approached, snow began drifting down outside.
Zhong You announced loudly, "I want to build a snowman!"
Zhong Ruanxing held her and looked out at the balcony. "At this rate, we can build a snowman tomorrow."
Zhong You clapped her hands excitedly. "Yay! I want to put on it the new scarf Daddy bought for me!"
Zhong Dad's voice sounded from the living room. "Xingxing, bring your sister to eat."
So she carried Zhong You and turned back inside. Once the balcony door was shut, all the cold and chill was locked outside. The cosy bright living room was filled with the aroma of food. The dining table already held a few very appetizing looking dishes.
Sitting around the table, Zhong Ruanxing looked left at her sister, then right at her parents opposite. Her heart swelled with tremendous happiness.
She didn't have any huge ambitions in life. She only hoped for her family's well-being and that they would always be by her side.
After a few mouthfuls, Zhong Dad started peeling prawns for her and Zhong You with gloved hands. Soon the whole plate of sauteed jumbo shrimp was gone, with just one left. Zhong Dad hesitated before finally putting it into Zhong Ruanxing's bowl.
Zhong You immediately protested, "Daddy is biased!"
Zhong Dad simply said, "Your sister works harder."
Zhong You retorted, "Youyou studying is also very tiring!"
Zhong Ruanxing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She picked up the last prawn and put it in Zhong You's bowl. "Alright alright, here, eat it. Our precious Youyou working hard in preschool is so tiring."
Zhong You blinked her round eyes and looked at her sister a couple times. She fidgeted before finally using her chopsticks to put the prawn back into Zhong Ruanxing's bowl. "Nevermind, you should eat it after all. Sister works harder earning money."
Zhong Ruanxing said, "Then I'll gladly oblige."
With a chomp she ate it right up. Zhong You gaped in astonishment, seeming to accuse her of not playing fair. Finally she indignantly shoveled down two more mouthfuls of rice.
Zhong Dad was also amused by his two daughters. "I'll make it again for you next year." He paused, then asked Zhong Ruanxing, "How long are you staying this time? Will you be home for New Year?"
In prior years, Zhong Ruanxing had been unable to come home for New Year celebrations a few times due to work. Zhong Dad knew she was more famous now than before, so probably had even more work right?
Zhong Ruanxing smiled and said, "I'll be on holiday until the Seventh Day of the New Year. I'll only start work again on the Eighth."
Zhong Dad heaved a sigh of relief. His smile clearly deepened. "That's good to hear. I'll get off work early these days and come home to cook for you."
Zhong Ruanxing picked out a rib piece for Dad. "I have the best dad!"
Chinese parents were still not used to such straightforward affection. As expected, Zhong Dad lowered his head and focused on devouring the rib his daughter had picked for him.
The family ate and chatted merrily throughout the meal. After the meal, while Zhong Ruanxing was washing up, Zhong You had already grabbed her own small pillow and fairytale book and run to her bed. "I'm sleeping with Sister tonight!"
Getting under the quilt, Zhong You snuggled into her embrace, sniffing her hair and touching her ears. She then tattled to her, "Sister, I haven't slept with you for so long. That previous sister didn't even let me sleep with her. I would sneak into her quilt and she would drag me out by the legs!"
Imagining that scene made Zhong Ruanxing want to laugh so hard. Song JinXing must have been driven crazy by this little imp back then.
Just thinking of him, her phone buzzed with an incoming WeChat from him.
Zhong Ruanxing opened it to look. He had sent a photo of snow falling, taken while standing at the window of his living room. Visible outside was the garden, the greenery already covered in white snow, illuminated by the glow of lights beneath the corridor.
- It's snowing.
Zhong Ruanxing smiled gently and got up to walk to the window. She parted the curtains a sliver and similarly snapped a picture of the drifting snow at night.
- [Image attachment] What a coincidence, same here.
Upon receiving the message, Song JinXing drew his gaze back from watching the snowy garden scene. He lowered his head to look at his phone screen, his eyes lighting up with specks of laughter.
- Last time you said you wanted to watch the snow and barbecue together. We missed the first snow, but how about this snowfall?
Standing at the window with her nightgown fluttering slightly lifted, Zhong Ruanxing felt her heart thump a couple times.
- Can't today, I'm already in bed.
Song JinXing's response popped up right after:
- Tomorrow then?
Zhong Ruanxing couldn't restrain the upward curve of her lips. She hugged her phone and rolled around happily in bed a couple times.
Zhong You mercilessly criticized while holding her fairytale book, "Sister, could you be normal please!"
Zhong Ruanxing dragged her over to rub her fiercely.
After some time, Song JinXing finally received her reply:
- If it's still snowing tomorrow, then sure.