Fill a useless glass medicine bottle with clean water, get a plastic straw, add a bit of laundry detergent and mix all together.
Xin Zhiying finally sent the child off. “Go, go play downstairs. See if Big Brother is back from school yet.”
Like magic, with a gentle blow from the small tube mouth, transparent round bubbles slowly float and dance in the air.
The ground outside the tube-shaped apartment building was mottled with tree shadows, and the setting sun cast a handful of sunset, making the surfaces of the bubbles shimmer with iridescent colors.
A small cold breeze blew, making the bubbles sink down and land on the nose of the old white dog sleeping nearby, causing it to sneeze awake with a thunderous snort.
An old woman was sitting on a bamboo chair in the courtyard, shelling edamame. A few old men were playing chess under the tree. People came and went, and those done with school and work were all returning home.
Several older children parted at the intersection, some walking up to different tube-shaped apartment buildings, their voices clear and loud.
“Zhuang Tongguang, see you tomorrow!”
“Zhuang Tongguang, I’ll return your eraser tomorrow.”
Zhuang Tongguang waved to a few classmates, then turned around and got a face full of cotton-like bubbles.
“Big Brother.”
The arc of the colorful bubbles reflected the sullen little face.
“Are those all your friends?”
“Classmates.” Zhuang Tongguang stepped forward and used the base of his palm to wipe away the bit of dust that had smudged on Xin Hexue’s cheek. “Where did you get that from?”
The little flower-face showed a horrified expression, instantly forgetting what he was going to say and scrambling to look at his reflection in the nearby green glass window.
“Is there any more?”
Although he knew a little dust wouldn’t hinder his cuteness, Xin Hexue loved cleanliness.
Zhuang Tongguang looked carefully and said seriously, “No, I wiped it off just now. Did you rub against the wall?”
Xin Hexue held his breath. “I don’t know.”
“Is it really gone?”
He confirmed again and again.
Zhuang Tongguang had to say again, “Really. It’s gone, really gone.”
“Big Brother, I’ll be able to go to school soon.”
Xin Hexue said.
They walked side by side, with Zhuang Tongguang carrying his small schoolbag. “How do you know? Did Mom say the procedures are done?”
Xin Hexue hummed, “I just know.”
“Anyway, I’ll definitely be able to go to school in a few days.” As he spoke, he secretly hooked his finger into Zhuang Tongguang’s cotton-padded jacket pocket. “So take me to your school to see tomorrow? I’ll hide in your desk, I won’t disturb your class.”
Zhuang Tongguang felt that there was no way his younger brother would fit inside the desk drawer, so he refused, “No.”
“I want to go.”
“No.”
“I want to go.”
“No.”
Xin Hexue grabbed Zhuang Tongguang’s hand. Before he could make a scene, he heard…
[Acting cute won’t work either.]
His expression immediately fell, and his lips pressed tightly together, the corners of his eyes round and blunt.
His face was very white. Grandma always rubbed snow cream on it and made it fragrant, like little pear blossoms blooming on a spring mountain.
Because of this, any redness on the tip of his nose and around his eyes was very noticeable.
Zhuang Tongguang kept a stern face, “No.”
[Is he going to cry?]
The tears welled up, on the verge of falling as he looked at Zhuang Tongguang, and his eyes brimming with tears were like dew on wild grapes.
“C-crying is useless!” Zhuang Tongguang panicked and became flustered, barely managing to say, “Even if you cry, I…”
Water droplets pattered down, blooming like flowers.
Xin Hexue raised his arm and wiped them with his sleeve, and the most aggrieved child in the world stood before Zhuang Tongguang.
“O-okay then.”
“But you can’t tell Mom and Dad.”
Zhuang Tongguang instructed in a low voice.
Xin Hexue said proudly to K: [Did you count the seconds?]
K was puzzled: [What?]
[I found that if I want to, I can cry within 10 seconds.] Xin Hexue was led home by Zhuang Tongguang. ]Uncle, should I become a child star?]
K: […]
‘Why don’t you say anything?’
Xin Hexue: [Boring.]
He hated adults who didn’t know how to play along.
………
The two linked pinkies. Before entering the house, Xin Hexue carefully let Zhuang Tongguang check if there were any tear stains left on his face, or else Xin Zhiying would see and think something had happened.
Xin Zhiying was hanging clothes on the long balcony. The casement windows were painted blue-green, with several panes of glass set in wooden frames. Laughter and noise from neighbors came from upstairs and downstairs.
“Aunt, Big Brother is back.”
Xin Hexue ran to the side of the chest of drawers, stood on tiptoe, and placed the glass bottle of bubble solution on the shelf and leaning against the corner.
Zhuang Tongguang put down his schoolbag. “Mom.”
“Hey, your dad should be getting off work soon too.” Xin Zhiying wiped her hands. “Here, take this bag of fruit, go ask Granny Zhang upstairs for two spring onions. They’ll be just right for Mom to stir-fry eggs tonight.”
“Okay.”
He picked up the bag of tangerines. When he looked back, he saw Xin Hexue had run to Xin Zhiying’s side, moved a small stool, and was looking at the vegetable basket, whispering, “Aunt, I’ll help you pick the vegetables.”
“Okay…” Xin Zhiying drew out the tone and touched Xin Hexue’s hair. “Help Aunt pick out all the yellow vegetable leaves.”
Zhuang Tongguang lowered his head. As he left, he lifted the burgundy silk cloth covering the top of the TV and touched it.
It was cold; the weather was chilly and it felt a bit freezing to the touch.
As he closed the door, he couldn’t help but take another look at his younger brother inside the room.
………
“Big Brother, tell me more.”
Xin Hexue curled up under the covers, only a furry head peeking out, his eyes watery and bright as he stared at Zhuang Tongguang.
Zhuang Tongguang had no choice but to turn another page. The “Little Cloth Doll Adventures” in his hands was borrowed from the affiliated elementary school library. The old book was yellowed, and the cover was probably torn, as it was now patched with kraft paper.
“‘My waist is sore from sitting.’ The little black bear stood up and said in a rough voice.”
He sat at the head of the bed, holding the book with both hands, reading word by word.
Suddenly remembering something, Zhuang Tongguang turned his head. “Why don’t you watch TV at home?”
He came back for several days in a row, and every time he touched the top of the TV, it was cold.
It seemed the TV was only on when the family ate dinner together.
Xin Hexue pursed his lips, turned over, and perhaps because he was facing the wall, his voice sounded muffled. “I don’t like watching it.”
Zhuang Tongguang stuffed a leaf as a bookmark, placed the storybook on the bedside table, then moved closer to his younger brother. “Why? Don’t you really like watching that ‘Black Cat Sheriff’?”
Their low voices in the night were like they were exchanging little secrets.
“Hmm…”
“Aunt works the night shift and needs to sleep during the day.” Xin Hexue muttered. “One-Ear is too noisy.”
He turned over and said to Zhuang Tongguang very seriously, “One-Ear’s uncle is the Cat-Eating Mouse, who is even more annoying.”
Zhuang Tongguang blinked, not knowing what to say.
After a long time, he said, “Let’s sleep.”
He pulled his sweater off over his head under the covers, spread it over the quilt, reached out and turned off the small desk lamp.
The two children slept in one bed. Zhuang Tongguang lay straight with closed eyes, but he hadn’t fallen asleep yet. Soon, he felt a small head leaning against his shoulder.
Their sleeping postures were very different. Zhuang Tongguang felt he was like a ‘1’, and his younger brother was the reverse comma next to him.
Zhuang Tongguang glanced out the window.
Mom worked the night shift, Dad worked the day shift. If his younger brother didn’t watch TV at home, how did Xin Hexue spend all those hours when he was in class?
Before starting kindergarten, Zhuang Tongguang also had times when he had no choice but to play by himself, which was depressing and unhappy.
But later, he started school, and it got better.
At first, when Zhuang Tongguang heard a younger brother from Licheng was coming to live with them from now on, he didn’t sleep well that night. This was because after the mother of a classmate of his had a second child at home, not only was there a fine, but the parents only paid attention to the younger child and had no energy for the older one. That classmate often came to school crying and had even run away from home twice.
Zhuang Tongguang didn’t want to argue, nor did he want to run away from home either.
He didn’t like this new younger brother at first, but after meeting him, he felt it seemed okay.
Things weren’t that bad.
Zhuang Tongguang had seen his classmate’s younger brother; he looked like a wrinkled monkey.
But his own younger brother was very different.
[Little white rabbit.]
Soft, and very white.
Zhuang Tongguang hugged the sleeping Xin Hexue.
He thought, since he was the older brother, this would be his responsibility from now on.
………
“Mom, I’m taking Xiao Xue out.”
“Mhm, go on, go on.”
Xin Zhiying lay in bed, waving her hand without looking up.
Zhuang Tongguang pulled the breakfast money pressed under the small jar on the dining table, stuffed it into his pocket, then turned to help Xin Hexue put on his scarf, smoothed down the edges of the scarf, and said quietly, “Let’s go.”
“Mhm.”
Xin Hexue nodded.
They ate small wontons for breakfast. Xin Hexue couldn’t finish his, so he mixed the leftovers into his brother’s bowl.
On the way to school with Zhuang Tongguang, he specifically scanned the faces in the crowd a few more times, but didn’t see the uncle who had spoken to him yesterday, nor anyone dressed similarly.
That uncle was really strange, he actually knew his name.
“Zhuang Tongguang! Who is this?”
Several little boys also around seven or eight years old ran up. They were the classmates who had said goodbye to Zhuang Tongguang yesterday.
One boy’s parents were familiar with Xin Zhiying and Zhuang Ping. Having heard about it at home, he immediately answered, “I know! This is your cousin.”
“Where are you from?”
“How old are you?”
He answered obediently, “My name is Xin Hexue. I’m from Licheng. I’m five years old this year.”
“Oh, then you’re younger than all of us.”
“You’re stupid! He’s Zhuang Tongguang’s little cousin, of course he’s younger than all of us!”
“Zhuang Tongguang, your brother is really pretty, even prettier than Xiao Mei from the next class.”
The children surrounded Xin Hexue, chattering noisily.
One of them asked, “Your face is so white. Did you put powder on it?”
“No, but Big Brother put moisturizer on me this morning.”
Xin Hexue said.
“I don’t believe you.” The boy shook his head. “Let me pinch it and see.”
[Not allowed.]
[Mine.]
Zhuang Tongguang pressed his lips together tightly, looked at Xin Hexue who didn’t seem to resist the other boy, and withdrew his hand that wanted to stop them.
He is making friends.
He couldn’t stop his younger brother from making friends.
Zhuang Tongguang dug his nails into his palm.
The boy’s hand was about to pinch the white, tender cheek when Xin Hexue dodged and swiftly hid behind Zhuang Tongguang.
A small smile appeared on Zhuang Tongguang’s face, but he quickly put on a stern expression and said to his friend, “My brother doesn’t like you pinching his face. Don’t bother him.”
“Zhuang Tongguang, you’re so stingy.”
The little boy turned his head away and left in a bad mood.
Zhuang Tongguang wouldn’t bother with him.
Xin Hexue tugged at his cotton-padded jacket sleeve and Zhuang Tongguang bent his head down to listen.
“Big Brother, that classmate of yours has mud in his fingernails. He definitely doesn’t wash his hands properly, and doesn’t like being clean.” He was speaking ill of someone, so his voice was very soft. “Play less with him. Great-Uncle said if you don’t wash your hands clean, worms will get into your stomach.”
“Okay.”
Zhuang Tongguang nodded.
He had already decided not to play with children who didn’t have a younger brother.
………
There was definitely no way to bring Xin Hexue into the classroom during class, and Zhuang Tongguang could only leave him at the school’s small shop.
The small shop was run by Granny Zhang. Just yesterday, Zhuang Tongguang went upstairs to give her a bag of tangerines and came back with two spring onions and a bunch of little bok choy.
Granny Zhang chuckled happily. “Okay, I’ll definitely keep an eye on your brother for you. Go on, go on, go to class.”
Zhuang Tongguang unzipped his schoolbag. There was an inner pocket in the innermost layer sewn by Xin Zhiying. He pulled out two crumpled purple five-mao bills from inside which was pocket money he had saved up for a long time.
He grabbed a few candies, then took a bag of popcorn packaged in a plastic bag, put the money on Granny Zhang’s glass counter, and stuffed the snacks into Xin Hexue’s arms.
“I’ll come see you during break.”
Zhuang Tongguang said.
“Big Brother, I’ll wait for you.”
Xin Hexue sat on the small stool.
Zhuang Tongguang would run over like a leopard as soon as the class bell rang.
The small shop was very popular during breaks, so he had to take Xin Hexue to hide behind the building to prevent annoying classmates from trying to pinch his younger brother’s face again.
Xin Hexue mysteriously held a small handkerchief, and it seemed like there was something round wrapped inside. He only opened it when Zhuang Tongguang arrived.
“It’s a baked tangerine from Granny Zhang. I kept it warm for a whole class. Big Brother, let’s eat it together.”
The golden tangerine peel was slightly charred from being roasted near the brazier. As soon as it was peeled open, the golden-yellow flesh was revealed.
Zhuang Tongguang fed him one segment, then picked another segment and put it in his own mouth. It was still warm, the flesh sweet and sour.
There was a banyan tree behind the small shop. When the wind blew, its leaves rustled and shook.
The weather hadn’t warmed up yet; it was cold and cloudy today, and the chill seeped right into people’s collars and sleeves.
Xin Hexue’s cheeks, the tip of his nose, and his fingers were all red from the cold.
Zhuang Tongguang looked at him. “Where are your gloves?”
“I forgot to bring them.”
He pulled off his own half-finger gloves and put them on Xin Hexue’s fingers. “I’ll come find you again after class.”
As soon as the preparatory bell rang, Zhuang Tongguang ran off like the wind again.
………
At home, Xin Zhiying turned over. The sun shone in from the west window, and the yellowish sunlight floated in the room.
“Huh? What time is it?” Xin Zhiying woke up groggily and propped herself up on the bed. “Xiao Xue?”
A look told her it was long past lunchtime.
And the child hadn’t called her to get up and cook.
She took another look around, but the room was empty.
“Where is the child?!”
Her voice exploded through the third floor.
Xin Hexue, who had been left at the small shop, came home and developed a high fever. So, on the day spring buds broke through the withered grass, Zhuang Tongguang received a complete childhood.
Fortunately, not long after the high fever subsided, as the new spring sun rose, Xin Hexue finally got to carry his small backpack to kindergarten.
He stood in front of the mirror, adjusted the small backpack on his back, and straightened his scarf.
His complexion was still a bit pale from his recent serious illness. He pressed his lips together, and only then did they take on a cherry-pink color, but it was nothing serious.
“Magic mirror, magic mirror, who is the cutest child in the kindergarten?”
