Mentioning the children, Song Yuntang’s face unexpectedly held a proud expression. She explained, “These are Niannian and An’an.”
Niannian and An’an immediately behaved politely, saying, “Hello, Aunt Hu.”
“Hello, hello… hello to you both,” Hu Chunling replied excitedly. She had placed all the packages she brought on the table when she entered—canned yellow peaches, fragrant and crispy walnut cookies, two packs of White Rabbit milk candies, and a box of Daoxiangcun pastries, a specialty from the capital.
It was quite a generous gift.
She took a handful of White Rabbit candies and handed them to Niannian and An’an. “Here are some sweets. You can have them.”
Hearing the word “sweets,” Niannian and An’an immediately swallowed, but didn’t reach for them yet. They looked up at Song Yuntang.
Song Yuntang nodded at them, reminding, “Say thank you.”
Niannian and An’an’s little faces immediately lit up with smiles. They sweetly thanked Hu Chunling and then accepted the candies, their eyes squinting in delight.
They had seen so few treats in their lives; the sweetness spread in their hearts even before tasting.
Watching Niannian and An’an, Hu Chunling’s eyes were full of envy. “These children are so well-behaved… Sister Song, how did you teach them so well? How old are they?”
“They’re five this year,” Song Yuntang answered.
“Five! That’s great. My Xiao Jun is six, just one year older. They can play together nicely.” Hu Chunling immediately became enthusiastic. “Xiao Jun, take the little brother and sisters to the yard to play.”
Hu Xiaojun’s eyes sparkled. He looked at An’an several times, reaching to take her hand, but Niannian immediately swatted his hand away, letting out a little hum. Then the three children went into the yard, their childish voices still audible.
“My name is Xiao Jun. You two are Niannian and An’an. From now on, call me Brother Xiao Jun, because I’m older. Do you know how to play hopscotch?”
“What’s hopscotch?”
“You don’t know hopscotch? That’s okay, you’re still little. I’ll teach you. I have chalk to draw on the ground. Watch me draw…”
Hu Xiaojun squatted down and started fussing on the ground. Niannian and An’an stood nearby, a bit nervous but mostly excited.
It was their first time playing with peers, and the sunlight made everything feel joyful.
Hu Xiaojun quickly revealed his lively, chattering nature. Even if Niannian and An’an didn’t speak, the atmosphere was lively and cheerful.
After watching for a while, Song Yuntang relaxed and looked away, turning to Hu Chunling. “Sister Hu, is Xiao Jun’s illness all better?”
“Don’t call me Sister Hu—it sounds too formal. I’m a bit older than you, so just call me Chunling. I’ll call you Sister Song. We all live in the same courtyard; it’s more familiar that way,” Hu Chunling said with a smile. “He’s all better now. Yesterday the doctor had him on an IV, and he was drowsy all night. This morning he woke up fine! Kids recover fast—it’s amazing.”
She sighed with relief. “Yesterday really scared me. If you hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have known what to do. If something had happened to Xiao Jun, I wouldn’t have survived.”
Her eyes reddened as she spoke, and she quickly wiped them with her sleeve.
“I came today to specially thank you. These are my little gifts; you must accept them. Also, I want to ask… what you said yesterday about the allergy… what kind of illness is that? I asked the doctor at the clinic, but I didn’t understand a word.”
Song Yuntang explained, “It’s asthma triggered by an allergy, which led to shock. It’s called allergic asthma.”
“Yes, yes, that’s it. My brain didn’t remember it. I only finished elementary school, so I don’t understand much,” Hu Chunling admitted.
Song Yuntang didn’t immediately answer further but asked, “Chunling, does Xiao Jun usually eat a lot of eggs?”
“Eggs?” Hu Chunling was momentarily puzzled by the sudden question. Trusting Song Yuntang, she answered honestly: “Don’t laugh—I come from a rural background. My husband earned his military merits on the frontline, which allowed us to come to the capital and live in such a nice place.”
Hu Chunling had been a commune member in her village, a proactive organizer. Her husband had been in the military for over ten years, spending eight full years on the Southwest Frontline, rising from a young soldier to company commander. Because of his record, he was transferred to the capital, and she could finally accompany him.
Though they were older, their children were only six, due to the years of separation. Hu Chunling especially valued their only son, Hu Xiaojun, fearing she might not have more children later.
“We both come from hardship. We have many siblings and parents to support, and the money we earned over the years has mostly been sent home,” she explained without complaint.
Because of this support to their hometown, they had little money left.
Returning to Song Yuntang’s question, Hu Xiaojun didn’t eat eggs often.
“…About once a week. The teacher at school said eggs are nutritious and good for children, so I save money to buy them for him,” she said.
Song Yuntang continued, “After Xiao Jun eats eggs, does he have any reactions?”
“Reactions? What kind of reactions?” Hu Chunling thought for a moment. “This boy never eats eggs properly. After eating, he either says he has a headache or feels sleepy. I think he’s just teasing! Such a good food, and he’s the only one in the family eating it, yet he feels uncomfortable?”
Song Yuntang felt a lump in her throat.
She said, “Chunling, based on my observation, Xiao Jun is allergic to eggs. That’s why he feels unwell after eating them.”
“Ah—” Hu Chunling was truly stunned, eyes wide. “Allergic? Allergic to what?”
“Some people get red rashes after mosquito bites, some don’t. That’s what we call an allergy,” Song Yuntang explained simply. “Allergies have various symptoms. Xiao Jun’s headaches and drowsiness are allergic reactions. Since he also has mild asthma, that’s why yesterday’s incident happened.”
“This… so serious? What about Xiao Jun in the future? What if he suddenly can’t breathe again?”
“Don’t worry. Allergies are manageable if the allergen is avoided. Xiao Jun can’t eat eggs or foods high in egg content, but there are many other nutritious foods. We can eat more meat instead,” Song Yuntang reassured her.
Hu Chunling was still uneasy when a small head peeked through the door.
“Mom, I love braised pork belly the most. I won’t eat eggs, give me more meat,” Xiao Jun said with a cheerful smile, showing no weakness despite yesterday’s scare.
Hu Chunling was relieved, waving her hand. “Okay, okay, I’ll buy meat for you later. Tonight we’ll stew some meat.”
“You’re the best, Mom!”
Satisfied, Xiao Jun happily went to play hopscotch with Niannian and An’an.
Hu Chunling turned to Song Yuntang. “Sister Song, you’ve only been here two days. I haven’t seen you go out. You’re still unfamiliar with the area. I’m heading out this afternoon—want to come with me?”
Not expecting it, Song Yuntang now had a guide. She immediately agreed.
That afternoon, before taking Song Yuntang out, Hu Chunling gave her a tour of the courtyard, introducing neighbors. Song Yuntang thought it unnecessary since she was only staying temporarily, but Hu Chunling was too enthusiastic.
She introduced each household: “…Remember what you can, don’t worry if you forget. Their husbands aren’t as high-ranking as Regiment Commander Fu. Actually, almost no officers in the courtyard are higher-ranked than him. Don’t be afraid—they won’t dare bully you, only try to get on your good side.”
Song Yuntang was puzzled—she didn’t look like someone easily bullied, so why did everyone assume she would be?
Hu Chunling emphasized, “But the next two people, you must remember.”