Ning Wanwan was so startled her heart nearly leapt out of her chest. She frantically set down her bowl and rushed over to help her up: “Oh my, did you hurt yourself?”
Just as Ning Wanwan bent down to pick her up, the little bundle scrambled to her feet, using both hands and feet. Her dirty little hands clung to the hem of Ning Wanwan’s skirt, her bright almond-shaped eyes brimming with tears, and her milky-sweet voice carried a hint of urgency: “Where’s the ice treat?
Ning Wanwan was at a loss for words.
This little girl was truly a glutton through and through!
The small snow-capped mountain of crushed ice was emitting cool, white vapor. Bright red strawberry chunks were coated in frosting, golden mango pieces looked like scattered stars, and a half-slice of green lime was wedged diagonally at the very top.
Jiang Xian couldn’t wait to grab a small spoon and scoop a big mouthful into her mouth. The cool, sweet-and-sour flavor spread across her tongue, and the little girl’s eyes immediately narrowed into slits as she wiggled her little feet contentedly.
Auntie hadn’t lied to her—it was really, really, really, really delicious!
Even better than ice cream.
Jiang Xian quickly finished the bowl in front of her and then set her sights on Shen Yan’s portion.
Shen Yan didn’t like sweets, so the bowl in front of him was practically untouched. Seeing the little girl looking over, he simply pushed his portion toward her.
“Here you go!”
“Wow! Thank you, Yan Yan! You’re the best!” The little girl happily picked up her wooden spoon, scooped up a heaping spoonful, and stuffed it into her mouth with a big “Mmm!”
It was so, so, so delicious!
The consequence of her gluttony was that little Jiang Xian ended up in the hospital that night with an upset stomach.
Early the next morning, Ning Wanwan took Shen Yan next door to visit her.
“Is Xianxian okay?”
“The little girl just has a sweet tooth. She ate too much cold food and got an upset stomach. The doctor said it’s nothing serious.”
Hearing this, Shen Yan, standing nearby, couldn’t help but furrow his little brow, a hint of regret flashing across his face.
If he hadn’t given her his portion, she wouldn’t have gotten sick.
“As long as she’s okay!” Ning Wanwan breathed a sigh of relief.
The little girl had gotten an upset stomach from eating the fruit slushie she’d made. If anything serious had happened, she wouldn’t have had the nerve to visit again.
“Xianxian, are you feeling better?” After greeting Xu Shu, Ning Wanwan led Shen Yan to the room to check on the little girl.
“I’m all better!” Jiang Xian’s face was still a bit pale, but she seemed to be in good spirits.
“Alright, then get some rest.”
“Auntie, Xianxian wants more of the fruit slushie you made.” The moment the little girl saw Ning Wanwan, she thought of the delicious fruit slushie, and her big, round eyes lit up.
“This little rascal…” Xu Shu, who had followed them up, looked utterly exasperated.
So she’d already forgotten all about how she’d been wailing in pain last night.
“Alright, once you’re better, Auntie will make it for you. But this time we can only have a tiny bit, or your tummy will hurt again, okay?” Ning Wanwan promised softly.
“Okay!”
After checking on the little girl, Ning Wanwan prepared to leave with her son.
But who knew the little brat would just shake off her hand.
Was he not planning to leave?
“Yan Yan, it’s time for you to go to kindergarten,” Ning Wanwan reminded him.
The little girl was home sick, but he hadn’t called in sick.
The little brat simply ignored her.
Ning Wanwan: …
This son is hopeless.
Since the little rascal refused to leave, Ning Wanwan couldn’t force him. She could only tell him to keep Xianxian company and then went back next door.
The moment the adults left, Jiang Xian climbed out of bed and dragged Shen Yan toward the door.
“Yan Yan, let’s go out and play!”
“No, you’re sick.” Shen Yan frowned; the books said sick people needed plenty of rest.
“I’m all better now.” To prove she was fine, the little girl hopped up and down a few times.
“No.”
Seeing that Shen Yan wouldn’t budge no matter what, Jiang Xian pouted. “If Yan Yan won’t come, I’ll just go by myself.”
With that, the little girl let go of his hand and started walking toward the door.
When she reached the doorway, she stopped and turned to look back at him.
Her little eyes seemed to say: Are you really not coming with me?
Shen Yan’s face was tense. After a long moment, he finally spoke reluctantly, his voice muffled as if he were speaking through clenched teeth: “Just for a little while.”
“That’s great!” The little girl’s eyes lit up at his words, and she immediately ran back like a little rabbit, clutching his hand tightly.
Taking advantage of the adults’ inattention, the two little ones quietly slipped out of the courtyard.
A silly dog, wagging its tail happily, followed right behind them.
At the entrance to the residential complex.
The little girl kept licking her lips from time to time, her eyes fixed intently on the cotton candy vendor at the gate.
“Yan Yan, do you want some cotton candy?”
Shen Yan: “No!”
“Xianxian wants some,” Jiang Xian said, licking her lips as she spoke.
Shen Yan frowned and turned to look at her. “You can’t eat candy when you’re sick.”
“I’m all better!” the little girl pouted.
But even if she were better, it wouldn’t matter—neither of them had any money to buy candy.
The candy vendor, however, had noticed the two adorable little snowballs not far away early that morning and was beaming as he waved at them.
“Are you calling me?” Jiang Xian shot to her feet and was about to run over.
Shen Yan grabbed her hand and said sternly, “You can’t go over there.”
“Why not?” Jiang Xian tilted her head up, looking at him in confusion.
Shen Yan’s face was tense, his expression as serious as a little adult’s: “You shouldn’t talk to strangers.” With that, he pulled her back.
Jiang Xian looked back longingly several times, and by the time they got home, she looked as dejected as a wilted little eggplant.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” Xu Shu couldn’t help but ask with a smile when she saw her daughter come in looking like that.
Hearing Xu Shu’s voice, the little girl’s eyes lit up. She ran over and wrapped her arms around her legs, acting all cute: “Shu-shu, Shu-shu, Xianxian wants candy—candy that looks like clouds.”
“You can’t eat candy when you’re sick, you know.” Xu Shu crouched down and coaxed her patiently.
“Plus, if you eat too much candy, you’ll get cavities and stop growing tall. Do you want to be a little dwarf, Xianxian?”
The little girl immediately shook her head vigorously: “Xianxian doesn’t want to be a little dwarf. Xianxian wants to be Snow White.” As she spoke, she turned to look at Shen Yan, “Yan Yan can be the prince.”
Xu Shu was amused. “Okay, Xianxian will be the princess, and Yanyan will be the prince. So, do you still want some candy, Xianxian?”
The little girl hesitated for a moment, then shouted, “Yes!”
Xu Shu: …
Noon.
The living room was quiet as a little figure slipped quietly into the kitchen.
Jiang Xian shuffled over on her little legs, dragged a small stool to the front of the fridge, climbed up, opened the door with her tiny hands, and surreptitiously grabbed an ice cream bar. She popped the lid off, took a quick lick, then handed it to Shen Yan behind her.
“Hurry up, this is so good!,” the little girl urged, licking her lips.
A pair of bright, sparkling eyes stared intently at the ice cream in his hands, as if glued to it.