Chapter 10
As night deepened, the living room was quiet and deserted, while the bathroom was brightly lit, with sounds of laughter and play spilling through the crack in the door.
The bathroom was rather small and could only fit a tiny bathtub. It was a bit cramped for adults, so it had become Lin Huaixi’s exclusive little tub.
Grandpa had something to take care of at the last minute, so Grandma was the one washing Lin Huaixi’s hair tonight. She put a child’s shampoo shield on his head so the foam would not get into his eyes.
Lin Huaixi could not see what Grandma was doing. Every now and then, when he caught sight of a bit of foam drifting down from the brim of the cap, he would stretch out his chubby little hand and catch it in his palm.
Children could never sit still for long. From the moment the bath began, Lin Huaixi’s mouth had not closed once. He chirped away nonstop, excitedly telling Grandma all about the fun he had had playing at Qi Wang’s house.
What Lin Huaixi was saying was too strange—something about a baby disappearing from the floor, something about a round yellow thing being the baby, something about Qi Wang knowing magic… Grandma had taken it as childish nonsense and had not paid much attention at first, but gradually she began to sense that something was off.
A thought stirred in her heart, and she asked, “You just said the pretty auntie wanted to hug Qi Wang. What happened after that?”
Lin Huaixi blew at the bubbles in his hand, having the time of his life. “After that, I came home!”
Grandma: “…”
Lin Huaixi had no idea what she was really trying to ask, so naturally he could not find the important part. Grandma could only keep guiding him. “Then did the pretty auntie hug Qi Wang?”
“She did.” Reaching out to grab the little ducky, Lin Huaixi splashed in the water as he said brightly, “Just like Mommy hugs me.”
“And after that?”
Lin Huaixi tilted his head up and asked Grandma seriously, “After that, Qi Wang cried. He cried very loudly, but the pretty auntie didn’t cry. The pretty auntie also has to go out and work like Mommy. Did Qi Wang cry because he missed his mommy?”
His tone was innocent and carefree, but Grandma felt a pang of sadness hearing it. Her hands grew even gentler, as if she wanted to make up for the love and companionship Lin Huaixi lacked.
“Does Xixi miss Mommy very much?” Grandma asked softly.
Lowering his head, Lin Huaixi patted the water, sending droplets splashing up. His eyes were as clear as the water itself. “I miss Mommy, and I know Mommy misses me too.”
Grandma could not say a word. She only felt full of guilt toward Lin Huaixi.
They had not been able to give Xixi better circumstances, and because of that, he could not see his mother all the time or grow up right by her side.
But Lin Huaixi was not as sad as she had imagined. He scooped up the duck in both hands and held it high. “I can’t twist open bottle caps, and I can’t make little bunny cakes, and I can’t grow pretty flowers. Only Mommy and Grandma and Grandpa can do those things. They’re super amazing!”
“But I know grown-ups have things they can’t do too. When I grow up, I’ll be able to take care of you too… Grandma, look! The little duck has white foam on its head. It looks like it’s wearing a tiny hat. So cute!”
Grandma’s gaze shifted from the yellow duck to Lin Huaixi’s bright little face, and her nose stung.
She had always thought Xixi understood nothing and needed to be carefully protected. But in truth, Xixi was also, in his own way, understanding them and taking care of them.
Grandma tilted her head to hide the tears in her eyes from Lin Huaixi and deliberately changed the subject. “Qi Wang cried. Did you comfort him?”
Children’s thoughts were always scattered in fragments, so Lin Huaixi did not find the question abrupt at all. After thinking for a bit, he said, “Qi Wang was crying because he was very happy. But he cried for too long, and then I cried too.”
The quieter he got, the smaller his voice became. He looked up at Grandma and smiled shyly, his little expression somehow awkward.
Grandma could not help laughing at the look on his face and asked, “Why did Xixi cry?”
Lin Huaixi shook his head, sending foam flying everywhere into the air. “I don’t know. When I saw Qi Wang crying, I wanted to cry too. Then the pretty auntie hugged me too.”
He let out two little hehes and could not help grinning foolishly. At such a young age, he was already acting smitten.
Even children had their own sense of beauty. Lin Huaixi liked everything beautiful, from tiny glass marbles to beautiful people. The moment he saw something pretty, he could not move his feet and just wanted to cuddle up close.
After washing her hands clean, Grandma reached out and lightly scraped his little nose, utterly helpless.
She could already imagine what Lin Huaixi would be like when he grew up and started dating—looks would definitely be the very first requirement, and he might even end up wandering around in a crowd of pretty people.
But it was still far too early to be talking about that. Grandma only smiled and said, “Xixi, close your eyes. Grandma is going to rinse your hair now.”
Lin Huaixi obediently squeezed his eyes shut so hard that all his little features scrunched together.
Warm water flowed over his scalp. Grandma’s movements were gentle, and she kept chatting to ease his nervousness. “Did Qi Wang’s mother cry too?”
“I don’t know,” Lin Huaixi said solemnly. “When you’re crying, you can’t open your eyes, so you can’t see.”
Grandma could not help laughing. “Then what happened after that?”
“My tummy started growling from crying, and Qi Wang couldn’t find anything to eat, so he held my hand and brought me back. He also told me that his mommy is just sick.” Lin Huaixi liked both Qi Wang and his mother very much, and asked with concern, “Can the pretty auntie get better? If I give her my little bunny cake, will she get well faster?”
“She definitely will.”
Grandma had just finished washing Lin Huaixi’s hair when Grandpa came back.
Every time it was bath time, Grandpa and Lin Huaixi had to play a “water fight.” It was a game that belonged only to the two of them, and Lin Huaixi loved it dearly. If they did not play, he would cling stubbornly to the bathtub and refuse to come out.
Grandma and Grandpa exchanged a glance, and Grandma stepped out of the bathroom.
The moment the door shut, the sounds of the grandfather and grandson fooling around came from inside, and splashes of water even dotted the frosted glass panel in the door.
Grandma shook her head helplessly and sat down on the sofa to drink tea.
Children understood things in very special ways. Their thinking was different, and their ability to express themselves was limited, but there were still many details hidden in their childish chatter.
From what Lin Huaixi had said, Grandma had more or less guessed what had happened that afternoon at Qi Wang’s house.
Before this, she had thought the problem lay with Qi Wang’s mother, but she had not expected it to be a mental and psychological issue, and one that seemed rather serious. Still, the fact that mother and son had held each other was a very good sign. Perhaps things would gradually get better from now on, and Qi Wang would also be able to receive enough love.
This was the very first time Xixi had gone to Qi Wang’s house to play, and yet the relationship between mother and son had already changed. Grandma could not help wondering if that might have something to do with Xixi.
At the thought, she could not stop herself from laughing softly.
She was praising her own melon while selling it, so to speak. Xixi was indeed a little happy fruit who often brought surprises and warmed people’s hearts, but he could not possibly have that much power. It was probably only a coincidence.
Grandma did not dwell on it, nor did she interfere in the children’s normal friendship just because Qi Wang’s situation was unusual. She often sent things to Qi Wang and took especially good care of him. Since the two families lived so close together, over time the house next door had practically become Lin Huaixi’s second home.
In truth, Lin Huaixi really had played a huge role in easing Wen Qianshu’s condition and improving the relationship between Qi Wang and his mother.
Qi Wang had once been hurt and carried psychological scars. He had grown used to curling up into a ball and protecting himself with thorns. But Lin Huaixi had grown up surrounded by love. He was forever bright and sunny, and even when he did feel upset or sad, he never held onto it. He would forget it in the blink of an eye. Every time they met, he would chatter endlessly around Wen Qianshu, and he especially loved cuddling up to the pretty auntie.
Wen Qianshu often could not tell illusion from reality and remained trapped inside her own world. But whenever Lin Huaixi stayed by her side, he could always pull her back out in time. On top of that, children had rich imaginations and very unusual logic. Even if what he said made no sense at all, somehow he could always carry on a conversation with Wen Qianshu.
As time passed, whenever Wen Qianshu was lucid, she would walk out of the studio and stand by the door waiting for Lin Huaixi.
Qi Wang had also become a little more cheerful. More accurately, he had been bothered into talking more by this sticky little rice cake.
Although his expression was still cool, awkward, and tsundere, he was no longer as shut off as before. Not only could he play childish games with Lin Huaixi, but his relationship with the other children at kindergarten had also improved a lot, and no one was afraid of him anymore.
Time gradually slipped away along with the children’s growth. The apricot blossoms had fallen, green leaves had grown in their place, the weather had steadily grown hotter, and soon it was midsummer.
The day before, Wen Qianshu had eaten the little bunny cake Lin Huaixi had brought her. The next morning, she got up and spent the entire morning in the kitchen, saying she wanted to bake cookies for the two children.
Qi Wang was delighted by his mother’s change and bustled around after her the whole time like a little tail. But after the cookies were finished, Wen Qianshu’s eyes turned vacant again. Without a word, she carried most of the cookies into the studio and placed them in front of that round yellow thing.
Qi Wang knew his mother was having another episode. She had confused reality and illusion again and taken that round yellow thing for him once more.
He stood in the doorway of the studio for a long time, looking at his mother’s distant back, but he did not feel nearly as sad as before.
It was different now. He was no longer a child whom no one loved. He knew his mother cared very much about him and wanted very much to stay with him. It was only that, once in a while, she simply “could not see” him.
Qi Wang did not ask for much. Thoughtfully, he poured his mother a glass of water and quietly shut the studio door.
His mother had taken away a great many of the cookies, but a small portion was still left. They had only just come out of the oven and were still steaming, and the whole house was full of a buttery, sweet fragrance.
Thinking of that little glutton who lit up the moment he saw food, Qi Wang carried the cookies to his own room, stood by the window, and tapped twice on the glass.
After being together for so long, the two of them had developed a special way of contacting each other. Whenever Lin Huaixi heard the sound, he would poke his fluffy little head out from the small window next door and wave both his chubby hands at him in greeting.
But this time, Qi Wang waited and nothing happened.
He thought Lin Huaixi had not heard him, so he raised his voice and called Lin Huaixi’s name.
But the little room next door remained silent. He waited for a long, long time, yet that soft, lovely little face and those smile-filled dimples never appeared.
In the end, Qi Wang could only run over to the courtyard next door, looking left and right for Lin Huaixi.
Grandma happened to come out of the house just then, and smiled kindly when she saw him. “Qi Wang, what brings you here?”
“I’m here to look for Lin Huaixi.”
Grandma’s steps halted, and a strange look crossed her face. “But Xixi went to look for you long ago. It’s nearly noon already. I was just about to call him back for lunch. He…”
Qi Wang’s expression blanked out for a second. Then his brows knitted tightly. Before Grandma could even finish speaking, he turned and ran off in a hurry.
He had been at home the whole time and had never seen Lin Huaixi. Could it be that this silly little fool had gotten lost somewhere so close by?
Qi Wang considered things with a thoroughness far beyond that of an ordinary child. He first went back to his own courtyard and searched carefully everywhere, just in case Lin Huaixi was only playing hide-and-seek with him and was deliberately hiding.
But no. There was no sign of him anywhere.
Qi Wang had once felt that Lin Huaixi was annoying, always clinging to him warmly and laughing carelessly. But now that he could not find Lin Huaixi, his heart felt strangely empty, and a terrible panic began sinking through him without end.
Driven by instinct, his body moved before he could think. Qi Wang did not waste even a second. He ran outside and began looking everywhere for Lin Huaixi.
He saw the little yellow flowers Lin Huaixi spoke to every day, and he saw that little yellow dog who was just as recklessly cheerful as Lin Huaixi and would fling itself happily at anyone it saw. He even saw the crack in the wall that Lin Huaixi stubbornly insisted was a smiling face… traces of Lin Huaixi were everywhere, yet that small little figure himself was nowhere to be seen.
The sun had already climbed high to the south, hanging overhead and pouring down scorching heat, swallowing the entire world so that not a shred of shade could remain.
After standing in the sunlight only a short while, any skin left exposed would turn red. Clothes stuck to the body, and beads of sweat covered the tip of the nose and the corners of the forehead.
Qi Wang loved cleanliness and hated the sticky feeling of sweat on his skin, but he had no time to care about that now. His small figure ran through the empty streets, and by the time he reached the intersection, he was already gasping for breath.
There was no shelter at the intersection. The asphalt was blazing hot under the sun, and even the air had grown heavy and sticky, warping along with the rising heat.
The light was too intense. When Qi Wang looked up, all he could see was a sheet of glaring white, except for one small patch of shade cast across the intersection.
At first he thought it was only a road barrier. But when he narrowed his eyes and looked carefully, he realized it was a child crouching there.
He could only see the back, yet something about it felt strangely familiar, and he immediately ran over anxiously.
Sure enough, the silly little fool crouched into a ball in the baking hot intersection—even though there was shade right nearby—was Lin Huaixi.
Qi Wang finally felt his heart settle back into place, but the unease instantly turned into anger. He stood in front of Lin Huaixi, blocking the light with his body. His delicate brows were tightly drawn together as he called out coldly, his little face expressionless.
Lin Huaixi’s reaction was a beat slow. Several seconds passed before he blankly lifted his head, as though he had not recognized him at all.
He had been waiting at the intersection for a very long time and had sweated all over. His soft fluffy hair had turned into damp little strands, the skin exposed to the sun had been roasted into a faint pink, and his whole body looked as though it had just been pulled out of water, soaked through and dripping.
“Qi Wang, I finally found you.”
The moment Lin Huaixi recognized him, a huge tear rolled out of his eyes with every word he spoke, and he cried with heartbreaking sorrow.
Qi Wang was so choked up he could not speak.
It was obviously he who had run all over the place to find this silly little fool who had gotten lost and could only crouch like a mushroom at the intersection, yet the very first thing Lin Huaixi said when he saw him was, I found you?!
But when he saw that wet, tear-streaked little face, Qi Wang could not bring himself to scold him. He only asked stiffly, “What are you doing crouching here?”
Lin Huaixi kept sobbing, his small shoulders trembling all over. He cried so hard he could barely catch his breath, pouring out all the fear and grievance in his heart.
That morning, he had dreamed that Qi Wang had been snatched away by strangers.
Grandma had told him before that such bad people were human traffickers. They specialized in kidnapping little children and selling them far away, so that the children would never see their mommies and daddies again and would never find their way home again.
Lin Huaixi had been so frightened that he woke up and ran out barefoot without even remembering to put on shoes. The only thing on his mind had been to go protect Qi Wang.
But that had only been the development in the original story.
Without realizing it, he had already changed the course of the story. Wen Qianshu’s condition had gradually improved, and the relationship between mother and son had eased as well. Because of that, Qi Wang would no longer, as written in the book, run out in grief after being ignored by his mother and get forcibly carried into a black car by bad people.
But Lin Huaixi was only a four-year-old child. How could he possibly understand things like “the plot of the original book” or “the story has changed course”? All he knew was that his good friend was in danger from bad people, terrified and helpless. So he had charged over without the slightest hesitation, trying to protect Qi Wang with his tiny little body.
He had run all the way to the intersection in one breath, only to find himself stuck.
Mommy and Grandma had repeatedly warned him that he was absolutely not allowed to cross the road by himself. He did not want Mommy to be upset and heartbroken, but he was also worried about Qi Wang, so he ended up running around in anxious circles at the intersection.
He had waited there for a very, very long time. In the middle of it, he had shamefully wiped away tears several times, and his feet and legs had started hurting so badly that he could only squat down on the ground and keep waiting.
And now, at the sight of Qi Wang, his heart had finally settled. He had so much he wanted to say, yet he was crying too hard to get the words out.
With every sob Lin Huaixi let out, the tightness in Qi Wang’s brows loosened a little more. The cold expression on his face finally broke. He crouched down in front of Lin Huaixi and began wiping away his tears.
“Aren’t you hot? Why didn’t you stand under the shade?”
“B-because…” Lin Huaixi said in a tearful voice, “Then I wouldn’t be able to see you the very first moment.”
Qi Wang had no idea what had happened, nor could he understand Lin Huaixi’s fear and inner struggle. He only kept silently wiping his tears, yet the more he wiped, the more they fell.
In the end, Qi Wang truly had no choice. He held out his hand toward him. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
Lin Huaixi grabbed Qi Wang’s hand, but he could not get to his feet. His body swayed crookedly twice, and then he plopped right back onto the ground.
He had been squatting for too long, and the blood had not been circulating properly. He had not noticed before, but now that he had come back to himself, his feet and legs hurt with sharp, needle-like pain.
“It hurts.” Lin Huaixi looked at Qi Wang pitifully. His lips turned down, and he was just about ready to burst into full-throated wailing.
Only then did Qi Wang notice that Lin Huaixi was barefoot.
Lin Huaixi had been raised extremely well. Every part of him was soft, even his feet, plump and tender, whiter than glutinous rice. But now they were dusty and grimy, and the soles had been scalded red by the sun-baked ground.
Qi Wang’s brows drew tighter and tighter. After several seconds, he crouched down in front of Lin Huaixi without hesitation. “Get on. I’ll carry you back.”
Grabbing Qi Wang’s clothes, Lin Huaixi shuffled closer and leaned all his weight onto Qi Wang’s back. His little hands wrapped around Qi Wang’s arms, and he nuzzled up a bit higher.
Qi Wang was almost a year older than Lin Huaixi and had developed earlier as well. Supporting Lin Huaixi’s legs with his hands, he rose steadily to his feet and started walking.
Lin Huaixi still carried the last of his baby fat, like a little glutinous rice dumpling, soft against Qi Wang’s back and terribly attached to him. Feeling Qi Wang’s scent and body warmth, he was gradually soothed, his sobs growing quieter and quieter. He only rested his fluffy little head on Qi Wang’s shoulder and kept sniffling.
Qi Wang could feel Lin Huaixi trembling. After three seconds of silence, he braced himself and awkwardly tried to comfort him. “Don’t cry anymore. My mommy made cookies, and they’re really good. When we get back, I’ll give them all to you.”
Lin Huaixi secretly rubbed his tears onto Qi Wang’s clothes, sniffled, and then said in a tiny voice, “We’ll eat them together.”
“Okay.”
After all that, Lin Huaixi was completely worn out. Lying limp on Qi Wang’s back, his consciousness gradually blurred and his breathing grew soft and shallow.
His little arms no longer had any strength, and his body kept sliding downward. Qi Wang vaguely sensed something. He turned his head to look at the ring of chubby flesh pressing out on Lin Huaixi’s cheek, but did not wake him. Unusually patient, every time Lin Huaixi slid downward, Qi Wang would support his legs and jolt him upward again.
He repeated the motion countless times, and at long last they finally saw the little courtyard ahead.
Grandma had also sensed that something was wrong. When she realized both children had vanished, she rushed out to search for them, only to run straight into this scene.
Her pupils shrank. In two quick strides she reached them and lifted Lin Huaixi down from Qi Wang’s back.
Lin Huaixi had already fallen fully asleep and gave no response at all. His clothes were soaked through with sweat, almost wet enough to wring water from, yet his little face was burning red, and his forehead was scorching hot.
Grandma had raised Lin Huaixi with great care. His lips were rosy, his teeth white, and he had almost never been sick. Seeing her precious grandson in such a pitiful state now, she was so heartbroken her tears nearly fell. “What happened? How could this…”
“I found him at the intersection. I think… he was trying to find me.” Qi Wang pressed his lips together, feeling vaguely guilty, as if he had done something wrong.
Only then, hearing his voice, did Grandma’s gaze settle on Qi Wang.
Qi Wang was drenched in sweat too. His hair and clothes were all in a mess. He had carried Lin Huaixi all the way back and was panting heavily with exhaustion, his legs still trembling slightly as he forced himself to stand.
“Good child, thank you so much for today.” Worried about Lin Huaixi’s condition, Grandma spoke in a rush. “Go home first. I’m taking Xixi to the hospital.”
Grandpa had already driven the car over. Grandma patted Qi Wang on the shoulder and hurried away without looking back.
Qi Wang remained standing there the whole time. Only after the car had completely vanished from sight did he lower his head and slowly turn back inside.
But he did not go home.
Instead, he sat down on the steps in Lin Huaixi’s courtyard and stared at the small patch of world in front of the gate.
Just moments ago it had been all chaos, but now it was suddenly silent. With only the cicadas chirping in his ears, Qi Wang finally realized how drenched in sweat he was. On his shirt, the tears and snot Lin Huaixi had rubbed onto him had dried into dark patches.
Qi Wang loved cleanliness, yet when he looked at the mess, he felt nothing at all. He only sat there quietly.
Time seemed to pass painfully slowly. Hugging his knees, Qi Wang waited for them to come back, half dazed. By the time he opened his eyes again, night had fallen completely. Dark clouds churned above, and rain, accompanied by a cool breeze, slanted down into a curtain of water.
The rain eased the oppressive summer heat and brought a touch of coolness. But when Qi Wang felt that damp moisture in the air, his brows drew together involuntarily. His hands and feet turned cold, and the bone-deep chill from his memories wrapped around him once more.
He hated the rain.
The first time it rained, he had waited by the window for an entire night. In the middle of it, he had grown sleepy and dozed off, accidentally falling from the chair and bruising both his chin and his leg. But that man still had never returned. From then on, the role of “father” in his life became nothing but a blank.
The second time it rained, he sat at the gate of the kindergarten, praying that Mommy would come. But when dawn broke, he was still all alone. No one had come to pick him up.
And now…
A hollow ache suddenly opened inside Qi Wang’s heart. Each raindrop seemed to weigh a thousand pounds as it pounded straight into him, leaving a dull, heavy pain.
He curled inward, hugging his knees tightly into a ball. But the splashing rainwater still soaked his white shoes, leaving muddy stains across them.
Qi Wang stared blankly at them, his eyes empty. For a moment he felt as though the entire curtain of rain had sealed him inside it, leaving him with nothing but endless dampness and cold.
Then, just at that moment, headlights cut through the rain, leaving behind a clear path of light. It fell straight into Qi Wang’s eyes and lit them up once more.
Qi Wang lifted his head instinctively. The light was dazzling, yet not even his eyelashes trembled, and he could not bear to blink.
The car came to a stop. Grandma stepped out carrying Lin Huaixi in her arms, while Grandpa held an umbrella at her side. He himself was standing outside the umbrella and had been soaked all over, yet not a single drop of rain had splashed onto Lin Huaixi.
Only when the couple reached the gate did they notice a small child sitting beneath the eaves—it was Qi Wang, tightly enclosed in the beam of the car’s lights.
Startled, they hurried over and asked after him with concern.
But Qi Wang could not hear their voices.
He was staring straight at Lin Huaixi, curled up in Grandma’s arms and sleeping soundly.
A faint flush still lingered on Lin Huaixi’s cheeks. Under the car lights, his face looked clear and luminous as jade, the only brightness in this endless black night.
Qi Wang blinked slowly, and all at once, he felt as though he wanted to cry.
This time, he had waited—and someone had come.
Lin Huaixi had not left him behind.
