Chapter 2: Picnic Under Pear Blossoms
When school was over, Lin Huaixi’s grandma came to pick him up.
Lin Huaixi skipped happily to her side. Seeing the plastic bag in her hand, he asked, “What’s this?”
Grandma smiled and patted his head. The soft touch made her so fond of him that she could hardly bear to stop. “These are the vegetables Grandma just bought.”
Lin Huaixi nodded, then stretched out his chubby little hand toward her. His voice was still babyish, but his expression was very serious. “Grandma worked hard. Xixi will help you!”
Grandma had bought lettuce, which was very light, light enough for a child to carry. Besides, she knew her precious little grandson was responsible and dependable despite his young age, and that he liked helping others, so she smiled and handed him the plastic bag.
Lin Huaixi clutched the bag tightly, then stretched out his other hand and hooked his short, stubby fingers around Grandma’s sleeve, wanting to hold hands.
At the sight of this, Grandma’s heart was instantly filled with softness. Smiling kindly, she reached out and wrapped Lin Huaixi’s soft little hand in her palm.
The grandmother and grandson walked home together.
Lin Huaixi was still just a tiny glutinous rice dumpling of a child, so the plastic bag looked especially huge in his hands, almost dragging on the ground. It swayed up and down with each step, like a big green bundle, eye-catching in the extreme.
Adults seeing such a “capable” little child for the first time all cast surprised and admiring looks his way.
Grandma gave a slight nod. After greeting an acquaintance, she lowered her head to look at her precious grandson. “What did Xixi do at kindergarten today?”
This was always the topic they talked about on the way home. Lin Huaixi tilted his face up at Grandma, his eyes sparkling, excitement impossible to hide. “Teacher said the flowers are blooming, and the weather is really nice. Tomorrow we’re having a picnic at kindergarten!”
Grandma had already known about it, but pretended she was hearing it for the first time. Dragging out an “Oh,” she said, “Then I’ll find Xixi’s favorite pink lunch box and fill it up nice and full, and I’ll make you a little bunny cake too, okay?”
The moment Lin Huaixi heard that, he jumped up in delight and said in his soft milky voice, “Thank you, Grandma! I like Grandma sooo much!”
At such a young age, he already knew how to sweet-talk, and with that adorable little face on top of it, the effect doubled. Grandma simply could not withstand it; her heart melted into a puddle.
“All right now, don’t jump around by the roadside. It’s not safe.” Worried that Lin Huaixi might get so excited he would start running, Grandma tightened her grip on his little hand, then changed the subject to distract him. “Was there anything else that made you happy today? Did you have fun playing with the other children?”
At those words, the image of that cool figure in a little suit appeared before Lin Huaixi’s eyes.
“I made a new friend today. His name is Wangwang!” Lin Huaixi instinctively turned his head, wanting to point him out to Grandma, but they had already walked too far. The kindergarten was no longer in sight, and naturally Qi Wang was nowhere to be found either.
Grandma did not notice that. Hearing the name, her brows lifted slightly.
She crouched down to look her precious grandson in the eye. “Your new friend is really called that?”
Lin Huaixi nodded his little head earnestly. “That’s what Teacher said.”
Grandma could not help laughing. She felt that Lin Huaixi must have gotten it wrong.
In her impression, only puppies would be called a name like that. Calling a child “Wangwang” somehow felt disrespectful.
But a child’s world was dreamy and beautiful, not bound by fixed common sense. Longing sparkled in Lin Huaixi’s eyes. He sincerely thought the name was very cute—so cute that he almost wanted to change his own name to it.
Grandma knew there must be some misunderstanding in all this, but seeing the look on Lin Huaixi’s face, she did not force an explanation. She only smiled and continued leading him forward.
That whole night, Lin Huaixi eagerly looked forward to the picnic the next day. Even when he slept, the corners of his lips were still curved up, and he had a beautiful dream.
The next morning, even little Xixi, usually “possessed by the God of Sleep,” did not stay in bed. He stretched out his short little arms and legs, got himself dressed neatly, braced his hands on the bed, and jumped down.
At this time on ordinary mornings, Grandma would usually be watering the flowers in the yard. Lin Huaixi pattered over to the little balcony, stood on tiptoe, and held onto the railing with his small hands, barely managing to poke his head up.
He did not find Grandma in the yard, but he unexpectedly noticed that the neighboring courtyard was piled full of miscellaneous things.
His eyes darted around once, and then he remembered what Grandma had told him before: new neighbors had moved in next door.
It would be so nice if there were a little friend there who could play with him!
Lin Huaixi craned his neck and looked left and right. His gaze moved through the clutter, and sure enough, he really spotted a small figure.
At once, he stretched out his short little hand and waved it from side to side. Even the little cowlick on his head bobbed up excitedly. “Hello!”
Lin Huaixi’s little face was full of smiles, expressing friendliness without reserve. It was just that the place where he was standing was a bit unfortunate.
The railing post completely blocked his body, leaving only his round little head visible. Bright sunlight flickered behind him, turning his soft tousled hair golden and blurring the outline of his features.
From the angle of the courtyard below, all one could see was a pale, soft, fluffy lump, as if…
A steamed bun had grown on the railing.
The child living next door took one look and was so frightened that he stumbled several steps backward, hunching his neck and shoulders, sticking to the wall with a little “smack” like a tiny poster.
Lin Huaixi had not expected that reaction. He tilted his head, his round eyes full of confusion, but his attention was quickly diverted.
When the little boy next door looked up, he saw a familiar face.
It was Wangwang—it was his little childhood sweetheart!
Lin Huaixi’s eyes lit up at once. He had so much he wanted to say to Qi Wang, and since standing on tiptoe was making his feet a little sore, he crouched down by the gap in the railing and pushed his head forward as far as he could, shouting loudly, “Wangwang, so you live here! Do you want to go to kindergarten with me?”
Qi Wang stood in place for a few seconds, ignored Lin Huaixi, then turned and walked toward the gate of the courtyard.
Lin Huaixi immediately grew anxious and wanted to run downstairs to find Qi Wang, only to discover he could not move.
Eh, I think I’m stuck in the railing o_o ….
He tried to rescue himself. Bracing his hands against the bars, he worked his plump little bottom backward with all his might. His whole body, even his mouth, was straining with effort, and he could not help making little “nnn—nnn” noises. Only on the third try did he finally yank his head free from the gap in the railing. Because he had used too much force, he dropped onto the floor with a plop, like a turtle that had flipped onto its back, rocking back and forth twice.
Lin Huaixi let out an “Ow,” dazed from the fall. A few seconds later he came back to himself, scrambled quickly to his feet, patted the not-very-painful butt he had landed on, and ran downstairs.
But he was still a step too late. He saw Qi Wang sitting in the back seat of a car, flashing past in front of his eyes.
Lin Huaixi chased forward two steps, only to be stopped by Grandma.
Grandma looked at her precious grandson with loving eyes and asked, “Is Xixi hungry?”
Lin Huaixi nodded instinctively, then quickly shook his head and eagerly shared his good news with Grandma. “Wangwang lives next door. He’s our new neighbor.”
Surprise appeared on Grandma’s face.
After the new neighbors moved in, she had wanted to pay them a visit, but had never found the time. She had not expected it to be such a coincidence—the children from both families attended the same kindergarten.
If the two little ones played together every day, went to and from school together, and kept each other company, they would not feel bored.
“That’s wonderful then. Xixi should get along well with him,” Grandma said with a smile, patting Lin Huaixi’s head.
After promising her, Lin Huaixi suddenly looked outside and said in confusion, “I just saw Wangwang ride away in a car.”
Grandma froze for a moment and instinctively looked over too.
It was too early for kindergarten at this hour, so where were the parents taking the child?
Other people’s family matters were not something she should meddle in. After thinking it over, Grandma said, “When you get to kindergarten, Xixi can ask him. All right now, it’s breakfast time. What should you do before breakfast?”
Lin Huaixi held out both of his little hands and answered brightly, “Wash hands!”
“Good, off you go.” Grandma nodded with a smile.
…
After breakfast, Grandma took Lin Huaixi to kindergarten.
All the children were looking forward to the picnic, and the whole atmosphere at kindergarten felt different. Even the ones who usually had trouble coming to school were not clinging to their mothers’ legs and crying today. Instead, they hurried eagerly into the yard. Some children gathered in little groups, sharing their lunch boxes, while others tugged at the teachers and kept asking when the picnic would start.
Lin Huaixi paid no attention to any of that. He made a round through the yard without seeing Qi Wang anywhere. After standing under the sunlight for a few seconds with his little backpack in his arms, he suddenly thought of something and walked into the quiet, deserted reading room.
Qi Wang was there indeed. He sat quietly on a chair and had already finished reading three books.
Without even realizing it, Lin Huaixi revealed two little dimples as he smiled and walked toward Qi Wang.
Qi Wang also noticed Lin Huaixi. The leg that had once been bitten began to ache faintly. As if by conditioned reflex, he stood up at once, made a big circle around Lin Huaixi to avoid him, and ran out.
Lin Huaixi: “…” Mm, Wangwang really likes playing hide-and-seek.
He instinctively chased after him and ran all around the yard looking for Qi Wang, but Teacher Xiao Xu stopped him, took his little hand, and, like herding lambs, led him and the other children back inside.
The picnic would only begin after two classes.
Usually the kindergarten children behaved well in class, but today it was as if the chairs were burning hot. None of them could sit still. Their little bottoms kept wriggling. They had all turned into greedy little kittens, glancing again and again toward the lunch boxes in their backpacks, practically drooling.
The teachers did their best to maintain order, and only when the time was about right did they call the children outside.
There was a pear tree in the yard. Snow-white blossoms covered the branches, pure and ethereal as snow, light and drifting as clouds. Cluster upon cluster, bunch after bunch, they seemed to stretch all the way toward the sky, filling this small patch of heaven.
Under the tree, the teachers spread out blue-and-white checkered picnic blankets. A gust of wind blew by, and white petals fell like rain, scattering all over the blankets.
At the sight of this, the children’s eyes shone with excitement. Like little birds released from a cage, they ran over in a flurry.
The picnic blankets were obviously very large, yet the children still crowded affectionately together, impatient to take out their lunch boxes.
Wang Xiaohu had a sturdy, tigerish look to him. He was strong, half a head taller than the other children, and his skin was a healthy wheat color.
He had a huge appetite and loved eating more than anyone else. His family had prepared a grown-up-sized lunch box for him, packed to the brim.
Compared with his, the lunch boxes in the other children’s hands looked especially tiny. They stared at Wang Xiaohu with wide-eyed envy. Wang Xiaohu showed off by opening his lunch box, puffing out his little chest and sitting there waiting for praise.
“Wow, so much meat! I like eating these round meatballs too!”
“There’s actually a little kitty in the box. Its eyes are made out of carrots!”
“Xiaohu, I like your lunch box so much. Can I trade with you?”
“…”
In an instant, the yard was filled with the children’s tender little voices. Their childish words made the teachers smile helplessly, all wearing fond auntie expressions. But out of the corner of her eye, Teacher Xiao Xu noticed one odd figure.
Qi Wang was standing alone off to the side, his little face taut, looking coldly at the other children, with no intention of joining them.
Something stirred in Teacher Xiao Xu’s heart. Smiling, she walked over and crouched in front of him. “Qi Wang, why aren’t you going over there? Picnics are a lot of fun.”
Qi Wang had been keeping his eyes lowered the whole time. Hearing that, he pressed his lips together, and the slightest ripple of emotion showed in his eyes.
Teacher Xiao Xu guessed what it was and asked, “Did you forget to bring your lunch box?”
Qi Wang silently nodded.
The picnic was one of spring’s most important activities. So the children could have the best experience, the teachers had informed the parents half a month in advance and had been reminding everyone in the group chat every day not to forget.
Still, every year there were always a few careless little ones who ran into problems. Teacher Xiao Xu did not think much of it and comforted him gently, “It’s okay, you can share with—”
At that point, she suddenly felt this was a chance for Qi Wang to blend into the group. So she put an arm around his shoulders and led him over to the other children. “Qi Wang forgot to bring his picnic box. Who wants to share with him? Food tastes even better when eaten together!”
Wang Xiaohu was the closest to them. The moment he heard that, his ears twitched, and by sheer reflex he snapped his lunch box shut, hugged it in his arms, scooted aside, and looked at them warily, as if Qi Wang were about to come snatch his food.
Wang Xiaohu was actually considered a fairly generous child. Whenever he got a new toy, he would bring it to kindergarten and share it with the other children. But he was a little foodie and especially protective of his food, always wishing he could keep his mouth stuffed full every moment of the day.
Teacher Xiao Xu’s expression stiffened for a second, but she quickly recovered and asked with a smile, “Does anyone want to experience the magic of sharing, where food becomes even tastier?”
None of the children spoke.
Teacher Xiao Xu waited for three seconds, but all she got was dead silence. Her expression turned deeply surprised, and she began to feel anxious and guilty. Instinctively, she pulled Qi Wang a little closer.
“I taught everyone before that you should be generous and warm, okay? That’s how you make new friends. How about this—everyone can raise a little hand and secretly tell Teacher, all right?”
At those words, several children immediately lowered their heads and picked at the stickers on their lunch boxes with their fingers. The rest stared with wide round eyes, wearing expressions like children who had done something wrong.
In truth, they were all good children. It was not that they were deliberately isolating or rejecting Qi Wang—they were afraid.
When Qi Wang had first transferred here, everyone had liked the pretty little boy very much. They had all rushed to share their treasures with him and invited him to play.
But Qi Wang had kept a cold face the whole time, ignoring all of their kindness, and his dark black eyes were especially intimidating.
Children might seem ignorant, but they are actually very sensitive. They vaguely sensed that Qi Wang did not like this place and did not like them, and so they too had developed feelings of fear and did not dare approach him anymore.
Teacher Xiao Xu did not know any of this. In the deathly silence, she looked at Qi Wang awkwardly.
Qi Wang’s little face was still cold, but he was only forcing himself to hold on. He bit his lower lip tightly, his eyes growing darker and darker, as if he were about to be swallowed by negative emotions.
Teacher Xiao Xu panicked and hurriedly crouched down to hug him.
It was because she had confidence in the children she taught that she had chosen this way to bring them closer together. But the truth proved that she had been too presumptuous. She had put Qi Wang in a situation like this. If it ended up leaving a wound on his fragile little heart, then the fault would be entirely hers!
Just as she was at a complete loss and about to step back and invite Qi Wang to have the picnic with her instead, a crisp childish voice came from the distance:
“Wangwang—do you want to eat cake with me?”
The voice seemed to carry magic. Teacher Xiao Xu and Qi Wang both looked over instinctively.
Lin Huaixi came running over, holding a little pink bundle in his hands and panting for breath. His fair cheeks were flushed with a healthy red, the color spreading upward until even the corners of his eyes turned rosy. His lips were slightly parted, reddened by the warm air.
He was wearing the new coat Grandma had bought for him. On the hood were two bunny ears, soft and bouncy, bobbing up and down with his movements, brushing against his hair like two real rabbit ears standing upright atop Lin Huaixi’s head.
In the warm spring sunlight, with a gentle breeze blowing and pear blossoms drifting down like rain, the little bunny with smiling crescent eyes and dimples brimming with sunlight came hopping over.
And hopped right into Qi Wang’s eyes.
