On a midsummer afternoon, sunlight streamed through the wooden windows of the Shen family's main room, casting dappled shadows on the blue brick floor. A faint scent of mugwort wafted in the air—water specially boiled by Old Mrs. Shen, who said it would soothe Lin Wanqiu during her postpartum period and protect the newborn Nianxi from mosquito bites. In the corner, a freshly washed diaper soaked in an enamel basin, and neatly folded light blue baby clothes draped on a bamboo rack, swaying gently in the breeze, much like Nianxi's waving hand in Lin Wanqiu's dreams.

Shen Nian'an stood at the door with his schoolbag on his back, his little hands tightly gripping the strap. The words of his classmates still echoed in his ears: "Your little sister must be very small, like a kitten. She'll cry if you touch her." He looked up and could hear his sister's soft whimpering coming from inside the house. He felt both expectant and nervous. He shuffled his toes on the threshold but didn't dare to step inside.

"Nian'an's back? Come in and see your little sister!" Zhang Lan came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of brown sugar millet porridge. Seeing his appearance, she couldn't help but laugh. "Don't be afraid, your little sister is very good. She was just smiling."

Shen Nian'an followed Zhang Lan into the room, and her gaze immediately fell on the small cradle by the kang (a heated brick bed). It was a bamboo cradle that Shen Tingzhou had specially made yesterday, covered with a floral cloth given by Old Madam Shen. Nianxi was lying inside, wrapped in a light pink quilt, with only her small face, no bigger than a palm, showing.

He tiptoed over, squatted down beside the cradle, his eyes wide open, afraid of making any noise that might wake his little sister. Nianxi's eyes were closed, her long eyelashes like two small fans, her little nose slightly upturned, and a faint smile on her lips. Occasionally, she would gently move her little mouth, as if she were dreaming of nursing.

"She's so tiny..." Shen Nian'an whispered, her voice barely audible. She raised her little hand, wanting to touch her sister's face, but as soon as she touched the warm skin, she pulled back as if burned. "Won't I hurt her?"

Lin Wanqiu leaned against the headboard, looking at her son's cautious manner, feeling both warm and amused: "No, Nian'an, touch her gently, your little sister isn't afraid. You were even smaller than her when you were little, and Mommy held you like this too."

Upon hearing this, Shen Nian'an slowly raised his hand again, his fingertips gently touching Nianxi's little ear—soft and fluffy, like the dandelion fluff he had touched by the river last year. He felt a surge of joy in his heart, and then tried to touch his sister's little hand. Nianxi's fingers curled up and gently grasped his fingertips, the small force of which instantly brought tears to Shen Nian'an's eyes.

"Mom, she grabbed my hand!" He looked up at Lin Wanqiu, his voice full of surprise, but afraid of waking his younger sister, he quickly lowered his voice, "Does she know me?"

“Of course we know each other,” Lin Wanqiu said with a smile. “You’re her brother. She often heard you talking when she was in her mother’s belly.”

Shen Tingzhou returned from the workshop and saw this scene as soon as he entered. He put down the account book in his hand, walked over, and gently patted his son's head: "Nian'an is a big brother now. You have to protect your little sister well, okay?"

“I know!” Shen Nian’an nodded vigorously, his eyes becoming exceptionally serious. “I will cover my sister with a blanket, sing nursery rhymes to her, and take her to see sunflowers! If anyone bullies her, I will protect her!” As he spoke, he imitated Shen Tingzhou, gently patting Nianxi’s blanket, his movements clumsy but exceptionally gentle.

Just then, Grandma Shen came in carrying a cloth bag containing baby powder she had just bought from town. She went to the cradle and, seeing Nian'an's appearance, her wrinkles smoothed out: "Our Nian'an is such a good brother. From now on, your little sister will rely on you to protect her." As she spoke, she took a small silver lock from the bag. "This is for Nianxi. I had it made at the silversmith's yesterday, to bless her so she can grow up safely."

Shen Tingzhou took the silver lock and carefully put it around Nianxi's neck. The silver lock swayed gently, making a crisp "ding-a-ling" sound. Nianxi seemed to be awakened by the sound. She opened her eyes and looked at Shen Tingzhou first, then turned to Shen Nian'an. She blinked, but instead of crying, she hummed softly twice.

"Look, your little sister recognizes you as her brother," Grandma Shen said with a smile. "Nian'an, talk to your sister more often; she can understand you."

Shen Nian'an nodded, moved a small stool to sit beside the cradle, and began to "talk" to his little sister: "Little sister Xixi, I'm your big brother. Our sunflowers have grown so tall. When you grow up, I'll take you to pick sunflower seeds. I can also draw. I'll draw lots and lots of little animals for you in the future, like little rabbits, little ducks, and..." He rambled on, telling Nianxi about the fun things at school and the flowers and plants in the yard, occasionally humming the nursery rhymes that Lin Wanqiu had taught him.

Looking at the scene before her, Lin Wanqiu felt a surge of happiness. She recalled how, when she was first reborn, Nian'an was a thin and timid child who didn't even dare to speak loudly. Now, however, he could protect his younger sister like a little adult. This change filled her with both joy and emotion. She gently touched the scar on her lower abdomen and silently said in her heart, "Nianxi, look, you have such a good brother and such a loving family. You will definitely be very happy in the future."

At dinner, Shen Tingzhou made braised pork, Nian'an's favorite dish, and also stewed chicken soup for Lin Wanqiu to nourish her body. However, Shen Nian'an did not eat the braised pork first as usual. Instead, she picked up a piece of the tenderest chicken and handed it to Lin Wanqiu's bowl: "Mom, you eat. You're breastfeeding your sister, so you need to eat more." She then picked up a piece for Grandma Shen, saying, "Grandma, you eat too. You've worked hard buying the silver lock for your sister."

Grandma Shen took the chicken, her eyes slightly reddening: "Our Nian'an has really grown up and become sensible."

After the meal, Shen Nian'an took the initiative to clear the dishes and even helped Zhang Lan wipe the table. Once he was finished, he returned to the cradle, sat on a small stool, and watched his younger sister sleep. Shen Tingzhou came over and sat beside him: "Nian'an, Daddy will teach you to weave bamboo baskets later. When your sister grows up, let's weave her a little basket so she can put flowers in it, okay?"

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