He bit his lips, which were red from the cold, and his eyes darted around in their sockets. Suddenly, he shook off Shen Xiang's hand and, like a mouse stealing oil, slipped away to the stall where the food was being sold.

The stall owner was busy rolling sugar for people. The iron turntable whirred as the white sugar melted into golden threads in the hot pan, wrapping around bamboo skewers and instantly turning into fluffy clouds.

The adults around him were pushing forward with their food coupons in hand, and no one noticed Tang Jiang standing at their feet.

Tang Jiang seized an opportunity. While the stall owner was looking down to collect money, he suddenly stood on tiptoe, grabbed the last string of skewers with his small hand like a claw, and turned to squeeze into the crowd.

"Hey? My candy!"

As the stall owner looked up, he caught a glimpse of a small figure darting out, clutching a ball of white candy in its hand. He immediately panicked, slammed the metal skewer on the counter, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Stop thief! That brat tried to steal from me!"

Tang Jiang ran as fast as he could, chewing vigorously, his cheeks smeared with the sweet, sticky substance.

He was calculating in his mind, but since he had already swallowed his anger, he figured if he caught her, he could only make Shen Xiang pay him back.

Who told her not to buy it for me? She won't even let me eat candy for the New Year, serves her right!

Shen Xiang was jolted awake by the word "thief," and when she looked up, she saw Tang Jiang's back darting through the crowd, his hand still steaming.

Her heart tightened, and she took off after him, her throat tightening: "Jiang'er! You stop right there!"

But she had only taken two steps when she saw Tang Jiang suddenly burst out of the crowd, like a headless cannonball, darting straight across the street.

A green Jiefang brand truck was slowly driving by, and the driver didn't even notice the child who suddenly rushed out.