When Xiao Wei thought that Xiao Cheng would be like before, staying away from home every few days, Xiao Cheng unexpectedly came home every day and ate all three meals at home.
Compared to Bai Lu frying chili peppers when she's angry, Xiao Wei finds Xiao Cheng's anger even more terrifying, making him feel like he can't breathe.
The next afternoon after school, I finally couldn't resist and ran to the kitchen without doing my homework.
"Did you and your brother have another fight?" the little guy asked bluntly as soon as he walked in.
"No," Bai Lu said calmly.
Holding a cleaver, he forcefully chopped the chili peppers, and the fiery red peppers broke into pieces with a snap.
Xiao Cheng was still building a house next door. The empty kitchen echoed with the loud sounds of chopping and hacking.
Xiao Wei's lips twitched slightly. The chopping and hacking sounds weren't just echoing in the courtyard; the neighbors could probably hear them too...
Remembering what Bailu had told him last night, he asked, "My brother won't let you sell chestnuts?"
Bai Lu paused in her hand, her angry expression instantly replaced by astonishment: "How did you know?"
Xiao Wei rolled his eyes at her. "You used to either never go out, or when you did, you'd take the money my brother gave you and give it to Li Shuixian. Don't you know what kind of reputation my brother has around here? I don't know what you're planning to do with the money you gave to Li Shuixian, but do you think my brother wouldn't know?"
He was only seven years old, but at least he had eyes and a brain.
What else could Bai Lu be doing besides running away?
Now that she's selling roasted chestnuts, it's obvious she's planning to save up money and run away again.
Running away is secondary; what if Bai Lu, like the woman on West Street that our neighbor Zhang said, heartlessly ruins the child in order to be with the big boss in South City…
If Xiao Wei could think of something, why couldn't Xiao Cheng?
Finally understanding everything, Bai Lu looked helpless and heartbroken; it was her stomach that had caused all this trouble.
“But I said the money from the sale would belong to him…” Bai Lu sighed. Wasn’t that honest enough?
She even wanted to return it to him as a gift, but it turned out that what he was thinking was completely different from what she was thinking.
Her proposal was rejected outright, and she was sentenced to death.
Xiao Wei didn't understand Xiao Cheng's thoughts either, but Bai Lu's actions over the past two months had already deeply impressed him, and couldn't be easily reversed by a few days of change.
"Perhaps you didn't explain it clearly."
"How else do you want to explain?"
Bai Lu looked troubled: "This is already the most correct and reasonable explanation."
Xiao Wei scratched his head. He didn't understand the adults' thoughts, so he decided to go back to his room and do his homework.
Just as I turned around, I heard a tinkling sound outside.
"The old man who sells maltose has arrived."
That deep and resonant melody was not only vividly remembered by Xiao Wei, but also brought back memories for Bai Lu.
Outside the quiet and peaceful family compound, there are always some beautiful and pleasant sounds that can attract everyone's attention, whether adults or children.
She would always skip and hop outside the yard, held by her parents or grandparents, to buy her favorite candy.
--maltose.
Xiao Wei was completely bewildered as Bai Lu led him out the door.
He said, "The old man who sells malt sugar is here," and his little hand was taken by a warm, soft hand.
He was still hesitating whether to shake off her hand when he was already being led outside.
"Little girl, little friend, would you like to buy malt candy?"
The old man selling maltose had gray hair and a short, white beard. His voice was kind and gentle, and when he smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were especially endearing. He carried a shoulder pole with two bamboo baskets on top of round winnowing baskets.
In the winnowing basket, next to the large, milky-white chunks of maltose, there was a small iron awl and a small tin shovel for breaking up the maltose. Maltose of different shapes and sizes was scattered around, and the sweet, refreshing aroma of malt wafted on the wind.
Bai Lu asked, "How much per pound?"
The old man said, "Two yuan and fifty cents a pound."
Bai Lu asked the old man to help her weigh a pound, and then happily took out her money, finally freeing Xiao Wei's hands.
The unusual temperature in his palm lingered for a long time, leaving him somewhat dazed as he stared blankly at Bailu buying candy.
The old man was weighing the candy when he smiled and handed him a small piece of maltose: "Little friend, try this. Grandpa's maltose is very sweet. Last night, a very handsome young man rode his old bicycle all the way from your town to buy candy from me."
The old man lived in the neighboring town of Qingshui, which was neither too far nor too close.
It takes more than two hours to walk there.
After walking through this street, he had to go home, otherwise he wouldn't be able to see the road when the sun went down and it got dark.
Bai Lu had already taken out some money from her pocket and was counting two yuan and fifty cents when she heard this, she paused.
The old man continued, "I remember that young man. He seemed to live nearby. I had never seen him buy maltose before when I came here. Last night, he suddenly came to buy some after the sun had already set. I told him that I didn't have any maltose made at home yet, and it was too late tonight. I would make some tomorrow and then take it over to sell. But he absolutely refused and insisted that I make it on the spot."
"These young people nowadays, they really don't even understand us old folks when it comes to pleasing young girls!"
The old man's helpless laughter drifted further and further away with the tinkling sound, carried away by the wind and amidst the sweet scent.
Bai Lu stuffed the maltose into Xiao Wei's hand, then ran back to her room at breakneck speed, rummaging through drawers and cabinets.
Finally, in the drawer where the detailed bills were kept, they found a large paper package made of folded old newspapers.
Take it out and put it on the table.
Slowly unfolding it along the crease, inside was a sea of white, scattered yet neatly piled small candies of various shapes, more than she had just bought.
Bai Lu picked up a pearl and put it in her mouth.
It's very sweet.
Just like the one that melted between my lips and teeth last night, it was still as sweet as honey after I chewed it thoroughly.
So he bought more than two...
There was no bicycle at home, and he borrowed his old-fashioned bicycle from someone, yet he still went such a long way.
To be honest, Xiao Wei was a little jealous, especially when he saw Bai Lu eating the malt candy on the table with such a lingering, happy, and intoxicated expression.
Those candies were bought by his older brother!
It was malt candy that his aloof older brother had never bought for him or anyone else!
Xiao Wei suddenly felt that even the pound of maltose in his hand didn't taste good anymore.
Miraculously, there were no chili peppers in dinner.
The food smelled especially delicious, and everyone ate two bowls of rice. Every dish on the table was so shiny it reflected light.
The night was as dark as ink, and the moon came out.
The only sound in the courtyard was the sound of washing clothes. Bai Lu hesitated for a long time, stealing glances several times. Across from her was a man with a cold and stern face, silently washing clothes.
Finally, I mustered up my courage.
"Knock knock knock—"
The knocking on the door was a step ahead of her, interrupting her.
Bai Lu gritted her teeth and glared at the door. If it weren't for something extremely urgent, she'd see how she fixed the door!
"Brother Cheng."
Luo Shiliu's nonchalant voice, tinged with the swagger of a bandit, rang out: "The deadline has arrived."
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