Jiang Yan stood up and said to the young man seriously, "I am teaching your sister how to draw sugar paintings. We have agreed that for every earthworm she draws in the future, I will exchange it for a phoenix." He patiently explained to Young Marquis Su, hoping to dispel the young man's doubts.
Young Marquis Su seemed to understand, but seeing his sister smiling with her eyes curved and seemed to be in a good mood, he put down the wooden sword, pointed at Jiang Yan and said seriously: "Then you have to promise not to bully my sister! Otherwise, I will really chop you with the wooden sword!" He waved the wooden sword and warned Jiang Yan again.
"Of course, of course." Jiang Yan nodded repeatedly, but a mischievous light flashed in his eyes, as if he was thinking about how to have more interesting interactions with the brother and sister.
As the sun gradually set, the steam from the sugar painting stall blended gently with the dusk, creating a hazy golden mist, like a dreamlike wonderland. The phoenix sugar painting in Su Jinli's hands shimmered in the afterglow, the fine strands of sugar threads evoking the starlight in Jiang Yan's eyes, dazzling and captivating. She watched him quietly as he picked up the copper spoon again and intently drew the twelve zodiac animals for the children who gathered around him. His moon-white figure stretched out in the sunset, the sugar stains on his apron gilded with a golden edge, as if he wasn't just painting a sugar painting but depicting a beautiful picture of life.
In her previous life, lying on a cold kang and coughing up blood, Su Jinli had never imagined such a warm and beautiful moment. The sweet breeze from Xinghua Lane gently caressed her cheeks, as if telling a gentle story. Her younger brother strolled beside her, carrying a wooden sword, full of energy and vigor. And the top scholar she had met at the poetry club patiently taught her to draw a crooked dragon, making her feel an unprecedented warmth and care. The grievances soaked in the smell of medicine were like sugar residue, blown away by the gentle evening breeze. At this moment, slowly simmering in her heart was a happiness thicker and sweeter than malt sugar.
From deep in the alley, the clear and melodious cries of a flower girl rang out, adding a unique charm to the quiet evening. Jiang Yan looked up, shook his freshly drawn sugar butterfly painting, and asked with a smile, "Miss Su, what do you want to draw next?" His eyes were filled with anticipation, as if waiting for Su Jinli to embark on a new creative journey.
Su Jinli looked at his hands covered in sugar juice, then looked at the young Marquis Su who was staring beside her with wide eyes and a face full of curiosity, and said with a smile: "Draw a dragon, I'll do it myself this time." Her eyes were full of confidence and determination, as if announcing her own growth and breakthrough.
Jiang Yan handed her the copper spoon and gently tapped her palm with his fingertips, as if conveying encouragement and strength. "Okay, I'll wait and see Miss Su's 'Sky-shaking Dragon,'" he said with a smile, his eyes full of trust and expectation for her.
The golden glow of the setting sun shone like silk, scattering across the bluestone slabs and their clasped hands, as if shrouding their agreement with a sacred aura. Su Jinli took a deep breath and gripped the copper spoon tightly. This time, her wrist was as steady as a rock. The syrup flowed like a golden stream, following her will, gradually outlining the outline of a dragon on the slab. Although one of the dragon's horns was crooked and its tail was curled into a coil, its unique aura made the children nearby cheer. The cheers echoed through the alley like a trumpet of victory.
Jiang Yan looked at the dragon, then at Su Jinli's sparkling eyes, which shone with joy and pride, as if they held countless stars. He couldn't help but smile, a smile of warmth and relief. He knew that this woman, who had dared to overturn a teacup at her coming-of-age celebration, possessed an incomparably strong heart and unique charm. She would eventually carve out a splendid life of her own in this complex world, blossoming with the most brilliant brilliance. And he was honored to be the one standing by her side, handing her the copper spoon, collecting her "earthworms," and cheering her on.
The steam from the sugar painting stall still lingered, its sweet aroma seeming to soften time. The laughter in the alley carried far and wide on the evening breeze, as if to transmit this joy to every corner of the world. At this moment, all the pain she had felt before seemed to have been boiled down by time into the sweetest sugar painting of the moment, a precious memory in her life. Su Jinli looked at the gradually cooling dragon-shaped sugar painting in her hands and suddenly felt that the spring of this life had just begun, filled with infinite possibilities and hope. The days to come, like the sweetness of this sugar painting, awaited her careful savour.
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