Taking advantage of his distraction, Nian Li stood on tiptoe and stomped her tiny feet, clad in tiger-toe sandals, hard on the instep of the man's thick leather boots. "Ouch!" The man leaped in pain, his grip loosening as the old man stumbled back, nearly falling. Nian Li seized the opportunity and, like a hen protecting her chicks, pulled the old man behind her. The chili string was still dangling. "Don't bully the old man!" Her voice was small, but filled with courage, her face brimming with determination.
The old man burst into tears of gratitude. He picked up the unstained buns from the ground with trembling hands and held them in front of Siyan with both hands: "Kind people, please take these buns! They are hot and just out of the oven!" The buns were still steaming and exuding an enticing aroma. The skin was snow-white and the folds were even. You could tell at a glance that they were made with care.
Su Jinli, supporting Jiang Yan, walked over. She watched Siyan put the abacus into her sleeve pocket, and Nianli, looking up at the old man, patting him on the back to soothe him. A warm feeling welled in her heart. During these three years of traveling, Siyan had used the abacus to fend off bullies, and Nianli had dared to punish scoundrels in the streets. It was much better than just studying rote memorably in the prime minister's residence. Jiang Yan seemed to see through her thoughts, and lightly placed his fingertips on her palm, whispering, "You taught well." The indigo on his cuff brushed against Su Jinli's sleeve, like a pale blue flower, embellishing the plain fabric, making it look particularly elegant.
The wind at the alley entrance blew up fallen leaves, making Nian Li's string of chilies rustle. Watching her children busy at work, Su Jinli suddenly remembered her submissive self at her coming-of-age party in her previous life—when her stepmother had arranged a marriage for her, she could only bow her head and cry, lacking even the courage to resist. Looking at Si Yan, who now dared to smash the table with an abacus, and Nian Li, who dared to step on the bully's instep, her eyes welled up. Jiang Yan handed her a handkerchief, which had a faint scent of ink, the scent of incense he often used, with a hint of scholarly air.
"Mom," Si Yan ran over, holding the bun that the old man had stuffed into his hand, "This bun is a thank you gift, worth five cents, which can be exchanged for half a piece of candy cake!" He took out the abacus again and began to calculate the value of this unexpected gain. The beads jumped rapidly in his hands, and he was muttering to himself, as if the whole world was only left with numbers.
Nian Li held up a sugar-painted phoenix with only half of its tail left and rubbed against Su Jinli: "Mom, the phoenix's tail has fallen off, but the buns are delicious!" She opened her mouth, revealing her little canine teeth stained with bun filling, and smiled with satisfaction, as if the thrill just now was just a game.
Su Jinli took the still-warm bun and took a bite. The vegetable filling mingled with the spicy aroma of ground ginger, a simple yet heartwarming flavor. She watched Siyan take out his abacus again to calculate the money for his thank-you gift, while Nianli pestered Jiang Yan to buy another sugar painting. Suddenly, she felt as if the honey of this life had already been brewed by her children in this mundane world. The wind from Zhaozhou Bridge brushed past her ears, carrying the dusty scent of the capital, but also the warmth of home, as if welcoming them back.
The carriage continued to move forward, Si Yan was still muttering about the plan for rebuilding the stone bridge, and the abacus in his hand was counting very fast, as if he wanted to count the whole world into his numbers. Nian Li held up a damaged sugar painting of a phoenix and asked Jiang Yan to tell her the story of the phoenix. Her little head rested on Jiang Yan's legs, listening intently. Su Jinli leaned on Jiang Yan's shoulder, listening to the children's voices and watching the scenery passing by outside the window, her heart full of gratitude. These three years of travel not only broadened the children's horizons, but also made her more certain that in this life, she and her family will live a happy and fulfilling life, turning all the grievances into sweet memories.
The wheels rolled, carrying the laughter and joy of the family, towards the capital. The Zhaozhou Bridge gradually receded, leaving behind a warm memory, like the sweetness of the sugar-painted phoenix, which remained in their hearts forever. Su Jinli looked at her loved ones around her, a happy smile on her lips. The road of this life was destined to be filled with the taste of honey.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
