The tea was very light, like drinking water, so I just drank it to quench my thirst. After leaving the silver, I just wandered around the Dongbei Gate.
This place is relatively remote and not as lively and noisy as the main streets in the city. There are mostly small stalls scattered around.
I was strolling around when I suddenly saw a bustling crowd of children gathered at the corner of the street.
Upon closer inspection, I found that the person surrounded by the children was Duan Xiao in a red shirt. He was holding a gourd stick in one hand and holding candied haws in the other hand, giving them to the children who stretched out their hands, with a smile on his face.
The children's soft voices rang out:
"Thank you, brother!"
"Brother, you are so nice!"
“The candied haws are so sweet!”
…
Duan Xiao lowered his head and looked at the group of children, smiling even more happily: "Is there anyone else who hasn't got it yet?"
He glanced around as he spoke, then glanced at me as if he noticed something. Our eyes met, and I walked over to him and said hello calmly, "What a coincidence."
He smiled as soon as he saw me and said, "What a coincidence." Then he said to the children, "Go and call this brother. He will buy you some crabapple cakes!"
The children, either biting a candied haws or having just swallowed one, all looked up at me with their blinking eyes. I quickly touched my purse: Fortunately, I should have brought enough money!
A few brave kids ran towards me, shaking their candied haws. Their faces were chubby and their smiles were like flowers. "Hello, brother! Hello, brother!"
The sweet voice made people feel like falling into a honey pot. I agreed to them one by one in a not very skillful manner: Don’t mention the crabapple pastries, I can also pick stars for you!
More and more children came running over, and soon I became the one surrounded in the center. Duan Xiao stood beside me, holding a candied haws stick with a few pieces, and looked at me with a smile on his face.
I suddenly noticed that there was a little boy standing next to him, holding a candied haws and not moving. He had round eyes and just pursed his lips as he looked at me from a distance.
Duan Xiao also noticed it, turned around and touched his head: "What's wrong, don't you like eating Begonia Pastry?"
"No," the little boy said firmly, "I don't think he's my brother. He looks like my sister, so I can't call him that."
This kid is amazing! The young are to be feared, the young are to be feared!
Duan Xiao chuckled, then placed the candied haws stick on the wall beside him, squatted down, and casually placed his arms on his knees. He looked the little boy in the eye and said in a low voice, "Shh—Brother also directly exposed her the first time. Maybe she still hates brother!"
It's not that I don't have any nonsense.
"So cooperate with her," Duan Xiao said gently, "Let's go eat Begonia Pastry!"
The little boy pouted, then shook his head firmly: "No, brother, you told me last time that I should be frank in my words and actions. Since she is my sister, I will not call her brother."
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Why did I feel like a child was saying that it was dishonest of a girl to dress up as a boy? I wanted to open my mouth and say that it was okay to call me sister, but Duan Xiao suddenly spoke in a gentle and serious tone.
"Yes, we should be frank in our words and deeds," he nodded. "But she's not dressed like that to do anything bad. Everyone has their own preferences in clothing. We can't judge someone based on that. Do you understand?"
The little boy tilted his head back thoughtfully, then nodded slightly: "I think I understand."
Duan Xiao smiled and touched his head: "As for talking, it's my brother who is wrong here. You can call me whatever you want. I shouldn't interfere with you."
"But I can't guarantee whether you can eat the Begonia Pastry." He added with a smile.
The little boy looked a little bewildered after hearing the apology, then he scurried over, rolled his eyes, and shouted at me, "Good man—will you treat me to some crabapple pastry?"
I was stunned, and then I burst out laughing. So, was I given a "good guy card" by a little boy of six or seven years old?
But it seemed pretty good, so I hurriedly said, "Please, please, please!"
Thinking about the heavy traffic on the street, I asked the children to stay there with Duan Xiao, and I went to Zhouji Pastry Shop to queue up to buy Begonia Pastries. After roughly estimating the number of people, I simply ordered 20 boxes. The boss kindly tied two piles for me with straw ropes and asked me to carry them over.
When I returned to that time, it was already quite a while. The setting sun painted the sky orange, and even in the winter, I was sweating a little on my forehead. I saw children happily playing the modern game of "Eagle Catches Chicken" on the street corner. I actually had the illusion of being out of place in time and space.
Duan Xiao was leaning against the wall, his shadow stretched out. When he noticed my footsteps, he called out to the child, "Haitangsu is here."
The children, holding onto the corners of my clothes, immediately gathered together and ran towards me. I handed them boxes one by one. They raised their heads and took them with both hands, thanking me: "Thank you, brother! Thank you, brother!"
Until the last "Thank you, good man!", I couldn't help but touch his head. He seemed to turn his head away shyly, then ran to the side.
Soon, the neighbors came out to call the children home for dinner. Seeing the crabapple cakes in their hands, they asked where they came from. The children all looked at Duan Xiao happily, then at me. The neighbors looked at Duan Xiao and said, "Mr. Duan, it's you again! Thank you so much!"
Then he turned to me sincerely and said, "Thank you very much, sir!" Then he said a little embarrassedly, "Next time, don't spoil these children like this. It's too expensive."
Duan Xiao smiled politely in response: "I am very happy to be with them, and they also gave me a lot of things."
"This crabapple pastry was not bought by me, but by this young man." Then he looked at me.
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