Later on, the tree was full of fuzzy little peaches.

Then, the peaches grew bigger, slowly taking on a rosy hue, heavy with their weight, clustered on the branches.

Unbeknownst to them, it had been more than three months since Pei Zhan and the others went to Dongzi. By now, Liang Xuan quietly accompanied Fu Zhen, sitting on the deck chair under the tree, chatting and having snacks.

The April spring breeze was like gentle hands, caressing every part of the body.

Fu Zhen gently stroked her belly, calculating the days until Pei Zhan and the others would return.

Liang Xuan, having eaten his fill of snacks, volunteered to be her scout, going to and from the city gates seven or eight times a day.

He had grown taller, as tall as his father’s big bow, yet he was still chubby like a winter melon. Fortunately, he had wide eyes, earning him sincere praise for being clever and cute.

On the day of the summer solstice, after having the solstice porridge personally made by Mrs. Pei, Liang Xuan had someone bring over a large basket of eggs to sit under the peach tree and challenge Fu Zhen to an egg fight.

Fu Zhen was feeling lazy but didn’t want to dampen the little one’s enthusiasm. After seventeen or eighteen rounds, winning more than losing, the little fellow wanted to cheat and ran off to get reinforcements.

Fu Zhen let him go, relaxing on the chair with her eyes closed to rest.

The spring breeze blew gently, gradually blurring the sounds around her.

In a blink, she was once again standing under the tree.

There was also another small figure under the tree, looking up at the peach tree in full bloom. His young yet serious face had eyes as clear as a quiet spring.

"...I originally brought the sugar-coated haws for you, but you insisted on grabbing them from me, and then bullied me. If I had known you were this bad, I wouldn’t have liked you!"

The boy climbed the tree, buried his face in his knees, and started to cry.

Fu Zhen walked up, revealing the hands hidden behind her back, with two large, juicy sugar-coated haws in them.

Fu Zhen smiled, raising the sugar-coated haws toward the boy on the tree: "Zhan Er, I brought you some sugar-coated haws. Come down and eat!"

The crying on the tree softened and gradually ceased.

He lifted his tear-streaked face, looking at her below in a daze.

She gently shook the sugar-coated haws: "Hurry down! I bought them from the place you like. If you don’t come down, they will melt!"

Little Pei Zhan was at a loss, instinctively hugging the tree trunk next to him: "Why are you here? When did you come?"

"I came a while ago. I brought you something to eat. There are two sticks, one for you, one for me."

Liang Ning, under the tree, was smiling with her eyes, not fierce at all, not mean at all.

Pei Zhan slid down the tree trunk, timidly walked to her, looked at the sugar-coated haws and then at her, and carefully took one stick.

"Eat up! It’s very sweet."

Liang Ning said while taking a big bite, then squinted her eyes in satisfaction.

Pei Zhan also took a bite, and it was indeed very sweet.

He looked at Liang Ning beside him and, like her, opened his mouth wide and bit a big hawthorn in one bite!

"Is it tasty?"

"Tasty!"

"I knew you would like it!"

Liang Ning sat on the chair under the tree, happily swinging her legs.

Pei Zhan was a bit shy, "How do you know I like this shop’s? Just now, weren’t you bullying me?"

"I wasn’t bullying you, I like you." Liang Ning reached out to pinch his cheek lovingly, saying, "You’re so cute, who would bear to bully you!"

Pei Zhan’s face turned red all of a sudden. Was he really cute? How come he never knew?

No one had ever told him these things before.

And the one who told him was actually Liang Ning.

Was he dreaming?

He must be!

He pinched himself hard.

But his face hurt, and the dream in front of him didn’t change; everything was still the same as before, Liang Ning was still the same Liang Ning.

"Do you really think I’m cute? Do you really know what I like?"

"Of course I do. I know everything about you, and I know you also like the tofu from the alley entrance!"

Liang Ning’s face brimmed with pride.

She gazed at the horizon, where the red clouds were as brilliant as their future.

...

"Auntie Five! Auntie Five!"

The sound by her ear rang clearly.

Fu Zhen opened her eyes.

Only to see Liang Xuan had returned, and indeed, he had brought reinforcements.

And this reinforcement was travel-worn and weary.

"Ah Zhen!"

Pei Zhan grinned widely, eyes wide open, looking at her like seeing a monster, pointing at her protruding belly:

"You—you—"

Fu Zhen calmly stood up, stretching out her hand to flick away his finger: "What are you pointing at? It’s yours!"

(The End)