Chapter 11
Today was a special day. Song Ling woke up early and, before Li Xinjun stirred, she slipped into the kitchen and got to work. Ever since Li Xinjun’s stolen kiss, Song Ling had found various excuses to insist on sleeping in a separate room. Despite Li Xinjun’s protests, Song Ling stood firm, and eventually, Li Xinjun grew accustomed to their separate sleeping arrangements.
Today, Song Ling was personally preparing a meal, a rare occurrence. It was Li Xinjun’s birthday, and she had specifically asked everyone else to return to their homes the day before. She wanted to celebrate this special day alone with Li Xinjun. This was their first birthday together, and Song Ling wanted to make it memorable.
She boiled a pot of water and added a handful of longevity noodles, cooking them until tender. After rinsing them in cold water, she placed the noodles in a bowl, sprinkled chopped scallions on top, and prepared a rich chicken bone broth. She also boiled two eggs, dyeing their shells red. Satisfied with her preparations, she left the kitchen to wake Li Xinjun.
She pushed open Li Xinjun’s door and found her sprawled on the bed, a trace of drool at the corner of her mouth. Amused, Song Ling sat down beside her and pinched Li Xinjun’s nose. The sleeping figure frowned, struggling to breathe. Li Xinjun swatted at the hand disturbing her sleep, but Song Ling persisted, using her other hand to pinch her nose again. After several repetitions, she finally roused the sleepyhead.
Li Xinjun, initially frowning in annoyance, opened her eyes and, upon seeing Song Ling, instantly brightened.
“Sister Ling! What are you doing here?” She instinctively sat up and snuggled into Song Ling’s arms.
“Wake up, sleepyhead! I made breakfast for you. Get up and freshen up, then come out to eat.” Song Ling stroked Li Xinjun’s hair.
“Wow! You made it yourself? I’ll be right there!”
Li Xinjun released her embrace, jumped out of bed, and quickly got ready. She then turned to Song Ling, signaling that she was ready.
Song Ling chuckled at her eagerness. “You’re such a glutton! You get so excited about food.”
“That’s not true! I’m excited because you made it, Sister Ling. It’s been so long since I’ve had your cooking. Sister Sang has been doing all the cooking lately.”
“So you’re saying you don’t like Sister Sang’s cooking? I’ve seen you asking her to make you delicious food every day. Hmm?”
“That’s not what I meant! I’m saying I love your cooking the most. I’m not saying Sister Sang’s cooking isn’t good. You’re special to me, Sister Ling. It’s different, you can’t compare. Anything you make, I’ll love it.”
“Alright, alright, you sweet talker.” Song Ling, pleased by Li Xinjun’s flattery, decided to let her off the hook. She instructed Li Xinjun to wait for her in the dining hall while she went to the kitchen to add the chicken bone broth to the longevity noodles and place a red egg on top. She carried the bowl to the dining table.
“Jun’er, happy birthday! I made this bowl of longevity noodles especially for you. I hope you like it.”
“Wow, I’m so happy! Thank you, Sister Ling! I didn’t expect you to remember my birthday!”
Li Xinjun excitedly jumped up, hugged Song Ling, and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Song Ling was momentarily startled, but seeing Li Xinjun nonchalantly return to her seat and look at the noodles, she dismissed her reaction as an overreaction.
“I remember everything about you, Jun’er. Now, stop talking and eat while it’s hot. Tell me how it tastes.” Song Ling watched Li Xinjun’s expression expectantly.
Li Xinjun took a bite and, with an exaggerated expression, exclaimed, “Wow, Sister Ling, this is the best noodle soup I’ve ever had! It’s so delicious! You have to try it too.”
Li Xinjun continued slurping her noodles, her enthusiasm contagious. Song Ling chuckled and started eating her own noodles, reminding Li Xinjun to eat slowly and not burn herself.
After finishing their noodles and peeling the red eggs, Song Ling looked at Li Xinjun, her heart filled with contentment. She pulled out a pendant from her pocket and handed it to Li Xinjun. It was her most valuable possession, a treasured heirloom she had worn since childhood, the only thing left from her parents.
“This is for you. I hope you like it.”
“Sister Ling, isn’t this from your parents? I can’t accept this.”
“I want to give it to you. You’re the most important person to me now, Jun’er. Giving this to you symbolizes that we are family. Please accept it.” Song Ling held the pendant out to Li Xinjun.
Touched, Li Xinjun no longer refused. She took the pendant and put it on, examining it closely. It was a crescent-shaped jade pendant, the jade clear and translucent, a sign of its high quality. She suddenly remembered that she also had a jade pendant, a gift from her mother when she was young. Her mother had told her that when she grew up and found someone she wanted to spend her life with, she should give them the pendant.
She untied the jade pendant from her waistband. It was engraved with the character “Jun” and adorned with a dragon and phoenix on the back. She placed it in Song Ling’s hand. Song Ling looked at her, confused.
“Is this for me?”
“My mother gave it to me. She said if I ever found someone I never wanted to be apart from, I should give them this pendant. And you are that person, Sister Ling. I want to be with you forever, never to be separated.”
Song Ling was deeply moved. She treasured this gift. They were both orphans, bound by shared experiences. Since childhood, she had longed for companionship, to no longer be alone. Now, Li Xinjun’s gift of the jade pendant symbolized their unwavering commitment to each other, a promise to always be there for one another. Her heart overflowed with happiness and warmth.
Tears welled up in Song Ling’s eyes. She carefully tied the jade pendant to her waistband. She looked at Li Xinjun sitting across from her, their eyes meeting. She reached out and took Li Xinjun’s hand. They both smiled, their faces radiating happiness.
“Sister Ling, can we take a break today? Will you take me out to explore the city?”
“I already planned it! I knew you, you little rascal, would want to go out and have fun. So I gave everyone the day off. Didn’t you notice that no one else is here?”
“I didn’t even notice! No wonder it’s so quiet. They’re all gone! I thought it was strange. Usually, Brother Wu would appear the moment he smelled food.”
“Hee hee hee, surprised?”
“So, where are we going today?”
“Hmm… Is there anywhere you particularly want to go, Jun’er?”
“Hmm… How about we go to the bustling market street? There’s so much delicious food and fun things to see there.” Li Xinjun looked at Song Ling with excitement.
“Alright! Let’s go!”
Li Xinjun, hand in hand with Song Ling, skipped towards the bustling market street. The street performers, food stalls, colorful decorations, and beautiful clothing delighted Li Xinjun.
She spotted a group of performers doing stunts and excitedly pulled Song Ling over to watch. They squeezed through the crowd and watched as a bald man lay on a bench with a large stone on his chest. A strong man stood beside him, holding a heavy sledgehammer. Without hesitation, he swung the hammer down onto the stone, splitting it in two. The bald man stood up, unharmed, and bowed to the audience.
Applause erupted from the crowd. The strong man walked around with a metal plate, and people tossed copper coins into it. Li Xinjun, not wanting to be left out, took a few coins from her purse and placed them on the plate.
After the performance, Li Xinjun dragged Song Ling to a nearby clothing shop. She picked out several beautiful dresses for Song Ling and urged her to try them on. Song Ling didn’t refuse. She took the dresses into the changing room and emerged wearing a white silk gown. She twirled in front of Li Xinjun. The luxurious silk accentuated her ethereal beauty, making her look like a celestial being descended from heaven.
Li Xinjun’s eyes lit up. She generously took out a silver note and, without even asking the price, bought the dress. The shopkeeper, delighted, packed Song Ling’s original clothes and handed them to her. As they left, he personally escorted them out of the shop.
Li Xinjun couldn’t take her eyes off Song Ling, making her blush. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she pulled Song Ling’s hand and ran towards another shop.
They arrived at a jewelry store, where the owner presented them with a variety of hair ornaments, bracelets, and gold jewelry. Li Xinjun browsed through the selection and finally found an exquisite white jade hairpin. She picked it up and gently placed it in Song Ling’s hair, admiring the result with satisfaction.
“Sister Ling, you look so beautiful.”
“Thank you, but it’s your birthday, Jun’er. Why are you buying things for me?”
“Because it makes me happy!” Li Xinjun turned to the shopkeeper and said, “Sir, we’ll take this.” The shopkeeper smiled, took their payment, and saw them off.
Li Xinjun, beaming, continued to pull Song Ling along the street. Song Ling let herself be led, a thought forming in her mind. If life could be like this forever, it wouldn’t be so bad. Li Xinjun, unaware of Song Ling’s thoughts, was focused on treating Song Ling to the best food, entertainment, and gifts.
They arrived at a renowned restaurant. The waiter, seeing the two beautiful young women, was exceptionally attentive. He escorted them to a private room and took their order. Li Xinjun ordered a basket of soup dumplings and a pot of hot tea. The waiter quickly brought their order, carefully closing the door behind him.
“Sister Ling, these soup dumplings are famous. Try them and see if you like them.”
Li Xinjun picked up a dumpling and placed it on Song Ling’s plate. Song Ling took a bite, but the broth inside was scalding hot, burning her lip. In a panic, she took a sip of tea, forgetting that it was also hot. Her tongue was burnt as well. She frantically stuck out her tongue and fanned her mouth with her hand.
“Ow! Ow!”
Li Xinjun, seeing Song Ling in distress, wanted to help. Looking around, she couldn’t find anything to soothe the burn. Acting instinctively, she stood up, cupped Song Ling’s face in her hands, and blew on her lips.
“Haa, haa, haa, does it still hurt? Let me blow on it for you. Haa~”
Li Xinjun, her face full of concern, gently blew on Song Ling’s tongue.
Song Ling’s heart raced at this sudden intimate gesture. She stared at Li Xinjun’s lips, so close to her own, as she gently blew on her mouth. She closed her eyes, a feeling of sweetness washing over her. She secretly hoped that Li Xinjun would take it a step further, but Li Xinjun simply continued to blow on her mouth, trying to cool the burn.
When she felt that Song Ling was feeling better, she stopped and looked at her. Song Ling, lost in her own world, didn’t notice that Li Xinjun had been staring at her. She had her eyes half-closed, a blissful smile on her face. Li Xinjun observed her every expression.
However, Li Xinjun was still a ten-year-old child, with no concept of romantic love. Seeing Song Ling’s dazed expression, she wondered what was wrong with her. She called out to her tentatively.
“Sister Ling, Sister Ling~”
Song Ling snapped back to reality. Seeing Li Xinjun’s confused expression, she realized what she had been doing and blushed, trying to appear composed. She picked up her teacup, hoping to take a sip to calm her nerves, but Li Xinjun stopped her.
“Sister Ling, don’t drink that. The tea is still hot. Drink mine. I’ve already cooled it down.” Li Xinjun offered her own teacup to Song Ling, who took it, looking at the rim of the cup and then at Li Xinjun’s lips. Remembering what had just happened, her heart skipped a beat again.
Song Ling felt uneasy throughout the meal. Her mind was filled with confusing and embarrassing thoughts. A seed of love had been planted in her heart, but Li Xinjun remained oblivious, happily eating, drinking, and enjoying herself.
After their outing, Li Xinjun and Song Ling prepared to return home. They walked hand in hand, but Song Ling’s mood was completely different from when they had left that morning.
She discreetly observed Li Xinjun, taking in her handsome features and her growing height. She noticed that Li Xinjun had grown taller in recent months. When they first met, Li Xinjun was half a head shorter than her, but now they were almost the same height. Her already charming face had become even more beautiful, a blend of delicate features and a hint of boyish handsomeness, a mix of mischief and gentleness.
Looking at their intertwined hands, Song Ling felt a surge of sweetness. A smile touched her lips as she gazed at the person beside her. As if sensing her gaze, Li Xinjun turned and looked at Song Ling, flashing a playful grin and winking. Song Ling’s heart fluttered, her breath catching in her throat.
Upon returning home, they exchanged goodnights and retired to their separate rooms. Li Xinjun, exhausted from the day’s adventures, fell into a deep sleep. Song Ling, on the other hand, tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep.
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