If you had a child, what would your life be like?
March arrived, a season of lush grass and soaring warblers. At Xia Yiyan’s repeated pleading, Xia Yinuo had no choice but to ditch Li Xiuheng—who was perpetually buried in work at the hospital—and have Liang Juejun fill his spot for a day trip to the zoo.
In truth, Xia Yinuo’s memories of the zoo weren't particularly fond. As a naive child, she had looked forward to it, imagining the zoo would be filled with adorable giant pandas, majestic tigers, and the witty, hilarious Bugs Bunny—essentially every animal character from the cartoons she watched. Unfortunately, in the eighties and nineties, zoo management and facilities weren't as advanced as they are today. Thus, Little Bao had been disappointed to find the giant pandas covered in filth; their fur, which should have been soft and snowy white, was a sickly, listless yellow.
Little Bao had looked at Li Qinglan with wide eyes and asked, "Why is the panda kept in a cage? Why is the cage so dirty?"
For a moment, Li Qinglan hadn't known how to answer. It was Xia Yan who comforted her, saying that because a big tiger lived next door, they had to protect the panda so it wouldn't be caught and eaten.
As she grew older and understood more of the world, she realized nothing was perfect and stopped dwelling on such questions. Now, because of her experiments, she was responsible for the loss of many small lives. Consequently, every Qingming Festival, Xia Yinuo and her lab mates would go to the experimental animal memorial in front of the animal housing facility to offer a small flower.
Following the young boy's wishes, the three of them appeared at the subway station to take the train to the zoo.
The platform was crowded. The boy held Xia Yinuo’s hand in one of his and Liang Juejun’s in the other, his excitement palpable. Their reflections were visible in the glass: the siblings wore matching tracksuits, the older sister carrying a backpack and the younger brother a small water bottle. Liang Juejun was dressed in casual wear, radiating the essence of spring. Xia Yinuo couldn't take her eyes off Liang Juejun’s reflection, and Liang Juejun happened to be looking back at her with a smile.
Her phone rang. The caller ID read: Gu Yizhi. Xia Yinuo gestured to Liang Juejun and stepped back toward a less crowded area to answer. She had called Gu Yizhi that morning but got no answer, so she had sent a text saying she had made up her mind about the job and decided to join AM Company.
Gu Yizhi sounded like she was in a great mood on the other end. "Junior sister, you’ve finally made up your mind?"
Xia Yinuo replied cheerfully, "Yes, I have."
Gu Yizhi laughed. "Then my 'three visits to the thatched cottage' weren't in vain!"
"It’s because Senior Sister Gu thinks highly of me," Xia Yinuo said.
"I’m in Kuala Lumpur right now attending an exhibition with a client from Beijing," Gu Yizhi said. "I’ll be back in C City tomorrow. We’ll meet then to discuss the details."
"Alright."
"I’ll hang up now. See you then."
"Okay, goodbye."
Once they reached the zoo, the little boy pulled them along at a breakneck pace, his stamina incredible. Xia Yinuo, who had never been particularly keen on exercise, was complaining of an aching back and sore legs after two hours. she grabbed the boy and refused to budge from the spot.
The boy tried to persuade her earnestly. "Sister, there are still so many places we haven't gone! I want to see the parrots!"
"Let's rest for a bit, just a bit. We've walked for so long, my back is killing me. Besides, I used up too much physical energy last night!" Xia Yinuo finished and shot a glance at Liang Juejun.
Liang Juejun nearly turned bright red. *Xia Little Bao, a grown woman acting like a spoiled child to a kid—she really has thick skin!* Liang Juejun had no choice but to tell Xia Yinuo to find a bench and rest while she took the boy to the Bird Paradise.
Xia Yinuo sat on a bench under the shade of a tree, drinking water and lamenting that youth should cherish these sunny days.
Then, a familiar face approached.
Seeing Xia Yinuo, Jiang Yang walked up to greet her. "Hey, old classmate! We meet again!"
Xia Yinuo stood up. "I didn't expect to see you at the zoo. What a coincidence."
"Isn't it? The weather is great, so I came out for a date." Jiang Yang pointed to the girl beside him. "Let me introduce you. This is my girlfriend, Luo Qian."
"Hello," Xia Yinuo said.
Luo Qian nodded a greeting back.
"Are you alone?" Jiang Yang asked.
"I'm here with my brother."
Jiang Yang spoke with hidden meaning. "You see, I've been wanting to find a time to chat with you, but you never give me the chance."
"I've been at the university the whole time. I don't know much about business matters."
Jiang Yang gave a slick smile. "I called your mother."
"Oh?"
"Dr. Li... well, she rejected me quite directly."
Xia Yinuo smiled gently. "You should have expected that result."
Jiang Yang sighed slightly. "But what can I do? Last year I barely managed to meet the company's performance requirements. If it keeps going like this this year, I'm afraid I'll end up with nothing."
"As long as your product is good, it will naturally sell," Xia Yinuo replied.
"Heh." Jiang Yang gave a strange wink. "Next time I get the chance, I'll chat with her in person. I believe she'll support my work."
Xia Yinuo felt a wave of discomfort. "Excuse me, my brother is waiting for me. It's about time, I have to go."
"Alright. There's plenty of time ahead; we'll talk later."
Xia Yinuo didn't call Liang Juejun. Following the zoo's signs, she walked into the Bird Paradise. After passing through a scenic corridor and walking for about half a mile, she entered a dense, secluded forest valley. Suddenly, she heard the chirping of a hundred birds—crisp, pleasant, and melodious.
However, Xia Yinuo had no heart to linger. She walked straight in, searching for Liang Juejun and Xia Yiyan. Reaching an open plaza, she saw Liang Juejun and Xia Yiyan squatting on the ground, feeding a flock of pigeons. The pigeons weren't afraid of people, happily pecking corn kernels from the tourists' palms. Beside them was a little girl with adorable, dark, round eyes.
Liang Juejun held the boy's hand, a smile playing on her lips. The boy was counting incessantly. When he reached 149, he tilted his head and asked Liang Juejun, "Sister Liang, what comes after 149?"
"It's 150," Liang Juejun answered.
"Oh, 149, 150... then what was before 149?"
*What a short memory!*
Liang Juejun gave a doting smile. "It's 148."
"Oh, thank you." The boy continued, "148, 149, 150, 151..."
The little girl stared at Xia Yiyan with eyes full of admiration mixed with a hint of defiance. In the interval while the boy took a breath, she said tentatively, "I only learned up to 50 in kindergarten. And then, and then, the teacher gave me three gold stars as a reward!" After saying this, she raised her head proudly.
"Which class are you in?" the boy asked.
"I'm in Junior Class One! What about you?"
The boy said with a beaming smile, "I'm in Senior Class Two! We've already learned up to 300! Once you get to the Senior Class, you... you can count to 300 too!"
Liang Juejun spotted Xia Yinuo. Xia Yinuo made a stealthy "shh" gesture, then crouched down and crept over, suddenly hugging the boy and planting a loud kiss on his cheek. "Good thing you're not in 'Middle Class Two'!"
The boy wasn't startled. Seeing Xia Yinuo, he stood up and shouted joyfully, "Sister!" He then stepped forward, grabbed his sister's hem, pulled her hand open, and stuffed a handful of corn kernels into it. "Sister, come feed the pigeons with us!"
Liang Juejun looked at Xia Yinuo. Xia Yinuo took the corn but stood there frozen, only saying to the boy, "Don't feed them too much, they'll get bloated."
"Really? But they seem very happy," the boy said.
Would Xia Little Bao admit she was staying still because she was afraid? Of course not!
Xia Yinuo said solemnly, "Yes, and you have to be careful. Careful they don't peck your hand."
Liang Juejun teased, "Is that so?"
"They won't. Sister Liang and I are both fine," the boy explained earnestly, turning to the girl. "You saw it just now, I fed them and they didn't bite me, right?"
The little girl nodded vigorously.
Seeing her own brother about to pull her hand toward the pigeons' beaks, Xia Yinuo quickly changed the subject. "The show at the aquarium is about to start. Should we head over?"
After saying goodbye to the little girl, the three of them left the Bird Paradise and went to the aquarium. They headed straight for the outdoor performance area and found seats in the front row.
After the adorable sea lions performed arithmetic, balanced balls on their noses, mimicked the trainer's walk, and bowed to wave goodbye to the audience, it was time for the dolphin show. At the trainer's whistle, the dolphins leaped out of the water one after another, jumping through hoops about five meters high before splashing back down. Their movements were precise and impressive, drawing thunderous applause from the stands.
The host said enthusiastically, "Next, we have an interactive segment. Which child would like to come up and shake hands with a dolphin?"
*Splash!* The children in the front rows scrambled to raise their hands. The boy's eyes lit up, so Liang Juejun pulled him into her arms and raised her own hand. Xia Yinuo stood to the side, pointing at the boy with exaggerated gestures. Unsurprisingly, the host spotted the brightly colored pair of siblings.
"There's a cute little friend over there—yes, you! Please come up on stage!"
The boy bounced up instantly. He turned to look at Liang Juejun with excitement, then pulled Xia Yinuo. Guided by security, the three of them bypassed the railing and walked up to the trainer and the host.
Liang Juejun took the backpack off Xia Yinuo, gesturing for the siblings to go ahead while she stood to the side, raising her camera to take photos.
"Alright, little friend, come stand here," the host said. "How old are you this year?"
The crowd below was a dark mass of people. The host held the microphone to the boy's mouth. The boy leaned his body against Xia Yinuo’s leg, his previous excitement turning into shyness. "Six and a half."
Sensing the boy's stage fright, the host asked kindly, "Is this your mommy or your sister?"
The boy grabbed the microphone and looked up at Xia Yinuo, his confidence returning. "It's my sister."
Xia Yinuo reached out and ruffled the boy's hair.
"Great!" The host pointed at the trainer and said to the boy, "We're going to watch this big brother shake hands with the dolphin. Do you think you can do it too?"
The boy answered with a bit of bashfulness, "I can!"
The trainer blew his whistle, and two dolphins leaped from the water simultaneously, shook hands with the trainer, and dove back into the pool.
The boy twisted his hands together, looking nervous.
"Is our little friend scared?" the host asked. "It's okay. How about your sister does it with you?"
Xia Yinuo held the boy's hand and stood by the edge of the pool with poise. The trainer blew the whistle again and made a gesture. The dolphin extended its "hand" toward the siblings, and Xia Yinuo signaled the boy to step forward and gently touch it.
The host stepped forward. "Little friend, tell us, how does it feel?"
The boy gave a clever grin. "Um... thick and hard!"
The host, the trainer, and the audience all laughed. Xia Yinuo quickly turned to look at Liang Juejun.
But the dolphin suddenly leaned in and gave Xia Yinuo a big "cheek kiss." Xia Yinuo hadn't expected it at all and froze for a moment before friendly patting the dolphin's head.
The host hyped up the atmosphere again. "It seems even dolphins have an eye for beauty!"
The audience cheered.
Xia Yinuo didn't care that her face was wet. She gripped the boy's hand tightly and turned to look at Liang Juejun, her smile as bright as a flower.
"Alright, thank you to our little friend and his sister! Let's also remember that protecting marine animals is everyone's responsibility. Start with the small things and give them back a natural environment! Thank you! Another round of applause for our lovely seals, dolphins, and our trainers!"
Xia Yinuo led the boy off the stage. As soon as the boy saw Liang Juejun, he let go of her hand and flew into her arms. Liang Juejun crouched down to pick him up, and he affectionately wrapped his arms around her neck.
Xia Yinuo could only say helplessly from behind, "Hey, hey, wipe your hands first. Don't get Sister Liang's clothes dirty."
Liang Juejun wiped the boy's hands and the water splashed on his clothes. The boy's face was still flushed, unable to hide his excitement.
"Sister Liang, did you see that just now?" the boy asked. "I shook hands with it!"
Liang Juejun pinched his nose. "Not only did I see it, I even took photos!"
"Really?!"
"Mm-hmm!"
Hearing this, the boy quickly leaned in to fiddle with the camera with Liang Juejun, scrolling through the photos.
Completely ignored, Xia Yinuo sighed softly, "Sigh, I really feel like having a bowl of Jiangxi aged vinegar."
Liang Juejun’s eyes were full of laughter.
Luo Qian, however, was dragging Jiang Yang through the crowd toward Xia Yinuo. Seeing Jiang Yang, Xia Yinuo tucked away her smile and stood straight. Jiang Yang smiled at her, but he wasn't coming for her.
Just as Liang Juejun looked up, she saw a strange woman looking at her with a face full of pleasant surprise. "You attended XX Primary School in X District, right?"
"I did." Liang Juejun put down the camera and stood up, nodding in confusion. The boy obediently stood by Xia Yinuo, taking her hand.
"You're Liang Juejun!" Luo Qian exclaimed.
"And you are..."
"Oh my! It really is you!" Luo Qian excitedly tugged at Jiang Yang. "I was saying how could it be such a coincidence today! You definitely don't remember me. I was in your class in primary school, but I was quite short and sat in the first row. You were like the moon surrounded by stars; of course you wouldn't have noticed me."
Liang Juejun had a moment of realization. "I'm sorry, I really don't remember much from back then. There were so many people in one class."
"True," Luo Qian said. "Probably fifty or sixty? And you only stayed for two years, right? I heard about what happened with your family later. It was such a shame."
"It's all in the past," Liang Juejun said.
"I heard you went abroad. Why are you back? What are you doing now?"
"I'm working at C University."
"Oh, I knew you'd be successful. I forgot to mention, this is my boyfriend, Jiang Yang."
"So you all know each other!" Xia Yinuo smiled and said to Liang Juejun, "Jiang Yang is also my university classmate."
"I see. Hello," Liang Juejun said.
Jiang Yang began to introduce himself. Xia Yinuo felt a bit of a headache coming on. She leaned down to ask the boy, "What did you say you wanted to eat just now?"
"Ice cream!"
Xia Yinuo ruffled his hair. "Then we'll make an exception today and have one. Don't tell Dad! You can secretly tell Mom, though."
"Yay!"
Xia Yinuo interrupted Jiang Yang. "This is my brother. Xiao Yan, say hello."
The boy's voice was loud and clear. "Hello, Uncle and Auntie!"
Xia Yinuo laughed. "It's 'Big Brother' and 'Big Sister'."
"Hello, Big Brother and Big Sister!"
After the pleasantries, they said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.
Luo Qian held her boyfriend's hand, unable to resist gossiping. "What do you think their relationship is?"
Jiang Yang started looking at his phone. "Probably relatives. Didn't she bring her brother along?"
"That kid is so sharp," Luo Qian remarked.
Jiang Yang smiled. "You think his sister isn't sharp?"
In the taxi home, Xia Yiyan fell fast asleep. Xia Yinuo and Liang Juejun sat side by side, holding the boy's body and legs respectively. Looking at the boy's sleeping face, Xia Yinuo loosened his tightly clenched fist and leaned in to whisper to Liang Juejun, "What do you think he's dreaming about?"
Liang Juejun rested her chin on one hand, her elbow propped against the window frame. In Xia Yinuo’s eyes, she looked effortlessly enchanting. "Dreaming about his sister being afraid to feed pigeons but making excuses?"
Xia Yinuo tried hard to stifle her laughter. After a long while, she looked down at the boy and said, "Actually, raising a child really isn't easy. When he's small, you have to take care of him with all your heart and shield him from the wind and rain. As he grows, you have to teach him how to be a person—to be kind, upright, and tolerant. When he hits puberty, he'll start having his own little secrets and won't want to share them with you. He might even be a bit rebellious and drive you to wit's end. You hope he can discover his interests and talents, to excel and shine in some field. He'll fall in love with someone and experience both happiness and pain. When he breaks free from your palm and starts to run, you'll feel a mix of joy and sorrow. Joy that he's finally grown and independent, but sorrow that perhaps he doesn't need you as much as he did when he was little. Don't you think it's contradictory?"
Liang Juejun said seriously, "You're a good sister."
The driver in the front seat let out a chuckle. He glanced in the rearview mirror and chimed in, "So you're his sister! I was wondering how there could be such a young mother! But for a young girl like you to understand the hardships of parenting is rare. You must be a good daughter too."
Xia Yinuo lowered her voice and said with a smile, "Rather than saying I'm a good daughter or a good sister, it's more that their love and trust have allowed me to learn how to be one."
The driver praised her, "Well said! I'll stop talking now so I don't wake the child."
Liang Juejun patted Xia Yinuo’s hand and comforted her softly, "Take it easy. Xiao Yan will grow up healthy and happy. Time will give us the answers. Shall we wait and see?"
Xia Yinuo nodded. She struggled to pull out her phone and typed a line to send to Liang Juejun: *Do you want a child of your own?*
Liang Juejun: *I've never considered that question. You?*
Xia Yinuo: *I never thought about it before. Now, I don't want to.*
Liang Juejun: *Having you is enough for me.*
Xia Yinuo: *Me too.*
With the child between them, they shared a silent, knowing smile.
Hayao Miyazaki said in a film: "When did we stop being able to shout and cry as freely as children? The little emotions in our hearts pile up as high as mountains until they overflow. Instead of that, it's better to remain like a child forever."
Perhaps in life, you have to face people and things you don't like, but that doesn't mean life isn't beautiful. Life never lacks beauty; the key is whether you have the eyes to discover it.
I want to sit with you under an old tree at dusk, staring at the drifting clouds in the sky, spacing out together, meditating together, being absent-minded together. We'll hide inside dandelion seeds and, with the summer wind, sway all the way to Grandma's old home, landing on the ridges of the fields to dance a joyful dance.
The two of us shall be sincere and bright adults who have never lost our childhood innocence—each other's dearest child.
***
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Cicada's Summer GL | Chapter 60 | The Child Within | Novela.app | Novela.app
