Just then, Sparrow suddenly reminded him, “Brother, why do you call Sister Lin Shopkeeper Lin? It sounds so formal. Sister Lin calls you Guanting.”
At her words, Lin Wu lifted her eyes toward Shen Guanting and smiled warmly. “Sparrow is right. When you call me Shopkeeper Lin, it makes me sound as though I’m here to sell cakes and deliver orders.”
Shen Guanting was gently caught off guard by her remark. With a laugh, he said, “I was being too formal. Then shall I call you Mrs. Lin, as everyone else does?”
Before Lin Wu could respond, Tigerhead began shouting from the side, “No, no, no! Brother should call her Sister, just like we do!”
Shen Guanting turned to look at Tigerhead.
Sensing danger, Tigerhead instinctively shrank his neck. But reason compelled him to hold it high and continue insisting, “He—he should call her Sister!”
Shen Guanting ignored him. He only looked at Lin Wu, his tone unhurried. “Tigerhead’s words have reminded me that calling you Mrs. Lin is indeed too distant.”
The smile at his lips deepened, and his gaze lingered on Lin Wu’s face. “I just don’t know whether Sister Lin would be willing to acknowledge me as her younger brother.”
Lin Wu’s smile froze. She felt goosebumps rise all over her body.
At last, she understood why Shen Guanting had refused to let her call him “Little Brother” yesterday. Hearing him call her “Sister” now was every bit as frightening.
So the petty Young Master Shen had been waiting for an opportunity to get revenge for the way she had addressed him yesterday.
Facing the tall, slender Shen Little Brother before her, she waved her hands repeatedly. “No, no, no. Guanting, you can just call me A Wu. We’re about the same age, so it’s more comfortable to address each other as equals.”
A trace of barely perceptible amusement surfaced in Shen Guanting’s eyes, though he deliberately let out a regretful sigh. “It seems Sister Lin is unwilling to acknowledge me as her younger brother.”
His expression turned somewhat dejected. “Forget it. I’ve never been very likable.”
“Guanting, you’re joking.” Looking at his self-pitying expression, Lin Wu thought that it was a real shame he had never taken up acting. Who could have guessed that yesterday he had been the one refusing to let her call him Little Brother? Now he seemed completely addicted to the performance.
She was too soft-spoken to win an argument with him, so she evaded the issue. “We’ve known each other for some time now. Why bother with such empty formalities?”
Shen Guanting nodded in agreement. “So, in your heart, our friendship is actually this deep. I was judging a gentleman by the standards of a petty man. Then I shall respectfully accept your wishes, A—Wu.”
He pronounced the final two syllables slowly, as though he had rolled them around on his tongue before letting them out.
Lin Wu: “…”
She had finished her polite greetings. Could she leave now?
But Shen Guanting, whose friendship with her was apparently so deep, clearly had no intention of granting her wish. He turned sideways and raised a hand. “A Wu, and Little Jing, this way, please.”
He called her “A Wu” especially clearly, as though he were doing it on purpose.
Lin Wu drew a deep breath, took Lin Jing’s hand, and followed him inside.
Tigerhead trailed behind them, still unable to resist commenting on his elder brother. “Brother is being so talkative today. Why is he smiling so strangely?”
Sparrow lowered her voice and chimed in, “He must be trying to get close to Sister so she’ll give him more cakes. Didn’t you see how he grabbed the basket just now? He acted as if he were snatching some priceless treasure. But Sister saw right through his wicked scheme!”
Tigerhead nodded deeply in agreement. “Exactly! Only we’re allowed to call her Sister. Brother isn’t. He’s too big—he’s not one of us.”
As he spoke, he suddenly remembered the basket that had been snatched away from him. He spun around and looked at Lin Jing. “Oh, right, Jing, what are Fluffy Cakes and Snow Cloud Cakes?”
Lin Jing was still pondering what had just happened. Why had Brother Ting been so hung up on what to call A Wu? One moment it was Mrs. Lin, then Sister, and then A Wu again. He kept going back and forth.
Could it be that Brother Ting had a secret with A Wu, just as he did? Like how, in front of outsiders, he had to call A Wu “Mother” and couldn’t call her “A Wu”?
Before he could figure it out, the moment he heard the words “Fluffy Cakes,” his spirits lifted.
“They’re especially delicious cakes. My mother made them fresh today. The Fluffy Cakes have crisp, fragrant meat floss on top, with sweet-and-sour sauce inside. The cakes are soft and fragrant, like clouds…”
He spoke with such enthusiasm that he gestured as he talked.
Tigerhead’s eyes went wide. He swallowed hard and decided that Brother, who had snatched the cakes away earlier, was even more despicable than he had thought.
After Lin Wu and Lin Jing finished paying their respects to the elders of the Shen family, they were shown to the tea hall to rest.
The moment they sat down, Tigerhead began urging his brother impatiently. “Brother, open it! Open it quickly!”
Shen Guanting was in a good mood and could not be bothered to quibble with the ill-mannered Tigerhead. He reached out and lifted the cloth covering the basket, revealing the cakes inside. Round, plump Snow Cloud Cakes and Fluffy Cakes covered in meat floss were arranged neatly within, looking utterly inviting.
Tigerhead’s eyes nearly popped out of his head with longing, and his hand crept forward of its own accord.
“Wait.” Sparrow slapped down his chubby paw. “Grandpa and Father and Mother haven’t tasted them yet!”
Tigerhead sheepishly withdrew his hand, though his eyes remained fixed on the basket of cakes.
There were three Fluffy Cakes and three Snow Cloud Cakes in the basket, each about the size of a palm. Once the children and the elders of the household were counted, there would not be enough for everyone to have one of each.
Shen Guanting fetched a small knife and cut each cake in half so that everyone could have a piece.
The moment the Fluffy Cake entered his mouth, Tigerhead could not help letting out a long sigh of bliss.
“Jing,” he said, turning to Lin Jing with utmost seriousness, “you were right! Fluffy Cakes are the best!”
“These cakes are completely different from the ones we usually eat. Sister could make a fortune selling them!” Sparrow nodded again and again.
Lin Wu shook her head with a smile. “They don’t keep well. They have to be made and eaten fresh, so they’re fine for us to enjoy once in a while. But if we made them to sell, it would be difficult to manage the timing.”
Steamed cakes were not like baked ones; they had little structural support. Once spread with egg-yolk sauce, they would easily soak through and collapse if left for too long. Besides, both the cake and the egg-yolk sauce were unmistakably things from a later era. If she truly sold them on a large scale and word somehow reached the person in the capital, it could bring unnecessary trouble.
“Aw…” Sparrow and Tigerhead both looked crestfallen.
Seeing their disappointment, Lin Wu smiled and reassured them, “We can still make them for ourselves from time to time. There’s no need to worry. Though I’m afraid you’ll get tired of them if you eat too many.”
“I’ll never get tired of them!” Tigerhead immediately declared. “I could eat them for the rest of my life!”
“That’s right. We have a deep friendship with A Wu, after all. We’re different from ordinary customers. While other people can’t get any, we have plenty to eat.”
Shen Guanting, who was enjoying this special privilege, took a bite of the Fluffy Cake. The sauce was thick and smooth, its delicate tartness perfectly tempering the sweetness. Sweet without being cloying, it complemented the airy meat floss and tender cake perfectly. It was truly delicious.
“A Wu, your skills improve with every passing day. I haven’t even gotten over my craving for your scallion pancakes, and you’ve already come up with something new. All year round, I think about your cakes. Nothing else tastes good anymore.”
He finished the Fluffy Cake in two or three bites, his words carrying more genuine feeling than usual.
Sparrow and Tigerhead rarely agreed with him, but now they both nodded. “The most correct thing Brother has said today is that. Sister’s cakes are the best!”
“That’s right—the best!” Lin Jing added, nodding his little head vigorously.
Lin Wu looked at the three pairs of bright, sparkling eyes before her, along with Little Brother Shen, and for a moment she did not know whether to laugh or cry. “They’re only ordinary snacks. They’re hardly anything special. The next time I come up with something new, you’ll be the first to try it.”
They did not stay long at the Shen residence. After all, they still had to deliver their New Year’s gifts. Lin Wu had arrived carrying a bamboo basket, but when she left, her hands were full once more.
The Shen family had given them a sizable New Year’s gift tray, filled with all kinds of late-night treats: seasonal fruits, candied delicacies, pastries, and several exquisitely made little toys. There were also two warm caps, padded with fluffy, soft cotton and trimmed on the outside with a ring of short, silvery-gray fur.
Besides the gifts, three members of the Shen family came along as well. They were going to the academy to pay a visit to Master Jianshan.
As they walked, Shen Guanting spoke again. “If A Wu and Little Jing are free, would you care to join us for the afternoon meal today? The Shen family has prepared a simple feast. Headmaster Xu and my teacher will both be there.”
On the last day of the year, neighbors would also invite one another to feasts, bidding farewell to the old year amid laughter and merriment. This was known as seeing off the year.
Lin Wu shook her head and declined politely. “Thank you for the invitation, Guanting. It’s just that Clear Water Lane is some distance from here, and going back and forth would be inconvenient. We’ve already prepared some food, so we’ll simply eat at home. We won’t trouble you.”
“That’s true. The roads are crowded with people and carriages on the last day of the year, so traveling back and forth is tiring. Besides, the dishes at the Shen family feast probably can’t compare with A Wu’s cooking. Having you come would only be an imposition.”
Tigerhead immediately shouted from the side, “We can go to Sister Lin’s house!”
Shen Guanting ignored him and merely raised a hand to pat his head. Naturally, that was impossible. Tigerhead could enter the Lin family’s main gate openly and honorably, but he could not.
They boarded the Shen family’s carriage and headed together for the academy.
Next came the presentation of the New Year’s gifts to Headmaster Xu and Yun Jianshan. Yun Jianshan was a bachelor with no family, and he would be spending the last day of the year at the academy as usual.
In Cloudside Studio, Yun Jianshan and Headmaster Xu were sitting around a tea brazier, chatting idly.
When they saw the large group enter, Headmaster Xu laughed. “Oh my, Jianshan, taking on a disciple certainly makes a difference. Look at how lively it is around you now.”
Tigerhead had already scampered up to them. “Headmaster, Master Jianshan, may you be healthy and peaceful on the last day of the year! Sister Lin made fluffy cakes today. They’re delicious!”
Headmaster Xu shook his head. “Tigerhead, oh Tigerhead. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were Lin Tigerhead instead of Tigerhead Shen.”
Shen Guanting followed behind him. “Headmaster, Mrs. Lin came especially to bring you a New Year’s gift, and this is how you repay her? You accept her cakes and then try to foist a little rascal on her.”
“Brother!” Tigerhead heard the disdain in his words and turned around to glare at him.
Headmaster Xu was left speechless by the retort. He waved his hand irritably. “Shen Guanting, stop stirring things up. It’s the New Year, and you start provoking people the moment you arrive.”
Yun Jianshan paid no attention to their exchange. He accepted the cake Lin Jing offered and looked down at the round ball covered in meat floss. With a smile, he said, “So this is a fluffy cake? The name is quite apt.”
Lin Jing nodded, not forgetting to remind him, “Teacher, you have to eat it quickly. It won’t taste good if you leave it out too long!”
Yun Jianshan took a bite and nodded repeatedly. “The flavor is indeed novel. It’s soft and glutinous, and the slight sweet-and-sour taste is perfectly balanced. The texture is neither the usual crispness nor a soft chew, but combines the fragrant crispness of the meat floss with the smooth sweetness of the sauce. Wonderful.”
Headmaster Xu tasted the cake as well, and most of the irritation Shen Guanting had stirred up faded away. He looked at Lin Wu. “If the academy holds another tea gathering in the future, and we could trouble Mrs. Lin to help again, it would truly be a great pleasure.”
Lin Wu smiled and agreed. “You’re both too kind. If there’s anything I can help with, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Shen Guanting added lazily from the side, “Headmaster, it’s the New Year. And yet the moment you meet, you start talking business.”
At that, Headmaster Xu turned to Yun Jianshan. “Jianshan, listen to your fine disciple.”
Yun Jianshan swallowed the cake in his mouth before speaking. “Headmaster, that isn’t quite fair. Guanting has a point. On such a festive day, opening with business does make one seem rather vulgar.”
Headmaster Xu laughed and scolded them, “You two really are teacher and disciple—singing from the same hymn sheet!”
They chatted for a while longer, though most of the conversation came from Tigerhead and Lin Jing, who chattered nonstop. They went from the fluffy cakes to Laifu, and from Laifu to where they would go to play the next day.
The two teachers became interested when they learned that the Lin family had welcomed a new member, Little Lucky.
Headmaster Xu rose and fetched a sheet of red paper. He cut it into narrow strips, ground some ink, and picked up his brush. Yun Jianshan came over as well. The two of them took turns writing and drawing, soon producing a small peachwood charm.
These days, peachwood charms could also be made of paper, somewhat resembling couplets. They looked festive when pasted on the door.
“Wow! We can put this on Laifu’s room!” Lin Jing took the little charm, his face full of delight.
Sparrow and Tigerhead crowded around to look as well. Tigerhead thumped his chest and declared, “We’ll come help you put it up tomorrow!”
“Yes, we’ll put it up together and make Laifu’s room beautiful!”
With just a few words, the children had arranged their plans for the next day.
After leaving the academy, they said goodbye to the Shen family and finally made their way back to Clear Water Lane.
Lin Jing and Tigerhead had also arranged to go to the main street that night to sell off their foolishness.
“Children selling foolishness” was an old custom observed on the last night of the year. Before dawn on New Year’s Eve, children would walk through the streets calling, “Selling foolishness!” By selling away their own “foolishness,” they could exchange it for intelligence.
Tigerhead shouted it every year, and every year he had plenty of foolishness to sell. According to Shen Guanting, his foolishness grew along with him.
When they had said goodbye earlier, Shen Guanting had barely finished saying this when Tigerhead slammed his head fiercely into his lower back. Furious, Tigerhead shouted, “Just you wait, Brother! Tonight I’m going to sell all my foolishness to you!”
Shen Guanting was perfectly reasonable. “I’m not buying.”
By the time they had made the entire trip back to Clear Water Lane, it was already getting late.
Lin Wu placed the offerings she had prepared on the small table in the main room. Lin Jing also took out the vermilion talisman and the little jade seal and set them down.
He stood before the table and thought for a moment. Then he ran out with a thump-thump-thump and brought Laifu inside by the leash.
Lin Jing knelt before the small table, pressed his hands together, and began murmuring, “Father, Mother, A Jing has come to wish you a happy New Year. Yesterday we saw Uncle Chen. He’s doing well, and we talked about many things. Our family also has a new member now—Laifu. Here it is.”
He pointed down at the little chubby dog by his feet. “It’s very well behaved, though it is a little greedy.”
“A Wu made the especially delicious fluffy cakes and snow-cloud cakes today, and everyone praised them. Tigerhead and Sparrow said they’d come help me put up the peachwood charm tomorrow. The headmaster and Teacher wrote it for Laifu’s room. And there’s more…”
He went on and on, until his voice gradually slowed. “A Jing is living very well now. I’m happy every day. You must be happy too.”
He kowtowed with utmost seriousness. Then he insisted on pressing Little Laifu’s head down so that it kowtowed once as well.
Lin Wu watched from the side, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She, too, faced the small table and spoke softly. “The two of you can rest assured. A Jing is with me, and every day he grows up safe and well…”
After paying their respects, she set about making bo tuo. New Year’s Eve dinner always included bo tuo—“wontons in winter, bo tuo at New Year.” The broth was clear, the noodles white, and the steam rose in curling wisps. Each of them had a bowl. After their evening meal, the two of them tidied up briefly and sat down at the table in the kitchen.
Lin Jing was still clutching his warming hand-brazier. It was nice and hot, and every so often he played with the little wooden sticks or with the toy the Shen family had given him. The toy was a small figurine, somewhat resembling a mara. It had been made with exquisite care, and its arms and legs could all move. He turned it over and over in his hands, thoroughly absorbed in play.
He had even found time to do some of the homework his teacher had assigned. That had been another part of Master Jianshan’s return gift today, and Lin Wu had been utterly astonished.
Clearly, however, Little Lin Jing had accepted it without complaint. By now, he had spread out his writing paper and was painstakingly forming each character.
Since the night would be a long one, Lin Wu had nothing else to do, so she decided to make some thin crisps and snow-cloud cakes. The egg whites were perfect for the crisps, while the yolks could be made into mayonnaise. Nothing would go to waste.
The night deepened.
At last, Lin Jing could no longer keep his eyes open. His little head bobbed up and down.
Lin Wu let him lean against her and said softly, “If you’re sleepy, go ahead and sleep. I’ll wake you when it’s light.”
Lin Jing forced himself to stay awake and shook his head, his voice already thick with drowsiness. “No, I have to wait for Tigerhead… We’re going to sell our foolishness together…”
That was what he said, but before long his little head lolled to one side, and his eyes closed completely. He leaned against Lin Wu, fast asleep.
She carefully lifted him and carried him back to the bed in the inner room, then tucked the quilt around him. Laifu followed her in, lay down beside the bed, and soon began to doze as well.
Lin Wu returned to the kitchen and continued with her work.
She usually rose early to make pastries anyway, so working on them in fits and starts made the time pass quickly. She glanced at the deep darkness outside the window, then at the snow-cloud cakes she had just finished, and could not help praising herself.
I really am hardworking.
The night beyond the window was still dark, but the distant sound of gongs, drums, and firecrackers gradually began to ring out. The noise drew nearer and grew clearer. The exorcistic Nuo procession must have begun.
Lin Jing seemed to have been awakened by the commotion outside. He hurried out of the inner room.
“A Wu, they’re setting off the firecrackers!”
Lin Wu smiled and smoothed his hair and clothes, then put a warm hat on his head. “Come on. Let’s go take a look.”
When she opened the courtyard gate, the wind outside was a little chilly, but the whole street was positively bursting with life. Light shone from the courtyards of every household, while the entrance to the lane was packed with people. Before long, a procession came into view, its members carrying torches and beating gongs and drums as they made their way toward them.
The person at the front wore a mask and brightly colored robes, while those behind him were dressed as various gods and ghosts. Quite a few children followed the procession, hopping and skipping along in high spirits.
Whenever the procession passed a courtyard gate, someone from the household would hand the leader a few coins, seeking a little good fortune.
When they reached Lin Wu’s gate, the leader shouted in a ringing voice, “Drive out evil! Banish the ghosts! Bless us with peace and safety!”
Lin Wu took out several coins, wrapped them in red paper, and handed them over with a smile. The leader accepted them, nodded to her, and led the procession onward.
Lin Jing held Laifu’s leash and watched the people disappear into the distance, his round eyes wide with curiosity. Laifu had barked twice at first, but by now even he seemed accustomed to the spectacle and sat obediently at the boy’s feet.
Lin Wu had Lin Jing lead Laifu back behind the gate and cover his ears while she lit the firecrackers she had prepared.
Crackle, pop, crackle!
“The New Year is here!” Lin Jing shouted, poking his little head out from behind the gate. His voice mingled with Laifu’s barking and the thunder of the firecrackers.
Lin Wu watched sparks fall through the darkness. The image of Zhong Kui on the courtyard gate flickered in and out of sight in the firelight. Several little red lanterns hung along the fence around the vegetable patch. Lin Jing had insisted on putting them there a few days ago, saying that the scallions and cilantro deserved to celebrate the New Year too.
Perhaps because Laifu had come from a temple, he was not afraid of firecrackers at all. He raced joyfully around the courtyard a few times, then, once the firecrackers had burned out, trotted back to Lin Wu’s feet and looked up at her.
Lin Jing tipped back his head. His little face still shone with excitement.
“Will it be this lively again next year?”
Lin Wu took his small hand in hers. “Yes. It will be like this every year.”
And so, amid noise and merriment, the new year arrived.
The moment the firecracker sounds died down, Tigerhead’s boisterous voice came from outside the gate.
“Sister Lin! Good fortune in the new year!” Tigerhead was wrapped in a thick padded coat, his little face flushed red from the cold. He carried an exquisite lantern in one hand. “I came to find Jing so we can sell our foolishness together.”
Lin Wu smiled and opened the gate, taking his hand as he stepped into the courtyard. “All right. Come in, Tigerhead. Aren’t you cold?”
As she spoke, she looked toward the entrance of the lane. Shen Guanting was standing not far away, a lantern in his hand as well. The light spilling from the courtyard fell across him, outlining his handsome, refined figure against the night.
He gave her a slight nod in greeting.
Hearing the commotion, Lin Jing came running out of the house, with Laifu trotting at his heels. The moment the two children met, their little mouths began chattering nonstop, as if they were determined to pour out every exciting thing they had seen that night.
Lin Wu locked the gate, and the group set off toward the main street.
The scene on the main street was truly bustling. Children carrying small lanterns were everywhere, hopping about and gathering in clusters. Their ceaseless chatter was loud enough to make one’s head ache.
“Sell your foolishness! Sell your foolishness!”
“Sell your foolishness and grow clever! Sell your foolishness and bring good fortune!”
Tigerhead and Lin Jing carried their lanterns and followed along behind the crowd.
Shen Guanting and Lin Wu walked behind them at an unhurried pace, keeping a careful eye on the two boys.
Tigerhead suddenly darted too far ahead. Shen Guanting took several quick steps forward and scooped him back.
Then he reached into his sleeve and pulled out two red envelopes, handing one to each child.
“These are your New Year’s lucky-money gifts—and payment for buying your foolishness. But Tigerhead, you’ve been selling your foolishness for so many years, and you still have such a large stockpile. You’ll have to shout extra loudly tonight and try to clear out all that old inventory.”
Tigerhead accepted the red envelope, delighted at first. But when he heard the rest, he glared angrily at Shen Guanting.
“Just you wait, Brother Ting! I’ll sell all my foolishness tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll be smarter than you!”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
Lin Jing held his red envelope in both hands and looked up at Shen Guanting. “Don’t worry, Guanting. I’ll help Tigerhead sell it. If we shout together, we’ll sell it faster.”
He had plenty of experience selling pastries and bookmarks. Selling foolishness would be a piece of cake.
At that, Shen Guanting reached out and ruffled his little head. “Then I’ll have to trouble Little Jing with looking after him.”
The two boys carried their lanterns onward.
Lin Wu watched the two small figures hopping through the lantern light, and the corners of her lips curved upward without her even realizing it.
“A Wu.”
Shen Guanting’s voice suddenly sounded beside her.
Lin Wu turned her head to look at him.
Lantern light fell across his face, lending his brows and eyes a gentleness rarely seen in him.
As he spoke, he held out the lantern in his hand. It was small and exquisitely made, with a bamboo frame and silk covering decorated with delicate patterns. The candle flame danced softly inside, casting a warm golden glow over his long fingers.
Lin Wu paused and looked down at the lantern.
“I happened to pass a lantern stall just now and bought it,” Shen Guanting said in an even tone. “Your hands were empty. It will be more convenient for you to carry a lantern while walking at night.”
Lin Wu accepted it. Her fingertips brushed the bamboo handle, which still held a trace of warmth.
“Thank you, Guanting.”
“Giving you a lantern on New Year’s Eve, just to bring some good luck,” Shen Guanting said with a smile in his eyes. “May the new year bring you good fortune, A Wu.”
Lin Wu’s gaze shifted from the lantern to the brightly lit street before her. The warm glow fell into her eyes, lending them an unusual softness.
Even her voice seemed to grow gentler. “May all your wishes come true in the new year.”
Shen Guanting turned his head slightly, watching the side of her face illuminated by the lantern light.
“Then I’ll borrow your good wishes, A Wu.” His voice had softened considerably, nearly blending into the bustle of the street.
