Yan Yuan didn’t get home until the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month.
On the island, people observed the custom of “cleaning the house” before the New Year. Starting on the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, they would thoroughly clean everything—scrubbing pots and bowls, airing out quilts and bedding, and clearing away clutter. The tradition was meant to sweep away bad luck, see off poverty, and welcome the new year.
When Yan Yuan arrived at the little house with a rattan suitcase in hand, Jiang Chengzhou was busy cleaning with his younger sister and brother.
Su Li was the first to spot him.
“Brother Yuan!”
Holding a feather duster, Su Li rushed over.
Yan Yuan stood at the gate, his rattan suitcase in one hand and Su Li in the other as he caught the child flying into his arms.
He patted Su Li’s back, but his gaze drifted toward the window.
Linlin was standing on a chair, wiping the glass with a damp cloth clutched in her hand. Hearing the commotion, she turned around—and met Yan Yuan’s eyes head-on.
Today, she was wearing a new outfit Yan Yuan had never seen before, one Lin Zhilan had bought for her.
With the reform and opening-up, the shortage of goods had eased. Light-industry production had been liberalized, state-run textile factories had expanded their synthetic-fiber production, and all kinds of ready-made clothes in different styles and colors had begun appearing in the markets of the south.
Linlin was wearing a soft, pale-yellow sweater. Her skin was already as white and translucent as jade, and the warm, bright color made it look almost luminous. Standing beneath the window, she looked clean and radiant—so dazzling that she was almost hard to look at.
The moment their eyes met, Linlin guiltily looked away, afraid that her brothers would notice something unusual.
The corners of Yan Yuan’s lips curved upward. Su Li tugged him toward the house.
Jiang Chengzhou happened to be coming out the door. When he saw Yan Yuan, he laughed. “You’re finally back. Perfect timing—don’t go home. Just stay here.”
Yan Yuan didn’t understand.
He was supposed to go home first, but he had been unable to resist coming over to take a look at Linlin.
Jiang Chengzhou smiled. “I stopped by your place. The roof is leaking, and it won’t be fixed anytime soon. My aunt has already prepared a guest room for you, so stay at our place this year.”
Yan Yuan hesitated and glanced toward Linlin.
Linlin was rinsing a rag beneath the faucet. She gave a soft little hum and said, as if casually, “The weather forecast says it’s going to rain tomorrow.”
If you don’t want to stay, then go back and get soaked.
The corners of Yan Yuan’s lips lifted. “All right.”
Jiang Chengzhou knew Yan Yuan’s personality. Seeing how easily he had been persuaded this time, he let out a sigh of relief and quickly took the suitcase from him, carrying it into the guest room.
Yan Yuan followed behind Linlin. She was so nervous she could hardly breathe. After sneaking a glance at her brothers inside, she lowered her voice and said, “Why are you following me?”
Yan Yuan lowered his voice too. “I just wanted to help you clean the windows.”
“Oh.”
Linlin bit her lip, shoved the rag into his hand, and turned around to sweep the fallen leaves in the courtyard.
Lin Zhilan and Su Lang both had unusual jobs. Even with the New Year approaching, they still had to keep working.
During the day, Yan Yuan and Linlin whispered to each other under Jiang Chengzhou’s watchful eye, yet he noticed nothing.
At night, however, Linlin was plagued by guilt. Wherever she sat, she made sure to keep as far away from Yan Yuan as possible. Whenever he spoke to her, she would be so startled that her heart pounded for ages afterward.
Yan Yuan hadn’t expected her to be this afraid of her uncle and aunt finding out. All he could do was cooperate with her.
Still, no secret could remain hidden forever.
Lin Zhilan and Su Lang had a habit of going out for a walk after dinner. On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the couple followed their usual routine and went out for a stroll after eating.
For the first couple of days, the children had gone along, but they soon discovered that following behind their parents got them nothing except a mouthful of their parents’ affection—and perhaps a few icy looks from Su Lang. After that, they wisely stopped tagging along.
As it happened, one of Jiang Chengzhou’s old friends invited him to go night fishing that evening.
The moment Su Li heard about it, he clamored to go too.
After changing clothes, Jiang Chengzhou came out and asked Yan Yuan and Linlin, “What about you two? Why don’t you come along?”
Linlin didn’t even look up. “I’m not going. There are too many bugs by the water. I’m afraid I’ll get bitten.”
She didn’t want to go anywhere with Yan Yuan.
Things had been fine in the capital. But now that they were under her parents’ watchful eyes, getting too close to Yan Yuan made her feel as though she were walking a tightrope.
Unexpectedly, when Yan Yuan heard that she wasn’t going, he casually answered, “I’m not going either. I still have some work to finish. I’d like to get it done before the New Year.”
When Linlin heard that Yan Yuan wasn’t going, she bit her lip and almost changed her mind, saying, Then I’ll go too.
But Jiang Chengzhou and Su Li were already gathering their things. If Yan Yuan had said he was going, and she immediately changed her mind and decided to go, it would look as though she were doing it deliberately. The words reached her lips, but Linlin swallowed them back down.
Jiang Chengzhou noticed nothing strange. He and Su Li picked up the fishing rods and bucket and left the house.
The moment they were gone, the house fell silent.
Linlin pretended to draw until Yan Yuan sat down beside her.
She pouted. “Why are you sitting so close to me? Go sit over there!”
Yan Yuan gave a quiet laugh. “What? Am I not allowed to sit here?”
Linlin began spouting nonsense. “You’re too heavy. You’ll collapse my chair if you sit on it.”
In the capital, Yan Yuan had finally managed to coax his Little Moon into becoming comfortable with him. But the moment they returned to the island, she had retreated three thousand miles.
Yan Yuan was frantic inside.
He was terrified that his Little Moon had changed her mind.
“Linlin, when are you going to date me?”
Linlin startled and glanced toward the door. “I’m still young.”
“Yes.” Yan Yuan’s voice dropped an octave. “Would you like to try? If you don’t like it, then I…I’ll change.”
He struggled for a moment, but he couldn’t bring himself to mention giving up.
Linlin’s heart pounded, and her cheeks grew hot. “How do we try?”
Yan Yuan gazed at the face so close to his, a smile spreading across his lips. “Linlin, I want to kiss you.”
“If you don’t like it, tell me.” His voice was so soft that the last sentence was almost inaudible.
A cool breeze carried the scent of moisture and shampoo from his body to her nose. Linlin suddenly blurted out, “You smell so good.”
Yan Yuan’s nervousness vanished at once. “Really? I’ll buy you the same shampoo later, all right?”
“All right.”
“Then can I kiss you?”
“All right.” But almost immediately, Linlin changed her mind. “Actually, I’ll kiss you. I like taking the initiative.”
“…”
Yan Yuan let out a quiet sigh. “All right.”
He sat down on the sofa, his legs slightly apart and his body leaning back against the chair. Linlin squeezed herself into the space between his knees.
Yan Yuan froze for a moment. Suddenly, he felt that the situation had become somewhat less than advantageous for him, but the thought passed just as quickly. It was probably normal.
Linlin lowered her head. Her long, loose hair was blown across her face by the breeze.
After thinking it over, Linlin decided that the hair was ruining the mood. She wanted to find a hair tie and put it up, but then she noticed that her wrist was bare.
Yan Yuan had already understood what she meant. He removed the black hair tie from his own wrist.
It was a habit he had picked up in the capital. Linlin sometimes forgot to bring one, so Yan Yuan had simply started wearing one himself, just like she did, in case she needed it.
He stood and tied up her hair for her.
Linlin lowered her head slightly, staring at the pajamas beneath his jacket, and reached out to tug at them.
Yan Yuan tied her hair up in just a few quick motions.
Linlin raised her head, closed her eyes, and struck a solemn, almost heroic pose.
“Come on.”
