Chapter 16: Cherries

When Madam Kang was momentarily distracted, she saw her eldest son strike the jujube tree with a pole, causing the fruits to fall. The two mischievous boys immediately ran to gather them. Before long, there was a knock on the door. Yan Bowu said, “That must be Sweetie from Aunt Yun’s next door. That little girl must’ve seen us knocking down jujubes!”

As he spoke, Yan Bowu trotted over with his short legs to open the door. Sure enough, a little girl in a bright green outfit stood there, her eyes sparkling.

“Bowu, did Brother Bowen knock down the jujubes? I saw the tree shaking! You guys have so many jujubes this year!”

As she spoke, the little girl swallowed hard.

Yan Bowu immediately said, “Don’t call me ‘little brother’! I’m taller than you!”

Thanks to the tall genes from the Yan family, four-year-old Yan Bowu was half a head taller than the five-year-old Sweetie from next door. So the little man was quite insistent that she not call him “little brother.”

He wasn’t a little brother—he was taller! He was a big brother!

But Sweetie, silly as she was, immediately bit her finger and corrected herself, “Oh, Brother Bowu, can I come in and eat jujubes?”

Yan Bowu graciously invited Sweetie in. Madam Kang couldn’t help but laugh at the scene.

Fortunately, Madam Kang got along well with Sister Yun next door. Sweetie was her youngest daughter and got along well with her two sons. She often came over to play, and sometimes the three children would go over to her house. They had two orange trees there, and when the oranges ripened every year, the kids loved using bamboo poles to knock them down.

So there was always back-and-forth between the households. Madam Kang reminded her sons to be generous with the little girls and went inside to fetch some preserved fruits and molasses.

Oh, and since she knew her husband’s elder sister was coming, her husband had specially bought pastries from Qingfang Zhai.

Qingfang Zhai was a long-standing pastry shop in Qingyun Town. Though they didn’t offer many varieties, their pastries were delicious. They were perfect for entertaining little guests.

Originally, Madam Kang had intended to send the pastries with her sister-in-law when she left.

But Madam Kang was straightforward. She figured if she gave them to her sister-in-law, the woman would feel obligated to return the favor somehow. It was better to simply serve them to the “little guests” now—it showed their sincerity as uncle and aunt.

…

Gu Yuzhu was given the biggest jujube. Under Sweetie’s eager gaze, she took a bite and immediately felt guilty—Sweetie looked like she was about to cry. She was too wicked!

Soon, Gu Yuzhu got along well with the children. She was pretty, and her manner of speaking was gentle and elegant. In no time, she was surrounded by Sweetie and Yan Bowu.

Kang Bowen was a bit older. Madam Kang was reportedly planning to send him to school—not necessarily expecting him to pass the imperial exams, but at least to become literate. Of course, if the boy showed real potential, she and her husband would support him. In these times, scholars held a highly respected status.

It was clear the three children had been raised well. Though playful and mischievous, they were all kindhearted. Especially little Yan Bowu—such a small boy, yet so eager to share good things with his siblings and friends.

Gu Yuzhu found this rare and precious.

In her past life, Gu Yuzhu had little familial affection from her parents. But she did have a best friend from primary school, who had a younger brother. That boy was a little tyrant—he hoarded anything good for himself, and no one could take anything from him. If someone tried, he’d throw a tantrum. He was an absolute terror.

Sure, selfishness in children was natural—but the key was how their families guided them.

At the same age of four or five, when kids could be utterly insufferable, Yan Bowu was already so lovable! Of course, Sweetie was adorable too. But naturally, compared to the neighbor’s kids, Gu Yuzhu focused more on her own cousins.

That was only human nature.

…

Gu Yuzhu knew her uncle and aunt were kind to her. And taking full advantage of her identity as a child, she had enjoyed plenty of delicious food. Feeling grateful, she had just finished lunch when Yan Fengru returned with a handsome little boy.

The boy had delicate features, still with a hint of baby fat, dressed in a blue padded jacket. He looked like a tall and straight young pine.

Gu Yuzhu’s eyes instantly lit up. Gu Qingbai trotted over in a few quick steps, reached out to feel her forehead, then gently touched her cheek. His long eyelashes fluttered as he gazed at her with affectionate eyes, looking absolutely adorable.

Gu Yuzhu: “!!!” Ahhhhhh! Yes, yes, this real brother of mine is absolutely perfect!

But soon, Gu Yuzhu realized this brand-new brother of hers was a chatterbox. Sigh… she preferred the aloof and cool type! Σ（°△°|||）︴

“Your aunt said if I didn’t bring you over, she’d scold Mom for ages. That brat actually dared to scold her own sister?” Though Yan Fengru was speaking with mock annoyance, her face was full of joy. “Once we’ve settled your brother’s academy matters, we’ll move to town. Then I’ll take you to your aunt’s place to visit.”

“You love your aunt’s estate the most—there’s a cherry tree there.” Just as she was speaking, her husband Yan Xingjia walked over, holding a bunch of bright red cherries like a treasure, and presented them to Gu Yuzhu.

“Yuzhu, these are for you. Your aunt said you could come pick some yourself later—you’ll love it.”

Cherries were always considered a luxury fruit—especially these tiny, delicate ones. They were sweet and tender, spoiled easily, and didn’t last long. It was said that in the past, when the Sage visited Jiangnan, he searched the entire region for cherries but couldn’t find any because it wasn’t the season.

Later, someone had used ice to preserve some and rushed to deliver them on horseback. But by the time they reached the capital, the ice had melted, and the cherries had gone bad.

Fortunately, someone had inspected them beforehand—otherwise, it would have caused trouble and punishment.

That story became widely known, and the prestige of cherries only grew.

The cherry tree at Gu Yuzhu’s aunt’s estate had been bought from a hunter by her grandfather-in-law years ago while collecting mountain goods. It took many years to grow and bear fruit. Whether or not the tree was rare didn’t matter—all the kids loved it. Who could resist that tangy sweetness?

As soon as Yan Xingjia brought out the cherries, his two sons’ eyes lit up, and they began clamoring to go to their aunt’s house to pick cherries!

Yan Xingjia was quickly overwhelmed by their noise and scolded them sternly. Though he usually seemed like a quiet man, he had real authority at home.

To his two sons, growing up to be like their father—a broad-shouldered man who could bear the weight of a household—was their aspiration.

Madam Kang came out of the house smiling, holding a white porcelain bowl. She took the big handful of cherries from her husband and filled the bowl to the brim.

The contrast of the white porcelain with the bright red cherries was stunning. Madam Kang rinsed them in well water and served them straight to the kids. The children swarmed around eagerly. Little chatterbox Gu Qingbai didn’t hold back either, stuffing his mouth full.