The big brother who had accompanied him in play for seven days left.
Before departing, he asked if he wanted to go play at his house.
Tao Zhi was a little tempted.
At that age, all little boys were most interested in playing.
Fu Si Heng said his home had small animals, horses to ride, and lots of fun toys, so Tao Zhi naturally felt moved. He wanted to agree, but when he turned back, he saw his mother looking at him with a very worried and tense expression, as if she feared he would be snatched away…
Tao Zhi blinked, and after turning his head back, the joy in his eyes vanished. He just shook his head in refusal: “Big Brother, I’m not going.”
Fu Si Heng was a bit surprised.
“You’re really not going?” he confirmed with Tao Zhi.
“Mm-hmm.” Tao Zhi nodded: “Come play at my house next time, Big Brother~”
Fine.
Having failed to compete with a stranger for custody, Fu Si Heng accepted it. He squatted down and ruffled Tao Zhi’s hair: “I’ll come again next time.”
“Okay.” The pink-and-jade-carved little dumpling nodded and stepped forward to hug Fu Si Heng’s neck: “I’ll remember you, Big Brother.”
After the farewell, Tao Zhi was led away by his mother’s hand as he watched the car drive off into the distance, slowly waving goodbye.
Only when calm returned to the front door did those soft little hands finally lower.
He did not see this big brother again until a year later.
It was the same July, and Tao Zhi’s family had moved into a newly built two-story house.
He was watching his little sister when he saw a car pull up to the front gate. After a stunned second, he hurried out.
It was Big Brother who had come.
He thought.
It was not that Tao Zhi had such a deep impression of Fu Si Heng; rather, Fu Si Heng’s presence was simply too strong.
The things he had left behind before parting last year were still in use by Tao Zhi.
Whenever he saw the clothes or toys, Fu Si Heng’s presence automatically refreshed in Tao Zhi’s mind. Even after a year apart, the memory was still fresh, and he looked forward to seeing him again.
“You’ve grown a bit taller.” Fu Si Heng got out of the car and immediately spotted Tao Zhi.
Tao Zhi tilted his head back and smiled at him: “Big Brother.”
Fu Si Heng effortlessly scooped him up.
He had grown a little, but not much; there was hardly any difference from his memory, and picking him up was still easy.
But for Tao Zhi…
Last year he had been five; this year he was six.
At six, he was already in first grade, a little elementary school student.
He was a mature elementary school student—how could he… always be carried around?
Tao Zhi felt very embarrassed. He pushed at Fu Si Heng, wanting to get down.
But he could not budge him.
Fu Si Heng had not noticed his movements and instead spotted the brand-new human cub in the courtyard.
The brand-new human cub was wailing loudly, making Fu Si Heng frown as he asked: “What’s this?”
“This is my little sister.” Tao Zhi clutched at Fu Si Heng’s shirt and seriously told him: “Her name is Tao Tao.”
She was just two months old.
Fu Si Heng: “…”
Fu Si Heng glanced at the Tao Zhi in his arms.
Then at the loudly crying Tao Tao in the cradle.
So noisy.
He still preferred the one in his arms.
…
This time, Fu Si Heng and Fu Zheng stayed a week longer than last year.
It was the perfect season for breaking corn, and under his older brother’s pressure, Fu Zheng had to break corn for half a month while also watching kids. Fu Si Heng, on the other hand, was led out to play every day by Tao Zhi.
Fu Si Heng was there on vacation; Fu Zheng was there to suffer.
With their parents absent, even if he was dissatisfied inside, Fu Zheng did not dare provoke Fu Si Heng.
The older Fu Zheng got, the harder Fu Si Heng beat him.
He used to hold back when Fu Zheng was younger, but not anymore.
He beat him exactly as he deserved.
At home, Fu Zheng would clash head-on with Fu Si Heng, but not here.
He could only grit his teeth and break the corn in anger.
Fortunately, Tao Zhi was a good kid and occasionally took him along to play or break corn with him. Fu Zheng reluctantly… kind of liked the place.
This time, it was Fu Zheng who said he would come back next year.
The two little ones had built a friendship this year, and Fu Zheng was very reluctant to part with Tao Zhi. He held back tears and made Tao Zhi promise to remember him.
Tao Zhi nodded vigorously and bid farewell to the brothers.
After that, almost every summer vacation, the Fu brothers came to his house.
In the blink of an eye, Tao Zhi turned thirteen.
After the final exams, Little Zhi, now in first year of junior high, hurriedly packed his things and left school as fast as possible to catch the bus home.
Today was a special day.
Fu Zheng had called to say he would come over, so Tao Zhi rushed home. From far away, he saw Fu Zheng at the gate teasing cats and dogs, but he did not see Fu Si Heng’s figure.
Tao Zhi paused.
“Yo, you’re back.” Fu Zheng spotted Tao Zhi’s figure and immediately stood up: “Look, this is my German Shepherd. Handsome, right? I brought it especially for you to see—hey, Tao Zhi!”
Fu Zheng was showing off when he noticed Tao Zhi’s attention was not on him; he was just craning his neck toward the courtyard. Fu Zheng was instantly displeased and stepped forward to turn Tao Zhi’s face toward himself: “What are you looking at?”
Tsk.
Why was this face so soft?
The touch was soft like cotton candy, plush and perfect for pinching. Fu Zheng kneaded Tao Zhi’s face like dough, and without controlling his strength, he pinched a bit too hard.
Tao Zhi immediately let out a startled cry.
Fu Zheng hurriedly let go.
He had hurt him, and though Tao Zhi had not reacted much, Fu Zheng’s reaction was bigger: “I didn’t use that much strength!”
Tao Zhi did not argue with him and just rubbed his face, asking only: “Where’s Big Brother? I didn’t see him.”
Fu Zheng: “?”
Good grief, so the reason he had been peering inside was to look for his brother.
Though he had vaguely guessed it, hearing it firsthand still made him angry.
Fu Zheng was furious.
Tao Zhi blinked innocently: “Big Brother didn’t come today?”
“Why are you always thinking about him?” Fu Zheng grumbled.
“No, I just wanted to thank him.” Tao Zhi scratched his head.
The thanks Tao Zhi referred to was from a few months earlier, when his mother had fallen ill. Fu Si Heng had paid and helped out, and even told his parents he would sponsor all of Tao Zhi’s future schooling expenses.
His whole family was very grateful to Fu Si Heng.
Tao Zhi had thanked him over the phone once, but it was not enough; he still wanted to thank him in person.
But now it seemed… he had not come this year.
