The early spring breeze was soft, carrying the scent of damp earth and blooming jasmine. Willows brushed against the riverbanks like emerald silk, and butterflies danced through the dappled sunlight.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
In a quiet alleyway, a young boy pounded on a heavy vermilion wooden door. Two bronze lion-head knockers rattled against the iron rings, creating a rhythmic clatter that echoed through the courtyard.
"Mom! I'm home from school!"
The door creaked open. Ji Ruyi rushed out, her hands still damp from washing vegetables, wiping them hurriedly on her floral apron. "Yuze, you're back! How was school today? What did the teacher cover?"
"Just addition and subtraction within a hundred," Lu Yuze said, tossing his backpack onto a stone bench with a nonchalant air. "I knew all that stuff ages ago. You taught me when I was five, remember?"
Ji Ruyi beamed with pride, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Right, right. My Yuze is a little genius, isn't he?"
"And Mom," Yuze puffed out his chest, "I learned a poem today. I was the very first one in class to memorize it."
"Is that so? Let's hear it then."
Yuze cleared his throat, standing tall like a little soldier. "Far away on the cold mountain, the stone path slants... deep in the white clouds, where people dwell... I stop my carriage to admire the maple woods at dusk... the frosted leaves... the frosted leaves..."
Suddenly, he hit a wall. He scratched his head, his face reddening as he searched his memory for the final line.
"The frosted leaves are redder than the flowers of early spring," his mother finished for him with a gentle smile. "It means the maple leaves after a frost are even more vibrant than flowers in February. You can't just memorize the words, Yuze; you have to understand the heart of the poem. Now, go wash your hands. Dinner is almost ready."
A short while later, a feast was laid out on the wooden table. Lu Yuze's eyes widened. Five dishes? This was unusual. Was his father coming home early?
"Lily! Sweetie, come out! It's time to eat!" Ji Ruyi called toward the inner room.
Lily? Lu Yuze froze, a chicken wing halfway to his mouth. Who the hell is Lily?
He turned his head toward the doorway just as a small figure emerged.
She looked like something out of a fairy tale. A little girl with large, shimmering eyes and cheeks the color of pale peaches. She wore two neat braids tied with red ribbons, a white princess dress that billowed as she moved, and shiny black patent leather shoes with tiny bows. In her arms, she clutched a plush white rabbit.
She hopped and skipped toward the table like a clumsy but adorable penguin.
"Yuze, listen to me," his mother said, her tone suddenly stern. "Auntie Yang and Uncle Yu had to go to the city for a conference. Lily is staying with us for three days. You are the older brother here, so you'd better be on your best behavior. No bullying!"
Lily tilted her head, a sweet, dimpled smile spreading across her face. "Auntie, this must be Brother Yuze." She looked at him with eyes as clear as mountain springs. "Hello, Brother Yuze. My name is Lily. You can call me Lily."
"Hmph." Lu Yuze rolled his eyes, feigning annoyance. "This is my house. If you're staying here, you have to follow my rules. Got it?"
Lily blinked her long lashes, her eyes curving into crescent moons. "Okay! I understand~"
Lu Yuze was momentarily stunned. He had expected her to cry or act scared after his "tough guy" act, but she was so... compliant. It felt like punching a pile of cotton.
"Here, Lily. Have a big drumstick," Ji Ruyi said, placing the best piece of chicken into the girl's bowl. "I've known your mother for thirty years. If she found out I let you lose even an ounce of weight while staying here, she'd never let me hear the end of it!"
"What about me? Mom, you're being totally biased!" Yuze complained, feeling his status in the household crumbling.
"There's another one in the pan! You have hands, don't you? Grab it yourself!" Ji Ruyi didn't even turn her head.
Yuze huffed, snatched the second drumstick, and began devouring it with aggressive speed. Seeing that Lily had only taken one tiny, polite bite, he reached out with his chopsticks and swiped the drumstick right out of her bowl.
Lily sat there, dazed. Her little brain didn't seem to have a "program" for what to do when someone steals your food.
"Brother Yuze worked hard at school," she said softly, her voice like velvet. "You should eat more. I'm not that hungry anyway."
Tsk. Always playing the victim, Yuze thought, though a tiny pang of guilt pricked his heart.
"Give it back! Now!" Ji Ruyi glared at her son, her voice dropping to a dangerous level. "Lu Yuze, don't act like a bandit in front of our guest!"
Under his mother's death stare, Yuze took a massive, spiteful bite, stripping most of the meat off before dropping the bone back into Lily's bowl.
"This kid..." Ji Ruyi sighed, turning to Lily with an apologetic look. "Don't mind him, Lily. Auntie will buy you a fresh one later, just for you."
"It's really okay, Auntie," Lily said earnestly, patting her small stomach. "I ate before I came. If I eat any more, my tummy might pop!"
Lu Yuze sat there, feeling more annoyed than ever. He worked hard at school, came home, and suddenly there was this "sister" taking all the attention. Even his mom was on her side.
After dinner, Yuze slumped on the sofa to watch his favorite cartoon, Doraemon.
Lily finished helping his mother wash the dishes—moving like a little adult even though she was barely tall enough to reach the sink—and then quietly sat down beside him.
"Brother Yuze?" she whispered, pointing at the screen. "Who is that round, blue cat with the big pocket? His belly is like a magic treasure chest!"
Yuze didn't answer. He stared fixedly at the TV, determined to ignore her.
"By the way," Lily tilted her head, her braids swaying. "What's your full name? I didn't hear it clearly earlier."
"Lu Yuze," he grunted, still not looking at her. "And what about yours? Lily is just a nickname, right?"
"My name is Yu Ying, but everyone calls me Lily," she explained. "My dad planted a huge garden at our house. It's full of lilies and tulips. In the spring, they turn yellow, white, red, and purple..." She started counting them on her tiny fingers. "Next time, you should come over. I'll ask my mom to make drumsticks for you."
Something about her pure, earnest tone hit him. Yuze finally turned his head.
Up close, he realized just how beautiful she was. Her hair was dark and silky, her skin as fair as fine porcelain, and her eyes sparkled like hand-picked gemstones. When she smiled, two deep dimples appeared on her cheeks, making her look like a warm, sweet rice ball.
Lu Yuze felt his face heat up. He quickly turned back to the TV, his heart fluttering in a way he didn't understand.
She... she's actually kind of cute, he thought. But... but... whatever! I still don't like her! Yeah, that's right!