Did You Miss Me?

After Christmas, the Spring Festival drew closer and closer.

Kindergarten had let out early for winter break, and Shen Xinde could finally sleep until he woke up naturally every day.

Shen Xinde had been on winter break for three or four days now, and, just as he had during summer vacation, he went over to Gu Zhuoling's house to play every day.

It had snowed a few times that winter, and Gu Zhuoling hadn't cleared out his little garden. The two of them had agreed to tidy it up and move the potted plants today.

"Haohao, don't get yourself dirty." Gu Zhuoling reached out and wiped away the mud Shen Xinde had accidentally gotten on his cheek, then gave his chubby cheek a rub.

"Mm, okay, I knooow..." Shen Xinde struggled to free his face from Gu Zhuoling's hand. Once they moved the last potted plant into the greenhouse, their work would be done.

"Dolly, will lots of flowers bloom when spring comes?"

Shen Xinde looked around at the flowerpots as he asked.

Gu Zhuoling took Shen Xinde by the hand and led him to the outdoor faucet, where he carefully helped him wash his hands. "They will. I'll bring Haohao over to see them when they bloom."

Shen Xinde seemed to have something on his mind today and wasn't as lively as usual. Gu Zhuoling had noticed.

"Dolly, Haohao has something to tell you." As if he had finally made up his mind, Shen Xinde pulled Gu Zhuoling over to the little chairs beside them and sat down, looking very solemn.

Seeing how grave Shen Xinde looked, Gu Zhuoling sat up straight too, waiting for him to make his announcement.

"Haohao has to go back to Grandpa and Grandma's house for the New Year, so I can't stay with Dolly." Shen Xinde fidgeted with his fingers, sounding a little dejected.

Gu Zhuoling didn't look particularly upset, though. He merely nodded twice, as if it didn't bother him much.

"Dolly, why aren't you sad? Can you bear not seeing Haohao?" Shen Xinde's eyes went round, and he grabbed Gu Zhuoling's arm and demanded answers.

"I can't." Gu Zhuoling's lips curved up slightly. He leaned a little closer to Shen Xinde's face, then put on a woebegone expression. "How many days will Haohao be gone?"

Ahem.

Shen Xinde reached out and pushed Gu Zhuoling's face away, then calmly straightened his clothes. "Mommy said about a week."

Gu Zhuoling took hold of Shen Xinde's hand. When Shen Xinde had pushed his face, his hand had felt a little cold, and sure enough, it was. Gu Zhuoling cupped it in both of his.

The two sat silently in the sunshine, basking for a while longer.

"Will there be other children at Haohao's grandma's house?"

Shen Xinde thought about it for a while. He had never actually been to his grandma's house. He had lived abroad since he was born and had only seen his grandparents once or twice.

"I think so."

Gu Zhuoling idly squeezed the chubby little hand in his. "Then will Haohao play with them?"

Shen Xinde smiled knowingly and brought his smiling face close to Gu Zhuoling's, swaying it back and forth. "Don't worry, Dolly. Haohao won't play with them. If I get bored, I'll call you."

Gu Zhuoling swayed his head along with Shen Xinde's a couple of times, then patted his hand twice and said generously, "Haohao can play with the other kids, but remember to call me every day, okay?"

He paused, then, apparently thinking that calling every day might be a bother, added, "It's okay if you can't call every day, but remember me."

Shen Xinde thought Gu Zhuoling was just too sweet. Whatever he asked, King Haohao would agree to it.

The two little ones had made their plans, but on the day Shen Xinde left, Gu Zhuoling's emotions were no longer as steady as they had been that day.

Shen Xinde set off in the morning. Zhou Jingyi brought Gu Zhuoling over with some New Year's gifts, and they watched the car drive away from Orchid Garden.

"Mommy's free today. Is there anything you want to play, A-Ling?" Zhou Jingyi asked, looking down and stroking Gu Zhuoling's head.

"Sleep." Gu Zhuoling looked listless, as though nothing interested him.

Zhou Jingyi: ?

Gu Zhuoling was usually already awake by this time. Was he still sleepy?

"Didn't you sleep well?" Zhou Jingyi looked at her son with some amusement.

Gu Zhuoling nodded, said good night to his mother, and turned around and went inside.

Zhou Jingyi: ...

Oh no, he really had gone silly.

Gu Zhuoling didn't actually sleep when he returned to his room. He just lay on his stomach and zoned out for a while before getting up on his own.

Then he sat alone in the back garden and basked in the sun for a while. In the afternoon, he spent the whole afternoon doing a jigsaw puzzle. He looked unhappy all day.

One look was enough for Zhou Jingyi to know that Gu Zhuoling was missing Haohao. She couldn't laugh openly, so she could only chuckle to herself as she sent Xia Wanqing a message.

That evening, Gu Zhuoling lay in his little bed and received a call from Shen Xinde, just as planned.

"Hello, Dolly~" Shen Xinde's sweet voice came through, and Gu Zhuoling started smiling without even realizing it.

"Hello."

"Dolly, did you miss me?" Shen Xinde was probably lying on his stomach in bed too. Gu Zhuoling could even hear his little feet patting against the blanket.

"You only just left." Gu Zhuoling didn't admit it.

"Oh~~" Shen Xinde drew out the sound. "Then why did Aunt Zhou say Dolly was unhappy all day today?"

Gu Zhuoling: ...

"I missed you." Gu Zhuoling wasn't embarrassed at having been found out and admitted it readily.

Shen Xinde giggled on the other end. Gu Zhuoling didn't stop him, letting Shen Xinde scare himself away.

Once he had finished laughing, Shen Xinde cleared his throat and continued, "What did Dolly do today?"

Gu Zhuoling recounted everything he had done today. "Basked in the sun, did a puzzle, and ate."

Shen Xinde thought for a moment, then asked, "Did you eat properly?"

"Yes. I finished a whole bowl of rice today, and my tummy's still full." Gu Zhuoling smiled as he answered. "What did Haohao do today?"

"Haohao met Grandpa and Grandma today. Grandpa and Grandma were really nice to me, and they gave me lots of toys, and I..." Once Shen Xinde started talking, the words came pouring out. He told Gu Zhuoling everything, from what they had said when they met down to the piece of pork rib he had eaten at his meal.

Gu Zhuoling didn't find the details trivial. On the contrary, he found them interesting. He curled up under the covers and listened to Shen Xinde talk, chiming in now and then.

Just like that, the boredom he had felt that morning vanished.

As they continued chatting, Shen Xinde murmured regretfully, "But Dolly isn't here. Otherwise, it would definitely be even more fun."

Gu Zhuoling felt a part of his heart soften as warm, sweet honey water flowed into it. His eyes lit up with a smile. "Haohao missed me too, right?"

"Yes, Dolly! Haohao missed you sooo, sooo, sooo much!" Shen Xinde admitted openly.

"Haohao? It's time for bed! How about Grandma sleeps with you tonight?"

Just after he spoke, a kindly voice came from Shen Xinde's end of the line.

"Okay, Grandma! Then good night, Dolly. Haohao has to go to sleep too." Shen Xinde answered her, then lowered his voice to say good night to Gu Zhuoling.

"Good night, Haohao."

Gu Zhuoling hung up, switched off his bedside lamp, and closed his eyes.