...Steaming vapor billowed through the air, carrying the distinctive, delicate fragrance of rice flour.
At last, another year-end season of steamed rice cakes had arrived!
Xing Yan gazed for a long while at the little piece of white, sticky rice cake resting in the bamboo steamer lined with palm leaves. Then he carefully peeled it free and cradled it in his palm.
"Should I eat it all at once, or save half for later?"
While he hesitated, the white rice cake in his hand seemed to lose patience. It suddenly flew up and slapped itself onto his face with a smack. Warmth spread over Xing Yan's cheek-with the warm, moist cake wrapped around it, he actually felt pleasantly snug.
After only a little while, however, the boy enjoying himself began to sense something amiss.
I remember it's still summer. Where would we get New Year's rice cakes at home?
And so the soundly sleeping boy suddenly woke. Opening his eyes and seeing the familiar mottled marks on the stone ceiling, Xing Yan finally confirmed that it had all been a dream beneath the southern bough.
But... why did that warm, damp sensation from his dream still linger? Worse, that warmth seemed to be wriggling ceaselessly over his cheek!
When the bleary-eyed boy turned his face to see what was happening, he suddenly felt something soft, warm, and wet sweep across the tip of his nose!
That gave Xing Yan a fright, sweeping away every last trace of sleepiness. Looking closely, he discovered that little Qiong Rong was lying beside him.
"Huh? Qiong Rong, what are you doing here?"
"Hee! You're awake, big brother? I'm treating your injury!"
"Treating my injury?!"
"Yes! Have you forgotten, big brother? Sister Xueyi hit you yesterday, and now this side of your face is all