"Creak..."
Yang Ge pushed open his courtyard gate. Little Yellow rushed inside impatiently, ears flattened like airplane wings, and raced excitedly back and forth around the house.
Seeing how lively he was, Yang Ge smiled warmly, then turned sideways and gestured for Zhao Miao behind him to enter. "Please, come in!"
Zhao Miao gave him a great big smile, stepped across the shadowed threshold, and entered the bright sunshine of the courtyard.
Yang Ge followed her inside and gently closed the gate.
Standing in the middle of the courtyard, Zhao Miao looked curiously around the small, cozy space, as though this were her first visit to Firewood Gate Street.
She had actually been here before, more than once.
But this time, she had not come as a guest.
She had come home...
"Sit down for a bit."
Yang Ge put Zhao Miao's little bundle in the inner room, then emerged wearing an apron. "I'll tidy up, then light the stove and cook."
Smiling, Zhao Miao walked over, pulled the apron off his waist, and pushed him toward the grape trellis. "Now that I'm home, how could I let you do the chores? Sit down and have some tea. Leave it to me!"
As she pushed him along, a feeling both unfamiliar and familiar welled up in Yang Ge's heart. He smacked his lips, tasting it. It seemed a little bitter, yet seemed to leave a sweet aftertaste.
Suddenly, he smiled. "Let's tidy up together."
Zhao Miao lifted her little face to look at him, smiled, and nodded. "All right."
Yang Ge took the apron, shook it out, wrapped it around her waist, and carefully tied it.
Zhao Miao turned around, took his arm, and slowly rolled up his sleeves.
Then one went to the kitchen while the other picked up