Jiang Xun sobbed, shedding little pearls of tears as he shoveled food into his mouth, swallowing his tears along with his meal. He cried as though his heart were breaking.
Jiang Huaijin was dumbfounded by the sight. His brother could actually squeeze three tears out of one eye at the same time.
Still crying, Jiang Xun choked out indistinctly, "I wanna eat... eat malatang, waah..."
Jiang Huaijin: "..."
His heart ached, but he also found it funny.
Jiang Huaijin said, "Just look at it a little longer. Ever heard of quenching your thirst by imagining plums?"
The food video kept playing on the tablet. The steaming malatang glistened with red chili oil, looking so fragrant that they could almost smell it through the screen.
Jiang Xun looked even more miserable. He set down his chopsticks and burst into louder and louder wails.
Anyone who didn't know better would have thought something terrible had happened, when all he actually wanted was some malatang.
"Don't cry. It's just malatang. What's so good about it?" This time, Jiang Huaijin really was at a loss. He hastily pulled out a few tissues to wipe Jiang Xun's tears, then patted his head... his round, bald head. "There, there, stop crying."
"If Mom and Dad see you, they'll think I bullied you."
"Have mercy on me. Stop crying..."
Just as Jiang Huaijin was at his wits' end, a knock suddenly came from outside. Then the door opened, and Fu Yanli, who had just finished working, came in.
As though he had spotted his savior, Jiang Huaijin promptly stood and strode toward the door. He patted Fu Yanli on the shoulder as though entrusting him with a weighty, arduous mission and whispered, "Jiang Xun's all yours. Make sure he finishes his food, and don't let him have