Yan Heqing took off his coat, revealing a thin black knit sweater underneath. He opened a bread roll and ate as he read, leaving his fishing rod beside his feet.
He had no idea how much time had passed before the rod moved. It struck his foot several times before he looked up from his book, grabbed the rod, and lifted it.
He had actually caught two crabs.
Yan Heqing's eyes brightened slightly, and he immediately called the old man.
The old man's tent was nearby, so he arrived quickly. When he entered and saw the two fairly large crabs, he said with a beaming smile, "Not bad, not bad. Nice and plump. We can roast them over the heater and have one each. I have some seasoned salt over at mine. Let's have roasted crab for a late-night snack."
The old man went back to get the seasoned salt, then suddenly turned to look at Yan Heqing, raising a hand to point at the left corner of his mouth. "You've got breadcrumbs here."
"It's only at times like this that you still look like a kid," he said cheerfully.
Yan Heqing froze slightly and touched the corner of his mouth. There really were breadcrumbs there. He had been so absorbed in his book that he had forgotten to wipe his mouth after eating.
He quickly wiped away the crumbs.
The old man returned with the seasoned salt, bringing a basket of strawberries and cherries as well.
"A former subordinate gave these to me. Said they're some kind of Hermès of strawberries. I don't like sweet things, so you take care of them."
The old man deftly set the grill rack over the heater and put the freshly caught mitten crabs straight onto it.
Yan Heqing picked up a strawberry and took a bite. It was sweet and tart, with an intense strawberry flavor.
He picked out another large one and handed it to the old man. "They're not just sweet. They're sweet and tart. Try one."
The old man accepted it delightedly and bit off half. "Mm, not bad."
He popped the rest of the strawberry into his mouth. "Still don't like them, though. Take your time eating them. Looking as malnourished as you do, you wouldn't be able to stand fishing somewhere colder."
Yan Heqing's eyelid twitched slightly. "Somewhere colder?"
The old man looked up, his face lighting up. "Yes, it's in a valley to the south. There's a private lake with all sorts of fish. Any freshwater fish you can name, they have it."
"But it's members-only. Ordinary people can't get in."
Yan Heqing knew that private lake. Lu Lin often went fishing there.
The old man added, "I'll take you along next time. Fishing there is much more fun than here."
Yan Heqing had been waiting for this opportunity. He thanked him sincerely. "Thank you."
The old man waved a hand, pretending to be angry. "Keep being so polite, and I'm taking the strawberries away!"
Yan Heqing's eyes slowly curved. He picked up a strawberry. "Too late for that. I'm about to finish this whole basket."
The old man roared with laughter. "You little rascal. That's more like it!"
At the same time, Lin Fengzhi returned to the Lin family home, weighed down by worries.
Only his mother was home.
Lin Fengzhi swallowed with difficulty, his voice a little hoarse when he spoke. "Mom..."
Mother Lin was watching a drama. She paused it, put an arm around him, and drew him down onto the sofa, asking gently, "You're only just getting back. Did you eat out?"
Lin Fengzhi shook his head, then nodded.
Mother Lin smiled so widely that wrinkles appeared around her eyes. "Silly boy, did you eat or not? If you haven't, I'll have Auntie Zhang make you a bowl of king crab seafood congee. Your eldest brother brought a basket back this afternoon."
Lin Fengzhi had no appetite at all. He looked at Mother Lin. "Mom, I..."
Mother Lin looked puzzled. "What is it?"
"Am I..." The words stuck in his throat. Lin Fengzhi simply couldn't bring himself to ask. His eyes reddened, and he abruptly stood up. "Nothing. I'm going to bed!"
He hurried upstairs.
Something was clearly wrong with him. Mother Lin quickly followed. "Son, what on earth is wrong?"
Lin Fengzhi had locked the door from the inside.
He flung himself straight onto the bed and pulled the covers over his head. "I'm fine! I'm going to sleep!"
Tears streamed down his face.
Lin Fengzhi didn't understand why he had to be adopted, why one unlucky thing kept happening after another...
He hated this feeling!
Mother Lin knocked for a long time without getting a response. Frantic and at a loss, she hurried back to the living room to make calls.
"Honey, something's wrong with Fengzhi. Come home quickly..."
"Son, come home quickly. Something's wrong with your little brother..."
Within an hour, Father Lin, Lin Fengxian, and Lin Fengyi had all rushed home.
They took turns knocking and coaxing Lin Fengzhi.
"Zhizhi, it's Dad. What happened?"
"Fengzhi, it's your eldest brother. Tell me who bullied you. I'll teach him a lesson."
"Zhizhi, please open the door." Lin Fengyi was beside himself with worry. "Who upset you? I won't let him get away with it!"
Only after a long time did footsteps come from inside. The family immediately fell silent, watching the door anxiously.
The door opened, and Lin Fengzhi appeared behind it, his face flushed and his eyes red and swollen.
Before they could speak, Lin Fengzhi's eyes closed, and he pitched forward into Lin Fengyi's arms.
Lin Fengzhi had a high fever.
In his haze, he heard a pleasant voice speaking.
"Mingsong, once your big brother can earn money, I'll buy you big chicken drumsticks, big legs of beef, and big red strawberries!"
"Yay, yay!" another voice cried happily. "I love my big brother more than anyone in the whole world!"
"Big brother, big brother..."
Lin Fengzhi kept murmuring.
Beside him, Lin Fengyi kept changing the cold towel to bring his temperature down. Hearing him call for his big brother broke his heart. He held his hand and said, "I'm here. Don't be afraid."
Lin Fengzhi was still dreaming. He had arrived somewhere filled with white mist, where he couldn't see anything clearly.
Suddenly, a fair, chubby child appeared and ran toward him, laughing.
The child's face was familiar, so familiar.
"Big brother! Big brother! I love you most!"
Then he ran past him.
Lin Fengzhi turned around. Within the white mist, he could faintly make out a figure, small, very small.
After a while, that figure drew closer through the white mist.
His features gradually became clear. His face was small, pale, and very thin.
It was him!
Lin Fengzhi's eyes flew open in shock, and he sat bolt upright in bed.