Chapter 149

Chapter 149: He Will Protect Us (New Year’s Special Extra Chapter One)

This story takes place on New Year’s Day in 2004.

Mei Fang and his friends were still in second grade.

Memories flickered like lights as the winter night of 2004 arrived. The residents were immersed in the joy of the approaching new year. Various vendors had set up stalls all over the cultural square.

Mei Fang followed his parents to the cultural square for the night market. At that time, Mei Ya was just a year old and still struggled with walking, but she could already babble.

“Xiao Ya, look who it is?”

“Mama, mama.”

Little Mei Ya lifted her head and babbled towards her mother, Xiang Xiaoxia.

“And this one?”

Mei Fang cooperatively made a funny face at his sister in their mother’s arms.

“Gege, gege.”

Her childish voice was so adorable that even Mei Fang, who had been reborn, couldn’t resist petting her a few more times.

“My little sister is the cutest sister in the world!”

“Then you must take good care of your sister in the future.”

“Mm-hmm!” Mei Fang nodded, “I will definitely take good care of her.”

Only Mei Lijun remained unhappy:

“Why won’t she call me ‘Daddy’? This girl…”

“Old dad, these things depend on fate. You can’t rush it.”

“You’re always talking too much.”

Mei Lijun was knocking his son’s head when he saw Xia Yuan and her family coming out shopping together—

“Oh, isn’t that Teacher Yu?”

“What a coincidence, Mei Fang’s mom and dad!”

Upon seeing Mei Fang’s family, Xia Yuan also came forward excitedly and greeted them respectfully, “Hello Aunt Mei, Uncle Mei!”

“Hi there, Yuan Yuan!”

Xia Yuan was immediately drawn to little Mei Ya in Xiang Xiaoxia’s arms.

“Mei Auntie! Can I touch the baby?”

“Be careful, she’s very delicate now.”

“Mm-hmm, I’ll be careful…”

Xiang Xiaoxia sat on a stone bench nearby. Xia Yuan leaned in and gently touched Mei Ya’s cheek.

Little Mei Ya blinked her big eyes curiously, paying close attention to this unfamiliar older sister.

“She smiled… she smiled at me! Did you see that, Mei Fang?!”

Excited, Xia Yuan pulled Mei Fang along, shouting happily. Xiang Xiaoxia noticed her daughter staring in one direction, seemingly wanting to reach out for something.

“She seems to really like your hairpin.”

“This… this one?”

Xia Yuan took off a peach blossom hairpin from her own hair and showed it to Mei Ya.

“This is a sharp hair accessory. You’re too young to hold it directly…”

“Mama, mama…”

Little Mei Ya reached out to grab it while calling for her mother.

“You really can’t hold it, it’s too dangerous…”

Clearly, Mei Ya didn’t understand Xia Yuan’s words. Seeing she couldn’t get what she wanted, she immediately started crying in frustration.

“Yoyo… Xiao Ya, be good… Sister Yuan Yuan is right, it’s dangerous. You can’t touch it now.”

Xiang Xiaoxia held Mei Ya and began to comfort her, signaling Xia Yuan to put away the hairpin.

“…”

Xia Yuan put the hairpin back on her head. Just then, Teacher Yu gently patted her daughter’s shoulder and said, “Did you bring your little wallet today? You can go play with Mei Fang at those small stalls over there, but don’t run too far.”

“Mm-hmm, okay!”

As soon as Xia Yuan got permission, she turned into a wild horse, pulling Mei Fang’s hand and running.

“Mei Fang, let’s go play over there!”

“Wait, you wait… Didn’t we say not to run too far?”

Entering elementary school, Xia Yuan no longer needed Mei Fang to take her out to play, but she wouldn’t go alone either. Playing with her friends was Xia Yuan’s usual routine. As long as they held hands, nothing could scare them.

Xia Yuan took Mei Fang to watch others shoot air guns and toss rings.

In Bai Mei County, it was still popular to throw dice during the New Year. The dice had various animal shapes painted on them, and people would bet on how many animals would land face-up to win corresponding rewards.

Because the dice were quite large, throwing them involved pulling a thick rope to make the dice roll down from above the board, creating a very entertaining experience.

Xia Yuan watched from the side.

Mei Fang asked her, “Don’t you want to try betting yourself?”

Xia Yuan shook her head, “Mom said this is gambling, and children shouldn’t do this.”

“But you seem very interested!”

Xia Yuan blushed, “It’s fine to just watch…”

“I’ll give it a try.”

Just as Mei Fang rolled up his sleeves, Xia Yuan grabbed him. Mei Fang frowned, “Are you going to tell Teacher Yu on me?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

Xia Yuan took out a ten-yuan bill from her wallet, “Mei Fang, let me give you some money to play. Then I’ll feel like I’m part of it… If you win, it’s yours; if you lose, it’s mine. How about that?”

“Hmm… What animal do you want to bet on?”

“Rabbits, rabbits! Let’s bet all on rabbits!”

“The game costs two yuan per try. Are you betting five times on rabbits or betting five times consecutively?”

“Just play once! Just play once… You help me bet on rabbits.”

After hearing Xia Yuan’s words, Mei Fang went to bet on rabbits. Everyone else began placing their bets before the next round started.

“Place your bets, place your bets. The dice are about to be thrown!”

The stall owner pulled the thick rope, and Xia Yuan, too scared to watch, only held onto Mei Fang’s arm with her eyes closed.

Seeing her amusing expression, Mei Fang rubbed her little head affectionately.

“By the way, your hairpin is quite pretty…”

“Yeah! I really like this hairpin!”

Just as Xia Yuan finished speaking, the stall owner pulled the rope, and three large dice rolled down from the board.

Rabbits, rabbits, rabbits…

“It’s three rabbits!”

“Woah, woa!”

Xia Yuan hugged Mei Fang in celebration, “You’re so lucky when you’re with me!”

Although hitting three rabbits was a low-probability event, the prize they received was only twenty yuan.

Xia Yuan gave Mei Fang the promised eighteen yuan she had won and then continued to walk around with him.

They had walked for a short while when they heard someone calling Xia Yuan’s name from behind.

When they turned around, they found the little girl who had appeared was Lin You Xi.

She let go of her father Lin Guochuan’s hand and ran up to Xia Yuan happily.

“Lin You Xi, you’re out playing tonight too!”

Lin You Xi nodded, looking curiously at Xia Yuan and Mei Fang.

“What are you two playing?”

“We’re watching someone toss rings! Someone tossed them really accurately and won a lot of prizes.”

“Mei Fang can toss them accurately too. Why don’t you let him try?”

Lin You Xi waved her hands excitedly, “We played tossing rings together a few days ago. You don’t know, he’s really good at it!”

Xia Yuan suddenly stood with her hands on her hips, looking annoyed, “You guys played here by yourselves a few days ago? Why didn’t you call me?”

“No, no… We didn’t come by ourselves. Uncle Mei brought us to play. We were playing in the main street at that time.”

At this moment, Lin Guochuan came over to招呼 the children and asked where their parents were. Then he reminded the three of them:

“There are sky lanterns being released at the south end of the square. Do you want to go play over there? There are also sky lanterns for sale there. If you want to play, you can release them together.”

“Sky lanterns? What’s that…” Xia Yuan tilted her head.

Mei Fang reminded her, “They are lanterns that can fly into the sky. Look at the night sky over there. Can’t you see them?”

“Oh oh, it looks so beautiful! I also want to release a lantern.”

So Lin Guochuan gave Lin You Xi five yuan and instructed them, “If you want to release lanterns together, use this money to buy them.”

Lin You Xi tilted her head, confused, “Dad, aren’t you coming to release lanterns with us?”

“It’s better if you kids release them together.”

Lin Guochuan patted Lin You Xi’s little head, “Remember not to run too far, especially towards the south where there’s a pond.”

“I know, Dad! Don’t worry, Mei Fang is here. He’s a man, he’ll protect us!”

Lin You Xi lifted her little head, her clear eyes filled with boundless trust in Mei Fang.

Wishing everyone a happy New Year. This special chapter has about two chapters. This is the first one.

(End of Chapter)