Chapter 108: Long Time No See
In his third year, at the village square, Qi Hao presented the new toy he had bought to Ji Wanwan like a treasure, refusing to share it with the other children no matter how much they begged.
He stood by Ji Wanwan like a little hero, "I’m only letting my little sister play with this toy, and I’m standing right here. Whoever dares to snatch it will get a beating from me!"
He hadn’t played with it for long, but as long as Ji Wanwan liked it, he would unconditionally bring it out for her.
In his fifth year, when every household was brimming with the festive spirit of the New Year, Qi Hao, dressed like a big dumpling, produced a New Year’s gift that only Ji Wanwan had: "I secretly saved a piece of New Year money and didn’t hand it over, I used it to buy a small cake, try it!"
Though he himself was visibly drooling with desire, he didn’t eat a single bite, giving it all to her.
In his eighth year, Ji Wanwan lost her school badge, and cried all the way home from school, that night, Qi Hao knocked on her window holding the school badge: "You dropped your school badge, I found it, how coincidental, right?"
But there’s never such a coincidence in this world, it was clearly him who had searched all afternoon, yet he claimed it was a chance occurrence.
At the age of eleven, she started liking a pop star, and Qi Hao cycled all afternoon to the city center to buy her a newly released cassette: "I was going to the movies this afternoon and thought I’d pick it up for you on the way."
His casual mention of ’on the way’ belied the fact he had been sunburnt to several shades darker by the fierce August sun, and it took several winters to heal his skin.
At the age of thirteen, when Ji Wanwan began boarding school, Qi Hao climbed walls every week to bring her snacks: "My grandma bought me lots of snacks, asked me to take them home, I thought it was on the way, so I brought some for you, if you like them I’ll bring more next time!"