After the family split up, my stepmother and scumbag father begged me to come home.

As dusk fell, Ding Xiaohu ran back from Lin Yulong's house. He practically jogged downhill into the courtyard, his shoe scraping against the threshold, causing him to stumble slightly, but his smile remained undiminished.

"Big brother, second brother!" he called out breathlessly.

Ding Laoda propped himself up on the kang (a heated brick bed), and using the last bit of light from the window to see that it was his younger brother, he leaned back down and said, "Tiger's back? I left you some rabbit meat in the pot, it's still warm, eat up."

"Brother, I've already eaten." Ding Xiaohu plopped down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), dangling his legs in mid-air and swinging them around. His eyes shone like lamps. "You guys don't know, Sister Qianqian's spicy rabbit meat—it was so fragrant! So numbing and spicy, it felt like my tongue was being electrocuted. I ate two bowls of rice!"

Ding Lao Er's neck was already stretched out, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down: "Is it really that delicious?"

"Of course!" Ding Xiaohu raised his chin, his eyebrows almost reaching his forehead. "Sister Qianqian said she'll teach me how to stir-fry it another day, so we can make it ourselves in the future."

Ding Laoda didn't speak, but his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

"Alright, alright, what time is it? Hurry up and get under the covers and go to sleep." Aunt Ding shook out the quilt while lowering her voice, "Anyone who keeps chatting like this won't be allowed to leave the house tomorrow."

The three of them immediately shut up. Ding Lao Er kicked off his socks and climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed) first, while Ding Lao Da was a little slower, adjusting the position of his pillow before lying down.

Ding Xiaohu was the youngest. When he climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), he stepped on the second brother's foot. The second brother hissed, but didn't dare to make a sound.

The blankets still smelled of sunshine, but the scent had faded.

Ding Xiaohu pulled the blanket up to his chin, turned over, and then turned back over.

"Mother." He poked half his head out.

"Um."

"I'm going with Sister Qianqian again tomorrow."

Aunt Ding was bending down to gather the shoes on the floor and put them under the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) when she heard this, she straightened up and glanced at him.

The room had darkened, making it impossible to see her expression, but her voice was softer than before: "I know. You little ones, please be careful."

The light went out.

Darkness suddenly filled the entire room.

The window paper fluttered gently in the night breeze, making a very faint sound.

Someone's stomach rumbled in the quiet.

No one laughed.

Ding Xiaohu closed his eyes, the numbing and spicy taste still lingering on his tongue.

He thought that he should learn a few more tricks from Sister Qianqian someday, and once he learned them, he would first make them for his older brothers, and then for his mother.

This thought made him turn over contentedly and he quickly fell asleep.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Ding Xiaohu woke up.

He was woken up by his own thoughts—the taste of the spicy rabbit meat from last night was still in his mind, and he was even dreaming about learning to cook with Sister Qianqian.

When I opened my eyes, the window paper was still gray. My two older brothers were still fast asleep on the kang (a heated brick bed), one snoring and the other curled up like a shrimp.

Ding Xiaohu tiptoed to his feet and crept to the stove. His mother was already up, and the meal was ready.

"Why are you up so early?" Aunt Ding glanced at him.

"Go find Sister Qianqian." Ding Xiaohu lowered his voice, but couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

Aunt Ding didn't reply. She took three pancakes out of the pan, wrapped them in oil paper, and handed them to him, saying, "Here, eat with me."

Ding Xiaohu stuffed the pancakes into his arms, slung the basket over his shoulder, and almost tripped as he stepped out the door.

"Slow down!" Aunt Ding called from behind.

Ding Xiaohu didn't even turn his head; he just waved and ran off.

The eldest and second eldest sons of the Ding family also got up.

I made a special trip home yesterday, but I have to rush back to work today.

Ding Laoda was squatting at the door tying his shoelaces, while Ding Laoer rubbed his eyes and climbed off the kang (a heated brick bed), muttering, "That kid Huzi runs fast," though it was unclear who he was talking to.

The Lin family's old house was at the east end of the village. When Ding Xiaohu ran up to it, the roosters in the village had just crowed.

"Sister Qianqian! Ah Long!" He pressed his face against the crack in the fence and shouted inside.

No one answered.

"Sister Qianqian—" he called out again, his voice louder than before.