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It was early in the morning on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

When Mr. Shang's phone rang, Mrs. Shang was preparing breakfast in the kitchen, while Xie Jing had finished washing up and was sitting on the living room sofa flipping through an old book.

Mr. Shang wiped his hands and turned on speakerphone.

"Feed? Oh, Teacher Guo! Happy New Year! Happy New Year!"

"Hey! Old Shang! Happy New Year! Wishing you prosperity!" On the other end of the phone, Teacher Guo's voice was loud and enthusiastic.

Mr. Shang and Ms. Guo exchanged pleasantries, but a sudden feeling of unease crept into their hearts.

Is it a bit too early to make New Year's greetings calls so early in the morning?

Sure enough, in the next sentence, Teacher Guo revealed his true colors: "Old Shang! I didn't sleep well last night! My mind was filled with that young man! The one who took my pen! Tall and thin, exceptionally handsome, with a particularly good temperament!"

Mr. Shang's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Xie Jing on the sofa and chuckled awkwardly, "Ah...yes, he's my child's friend..."

"Oh dear! I was so blind!" Teacher Guo's voice was filled with excitement. "I was in such a hurry to see my wife that I didn't even get a good look at them! When I came back, I saw those couplets on so many people's doors! My God! They're truly divine! I've practiced calligraphy my whole life, and that spirit, that power... I can't even begin to compare! This won't do! This absolutely won't do!"

Mr. Shang looked at Xie Jing, who was looking at him, and listened to the words on the other end of the phone. Sweat began to bead on his forehead: "Teacher Guo, you're too kind. It was just something my child's friend wrote casually..."

"Just scribbling something?!" Teacher Guo's voice rose eight octaves: "Old Shang! You're wasting such a precious resource! Do you think someone could write something like that just by scribbling?! I've already left! I brought the best tea and my most treasured rubbings! Is the child still at your house? I'm coming right now! Ten minutes! I'll be there in ten minutes!"

"Hey? Teacher Guo...please don't..." Mr. Shang tried to struggle, but Teacher Guo didn't give him a chance and slammed down the phone.

Mr. Shang, holding his phone, was pale-faced: "It's over! It's Teacher Guo! He's seen Xiao Xie! He's realized what's going on! He's come knocking on our door with tea and the baby!"

Mrs. Shang slammed the spatula down on the stove with a clatter. "That won't do! Once he starts talking, it won't stop for at least three to five hours! It's the first day of the Lunar New Year, how can Xiao Xie endure that! We have to send the child out to avoid it!"

As she spoke, Shang's mother quickly pulled out an insulated bag and began filling it with freshly steamed buns, boiled eggs, and then hurriedly filled a pot with hot soy milk.

Mr. Shang nodded repeatedly, then hurriedly looked at Xie Jing, "Yes, yes, yes! Let Songsong take you out to hide! With your personality, you're too polite, you'll definitely be too embarrassed to refuse, and you'll be forced to talk all day, how uncomfortable that would be!"

Xie Jing had already closed his book and stood up; he quickly realized the seriousness of the situation.

An elder he had met once before was about to visit him with rubbings of a painting, and they would have an intense, close-up academic discussion that might even involve physical contact.

This is far beyond the social sphere he can accept.

"Uncle and Aunt, I'll go call Shang Song."

"Alright, alright! Go quickly! That kid's sleeping in! Just tell him that Teacher Guo is coming with the rubbings! I guarantee he'll jump up!" Mr. Shang said, then rushed to the balcony, carefully lifted a corner of the curtain, and began to nervously scout out the "enemy situation."

Xie Jing turned around and pushed open Shang Song's door. The curtains were still drawn, and the room was dimly lit.

Shang Song was curled up in bed, her face flushed from sleep, her lips slightly parted, completely unguarded.

Xie Jing walked to the bedside and gently patted Shang Song's exposed shoulder: "Shang Song."

"Hmm..." Shang Song hummed unconsciously, burying his head in the pillow without opening his eyes.

"Teacher Guo will be here in ten minutes. My uncle and aunt told us to go outside and avoid the area," Xie Jing said.

Shang Song's eyelashes fluttered. He tried to open his eyes, but couldn't. He mumbled, "No... What time is it... It's cold... Why go out... Xie Jing, let me sleep a little longer..."

Xie Jing looked at Shang Song curled up in the quilt and didn't say anything more.

Shang Song was so excited last night that he tossed and turned and refused to sleep, and it's still early now.

Dealing with it on your own, though difficult, is not something you can't try.

At least, it will allow Shang Song to sleep a little longer.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and said softly, "Then you sleep a little longer, I'll wait for you in the living room."

...Wait? Wait for whom?

Wait a minute?! Teacher Guo?!?!?!?!

That Mr. Guo who can talk about calligraphy for three days and three nights straight! And you expect Xie Jing to deal with him?! On the first day of the Lunar New Year?!

Absolutely not!

"No!!!" Shang Song suddenly opened his eyes wide, all sleepiness gone.

His hair was sticking up and down, and his voice was raised: "No! Absolutely not! Get out of here right now! Now! Immediately!"

He practically rolled off the bed, muttering urgently, "Teacher Guo talks too much! He'll have to hold your hand while he talks! You can't see him! Let's go! Let's go right now!"

Xie Jing was slightly taken aback.

He watched as Shang Song instantly flew into a rage because of his compromise, hurriedly changing clothes and putting on socks, then shuffling off to the bathroom in slippers.

He didn't say anything more, but simply picked up Shang Song's down jacket from the back of the chair and walked out of the room.

Shang Song brushed his teeth and washed his face as quickly as possible in the bathroom.

As soon as Shang's mother saw Xie Jing come out, she immediately started circling around him.

She first took a thick scarf, clearly belonging to Shang's father, and without a word, put it around Xie Jing's neck: "It's cold outside, put this on! Hey! You're dressed too lightly!"

The scarf was wrapped twice and tied into a tight knot.

Then, she pulled a handful of loose change from her pocket—a mix of crisp bills and coins—and shoved it into Xie Jing's cashmere coat pocket. "Here, take this, just in case you want to buy something hot to drink on the way! Oh! And this too!"

She turned back and took out a fluffy bear-shaped knitted hat that she'd somehow found on the table, shoving it into Xie Jing's hand. "This is for Songsong to wear later! His ears get cold!"

Xie Jing was caught off guard by Shang's mother's series of actions.

He held the cute hat that clashed drastically with his overall demeanor, and his body was somewhat stiff.

But he never refused.

There seemed to be something in his eyes, then he said in a low voice, "Thank you, Auntie."

Mr. Shang anxiously pressed himself against the balcony door, shouting, "He's here! I saw Teacher Guo enter the north gate of the community! Carrying two boxes! Quick! Go through the east gate!"

As Shang Song emerged from the restroom, his mother immediately shoved a full insulated bag into his hand, urging, "Hurry, hurry!"

With a hot bun stuffed in his mouth, Shang Song clutched a thermal bag in one hand and kicked off his shoes by the doorway.

Xie Jing, holding a bag of soy milk in one hand and Shang Song's hat and down jacket in the other, said goodbye to Shang's parents: "Uncle and Aunt, we're leaving."

The two walked quickly downstairs, their steps light. Just as they reached the entrance of the building, they heard Mr. Guo's loud and clear voice from not far away, seemingly chatting with another neighbor.

Shang Song grabbed Xie Jing's wrist and darted behind a dense holly tree next to the unit door.

Through the gaps in the branches and leaves, they could see Teacher Guo, dressed in a brand-new Tang suit, carrying a gift box in one hand and a long wooden box in the other, walking towards their building with a radiant face.

The two held their breath.

Once he saw Teacher Guo disappear into the stairwell, Shang Song didn't dare to delay. He grabbed Xie Jing, crouched down, and quickly slipped through the alley towards the east gate of the community.

Just as they turned the corner, they heard Mr. Shang's deliberately loud voice in the distance:

"Oh dear! Teacher Guo! You hung up the phone too quickly! I was just about to tell you that the two kids went out to play early this morning! They said they wanted to go to that newly opened cultural and creative park to experience the New Year's atmosphere! What a coincidence!"

Teacher Guo's voice was just as loud: "Ah? You're out already? So early?! It's alright, it's alright! Old Shang, I'll wait for them! I brought the tea and the rubbings! That young man must see them!"

Shang Song almost burst out laughing, then quickly covered his mouth and pulled Xie Jing forward, completely leaving the neighborhood.

Only after turning a street corner and making sure it was safe did Shang Song release Xie Jing, lean against the wall, and gasp for breath. Then he couldn't help but burst into a muffled laugh, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

Xie Jing stood beside him, watching Shang Song smile with his eyes crinkling, then looked down at the dark gray scarf around his neck that belonged to Shang's father.

He didn't speak, but his expression was relaxed.

After Shang Song finished laughing, he straightened up and was about to speak when Xie Jing handed him the down jacket from his arms. "Put this on."

Shang Song said "oh" and obediently put it on.

He had just zipped up his jacket when the knitted hat with two little bear ears was gently placed on his head.

Shang Song was taken aback and looked up.

Xie Jingzheng lowered his eyes slightly, gently brushing aside the stray hairs on his forehead that were covered by the hat with his fingers, and then carefully pulled the hat down to make sure it completely covered his sensitive ear tips.

His movements were gentle, his fingertips brushing against Shang Song's warm skin, bringing a heart-fluttering sensation.

Hat on.

Shang Song was completely wrapped in a thick down jacket and soft fur in his hat, with only his fair face showing.

His eyes widened in surprise, and the two little bear ears on his hat drooped softly.

Xie Jing took a half step back, looked him up and down for two seconds, then reached out and tugged at the two little bear ears, making them stand up.

After the little bear's ears perked up, he looked Shang Song up and down for two seconds and commented in a low voice, "Auntie is right, we can't let our ears get cold."

Shang Song raised his hand and touched the little bear ears on his head, muttering in dissatisfaction, "This is so childish!!"

He protested, but couldn't help tugging at the fluffy bear ears again. "How old am I? Why am I still wearing this childish hat..."

Xie Jing looked him up and down, her eyes crinkling slightly. "Not childish, very cute."

His gaze finally settled on the pair of spirited little bear ears, and he added:

"It's a teddy bear."