The twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month was the Little New Year.

A thick layer of snow had fallen outside. Someone's bicycle had tipped over, and it was now buried in snow with only half of its propped-up handlebar visible. Flakes of snow drifted down layer by layer, rustling as they hit the greenhouse tarp.

Miao Jiayan dragged over a foam box meant for flower seedlings to sit on. He rested his chin on his hand and didn't move for a long time. If not for the blinking of his eyes, he would have looked like he was asleep.

There was no one left in the greenhouse; everyone had gone home for the holiday at this hour.

The aunties always had to chat while they worked. No matter how many times the gossip about this or that family had been told, it was always like new once someone started. When they got excited, they would even drop what they were doing to gesture animatedly. The flower greenhouse, usually filled with the sound of voices, was now rarely empty. There was nothing but the sound of the falling snow.

It was quite peaceful.

Miao Jiayan had been sitting here for the better part of the morning. He had put on his hat and come over right after eating this morning. The New Year was approaching, and the house was full of people. Compared to that houseful of people, he much preferred to be here, looking at the flowers.

His family grew cotton. During the summer vacation, Miao Jiayan would mostly go to the cotton fields. Only in the winter, when cotton wasn't grown, would he come to the flower greenhouse.

This greenhouse was filled with begonias, a very cheap flower that wasn't worth much. They didn't have any expensive flowers here; the expensive ones wouldn't sell. Only these common, all-season flowers from the flower market sold the best.

He didn't particularly like coming to the greenhouse. The humidity was high, and the air always felt sticky.

“Aiyo, my goodness—” A sudden shout startled Miao Jiayan, who had been spacing out peacefully, making him jump to his feet.

“Goodness, it’s Xiao Yan!” Auntie Lin clutched a pair of cotton gloves in her hand, a dark gray scarf wrapped tightly around her head, revealing only her face. Her other hand was patting her chest as she repeatedly muttered, “You scared me to death! Why were you sitting here without making a sound, you child! Just sitting here without a peep!”

Miao Jiayan had also gotten a bad scare from her. He had stood up so abruptly that he knocked over the foam box, and now he felt quite wronged. “Why would I make a sound when I’m here by myself…?”

“Well, you could have made some noise when I came in. Look how you scared me!” Auntie Lin dusted off her gloves and walked further in, asking as she went, “Why haven't you gone home yet? Didn't they call you back for a meal?”

Miao Jiayan flipped the foam box back over and answered, “Not yet.”

“You should head back soon. I came to get the key to the storage room; I must have left it here.” Auntie Lin chattered as she walked, searching for her key along the rows of flower pots.

Miao Jiayan stood with his hands in his pockets, watching her search.

The key was right where she had been working earlier. Auntie Lin picked up the key ring and asked Miao Jiayan, “Are you leaving with me?”

Miao Jiayan looked at her, shook his head, and said, “I’m not going back yet.”

“It’s a holiday, what are you doing sitting here, looking like a little punching bag,” Auntie Lin paused, then lowered her voice to ask, “Are your parents back? Did they scold you?”

Miao Jiayan shook his head and said, “No.”

Auntie Lin was very close with his grandmother and knew all about their family’s affairs. Looking at Miao Jiayan, she walked over, patted his arm, and said with a sigh, “What’s the point of you squatting here? Your parents and your aunt are all back for the New Year. You should be at home.”

Miao Jiayan had always been an honest and quiet child, not one to lose his temper or speak loudly. The aunties in the greenhouse were actually all very fond of him.

“They’ll all go back after the New Year anyway. Whatever they say to you, just pretend you don’t hear it,” Auntie Lin advised him. “Don’t talk back to your parents, or you’ll just give them another reason to deal with you.”

After saying her piece, Auntie Lin didn't linger. She was in a hurry to get back and help with the cooking. She only said, “Alright, I won’t mind you anymore. You should leave soon, don’t wait for someone from home to come call for you.”

Miao Jiayan was just about to respond when he heard Auntie Lin mutter again, “I saw a big car on my way here. I wonder if that father and son from the Chen Family are back—”

Miao Jiayan stood frozen, then abruptly whipped his head around to look at Auntie Lin.

“It must be them. Who else could it be?” Auntie Lin put on her gloves and pulled her scarf up to cover her face. “I’m leaving now. Don’t forget to lock the door.”

Auntie Lin pushed the door open and left. Miao Jiayan remained in the same position, his eyes slightly wide.

His palms grew sweaty in his pockets, becoming damp. Miao Jiayan could no longer be bothered with the people at home, nor could he spare a thought for any other trivial matters. His mind was completely filled with just one thing—

Chen Chao was back.

“Who is it?” In the Chen Family courtyard, Grandma Chen stepped out of the house, a half-plucked head of cabbage still in her hand. “Who’s knocking?”

“It’s me, Grandma,” a boy’s voice answered from outside the gate. “Chen Chao.”

“Oh, my grandson’s back!” Grandma Chen hurried to unlatch the iron gate. Seeing the boy outside who was a full head taller than her, she beamed with extreme delight.

Chen Chao was carrying two boxes. The old lady tried to take them, but Chen Chao dodged to the side, saying as he entered, “I’ll get them.”

“Where’s your dad?” The old lady affectionately patted her grandson’s back with the hand that wasn’t holding the cabbage. “How did you get so tall?”

“Parking the car.” Chen Chao put the boxes down by the door and turned to go back out. “There’s more stuff in the car. I’ll go get it.”

The old lady, wearing a small padded jacket, wanted to go with him but was stopped by Chen Chao. “It’s cold, and it’s pretty far.”

This area was full of small alleyways, so the car had to be parked in an open lot quite a distance away. By the time Chen Chao got there, his dad had already parked and was unloading things from the car.

“Are your grandpa and grandma home?” Chen Guangda asked.

“I didn’t see Grandpa,” Chen Chao said, picking up three more boxes. With his own backpack on, he asked his dad, “Is there anything else to get?”

“I’ll get the rest. Let’s go.” Chen Guangda closed the trunk and walked behind Chen Chao, carrying the remaining items. He said, “Not bad, you didn’t get lost just now. I thought you wouldn't be able to find your way.”

Chen Chao glanced back at him. Before he could speak, his dad said with a laugh, “Right, you’re more familiar with this place than I am now.”

Chen Chao had lived in this place for three whole years, only moving away last summer.

Before that, you could count on one hand the number of times Chen Chao had returned; he had almost never come back. He was a kid who grew up in the city, and when he first came back, he seemed completely out of place here.

“This whole area used to be Dad’s turf. When I was your age, I was the one who called the shots here.” Chen Guangda had gotten a little chubby lately. Chen Chao wasn't even out of breath carrying the boxes, but his dad, following behind him, sounded a bit winded as he spoke.

Chen Chao casually replied, “Fallen from your peak now?”

Chen Guangda shifted the things he was carrying to his other hand and said with a breathless laugh, “Many of my little brothers aren’t here anymore. If they were, I’d still have some pull.”

“Shouldn’t they come back for the New Year?” Chen Chao walked into the alleyway of his grandmother’s house. He seemed to be in a good mood today, up for some banter with his dad. “The big boss is back, shouldn’t his underlings be waiting at home? Where are their manners?”

Chen Guangda laughed as he walked. Reaching the courtyard gate, he yelled, “Dad! I can’t carry this anymore, give me a hand!”

“Your dad’s not home, stop shouting!” The old lady came out again in her small padded jacket, about to take the things from Chen Guangda’s hands when Chen Chao said, “Don’t let Grandma carry it.”

“Your grandson won’t let me,” Chen Guangda was all out of energy from laughing earlier. He forced himself to carry the things into the courtyard, set them on the small stone table, and let out a long breath. “So heavy.”

“I just told you on the phone not to bring things back. Your dad and I aren't used to the food you eat! You all only eat a few bites anyway, and once you leave, it gets stuffed in the fridge and sits there for a year.” Grandma bustled around her son and grandson, muttering nonstop, but the smile never left her face.

“Where’s Dad?” Chen Guangda moved the things into the small storage room behind the kitchen, panting from exhaustion.

“He went to buy fish. Said the one he bought before wasn’t big enough.” Grandma turned to look at Chen Chao again, unable to contain her pride, and said, “My grandson is so handsome.”

“He’s alright. A little worse than me when I was a kid,” Chen Guangda chimed in from the side.

Neither Chen Chao nor Grandma paid him any mind.

Chen Chao’s room was the same as before. No one had touched it, and no miscellaneous junk had been put inside. Even when Second Uncle and Youngest Aunt came back to stay, Grandma wouldn’t let them sleep in this room.

Before he came back this time, Grandma had specially cleaned it for him. The bedsheets and duvet cover had been changed to freshly washed ones, and the cabinets and desk were wiped spotless.

Chen Chao placed his backpack on the desk. The action was just like every day when he came home from school in the past.

“Xiao Tao came by a couple of days ago to ask if you were coming back this year. He said he wanted to come hang out with you.”

Xiao Tao was that mischievous kid from the Ding Family. He was in the same class as Chen Chao in middle school, and the two of them walked home together every day.

Chen Chao asked, “Is he in high school now?”

“He is,” Grandma said with a smile. “His dad beats him every other day. He doesn’t study properly at school and got a girlfriend. The teacher caught them.”

Chen Chao smiled too but didn’t say anything. It was a little warm in the room, so Chen Chao took off his jacket.

“Xiao Miao also asked about you two or three times, but he stopped asking later on,” Grandma said. “That child doesn’t talk much.”

Chen Chao draped his jacket over a chair and heard the gate open outside. Grandpa was back.

“Dad’s back. Let me see how big of a fish he bought.” Chen Guangda pushed the door open and took the black bag from the old man’s hand.

“Your grandpa went out specially to buy you a big yellow croaker. I’ll steam it tonight,” Grandma said to Chen Chao.

Chen Chao said, “Okay,” and after putting his things away, he put an arm around his grandmother’s shoulder and they left the room together.

“Who bought Dad this little red padded jacket? They’ve really got some taste.” Chen Guangda had a loud voice; whatever he said in the courtyard could be heard in the house.

Grandpa seemed quite pleased with his red padded jacket. He chuckled and said, “It makes me look so energetic.”

“Dad is energetic to begin with.” Chen Guangda’s gaze flickered to the gate. “Whose kid is that?”

Miao Jiayan had walked very quickly and was now panting heavily. The winter wind hurt a little as it was drawn into his lungs.

Half of his body was still hidden by the gate, and his gaze, as he peeked into the courtyard, held a timid hesitation.

Grandpa glanced back and said, “Miao'er ah, come in.”

Miao Jiayan had intended to greet them, but just as he opened his mouth, the tall boy and Grandma Chen walked out of the house. Miao Jiayan’s gaze was instantly captivated.

“Chao… Chen Chao.” Miao Jiayan’s voice was laced with uneven breaths as he clung to the side of the gate, peering inside.

Chen Chao hadn’t noticed him at first, but now, hearing his name, his gaze swept over and landed on Miao Jiayan.

The blatant distance in that gaze made the unfinished greeting catch in Miao Jiayan’s throat.

He blinked at Chen Chao, stunned. He had walked in a hurry, and his hair was a mess from the wind. A few fine strands fell haphazardly, slanting from his temple across the bridge of his nose. His lips were chapped from the wind, with small cracks on them. His lip balm had been crushed by his younger brother.

His gaze rested on Chen Chao for a long moment, and disappointment gradually filled his eyes.

Chen Chao didn’t speak, didn’t even give him a second glance.

“Come, Xiao Miao, come in for a bit.” Grandma beckoned to him.

Miao Jiayan looked at Grandma, then at Chen Chao, pressed his lips together, gently closed the courtyard gate for them, and ran away.