After the Sickly Child Differentiates into A - Chapter 26

A pair of puppy-dog eyes drooped with grievance, softening anyone’s heart.

“Let’s go play something else.” Well, at least it wasn’t that “fake” smiling face now.

Wen Jingzhi’s heart softened, and she gave up teasing the child, carrying her to the go-kart area.

Wen Xihe took Xiao Xi, while Wen Jingzhi naturally brought Lin Li along.

Mindful of the child’s delicate health, both drove slowly and avoided bumping into each other forcefully. After about half an hour, they moved on to another activity.

Apart from showing clear dislike for the merry-go-round, Lin Li seemed to enjoy the other rides quite a bit.

As the sky darkened completely, the amusement park lit up with vibrant, dazzling colors.

When the Ferris wheel cabin carrying the trio and the dog reached its peak, the first firework shot into the sky, illuminating the night.

Flurries of pure white drifted past the brilliant fireworks, adorning the treetops and blanketing the ground.

It was snowing.

Lin Li squinted happily.

So beautiful.

After getting off the Ferris wheel, Wen Xihe, worried the child might catch a chill, went to the gift shop to fetch hot water. Carrying two cups, she looked up and saw the two figures one tall, one small gazing at the sky in unison. Her heart softened, and she chuckled softly, walking over to a bench behind them. Setting one cup down, she took a sip from the other and smiled, making a “shh” gesture to Xiao Xi, who was puffing out white breaths beside her.

Xiao Xi tilted her head.

Confused.

Lin Li watched the snowflakes tinted colorful by the fireworks, squinting silently with a smile.

As the fireworks faded, the empty amusement park grew quiet and cold.

“Time to go back,” Wen Jingzhi beckoned to the child, signaling for her to hold her hand.

Lin Li gazed reluctantly at the falling snow before clasping her sister’s chilly fingers.

“What else do you want to do?” So fond of the snow, even though her body couldn’t handle the cold.

Perhaps that was precisely why she was so reluctant to leave.

The child wore that expression again, the one that tugged at the heartstrings.

Was it regret?

Or longing?

Lin Li simply shook her head with a smile.

Wen Jingzhi turned to look into those dark eyes, silent for a few seconds before sighing inwardly. “Today is your birthday.”

“You have privileges.”

“Whatever you want.”

Whatever you wish to do, whatever you desire, just say it.

Those downturned eyes trembled with surprise. Lin Li pressed her lips together and glanced hesitantly at the nearly transparent, cold gaze of the person beside her in the snow.

Wen Jingzhi didn’t rush her, waiting for her to speak.

Wen Xihe, standing by the bench, brushed the snow off her shoulders and took a sip of water with a smile.

If Xiao You were a few years younger, with those puppy-dog eyes not curved in laughter, she’d bear a slight resemblance to the ice block’s daughter.

Thankfully, our Xiao You loves to laugh nothing like the ice block at all, and much more adorable.

After a few minutes, the child finally made up her mind. In a soft voice, tinged with hopeful hesitation, she asked, “Can I, build a snowman, sister?””

Wen Jingzhi instinctively frowned.

They didn’t have gloves, she could get frostbite.

Lin Li, watching her sister’s expression closely, mistook the frown for a refusal. Unable to hide her disappointment, she lowered her eyes and pursed her lips.

“You can.” The gift shop probably sells fuzzy gloves.

“Huh?” Lin Li thought she’d misheard, widening her eyes in surprise. “Really, sister? Can I really?”

Amused by her hesitant yet barely contained delight, Wen Jingzhi felt her mood lift and ruffled the child’s hair twice. “Yes, you can.”

“But,” she changed the subject, “you can only play if you wear gloves properly.”

No need for gloves, I used to.

Lin Li suddenly froze.

Now, it seems I can’t.

She felt sad again.

Wen Jingzhi sighed softly, soothingly ruffled her hair, and called Wen Xihe over: “Does the gift shop sell gloves?”

“I think so.” Wen Xihe put down her water and walked over, thinking for a moment. “The fluffy kind.” Wait, “Why do you need gloves?”

“Lin Li wants to build a snowman.”

“How can that,” work?

Wen Xihe noticed the dejected little figure and swallowed the rest of her words.

Fine, the ice block has already agreed.

She had noticed earlier that the little one really liked snow and even talked about taking her to have a snowball fight someday. But since her health hadn’t improved, the family never dared to let her play in the snow.

Oh well, it’s her birthday today after all.

If she gets a fever, we’ll deal with it then.

Wen Xihe led the two of them to the gift shop and picked out a pair of reasonably thick gloves.

Once Lin Li put on the gloves and received a nod from Wen Jingzhi, she immediately ran outside, bent down to scoop up a handful of snow, her puppy-like eyes crinkling as she smiled with pure joy and satisfaction.

So cold.

So soft.

Seeing how happy she was, Wen Xihe, though worried she might get sick, couldn’t bring herself to stop her. She sighed and glanced at the stern-faced “ice block” beside her, asking, “How could you agree to this?”

“What if she gets a high fever?”

Wen Jingzhi gave her a cool, indifferent look. “Then you call her back.”

Wen Xihe shut her mouth.

Tch! The ice block has turned black-hearted.

Lin Li didn’t have much strength, so she rolled the snowball very slowly. Wen Jingzhi and Wen Xihe couldn’t stand watching and, after putting on gloves themselves, joined in.

Amid the vast white snow, a little dog, now dusted white, happily bounded through the snow, wagging its tail as it ran, circling its little owner and puffing out white breaths.

The little owner, smiling, pushed her small snowball. When she got tired, she’d pat the dog’s head and glance at the older sisters rolling the large snowball beside her, exclaiming happily, “Sisters are so amazing!” before returning to her own task.

Half an hour later, a snowman with a chubby body and a small head was completed, the head being the result of the child’s hard work.

Lin Li wasn’t disappointed; instead, she was quite pleased with the snowman.

Wen Jingzhi carried her back to the gift shop to find items for the snowman’s facial features, but they couldn’t find a nose.

Since the snowman’s body, rolled by the two sisters, was quite large and tall, the little one couldn’t reach the top. Wen Jingzhi lifted her up so she could attach the snowman’s eyebrows and eyes.

Only the nose was left.

Holding the child with one arm, Wen Jingzhi took a red, cylindrical lipstick from her bag and handed it to the little one. “Use this.”

Wen Xihe, recognizing the familiar case, choked back a comment.

Wasn’t that the limited-edition J-brand lipstick she had mailed to the ice block just a few days ago?

Tch, even if it only cost a thousand or so, it’s not exactly cheap. Should it really be given to a lousy snowman?

Lin Li, unaware of the item’s value, happily took it. Once her sister lifted her up, she unhesitatingly stuck the lipstick into the snowman’s face as its nose.

Seeing the child’s delighted, beaming smile, Wen Xihe sighed softly and said nothing.

If it could make the little birthday girl this happy, it wasn’t a waste.

With the snowman complete, Wen Xihe pulled the two of them in front of it for a selfie, making sure to include Xiao Xi, the dog, in the background.

The clock had passed nine, time to have the birthday cake.

Wen Jingzhi took Lin Li to wash up. Just as they reached the restroom door, a snowball suddenly flew at them from behind. Hugging Lin Li, she sidestepped lightly, and the snowball sailed over her shoulder to hit the door.

“Whoa!” Lin Li gasped, then rested her chin on Jingzhi’s shoulder, grinning at Wen Xihe, who was smirking mischievously.

Wen Xihe winked at the little girl and tossed another snowball she’d been molding in her left hand. Jingzhi dodged it effortlessly again, set Lin Li down, scooped up a handful of snow, and casually shaped a lumpy, uneven snowball before tossing it lightly.

Xihe tried to dodge but failed, it hit her squarely on the shoulder.

“Tch.” Wen Xihe brushed the snow off her coat, thinking to herself, I should’ve stuck with Grandpa’s training back then.

Then I wouldn’t be so helpless against this icy-hearted block of stone.

Lin Li watched the two sisters throwing snowballs back and forth a few more times and suddenly laughed out loud.

Her usually pale, weary little face relaxed, brimming with joy and vibrant energy.

This is how a child should laugh.

Wen Jingzhi dusted the snow off her hands, deciding not to indulge Xihe’s childishness any further. She picked up Lin Li and headed into the restroom.

After brushing the snow off Lin Li’s clothes, she helped her wash her hands with warm water, put on fresh warm gloves, and even fetched two hand warmers from the park staff. She activated them before slipping them into Lin Li’s palms. “Only warm your hands through the gloves, don’t let them touch your skin directly.”

“Thank you, Sister.” Lin Li cupped the warmers in her hands, the heat seeping through the gloves, cozy and comforting.

The group left the amusement park and headed to the reserved restaurant.

Since they’d eaten late in the afternoon, the two adults weren’t hungry yet, but the little one needed to eat something and take her medicine.

Inside the private dining room, after a simple meal and giving Lin Li her medicine, the cake was brought out.

A six-inch small cake, topped with a cute chibi-style illustration of Lin Li and Xiao Xi.

Adorable.

Wen Jingzhi smiled faintly as she inserted the candles, lit them, and Wen Xihe standing by the light switch turned off the room’s lights.

The melody of “Happy Birthday” played from a phone. Wen Xihe cleared her throat and hummed along for a few lines, while Jingzhi didn’t even move her lips.

In the candlelight, her pale, cool face looked exceptionally gentle, even without expression.

Lin Li glanced at Xihe, who was humming, then at Jingzhe, feeling her chest grow heavy yet warm.

They are all very, very, very good people.

Thank you, Sisters.

This time, she didn’t say it aloud but offered the gratitude solemnly in her heart.

“Happy birthday,” Wen Jingzhi murmured, ruffling her hair. “Make a wish.”

No need to make a wish.

My wish has already come true.

Lin Li said nothing, obediently closed her eyes, and pressed her palms together as if wishing.

After becoming too weak to run, Lin Li’s first wish had been to feel the rushing wind one more time.

When she could no longer bear the cold of snowy days, her body frail and wracked with pain, she formed a second wish to play in the snow again, build a snowman, just like she used to with her grandmother.

These weren’t so much wishes as “last wishes” Lin Li made after learning she might not have long to live.

And now, with Wen Jingzhi’s help, both had come true.

“Taking so long with your wish,” Wen Xihe teased lightly. “Seems our little worrywart has a lot of dreams.”

Lin Li opened her eyes, blew out the candles, and smiled.

I no longer have any wishes left.

The cake used minimal cream, specially chosen to suit Lin Li’s dietary needs. But having just eaten a meal and taken medicine, she could only manage a few small bites before setting down her fork.

The two adults, both mindful of maintaining their figures, rarely consumed such high-calorie foods in the evening. They each took a symbolic taste before carefully rewrapping the remaining cake to bring back to the hotel.

As it was getting late, Wen Xihe gently brushed against Lin Li, wished her a happy birthday, and returned to her room. Lin Li, holding Xiao Xi’s leash, followed Wen Jingzhi back to theirs.

Upon entering, Lin Li immediately noticed a small, slightly messy felt doll on the coffee table. She walked over for a closer look and, despite its rough, unfinished shape, managed to recognize it. “Sister, is this supposed to be Xiao Xi?”

Wen Jingzhi glanced at the oval-shaped felt piece with its indistinct contours and felt a rare flush of embarrassment. Clearing her throat lightly, she replied offhandedly, “Mm, just something I tried making.”

She had originally intended to craft a felt version of Xiao Xi as an apology for previously pressing about Xiao Huan and upsetting the girl. But with limited time and it being her first attempt, the half-finished result was hardly presentable.

“It didn’t turn out well,” Wen Jingzhi said, brushing the felt piece aside. She then brought out the gift she had prepared earlier, a watch with heart rate monitoring functionality.

The watch face and strap were both indigo blue. When inactive, the screen would display a red “lifeline”, an ECG graph every half hour. If one ignored the numerical data on the right, it could be seen as a decorative easter egg.

The watch could sync with a phone app, allowing real-time monitoring of the wearer’s heart rate. It would also send alerts if abnormal rhythms were detected. If the watch was damaged, it would transmit its last known location to the app user.

Wen Jingzhi had come across the watch while searching for gifts some time ago and ordered it without hesitation. Having witnessed the girl’s frail health and episodes of vomiting blood multiple times, she often harbored an irrational fear that Lin Li might suddenly collapse. The thought alone unsettled her.

“Birthday gift,” Wen Jingzhi said as she took out the watch and gestured lightly. “Come here.”

“What is it, sister?” Lin Li asked curiously, stepping closer. Her slender right wrist was gently held as the indigo watch was fastened around her pale skin, resembling a patch of sky peeking through white clouds.

“It’s a watch,” Wen Jingzhi explained, her porcelain-white fingers adjusting the strap and activating the screen for setup. “You can check the time, and it also measures your heartbeat.”

“Oh?” Lin Li tilted her head. “Why would you need to measure my heartbeat?”

Wen Jingzhi seemed to realize she might be overthinking things, making a fuss over nothing. She smiled faintly but offered no explanation.

Still, since she had already given the gift, she might as well set it up properly.

She took out her phone, opened the pre-downloaded app, and paired it with the watch on Lin Li’s wrist. The moment the pairing completed, an ECG graph filled the screen.

A second later, the graph shrank and settled at the top of the interface, with heart rate data displayed below. Scrolling further down revealed a brief summary.

Lin Li’s current heart rate summary read: Slightly slower than average.

Lin Li twisted the slightly loose watch around her wrist and smiled gratefully. “Thank you, sister.” Anticipating the usual follow-up question, she added proactively, “I really like it!”

Wen Jingzhi shot her an amused glance. “Then wear it every day.”

Lin Li nodded. “Okay.”

After giving the gift, Wen Jingzhi took Lin Li to the bathroom to wash up. Since the hotel didn’t have a small stool and it was already quite late, Wen Jingzhi picked up the little one and let her wash first.

Xiaoxi lay on the mat they had brought, watching her two owners, wagging her tail with her tongue hanging out.

After washing up and lying down in bed, Wen Jingzhi tucked the blanket snugly around Lin Li before settling in herself. She realized she was already growing accustomed to having a little one by her side while sleeping.

Apart from the first night when Lin Li had suddenly coughed up blood and developed a fever, and Wen Jingzhi had held her close to monitor her temperature, the subsequent nights had always been like this with just an arm’s length between them, neither too close nor too far.

The little one’s body temperature was usually on the lower side when she wasn’t feverish, but in the warmth of the blanket, she still radiated a comforting heat.

Wen Jingzhi hadn’t shared a bed with anyone since she was three years old having someone nearby made it difficult for her to fall asleep. Who would have thought that after all these years, it would be a sickly little one who would break this habit of hers?

“Goodnight, sister.”

Still such a soft and cuddly little one.

“Goodnight.”

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