Pats Little Shrike's Tail - Chapter 96

Chapter 96

On New Year’s Eve, the streets and alleys were full of people buying goods for the New Year.

Shan Ling sat in the car, watching pedestrians carrying various holiday gifts outside the window, and finally felt the spirit of the New Year.

“Should we buy some things too?” Shan Ling’s gaze was fixed on a street vendor selling tanghulu by the roadside. Only after the car drove past did she say: “I feel like we don’t have anything at home.”

“No,” Shen Qingyi said calmly: “We don’t lack anything at home. If you want to buy something, you can order it online and have it delivered directly. Don’t keep thinking about getting out of the car right now.”

She had realized that Shan Ling simply couldn’t sit still.

At home, she could watch TV obediently for a long time, but once she got out of the house, she wanted to go everywhere, extremely curious about everything.

And she always loved running into crowded places.

Shen Qingyi didn’t understand. Why did she love watching the commotion so much?

“Okay.” Shan Ling sat back down in disappointment, leaning against the soft cushion, watching the restaurant get closer and closer.

The car drove into the parking lot. Due to the holiday, the restaurant’s business was exceptionally good, and there were barely any empty parking spaces. Shen Qingyi finally found a spot, but it was in the farthest corner.

“Wait for me here. Don’t move,” Shen Qingyi glanced at Shan Ling, instructing her: “If you hurt your waist again, all the suffering you’ve endured these past few days will be wasted. Understand?”

Shan Ling nodded, smiling brightly at Shen Qingyi: “I’m not a child. You don’t have to worry about me so much. I’ll wait for you in the car, and I promise not to go anywhere.”

Shen Qingyi was somewhat uneasy seeing Shan Ling agree so readily, so she reminded her again: “I’ll be back soon. Don’t move around.”

Shan Ling nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice, waving her hand: “Go on. You really don’t need to worry about me.”

Only then did Shen Qingyi get out of the car, looking back three times as she walked towards the restaurant.

The car immediately fell silent. Shan Ling lowered the car window a small crack to let the outside air circulate, saving herself from feeling stuffy inside.

Unable to get out of the car, with no one to talk to, Shan Ling watched outside the car window, bored, to pass the time.

The sky was gloomy. Relying on her instinct, Shan Ling sensed that the temperature was gradually dropping, and accompanied by the cold wind, a heavy snowstorm would likely begin soon.

As Shan Ling watched outside the window, she was suddenly startled to see a single snowflake fluttering down and landing on the car window glass, instantly melting.

“It’s snowing…”

Shan Ling completely lowered the window. She stuck her head out and saw white snowflakes beginning to drift down from the sky. The wind blew them into the car, chilling the warmth that had finally built up inside.

The scattered snowflakes landed on the windshield, the roof, and also in Shan Ling’s hands.

Shan Ling didn’t know how many snowfalls there had been this year. She leaned on the window, feeling the cold wind, and thought that if her waist hadn’t been hurt, she would really want to fly out and play.

A little white puffball rolling around in the snow would surely be very fun.

Just as Shan Ling was thinking about playing in the snow another day, she saw two people getting out of a car diagonally across from her.

Looking from a distance, Shan Ling realized it was Fang Ran and Song Qinglan.

She remembered bringing Fang Ran here last time. She had apparently reserved a New Year’s Eve dinner table at An Xin’s restaurant, so they must be here to eat now.

But why was Song Qinglan here too?

Fearing they might see her, Shan Ling quickly pulled her hand back, rolled up the window, and secretly observed the two of them.

Song Qinglan wore a mask and a hat and leaned against the car talking to Fang Ran. When Fang Ran reached out to catch a snowflake, Song Qinglan grabbed her hand and tucked it into her pocket.

Shan Ling’s eyes brightened as she lay on the car window. She wondered if she should take out her phone to snap some photos. After all, knowing that Song Qinglan and Fang Ran were together was one thing; seeing it with her own eyes was another.

The two spoke softly, then grew increasingly intimate. Finally, Song Qinglan used her other hand to pull down her mask, leaning down to kiss Fang Ran on the cheek.

It was the first time Shan Ling had ever seen people kissing, especially people she knew. She immediately felt shy and curious, staring wide-eyed at them without blinking.

Fang Ran blushed and pushed Song Qinglan away, stepping back a couple of paces and saying something to her, then took a phone call.

Song Qinglan looked somewhat wronged. She lowered her head and kicked a small stone, then, feeling unsatisfied, turned around and hugged Fang Ran from behind, resting her head on her shoulder. The two were extremely intimate.

Later, perhaps due to some commitment, Fang Ran said something serious to Song Qinglan, and the two finally left the parking lot together.

As they left, Shan Ling was very curious, but she couldn’t get out of the car, so she could only watch them leave.

Before long, Shen Qingyi walked over, carrying the packed food.

“Yiyi~”

Shan Ling sat in the passenger seat, helping to take the food boxes, and said excitedly: “I just saw Fang Ran and Miss Song.”

Shen Qingyi showed no particular expression. She nodded and said: “I saw them in the restaurant, along with a group of people. They looked like their family members.”

“It must be Fang Ran’s family,” Shan Ling said, holding the containers: “Is Miss Song preparing to meet the parents?”

“I don’t know about that,” Shen Qingyi saw her hugging the boxes and told Shan Ling: “Don’t hug them. Put them on the floor mat. You’ll get grease all over yourself.”

Shan Ling said “Oh,” put the food down, and was about to chat with Shen Qingyi more, but Shen Qingyi pressed her head gently.

“Let’s go home first,” Shen Qingyi stroked Shan Ling’s head: “Sitting like this for too long isn’t good for your recovery, and Fang Ran and her family are definitely having a lively night tonight. Miss Song is a sensible person, so you shouldn’t be so gossipy about them.”

Shan Ling nodded, asking curiously: “Yiyi, do you think Miss Song and Fang Ran can stay together? I’m always worried that Fang Ran will get hurt.”

Song Qinglan was a cut above Fang Ran in both work and presence.

In terms of their relationship, Fang Ran had been in love with her for ten years.

Although the tide seemed to have turned, Shan Ling still felt there was something missing between them.

But what was missing?

Shan Ling couldn’t figure it out.

Shen Qingyi started the car, saying: “Fang Ran knows what she’s doing.”

Shan Ling looked at Shen Qingyi’s profile, feeling that she probably didn’t want to hear her discuss other couples. She could only lean on the seat, watching the snow outside the window intensify.

The drifting snowflakes reached their peak when Shan Ling got out of the car.

Shan Ling looked at the overwhelming snow and widened her eyes in surprise: “What heavy snow!”

Shen Qingyi, holding the food, glanced at the heavy snow outside and told Shan Ling: “Let’s hurry home. The food is getting cold.”

Shan Ling quickly walked over to help Shen Qingyi carry things and said helplessly: “If I hadn’t been injured, we could have gone out and played, and the New Year’s Eve dinner would be warm.”

Shen Qingyi breathed out a puff of white air and smiled: “Are you trying to compensate me?”

Shan Ling nodded, tilting her head to look at her: “I did mess up your plans. I really should compensate you. Otherwise…”

She wanted to say, otherwise, don’t pay me the little nanny’s salary next month.

“If you want to compensate me, hurry up and recover from your injury,” Shen Qingyi took Shan Ling’s hand with the one not holding anything: “Once you’ve recovered, we’ll have a make-up New Year’s Eve dinner. How about that?”

“A make-up dinner?” Shan Ling was led by Shen Qingyi toward the house: “How will we do that?”

“We’ll go eat at An Xin’s restaurant again,” Shen Qingyi said casually.

“Sounds good!” Shan Ling was delighted and discussed it with Shen Qingyi: “There must be many people eating New Year’s Eve dinner now. Sister An Xin and Taotao are so busy. Once I’m healed, I can treat you guys to a meal. The restaurant will be less crowded then, and everyone will have time.”

The more Shan Ling thought about it, the more she felt Shen Qingyi’s idea made sense. She happily followed her into the elevator.

Because there was an injured person at home, Shen Qingyi simply tidied up the packed New Year’s Eve dinner. Listening to the Spring Festival Gala on the living room TV, she and Shan Ling spent a relatively warm New Year.

Shan Ling lay on the sofa watching TV, while Shen Qingyi sat next to her peeling oranges.

As soon as a comedy sketch on TV made them laugh, Shen Qingyi would immediately put an orange slice into Shan Ling’s mouth. When she occasionally failed to stop her, Shan Ling would laugh and her waist would hurt.

Shen Qingyi had a high tolerance for humor. She didn’t find the sketches or cross-talk particularly funny, but every time Shan Ling laughed and her waist hurt, she found her much more entertaining than the TV.

Around midnight, firecrackers started going off somewhere in the neighborhood, their “pitter-patter” shattering the tranquility of the night.

Following the first blast, many others started setting off firecrackers, reaching a peak at the midnight countdown.

Shan Ling huddled on the sofa, hugging the cushion, and quietly leaned close to Shen Qingyi’s ear, whispering: “The people setting off firecrackers will definitely be fined tomorrow.”

Shen Qingyi glanced at her, smiling gently: “Happy New Year.”

Shan Ling’s eyes curved into a smile too, and she said sweetly: “Happy New Year~”

This was their first Spring Festival together, and it was Shen Qingyi’s only New Year in many years where she had company.

The phone Shen Qingyi had placed nearby vibrated continuously. She glanced at it casually and saw it was a call from her father. She thought for a moment, then picked up the phone and walked to the balcony to answer.

“Hello, Dad.” Shen Qingyi calmly looked at the night view outside. Although it was past midnight, most homes hadn’t gone to sleep, and many windows in the neighborhood were still lit.

“Yiyi,” on the other end of the phone, Shen Hongjun’s voice sounded a little unclear, and with the sound of firecrackers, it seemed even more distant.

Shen Hongjun looked at his younger daughter and his beloved wife. This Spring Festival, the family of three came to a resort in the suburbs. There were many guests here, and the resort was currently filled with the sound of fireworks and firecrackers. Even the falling snow carried a hint of the New Year’s spirit.

“We are at a resort in the suburbs. We had wanted to invite you to come too,” Shen Hongjun sat on a chair, sighing: “It would have been wonderful if you could have come.”

That would have felt like a complete New Year.

But Shen Hongjun didn’t say it directly. After all these years, Shen Qingyi had maintained a distance from him, and he didn’t know when he had run out of things to talk about with Shen Qingyi.

The monthly meetings made Shen Hongjun feel that the distance between himself and his daughter was growing wider and wider. He was afraid that one day, he would lose her too.

Shen Qingyi quietly listened to the lively sounds on the other end of the phone, knowing that his family must be happy together at that moment. She looked back at Shan Ling, who was lying on the bed cracking melon seeds, and felt equally happy herself.

“Happy New Year,” Shen Qingyi said softly to her father: “Please send my regards to Auntie and Jiao Jiao.”

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