Sweet Oxygen - Chapter 35

Chapter 35 – Junior Sister

Enjoy it for me

——

The day Zhang Yuqing bought the air conditioner was truly scorching hot.

Even Beibei drank more water than usual, spending the entire day panting under the air conditioning unit.

When Luo Shijin miraculously fixed the electric fan, Zhang Yuqing showed no particular enthusiasm. With an indifferent expression, he simply stated that the fan could be moved upstairs, as the first floor’s air conditioning would suffice.

Normally, Qin Han never found anything special about new household purchases. But when Zhang Yuqing bought an air conditioner, it suddenly became a cause for universal celebration, with everyone bursting with joy.

Buoyed by their new cooling system, they went to the market together to buy ingredients for a hotpot feast back at the shop.

This was Qin Han’s first visit to Yaonan Alley’s market. Though called a market, it was really just elderly residents selling vegetables they’d grown themselves.

The vendors sat on wooden benches, some chatting in groups while others played mahjong at a table. Vegetables lay neatly arranged on burlap sacks.

Muddy carrots, emerald-green cucumbers, and flat mushrooms with caps spread wide like umbrellas.

Qin Han bounced around Zhang Yuqing, suddenly feeling vegetables could cure her heart’s gloom. The lingering sadness from “parting soon” had vanished completely, banished to the farthest reaches of the sky.

Qin Han slipped on some vegetable leaves she accidentally stepped on.

Zhang Yuqing reached out to steady her flailing arms. “Watch where you’re stepping.”

Luo Shijin and Li Nan bickered throughout the meal. 

“Is that a radish? A big white one?”

“Are you an idiot? It’s a red radish for salad!”

“Can’t you boil red radishes?”

“Nope!”

“Let’s buy one and try boiling it!”

“Get lost! The whole pot would smell like radishes, and the soup would turn red!”

Qin Han checked her phone. Tomorrow was the last day.

She suddenly turned to Zhang Yuqing with earnest intensity. “Zhang Yuqing, I’ll visit you often after school starts!”

His laughter at her tone was infectious. “You make me sound like a lonely old man.”

The new air conditioner kept them cool even during the hotpot feast. The group ate heartily, yet still left plenty of leftovers. To avoid waste, they planned to finish the remaining dishes on their final day off.

This arrangement put a spring in Qin Han’s step as she walked home.

On the last day of the holiday, Qin Han received a call from Mother Qin.

She explained that she was still on her trip and wouldn’t be able to make it back in time to drive Qin Han to school. “Call your father,” she instructed.

“Even after the divorce, he’s still your father. He needs to fulfill his parental responsibilities.”

Father Qin had been sending messages these past few days. Qin Han knew that due to the trouble Mother Qin had caused earlier, his company projects had been facing difficulties.

These days, Father Qin was on a business trip in Shenzhen, not in Imperial City.

“But Dad…” Qin Han began.

After the divorce, Mother Qin always grew sensitive whenever Father Qin was mentioned. “I’ve been the full-time homemaker for years, taking care of this household. Can’t he even drive you to school? How does he have time to answer calls from those… women?”

Qin Han pressed her lips together. “Okay, I’ll ask Dad to drive me.”

She could go by herself; she didn’t need anyone to take her. The normal university wasn’t far—reachable by bus, subway, or even a taxi.

After hanging up, Qin Han felt somewhat sad.

She knew Mother Qin’s words were rooted in lingering resentment toward Father Qin, but it still gave her the feeling that “I’m a burden to both my parents.”

However, it was the last day of her vacation. She decided to put her unhappiness aside for tomorrow!

She had more important matters to attend to today.

Qin Han gathered her thoughts, tidied herself up, and headed to Yaonan Alley.

Throughout the bus ride, Qin Han’s mind wandered. As they neared the stop, she was surprised to see Zhang Yuqing and Dandan standing at the street entrance.

Zhang Yuqing stood in the shade of a tree, sunlight filtering through the canopy above. The dappled light cast shadows across his face, while behind him stretched the old houses lining the street and the lush treetops between them. The scene, frozen in time, resembled a summer scene from a Japanese anime.

“Zhang Yuqing! Dandan!” Qin Han jumped off the bus.

“Qi Han-jiejie!”

Zhang Yuqing had purchased tattoo supplies for his shop and was waiting at the street entrance for delivery. After exchanging greetings, Qin Han took Dandan to buy ice cream.

Several ice cream vendors lined Yaonan Alley during summer, but Dandan’s taste was particular. Even among strawberry-flavored cones, she insisted on this corner shop’s version.

The street-end ice cream shop thrived, its location near the bus stop drawing passengers seeking refreshment on hot days.

Qin Han bought three ice cream cones. When the first strawberry cone was ready, she handed it to Dandan, letting her have the first taste.

“Thank you, Qin Han-jiejie,” Dandan said, her face lighting up with satisfaction as she accepted the cone.

Watching the ice cream slowly squeeze out of the machine and onto the crispy cone, Qin Han thought, Even this ice cream can only be enjoyed after next week’s break.

A sudden cry came from behind. Qin Han turned to see Dandan holding an empty cone, staring blankly and murmuring, “Ice cream… Dandan’s ice cream.”

The cry hadn’t come from Dandan, but from a girl standing in line behind them.

The girl wore white sandals, and the fallen ice cream had landed right by her feet, splattering a bit onto her shoe.

Dandan crouched down, reaching for the dropped cone. “Mine… Dandan’s ice cream.”

While trying to comfort Dandan, Qin Han also apologized to the girl.

“Dandan, we can’t eat this anymore. Qin Han-jiejie will buy you a new one. Be good, okay?”

“I’m so sorry! Let me wipe that for you. I’m really sorry about this.”

As she spoke, Qin Han quickly pulled out tissues and wet wipes from her bag, crouching beside the girl’s foot.

She stopped Dandan’s hand reaching out to retrieve the ice cream and wiped the melted treat from the girl’s shoe.

The fallen ice cream had melted into a soft puddle on the ground, its once-frozen form now limp and melted.

Dandan clung stubbornly to her ice cream, repeatedly reaching for it despite Qin Han’s attempts to stop her.

When Qin Han momentarily failed to restrain her, the girl suddenly slapped Dandan’s hand away. “Get lost, you idiot.”

Qin Han froze mid-motion before whipping her head up. “What did you just say?”

The girl shot Dandan a disgusted glance. “Can’t even keep an idiot under control when you’re out. What a waste of time.”

Qin Han covered Dandan’s ears and shot to her feet. “Who are you calling an idiot? Apologize to her this instant!”

Dandan did eat messily – her upper lip had issues that required daily speech therapy at school, and she practiced tongue exercises every day.

When eating ice cream, she’d smear it across her face and drool.

But so what?

No matter how Dandan ate, it was no excuse to call her an idiot!

Qin Han had never been this furious before. She gripped the girl’s wrist in a vise-like grip. “Apologize!”

The girl jumped in fright and began struggling. “Are you fucking crazy?! What kind of lunatic brings an idiot out with them?”

Zhang Yuqing was signing for a delivery. He had just finished writing his name when he heard the commotion nearby.

He turned to see Qin Han gripping a girl’s hand in a death-like hold, refusing to let go no matter how the girl struggled.

The young girl’s eyes were red-rimmed as she shielded Dandan behind her. “Apologize!”

Zhang Yuqing clearly heard the girl use the word “idiot.” He strode over and placed his hand on Qin Han’s head, patting her twice in a calming manner. “Young lady, release her first.”

Qin Han’s lips trembled with fury. “She said… she said Dandan…”

Zhang Yuqing lifted Dandan into his arms and gently wiped the ice cream stain from her lips.

He positioned himself between Qin Han and the other girl, his gaze fixed downward.

Noting the empty cone in Dandan’s hand and the spilled ice cream on the ground, Zhang Yuqing pieced together what had happened.

Zhang Yuqing wasn’t particularly harsh with strangers, but that courtesy came with one condition: they mustn’t cross his personal boundaries.

“About the ice cream incident, I’m sorry.”

His tone was gentle, even the corner of his lips carrying a courteous curve.

Yet inexplicably, it made one’s spine tingle with cold.

The girl took a panicked step forward, wanting to leave.

Zhang Yuqing shifted slightly, blocking her path. “Apologize to my sister. Ignorance is no excuse for hurting others.”

“I’m sorry.”

The girl apologized and immediately tried to leave.

But Zhang Yuqing blocked her again.

He pointed at Qin Han behind him and smiled. “You seem to have forgotten someone.”

“I’m sorry!”

After the girl left, Zhang Yuqing turned to look at Qin Han.

The little girl had clearly been crying. Her damp eyelashes clung together, the tears on her face already wiped away. She choked out, “Zhang Yuqing.”

“Little girl, don’t be so impulsive outside. Being so thin, you’ll get taken advantage of easily.”

Zhang Yuqing patted her head and looked into the ice cream shop. “Three strawberry cones, please.”

Qin Han felt truly heartbroken.

Dandan was so adorable, she just had a cold. Why did people call her a fool?

While waiting for their ice cream cones, Dandan, with her wide, innocent eyes, asked, “Am I a fool?”

Zhang Yuqing knelt before her, his eyes brimming with tender light. “No,” he said, “You’re my little rose.”

His voice carried such gentleness, it could smooth away all the rough edges of life’s troubles.

Qin Han’s nose suddenly stung, and two more tears fell.

Zhang Yuqing picked up Dandan and teased her with a smile, “Crying again? Just now you were like a little leopard, impossible to pull away.”

Qin Han had thought that on the last day of their vacation, any sadness would come from her reluctance to leave Yaonan Alley. But this day seemed determined to share its gloom, making everyone unhappy.

Luo Shijin had gone to the crematorium for a relative’s funeral, and returned more somber than before.

Li Nan had been told by his parents that if he didn’t stop wearing women’s clothes, they’d only pay his tuition—he’d have to earn his living expenses himself.

The new air conditioner continued to blow cool winds, dispersing the steam rising from the hotpot.

Condensation formed a thin layer on the closed windows.

The atmosphere at their final dinner was noticeably less lively than yesterday.

Beibei lay asleep across Qin Han’s lap.

Dandan leaned against Zhang Yuqing, also asleep.

Savory lamb slices swam in the bubbling hotpot, while emerald-green vegetables floated among them.

Zhang Yuqing sat across from Qin Han. In the subdued mood, he raised his glass of sour plum juice, his long fingers graceful as he said, “To tomorrow.”

Qin Han looked at Zhang Yuqing, the steam between them blurring the world but not the smile in his eyes.

Everyone raised their glasses, their spirits lifting once more.

The glassware chimed in a symphony of clinks.

Let the past hold our sorrows.

We toast the future.

The iced wu mei juice was gone, leaving only empty dishes on the table.

Li Nan and Luo Shijin went out to pick a watermelon for dessert, while Qin Han remained seated, unmoving.

Zhang Yuqing carried Dandan upstairs and noticed Qin Han still sitting there in a daze. He walked over and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Qin Han lowered her voice. “Beibei is asleep.”

Zhang Yuqing found this amusing.

This table by the window was where Qin Han always sat, lost in thought—whether it was over bugs or dogs. She was always calm and innocent, yet could be fierce as a leopard when defending Dandan.

Zhang Yuqing began stacking the empty plates, ready to clear them away, when Qin Han suddenly called out, “Zhang Yuqing.”

She only called his name, then sat quietly at the table, watching him.

For a moment, Zhang Yuqing understood what Qin Han was thinking.

After spending a whole vacation here, the girl’s grown attached.

Zhang Yuqing teased her with a smile, “The normal university campus is quite beautiful. You can enjoy it for me, little junior.”

The girl perked up immediately, nodding vigorously. “I can take pictures for you!”