When the kids had their first break from kindergarten, the custom-made cart that Xia Wenyue ordered was ready to be picked up. Everyone coincidentally got up early. While Xia Mian was dressing Xiao Feng, the little guy kept craning his neck, eager to rush out.
Xia Mian chuckled, “What are you looking at?”
Xiao Feng pursed his lips in happiness, “Auntie, today Auntie Ning is going to paint.”
Xia Mian ruffled his little tuft of hair, “Do you like painting?”
Xiao Feng nodded vigorously, like a little chicken pecking at grains, and stretched out his small arms, exclaiming, “It’s so beautiful!”
Xia Mian picked the boy up and spun him around. “Once we buy our own courtyard house, Auntie will set up a studio for Xiao Feng and arrange for you to learn painting. How about that?”
Xiao Feng giggled with delight, “Yes! Learn painting!”。
As the aunt and nephew left the room, they found Ning Shaoyun already in the courtyard, checking the paint supplies.
“So early?” Xia Mian was a bit surprised.
Ning Shaoyun smiled, “Second Aunt and Huimei have already gone to pick up the cart. They should be back soon.”
Chenchen came out of his room, rubbing his eyes. “Mom.”
Xia Mian reached out to pull him in, then took both boys to the bathroom to wash up. After washing their faces, the two children kept running to the front gate, back and forth several times, until Chenchen finally shouted excitedly, “They’re back! Second Great Aunt is back!”
Before long, the cart came in, pushed by a group of people including the three kids, each one stubbornly claiming a corner of the cart. The cart was about a meter high, with a long, rectangular metal groove in the middle divided into two sections—one for spicy broth and the other for clear broth—with a designated area below to accommodate a gas stove for keeping the broth warm. The outer layer of the cart was encased with wood, which was only painted white because they planned to make their own signboard. The wood had been primed, ready to be painted.
The upper surface was equipped with four steel pipes holding a sunshade umbrella for protection from the sun and rain. The two front pipes had a detachable wooden board attached, measuring 1.5 meters long and 30 centimeters high, also primed with white paint, just waiting for the sign to be created—the stall name would go here.
After breakfast, Ning Shaoyun not only geared up herself but also prepared three waterproof aprons for the kids. Picking up a brush dipped in paint, she announced, “Alright, we’re about to start!”
The detachable signboard and a row of easels were lined up on the steps, with Ning Shaoyun standing in the middle. Chenchen, Xiao Feng, and Huizhu each took a position on either side, each occupying one easel.
With the experience from last time, Mao Huizhu was now efficiently tracing with her hand. Meanwhile, Chenchen and Xiao Feng gathered around Ning Shaoyun, watching her joyfully wield the brush, with Xiao Feng in particular eagerly handing her brushes and paint.
Ning Shaoyun was radiating happiness, and as her brush touched the canvas, it was as if she was ready to soar.
“It’s been so long since I’ve seen Xiao Yun this happy,” Aunt Wei quietly wiped her eyes.
Xia Mian was directly experiencing the power of an artist’s ability to imbue their work with deep emotions. It was just a small signboard, but the word ‘Xinsheng’ emerged from the tip of Ning Shaoyun’s brush with a vibrant and dazzling vitality, like a phoenix reborn from a blazing flame.
The children’s innocence seemed to make them even more attuned to its allure. When the sign was completed, the three little beanies’ mouths all dropped open in awe, exclaiming, “Wow!” in unison. At that moment, Ning Shaoyun’s eyes crinkled in a smile, her eyes sparkling like the stars, her whole being radiating light, looking as beautiful as an angel descending to the mortal world.
Huo Xuewen stood in a daze at the gate. This was a side of Ning Shaoyun he had never seen before. In the six years of their marriage, he had always thought of her as gentle, graceful, and composed, a perfect wife who managed everything behind the scenes with meticulous care. Except for the time when her painting was given away, she had never lost her composure… but she had never smiled as brightly as she did now.
Huo Xuewen, who had come with a resolve to fight to the bitter end, suddenly found all his confidence draining away at that moment. When his father used the Chengbei project to force him to sign the divorce papers, he had not considered compromising. Even when his mother threatened with her own life, he remained determined.
But now, seeing Ning Shaoyun so happy, he suddenly realized that he had no right. As he tried to recall the past six years, he remembered that there was a time when her beautiful eyes were full of light when she looked at him. But after he repeatedly claimed to be too busy with work, had too many social engagements, and asked her to tolerate his mother again and again, that light gradually dimmed until it completely vanished.
A beautiful flower had withered because of his neglect, and now that it had been revived through her own efforts, what right did he have to keep her by his side?
“If you came to reconcile, you might as well save your breath,” Ning Shaobai suddenly appeared beside him, speaking quietly. “If you have any guilt left for her, let her go.”
Huo Xuewen clenched his fists tightly and asked with difficulty, “What if I don’t?”
Ning Shaobai suddenly chuckled, turning to look at him with a clear mockery, “You can try.”
Huo Xuewen let his hands drop, defeated. After a long silence, he finally said, “I will divorce her.”
“Not because I’m giving up,” he continued, “but because I want her to be happy. Once I…” He stopped mid-sentence, closing his eyes with a bitter smile, “My promises must be worthless by now.”
Ning Shaobai didn’t hesitate to pour salt on his wound, “Good that you know.”
“Wow, that’s me!” Chenchen’s clear, childish voice rang out. It turned out that after finishing the signboard, Ning Shaoyun had started painting on the side of the cart, creating a chibi version of a little boy on the front wooden board. The boy was puffing out his cheeks, his big eyes staring cross-eyed at a tentacle of squid dangling out, just like Chenchen on that day. Though the style was very cartoonish, it was so vivid that it made everyone laugh.
“Mom, draw Xiao Feng too,” Chenchen said, acting like a big brother.
Xiao Feng shyly pursed his lips, but his eyes were full of anticipation.
“Don’t worry, I won’t forget him,” Ning Shaoyun laughed warmly, and with a few strokes, she sketched a child eating frozen tofu, with a tiny pink tongue sticking out to carefully lick the dripping broth from the corner of his mouth, a happy tuft of hair standing up on his head.
Next, she drew a little girl with pigtails, holding two skewers in her hands and laughing heartily.
“That’s me!” Mao Huizhu clapped her hands in delight.
Everyone gathered around excitedly as Ning Shaoyun added color to the drawings, smiling as she explained, “I saw Xia Mian draw like this that day, and I thought it was really cute.” Ning Shaoyun’s solid painting skills were far superior to Xia Mian’s amateur attempts, and the three lively little chibis brought smiles to everyone who saw them.
“Not bad,” Ning Shaobai said with a smile on his face. “A new painting style? It’s quite interesting.”
“Xia Mian taught me,” Ning Shaoyun beamed, her eyes sparkling with joy.
Xia Mian quickly waved off the praise, “No, no, I just borrowed some ideas. It was Sister Ning who grasped it so quickly.”
Ning Shaobai looked a bit surprised, “You did it? That’s impressive.”
When it came to Ning Shaobai, Xia Mian didn’t feel the need for modesty. She lifted her chin and said, “Of course I am. This is nothing to me.”
Ning Shaobai rolled his eyes, “You sure know how to brag.”
Ning Shaoyun covered her mouth, laughing lightly.
< Previous | TOC | Advanced TOC | Next >
Wants more chapters?
Click this page for the status of sponsored chapters.
Click this page for advanced chapters TOC.
Thanks for the chapter ❣️