Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

By noon, my uncle and aunt came back from the factory, and the whole family sat down to enjoy a hearty lunch together.

Even though today was still an official holiday, Yao Jianjun, as the factory director, naturally did not have the concept of taking a day off.

After lunch, the behavior of the five girls vying to wash the dishes once again won the favor of the elders, and even the aunt's view of Xu Qingfan had changed.

In the countryside, it is the women who are responsible for washing and cooking. After eating, grandpa and my uncle contentedly sat in their reclining chairs picking their teeth, and Xu Qingfan, not wanting to say anything, took on the responsibility of feeding the dogs.

"Cyon cyon cyon!"

He came out with a bowl of dog food mixed with leftovers, and the two dogs, who were originally dozing on the ground, immediately bounced up a meter high.

There was a seven-meter-tall starfruit tree at the entrance of the courtyard with fruits turning yellow at the top. It seemed too difficult to pick them, so they were left hanging there.

On the ground was also a starfruit that had fallen and been bitten a few times, likely the work of the two dogs.

After dividing the dog food between Little White and the yellow dog, Xu Qingfan began eyeing the starfruits on the tree.

He didn't actually like starfruit much, finding the texture sour and astringent, like chewing on plastic that had been soaked in vinegar. However, seeing the fruits on the tree made him itch to pluck them.

Moreover, something picked by his own hands surely had a different taste.

"Brother Qing Fan!"

Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi came hand in hand, it seemed they had been "chased" out by Grandma from the kitchen.

"Do you want to eat some starfruit? I'll pick them for you." Xu Qingfan pointed to the starfruits on the tree and said to both of them.

"Heehee, yes please!"

"Mhm!"

Lin Wanning revealed her white teeth while Zhang Yiyi tilted her head and gave him a wink.

"Wait here." Xu Qingfan felt even more motivated and handed his phone to them for safekeeping. He rubbed his hands together and began to climb the tree barehanded.

Xia Xiaoxiao, Wu Lingyu, and Xiao Ruawen quickly arrived in the yard, their gaze immediately drawn to Xu Qingfan as he ascended the tree.

"Brother Fan, can you handle it?"

The five girls waited with arms akimbo beneath the tree for his "feeding," and Xu Qingfan, after climbing five meters, didn't dare to go any higher, worried that the tender branches above might not support his weight.

"I'll throw them down, catch them with your hands!" He settled himself on the tree trunk and reached out to hook a plump starfruit.

Little White, seeing the spectacle, finished the meat in its bowl and also looked up.

"Brother Qing Fan, I'm ready!"

"Brother Fan, aim carefully!"

Seeing the five girls with their hands raised and ready, Xu Qingfan aimed a bit in front of them and tossed the starfruit down.

"I got it!" Like a victor, Xia Xiaoxiao lifted the starfruit, gave it a shake, and then temporarily placed it on the stone table beside her.

He kept throwing down starfruits, and the quick-handed girls caught them skillfully, the stone table quickly filling up with glistening yellow starfruits.

When Xu Qingfan came down, they each took a few in their hands, and the remaining ones were scooped up by Xu Qingfan with his shirt.

"There are still starfruits in October, yay!"

"Heehee!"

...

In the afternoon, the village was very quiet.

Almost all the villagers had entered their dreamland; the scorching sun baked the earth, and not a person or dog was seen on the streets.

After bringing the starfruits home, they picked out a few with good appearance, cut them into pentagonal stars, and soaked them in ice salt water.

Lin Wanning put two slices of starfruit in front of her eyes, and the fruit, translucent under the sunlight, tasted sour and sweet in her mouth—very delicious.

Xiao Ruawen didn't have as much ceremony; she stacked three slices of starfruit and swallowed them in one big bite.

"Brother Fan, when are we going to roast chicken by the Chuxi River?" She spoke with a mouthful of starfruit, her speech unclear.

A breeze blew, causing a few strands of hair to brush her lips.

Xu Qingfan gently reached out to push them away. Xiao Ruawen's fruit-eating halted for a moment, and when her gaze met Xu Qingfan's, she suddenly felt a bit uneasy.

"Thank... thank you."

She shifted her gaze, a bit guilty, and straightened her foot that had been dangling over the step, suddenly turning into a demure and well-behaved girl.

Sometimes, flirting and being flirted with happens so unintentionally.

Because it was such an ordinary gesture, even Xia Xiaoxiao did not notice anything amiss, and Xu Qingfan was even more oblivious.

After withdrawing his hand, he said, "We'll talk about it at four o'clock. Let's finish the starfruits, head back, and have a good nap. When we wake up, we'll start the cookout proper!"

"Okay!"

"Yeah!"

Beneath the banyan tree, the six people leisurely tackled the basin of starfruits. Except for the wind in motion, it seemed like the world consisted only of their little corner.

When they returned home, the living room was empty, it seemed everyone was taking a nap.

The six moved quietly and quickly retreated to their respective rooms.

Xiao Ruawen hugged her blanket, a bit distracted. Yes, she was thinking about a man.

[Xiao Ruawen, you mustn't betray Xia Xiaoxiao...]

...

At four in the afternoon.

The fully equipped six gathered in the kitchen.

"Wanning, you've got the lotus leaf wrong; use the side without the veins to wrap."

"Heehee, okay!"

The six prepared for the upcoming outdoor cookout, wrapping chicken and ribs in a layer of lotus leaf and then in foil.

There were also cleaned taro, potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes, and several rolls of foil were quickly used up.

The uncle and aunt had woken up and left for work, grandpa went to the village committee to have tea with friends, grandma was fussing over the little patch of vegetables she planted in the field, and the little cousin was again sent away by Xu Qingfan with a tablet computer.

Therefore, when they left the house with two baskets brimming with goods, the only one at home was Yao Zixin, who was absorbed in watching Ultraman Tiga.

"Zixin, we're going out now. Be good at home, and I'll bring you some roasted sweet potatoes when we get back." Xu Qingfan patted his head, but Yao Zixin didn't lift it, intently focused on the tablet.

"Cousin's got it, just go!" He was waiting for Xu Qingfan to leave so he could sneak some snacks and sip on some cola. As for roasted sweet potatoes, he could have those any day—what's so great about them!

Country kids were raised free-range; they ran around the fields and swam in the rivers as soon as they could walk, so he wasn't worried about Yao Zixin being home alone.

The same old tricycle was parked at the entrance. Although they were better off now, the older generation's frugality meant it wouldn't be replaced as long as it was still rideable.

Xu Qingfan pushed the tricycle out of the yard, with Lin Wanning being the first to lose patience and hop on.

"Go Brother Qing Fan!"

Xu Qingfan looked back at her with a smile and beckoned, "Everyone, get on."

"Hee, here I come!"

It was an old relic, and once all five of them were seated, Xu Qingfan pedaled off, with the tricycle making "creak creak" mechanical grinding noises.

Around four in the afternoon, many elderly people were already sitting at their doorsteps, paying respectful attention to Xu Qingfan passing by with five young ladies.

The roads had been paved smooth with concrete, so pedaling was effortless, unlike the strenuous standing ride of his childhood.

Perhaps because financial conditions had improved, when they reached the Chuxi River, apart from occasionally seeing old men and women passing by with manure buckets, he saw no one of his own age.

Xu Qingfan guessed his childhood playmates were probably hiding at home on the internet. After all, nothing could be more attractive to their age group than surfing the web.

"Yu, get back on and sit tight." He suddenly realized that pedaling had become easier and looked back, only to see Wu Lingyu had hopped off at some point and was pushing from behind.

"Ah... got it." Wu Lingyu obediently nodded her head and reluctantly resettled atop the tricycle.

The tricycle ambled along the creek, and soon the river was only knee-deep, with little crucian carps occasionally swimming by.

Xu Qingfan stopped at a spot shaded by trees. "This is the spot, let's start building the kiln for the cookout!"

When he turned around, he realized that the five girls had already jumped off and were running around in the creek wearing their slippers.

Xu Qingfan smiled knowingly and shouted to them, "Go collect some clods first, build the kiln and then you can play, hey!"

"Got it!"

"Brother Qing Fan, come catch fish with us!"

The sunlight cast a shimmering glow on the creek, with the transparent breeze flowing like a river.

Xu Qingfan was momentarily lost in the sight of the five of them frolicking in the water, wishing time would freeze at this moment.

"Brother Qing Fan, come and play!"

"Brother Fan, what are you still standing there for!"

"Come on, brother!"

"Coming!"

Xu Qingfan snapped out of his reverie and rushed towards them, plunging into the water with a leap.

"Ah!"

The splash shot up three meters high, drenching everyone's skirts.

"Brother Chou Fan!"

Xiao Ruawen was the first to regain her composure and splashed him with water. The four others quickly joined the fray.

When Xia Xiaoxiao "accidentally" hit Lin Wanning, the scene quickly turned into a six-person melee.

...

At half past six in the evening.

The damp clothes, baked by the earth, were now mostly dry. The six of them dipped their feet into the creek, waiting for the kiln-roasted chicken to be done.

"Ring, ring, ring—"

"It rang, it rang, Brother Qing Fan, your alarm is going off!" The cell phone alarm went off, and Lin Wanning excitedly shook Xu Qingfan's arm.

"Kiln chicken, kiln chicken!"

"We can finally eat!"

The nearly two-hour wait had left their stomachs nearly empty.

"Let's go check on it."

Xu Qingfan stood up, and the five girls rose with him, all eager to be the first to taste the delicious food.

Grabbing the shovel that lay on the ground, a few digs revealed the foil-wrapped package buried in the dirt.

Xu Qingfan dug out one of the kiln chickens and moved it to a clean spot on the ground.

Peeling away the two layers of foil slowly, the fragrant scent of lotus leaves filled the air.

"Is it done, can we eat it now?" Xiao Ruawen eyed the golden chicken legs, mouth watering.

"Can we eat it now, Brother Qing Fan?"

Xu Qingfan prodded it with a pair of chopsticks set aside. It went straight through and no blood came out. "Yeah, the heat was just right this time. Who wants chicken legs?"

"Me, me!"

"I want a chicken leg!"

Their relationship was close enough to put aside any pretense. Except for Wu Lingyu, who remained silent, the other four girls eagerly raised their hands.

"Then Xiao Yu and I will have two chicken wings each." Xu Qingfan gave Wu Lingyu a knowing smile and quickly cut off a whole chicken wing with scissors and handed it to her.

"Mm, thanks, Brother Fan." Wu Lingyu happily accepted it but didn't start eating, wanting to wait until Brother Fan ate with her.

The kiln chicken, ribs, taro, and other food items were all unearthed in succession. The evening breeze wafted the aroma of the food, blending it with nature.

The burning clouds stretched across the sky, and the cool stream water eased the heat.

The six of them, holding chicken legs and wings reduced to mere bones, captured a precious photo on their phones.

"Yay!"

...