Chapter 510: Chapter 263: Kites and Willow Flutes (Part 2)_2
Xiao Qi and Wu Lang were both present, but it was clear that Wu Lang was the older and stronger of the two. Likewise, when compared to Lian Manman, he was the eldest and most powerful, which is why Lian Manman had arranged their tasks in such a way.
"I’m ready," Shen Qian called out to Lian Manman, his hands raising the kite high.
"Then I’m going to shout, brother, Fatty, both of you get ready... Ready... Run!" Lian Manman shouted.
Wu Lang and Shen Qian started moving together. Wu Lang’s long limbs and regular labor allowed him to run with agile form effortlessly.
The situation with Shen Qian was quite different.
Today, Shen Qian was dressed in a shiny brocade robe that wrapped around his plump body. He made a great effort to run forward, but unfortunately, his body was too fat. Within a few steps, his face turned red, and he began puffing, looking like a steaming hot bun just out of the oven.
He couldn’t lag behind Wu Lang since Lian Manman had said that the faster they ran, the higher they could fly their kites later. Thinking of Lian Manman’s words, Shen Qian mustered his strength to catch up with Wu Lang.
Wu Lang, a few steps ahead, wasn’t going all out. Being the oldest boy in his family, he didn’t have the same playful heart as younger siblings, and seeing as Shen Qian was a guest, even if it had been with his own siblings, he would have given them some leeway, not really competing to win or lose. Observing the earnest effort of the little fatty racing beside him, Wu Lang subtly slowed his pace.
Shen Qian and Wu Lang ended up running neck and neck, and almost simultaneously let go of their kites. True to Lian Manman’s instructions, Shen Qian gave a final leap before releasing his kite.
Lian Manman watched from behind, unable to suppress a chuckle, finding the round little fatty’s fast running and jumping... simply too... amusing.
Although Shen Qian was diligent, this being his first time flying a kite, he lacked experience. As the Ninth Master of his family, even kite flying was done with others serving him; at most, he would release a few loops of string from the reel. He had never experienced running and jumping like this himself. Therefore, although his kite was also lifted by the wind, it wobbled uncertainly, as if it might crash down at any moment.
Lian Manman was busy moving around on the ground, adjusting the kite string. Shen Qian had already run back, also holding onto the reel, watching the kite anxiously and shouting instructions. In the process, the two kids had a verbal tussle, but finally, the kite soared high into the sky.
Shen Qian jumped up joyfully with a loud cheer.
After flying the kites for a while, any awkwardness among the children faded, and their spirits lifted. By the time the kites were reeled in, the kids had become close friends.
"Did you guys make these kites yourselves? They’re really good," Shen Qian remarked, seeing the kite Xiao Qi was holding; the earlier flight of the two kites had been nearly equal in height.
"Of course, we put a lot of effort into them. In this village, our kites are the best," Xiao Qi said proudly.
"Then let’s swap and play with them," Shen Qian suggested to Lian Manman, "I’ll give you my swallow kite, and you give me your bun kite."
"Are you wanting to become sworn brothers with us and exchange keepsakes?" Xiao Qi, who had been to private school and had heard storytellers, immediately thought of the ceremony of brotherhood.
"Mmm, let’s become sworn brothers," Shen Qian said earnestly.
After swapping kites, Shen Qian didn’t want to play anymore.
"Let’s do something else, Manman. You guys must have lots more fun stuff. Now that we’re sworn brothers, just take me with you guys to play," Shen Qian said.
"How about a ride in our little bull cart?" Before Wu Lang and Lian Manman could speak, Xiao Qi quickly suggested.
"Great!" Shen Qian agreed even faster, squinting and smiling at Lian Manman.
"Then let’s ride," Lian Manman said, for the little bull cart was indeed safe.
Wu Lang drove the carriage while Lian Manman, Shen Qian, and Xiao Qi sat inside. Shen Qian’s servant and retinue kept a respectful distance behind. If they got too close, they would be shooed away by Shen Qian.
When Lian Manman’s retinue got too close, she reacted differently. Although Shen Qian didn’t like being called Fatty Shen by Lian Manman, he enjoyed how she treated him when she did.
Sitting in the oxcart, Lian Manman first took Shen Qian to inspect the new land her family had acquired, showing him their vegetable patch, their fruit trees, and telling him what would be built where in the future. Then the children entered the village in the cart, where Lian Manman showed Shen Qian the Lian Family’s old house, and their pigs, chickens, and ducks.
Shen Qian’s narrow eyes were not enough to take it all in.
Leaving the Lian Family estate, they did not take the original path out of the village, but instead circled to the riverside.
The creek babbled along, the willow trees on the bank lush and green, their hanging branches occasionally brushing across the children’s faces and bodies. Little Yellow Ox suddenly stopped and then moved towards the river.
"The ox wants to drink."
Since Little Yellow Ox came to the Lian Family, it had been doted on by the whole household. Naturally, it could drink whenever it wished.
Lian Manman then pulled Shen Qian down from the oxcart and walked to a willow tree. The trees were resplendent with greenery, although the leaves were still small. Lian Manman chose a smooth willow branch and broke it off, carefully twisting the bark with her hands.
"Manman, what are you doing?" Shen Qian leaned in close to Lian Manman, asking curiously.
Neither child had noticed that they were standing right next to each other.
"You’ll know soon," Lian Manman said with a smile. She kept twisting until the bark came free from the inner core. Then she carefully extracted the core, leaving a perfect tube of willow bark in her hands.
"Fatty, do you have a small knife with you?" Lian Manman asked Shen Qian.
"My name isn’t Fatty," Shen Qian said, pulling out a small silver knife from his bosom, "here."
Lian Manman took the knife, cut the willow bark tube into several pieces, picked one of the sections, and carefully shaved off the outermost thin layer of green skin at one end.
"Here, a willow flute," Lian Manman said, handing the crafted willow flute to Shen Qian.
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First update, asking for your love.
Thank you all for your support with various types of votes and comments. If there are no votes of love, feel free to cast recommendation votes and leave comments; both are great support for the author. Thank you, everyone.
PS: It seems the points for long comments reset every week. Which means a long comment posted at 23:59 on Sunday will have no points by Monday.
Additionally, long comments that receive a lot of clicks and replies will appear in the rolling bar of excellent and popular long comments on the girls’ novel network homepage. I’m not sure if this is also reset weekly, like points, so even if a long comment from last week has many clicks and replies, it might not be displayed on the homepage in the new week. (I am inquiring with the editor, but have no answer yet.)
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Second update coming soon. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote at Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
