Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

It was past eight at night, and the flower market at Licheng Square was ablaze with lights, with a constant stream of visitors strolling through Flower Street. Overhead, the speakers played Hong Kong's exclusive Lunar New Year song, "Twin Treasures 668" by Twins. The name alone might not ring a bell for many, but several lines from this very familiar song are believed to have been heard by every citizen in the Liangguang Region. "The God of Wealth arrives~ the God of Wealth arrives~ good hearts receive good rewards~ the God of Wealth speaks~ the God of Wealth speaks~ money flows in the right track♪" "Such a lovely blossoming flower~ everyone adores it~ such a lovely blossoming flower~ welcoming the earth's radiant glow♪" The festive spirit of Hong Kong seemed to merge into this lively flower market; without buying several pots of flowers or an orange tree from Flower Street to decorate the home, the New Year felt incomplete. News outlets had already reported on the SARS virus and appealed to the public to avoid crowded places, but Hongkongers, accustomed to grand scenes, hardly took it to heart. Aside from a small number of people wearing masks, Xu Qingfan could still see smiles brimming on the faces of the crowd as he walked through Flower Street. After using Zhang Chunxue as an excuse, he had finally convinced both parents to wear masks and stroll through Flower Street. "What are you daydreaming about, hoping to run into some romance?" "Hahaha, no worries, it's a good omen." Turns out, Xu Qingfan had been so lost in thought that he bumped into a passerby holding a peach blossom. Yao Jiping quickly pulled him back with a swift move. Xu Qingfan shrugged his shoulders and took two steps to the right to take Xia Xiaoxiao's hand. "Don't be upset, Uncle Xia is coming back tomorrow, isn't he? Today's just the twenty-eighth, not New Year's Eve without him returning." "I'm not upset!" Xia Xiaoxiao turned her head and glared at Xu Qingfan, but her face still wore a poker face. "I'm not upset~" Xu Qingfan copied Xia Xiaoxiao's speech with a teasing expression, "You're not upset, huh? Your pouting lips could hang a coat hanger." "Stop touching my head!" Xia Xiaoxiao punched his chest with tiny, annoyed fists. "Just a touch! Just a touch!" He recalled how, back in fifth grade in his previous life, Xia Xiaoxiao was over a meter sixty while he had just passed the one-meter-fifty mark, looking like a middle school girl walking with her brother who had just started third grade. "You two keep up, don't get lost with so many people around." Yao Jiping was still choosing couplets at the stall and saw Xu Qingfan and Xia Xiaoxiao drifting further from the group; she called out to them. "How about this one? 'May good fortune always visit the peaceful home, harmony brings wealth to the happy family, brimming with joy!'" Yao Jiping turned to ask Xu Aiguo, who was holding things behind her. "If you like it, then it's good." "Jingjing, what do you think?" "They all look pretty good," Lin Jing replied, seemingly distracted. "Boss, I'll take this pair, could you write them again for me? The ones hanging up are a bit wrinkled," Yao Jiping said, pointing at the couplets she had her eye on. "No problem, three for eight, I wish you prosperity in the New Year!" The stall owner chuckled, spreading out a sheet of red paper and dipping his brush in ink to start writing. Xu Qingfan leaned over to look: "Boss, your handwriting isn't even as good as mine!" "Hahaha, boss, you're not up to scratch; even the kid says your writing is ugly." "Exactly, return it, return it." "Hahahahaha..." The customers gathered around the stall selecting couplets joined in the friendly teasing; the festive spirit seemed to be built up bit by bit just like this. "If your handwriting is so good, you give it a try!" The stall owner, in good humor, handed the brush to Xu Qingfan. Children say the darndest things. The stall owner didn't take Xu Qingfan's words to heart and warmly invited him to write a couplet instead. "Kid brother, the boss asked you to come, huh? You're not just all talk, are you?" "Hahaha, kid, can you do it or not?" "Go on, show the boss what you've got!" Even the usually absent-minded Lin Jing couldn't help but smile, "Xiao Fan, go for it—write a couplet for your auntie!" "If it's a challenge you want, then watch closely!" Xu Qingfan took the brush, moistened it with clean water, then dipped it in ink, and assumed a half-crouching stance. Even before his brush touched the paper, his flair was already awe-inspiring. It's often said in the calligraphy world that there are the sinews of Yan Zhenqing and the bones of Liu Gongquan, but Xu Qingfan had a slight preference for Ouyang Xun's style, which he had imitated in his past life. After a moment's thought, Xu Qingfan began to write: "In the year of the sheep... blessings for thousands of households, may the nation prosper and all things burst into spring," "Good job, kid brother!" Onlookers read out the couplet Xu Qingfan wrote and burst into applause. "What beautiful characters! Which hobby class did you learn this from, kid? I want to take my son there." "Precise and tidy, balanced and strong—an excellent piece of writing!" Laying down his brush, Xu Qingfan bowed slightly to the crowd, "I've shown my humble skills, thank you, thank you." "Hahahaha!" Xu Qingfan's grown-up demeanor once again triggered laughter from the audience. "Not bad at all, this young friend's writing is indeed better than mine. This couplet is yours, and if anyone else thinks their writing is better than mine, feel free to challenge me. If you win, the couplet is yours!" The store owner was clearly a marketing genius, quickly coming up with a new money-making gimmick. More and more people gathered, and a few walked away hand in hand, leaving the crowd. On the way back, Lin Jing held the couplet Xu Qingfan had just written, her face beaming with joy, "Xiao Fan, you're awesome! Auntie will give you a big red envelope for New Year's." Emotions are a high-level virus, quickly spreading to everyone, and even Xia Xiaoxiao's previously glum face now sported a smile. "Auntie, you have to give it to me in secret, otherwise my mom will take it under the guise of keeping it safe for me, and then lose it all playing mahjong," Xu Qingfan conspired loudly. "Hahahahaha, alright, alright, auntie will give it to you secretly," Lin Jing was tickled pink by Xu Qingfan's antics. Her son had just made her so proud that, for once, Yao Jiping refrained from sternly warning Xu Qingfan. "Huh! As if you're short on money, you're the one managing Lin Wanning's wallet!" Xia Xiaoxiao snuck a few steps away, making sure Xu Qingfan couldn't catch her, then started spilling his secrets. "Huh?" The three adults looked at Xu Qingfan, surprised. "And more, there's a girl in his group named Zhang Yiyi who always buys him drinks during PE class!" Not sure if it was out of jealousy or something else, Xia Xiaoxiao suddenly felt the need to vent, spilling Xu Qingfan's 'glorious deeds' at school one after another. "Auntie Lin, there's a boy in our class who buys sour milk for Xia Xiaoxiao every day!" Xu Qingfan retaliated without backing down. "You! You! You ended up drinking all that sour milk!! （｀Δ´）ゞ" Xia Xiaoxiao pointed at him, furious. The adults chuckled as they watched the two little ones bicker, "Keep going, Xiaoxiao, tell us everything. Auntie will help you beat up that stinky boy when we get back." "Xu Qingfan is a big bully! (•́へ•́╬)" Xia Xiaoxiao turned her head away, refusing to deal with Xu Qingfan. "Right, right, right, Xu Qingfan is a big bully, hahaha..." Xu Qingfan joined in the laughter, but as he laughed, he suddenly found he couldn't laugh anymore. "Hold tight to the two pots of oranges, if they break the rattan, we'll stew some pork with it!" "Oh. (•̩̩̩̩＿•̩̩̩̩)" A listless voice came from the trunk of the car, where Xu Qingfan was. Happiness belonged to them, I had nothing!