Ling Xiao was still holding a candied hawthorn in his hand, chewing it incessantly, one bite sweet, another sour... Suddenly, as if remembering something, he said to Xie Yuhua, "You're not good."

Jieyuhua panicked immediately. He was carrying large and small bags, and he had already fulfilled all the child's requests. Could he be tired from walking? Perhaps he wasn't in the right condition to walk for a long time. After a pause, he walked in front of Lingxiao and was about to squat down when he heard Lingxiao say, "You didn't even tell me there's a magnolia tree at home. If you had told me earlier, wouldn't I have gone sooner? Why are you walking so fast?"

Jieyuhua breathed a sigh of relief, thinking something was wrong, and laughed, "You're not home for many days in total. Although this is a magnolia tree, it's not the month for it to bloom. Even if it did bloom, it wouldn't be growing very well. I don't know why, even in August or September, it hasn't produced a single fruit. If we hadn't come home this time and seen that it actually had a fruit on it, I would have had it replaced. Now that I think about it, it's not that there's anything wrong with the tree."

Jieyuhua stopped and looked at Lingxiao seriously before continuing, "Now it seems that the magnolia is just waiting for someone, waiting for the other master of this courtyard."

Ling Xiao was amused by him, and the two chatted and laughed as they returned home. The house was almost tidied up, and Xie Yuhua moved a rocking chair under the magnolia tree for Ling Xiao, who sat down.

As his weight pressed down on the rocking chair, it creaked softly, as if welcoming its owner. Ling Xiao leaned back gently, closed his eyes slightly, and felt the cool breeze on his cheeks. He could hear the cheerful songs of birds and the rustling of leaves rubbing against each other.

Xie Yuhua draped another blanket over him and said, "It's not cold now, but it's not noon either. Be careful not to fall asleep, or it might have other effects."

Ling Xiao smiled and nodded, making the rocking chair creak. Xie Yuhua poked him with her index finger, shook her head, and went off to do her work.

After he left, Ling Xiao opened his eyes and carefully looked around the courtyard.

A winding path paved with bluestone leads deep into the courtyard. Flowers, trees, and shrubs are planted on both sides of the path, and there is an ancient well in the center of the courtyard. Ling Xiao got up and walked over. The well water was crystal clear. Perhaps because no one had taken care of it for a long time, some moss had grown on the well rim.

The doors and windows of several rooms in the courtyard house are inlaid with stained glass, and sunlight shines through the glass, casting colorful shadows and adding a touch of dreaminess to the whole room.

Ling Xiao strolled through the courtyard, experiencing every aspect of Jieyuhua's life. A strange sense of intimacy welled up in his heart, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

After wandering around for a while and finding it boring, Ling Xiao walked back to the magnolia tree. A crow perched on the wall caught his attention.

It was a bit noisy, and Ling Xiao wanted to knock it down, but then he got playful and ran to the base of the wall and swung it twice. But the crow was incredibly bold and wasn't afraid of him at all. It didn't fly away until Ling Xiao climbed up the wall, at which point the crow finally gave in and flew away while cawing.

Ling Xiao pursed his lips, sat on the edge of the wall, and swung his legs. This scene was a bit familiar. It seemed like he had done the same thing before. Back then, Xiao Hua was squatting on the ground playing house with Wu Xie. Thinking of that scene, a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

As he was recalling, he heard someone sobbing softly not far away. Ling Xiao looked around and found a dirty little child crying in the corner of the wall. The child looked about the same age as Zhuangzhuang.

"Hey! Kid! Don't poop there!" Ling Xiao called out to him, not in a fierce tone, but with a grin, clearly joking.

The child looked up, then charged at Ling Xiao like a small cannonball, yelling, "I didn't poop! What are you looking at! I was clearly crying!"

"I see." Ling Xiao tossed him a pack of tissues and said, "Wipe your hands. A real man shouldn't cry all the time. Girls don't like that."

The child was amused by him, then wiped his nose with a tissue and thanked him.

"Lost?" Ling Xiao asked him, and the child shook his head.

"Then why are you crying?"

"I had a fight with my dad!" Thinking of this, the child clenched his fists, looking like he was gritting his teeth, and tears welled up in his eyes again.

Ling Xiao nodded admiringly and gave him a lollipop, saying, "You've got guts. You're so young and you dare to argue with your dad and come here crying all by yourself. You're not a big bear anymore. Here, have one and let's be friends."

The little guy's breath got stuck in his throat, unable to go up or down. He looked at the lollipop in his hand, not quite sure what was wrong, but also not quite sure what was right.

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