Chapter 27: My Sister Is Delicate

Chapter 27: My Sister is Delicate

Having received a satisfying answer, Bai Li watched Grandma Qin walk away until she was a mere speck in the distance.

Returning to her room, she pulled out a sheet of white paper and meticulously sketched a set of patterns. She drew every auspicious symbol she could think of, then added a tiny, inconspicuous pear motif in the very corner. The design was for a bracelet.

To meet the conditions Grandma Qin had mentioned, she purchased an old silver bar from an antique shop online. The seller guaranteed it had been acquired from an elderly person and even included a piece of new silver as a bonus. The price was higher than that of a standard jewelry store, but the premium was for the history. In Bai Li’s eyes, the value lay in its age; the item was authentic, and she paid for it readily.

The package, having traveled across half the country from the antique shop, arrived after several days. By the time Bai Li met the courier, it was already August. A sparrow perched on the windowsill, pecking at the rice grains Bai Li had scattered while watching the girl happily unwrap her box. Once she held the silver, wrapped in its yellow silk-lined case, she locked her door and headed out.

The old streets were filled mostly with grocery stores—a trade vital to daily life and always bustling. Silver shops, however, were scarce and hard to find, tucked away in forgotten corners. Yet, any one of them was sure to be run by a seasoned master craftsman with decades of experience.

After asking the owner of a small convenience store, who pointed the way with a cheerful smile, Bai Li bought a bottle of iced soda from him. By the time she reached the silver shop, a fine layer of sweat had formed on her forehead. A man in his fifties asked her in a lukewarm tone what she wanted.

"Can you make a bracelet?" Bai Li asked. "I brought the silver myself, and I have the design."

The man glanced at the silver in her hands and tapped the red tablecloth on his counter. "Leave it there. Complex designs cost more in labor."

Bai Li quickly left the silver and took out her sketches. "Could you take a look and see if this design is possible?"

After a long wait, the man finally gave his answer: "I can do it, but it won't be as refined as machine-made. The labor cost is high; it’ll be at least one hundred and thirty yuan."

The price was far from high. Compared to the jewelry stores in the city, it was quite cheap. Bai Li didn't mind at all and promptly handed over two one-hundred-yuan bills. After giving her the change, the man handed her a handwritten receipt with just a date, telling her to come back then to pick it up.

Bai Li tucked the receipt away, her dark, long lashes fluttering with anticipation. The cicadas of this summer clung to the brown branches, chirping incessantly. Along the way, Bai Li imagined how the finished bracelet would look, the corners of her mouth curling upward.

This bracelet was for Fang Ye. There was no other reason; she simply wanted, as Grandma Qin had said, for the old silver to bring him peace and smooth sailing. If there were any other underlying meaning, it stemmed from that dream. In her dream, the respected Fang Ye also wore a silver bracelet. Though she couldn't see the pattern clearly, that didn't matter.

Holding her now-lukewarm soda, Bai Li thought that she, too, was giving Fang Ye a silver bracelet in reality. She hoped he would live a better life—a life as good as the one in her dream, where he was respected, admired, even feared, as long as he was never bullied.

As the cicadas droned on in the August heat, Bai Li neared home and saw a small boy dragging a mesh bag filled with plastic bottles, walking under the sun, drenched in sweat. He glanced at the soda in Bai Li’s hand and licked his dry lips. Reading his longing, she reached out and pressed the drink into his arms.

The boy thanked her happily. Bai Li said, "It’s so hot; you should walk in the shade."

The boy nodded. "I’m walking in the sun on purpose."

"Why?" Bai Li asked, surprised.

"Because I made a mistake," the boy said. "I hit Wang Xiaohu next door. Grandma punished me by making me pick up bottles, and I realized I was wrong, so I'm punishing myself by standing in the sun."

With that, he lowered his head in shame and walked away. Such innocent, fervent words. Looking at the boy’s clean, neat clothes, Bai Li smiled. Then, the smile faded. That was the trouble with being sentimental; even when she was happy, she couldn't help but associate it with sadder things.

On this very straight, old street, under the same scorching summer wind years ago, had her brother walked this way, dragging a bag of dirty bottles? But it certainly wouldn't have been a punishment; he would have been forced by necessity to endure the bitterness of life.

Back then, had anyone offered him a bottle of soda that wasn't quite cold enough? Bai Li wasn't sure. But she clearly felt that Fang Ye had become much more frugal. The mint-flavored sparkling water he loved was gone from the fridge, and the smell of cigarettes had slowly vanished from the house.

Yet, everything concerning her remained unchanged. Fang Ye still bought her fruit, drinks, breakfast, and prepared her lunch every day. The fruit was always varied, and no one touched it but her. This kind of care, hidden in the details of life, was the hardest to notice. If Bai Li’s personality weren't so observant, she might have missed it.

She had once sent Fang Ye a message, hoping to prepare her own lunch. Fang Ye hadn't replied, as if he hadn't seen it. He truly doted on her as a younger sister.

...

Under the blazing August sun, Fang Ye walked past a fruit store. His gaze bypassed the discount, slow-moving produce and landed on the fragrant, bright red strawberries. When he walked out, he was carrying a box.

Xiao Bai, following behind, couldn't help but say, "Brother Ye, you’re really good to Bai Li. Even in this situation, you still..."

Fang Ye said flatly, "Every family with a little girl should raise her delicately. She hasn't had an easy life; she shouldn't have to suffer any grievances now that she's with me."

Xiao Bai quickly shut his mouth. After all, she was his only sister; even if they weren't blood-related, the bond was deep, so he had nothing more to say. Watching Fang Ye’s expression carefully, he tentatively asked, "One more thing—people are always causing trouble at the tavern nearby. The owner wants to know if you have time to go sit there again at night to keep those punks in check. The pay is the same as before."

Fang Ye seemed lost in thought for a moment before nodding. "Mm, I know."

Thinking of the young girl who always wore school uniforms and oversized T-shirts, lacking any of the spoiled airs of other girls, Fang Ye asked, "What kind of clothes do young girls like these days?"

Xiao Bai took out his phone, messaged some of his underclasswomen, and showed the results to Fang Ye. Fang Ye turned and walked into a clothing store, picking out several white dresses and plaid skirts. Seeing that he was handsome, the clerk whispered to him, "We have the same styles in better fabric and standard fabric, but there isn't much difference. Who are you buying for? If it’s for family, the standard one is fine."

Fang Ye took out his phone and scanned the code, saying, "Give me the best one. My sister is delicate."