Chapter 54 Why are these persimmons sweeter than in previous years?

Song Tiancheng was seated directly facing the door, giving him the clearest view of the entrance.

Before Huanya stepped inside, a bright smile had been gracing her face, and even her steps were light and rhythmic.

However, the moment she crossed the threshold and caught sight of him, her smile instantly froze, her pace slowed down noticeably, and her voice dropped to a soft, tentative whisper.

Watching her, Song Tiancheng didn't answer right away. Instead, he posed a question: "Am I that frightening?"

Huanya was taken aback. She shook her head so fast it was like a rattling drum. "No, no, not at all! I—I was just asking about Auntie."

She hadn't even said anything out of turn; how on earth had Brother Tiancheng suddenly become scary?

Noticing the panic creeping into her expression, Song Tiancheng realized he was making a mountain out of a molehill.

He gave a light cough, averted his gaze, and said, "Picking vegetables in the back courtyard."

"Oh, oh, oh." Huanya hurriedly set down her bundle of firewood, lowered her wicker basket, and bit her lip with hesitation as she looked at the small pile of wild fruits inside.

"Huanya? You're back!"

The moment she heard Mother Song's voice, Huanya felt as though she had just listened to the most wondrous sound in the world.

She hurriedly chirped an acknowledgment, scooped up the wild fruits she had foraged as if presenting a precious treasure, and offered them up. "Auntie, I picked a lot of fruits up in the mountains today. Would you like to try some?"

"Oh, are these wild persimmons? You actually managed to find that tree?" Mother Song said with a smile. "You're a lucky one. I went looking for that tree several times last year, but I couldn't find it no matter what."

Huanya asked in pleasant surprise, "Auntie, do you like eating these?"

"It's not that I like them, it's your Brother Tiancheng who does," Mother Song replied, taking one of the fruits. "Every time he goes up the mountain, he always likes to pick these and bring them back. He claims he's afraid I might want to eat them, but in truth, he eats the most himself."

With a chuckle, Mother Song continued, "Later on, I told him that if he liked them himself, he should just admit it, since nobody would laugh at him. But ever since that time, he stopped picking them altogether."

Huanya cast a curious glance at Song Tiancheng, but when her eyes met his calm, deep gaze, she quickly looked away, thereby missing the faint blush creeping up the tips of his ears.

So Brother Tiancheng liked sweet things? In that case, she could make some pastries next time, and then Brother Tiancheng wouldn't be angry anymore, right?

Huanya mused to herself, still baffled as to why Song Tiancheng would be mad at her in the first place when she hadn't even done anything.

Oh! I know!

Huanya's eyes lit up. It must have been because she didn't greet him when she first walked through the door!

Her father used to be just like that, even getting jealous whenever she came home and asked where her mother was first!

Convinced she had found the root cause, Huanya felt her heart settle.

From now on, she would just make sure to greet Brother Tiancheng whenever she came in!

Consequently, in a way Song Tiancheng knew nothing about, Huanya had already slapped him with the unwritten rule of "must offer a polite greeting upon returning home."

"Chengzi, come try one and see if these persimmons still taste the same as before."

Having just been thoroughly exposed by his own mother, Song Tiancheng felt his face burning. He turned his head away, intending to say he didn't want any.

Yet, upon seeing the sudden renewed spark of brightness in Huanya's eyes, the words of refusal simply refused to leave his mouth.

By the time he came to his senses, a wild persimmon had already been offered right up to his lips by his mother.

Song Tiancheng: ......

He let out a soft sigh, took the persimmon, and took a bite.

The mildly sweet and tart juices bloomed across his palate, and the crisp, refreshing fragrance of the fruit seemed to wash away all his exhaustion, leaving his entire body feeling relaxed.

Song Tiancheng paused slightly. Whether it was just his imagination or not, he felt that this year's persimmons tasted much sweeter than those of previous years.