Volume One, Chapter 52: Your Mother Loves You So Much!

The bell signaling the end of class rang. As soon as the teacher stepped out of the classroom, the students burst into lively chatter. Huo Cong had already calmed down and was about to say something when Huo Xiaobei let go of his hand. She didn’t say a word to him. Wearing a stern little face, she lay her head on the desk, turning the back of her head to him.

Huo Cong’s palm was still damp with sweat, and the sudden release left his heart feeling inexplicably empty for a moment. Staring at the back of her head, which all but shouted “Hmph,” he was certain: his deskmate was angry.

“Hey—” Huo Cong reached out a finger and poked the bit of waist exposed by Huo Xiaobei. She was ticklish and couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

She turned around, pouting. “Don’t touch me!”

She was clearly fuming.

Huo Cong sheepishly rubbed his nose and rested his head on the desk too, inching over little by little. Unable to resist, he lightly brushed her fingers.

Huo Xiaobei ignored him, only huffing and closing her eyes.

After a while, hearing nothing from beside her, Huo Xiaobei opened her eyes just a crack. She saw Huo Cong with his chin propped in his hands, gazing at her with puppy-like anticipation.

“Pfft—” Huo Xiaobei burst out laughing, unable to hold it in. “You really look like a puppy right now.”

Seeing her finally smile, Huo Cong let out a sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart.

“You really are something…” Huo Xiaobei began to scold him, “That hat—Shengsheng spent an entire evening knitting it so carefully, even measuring my head to make sure it would fit. The one I wear is actually someone else’s. That day it rained, Shengsheng was afraid I’d catch a cold, so she let me wear it even though it was too big. But this little blue hat—Shengsheng made it just for you! It’s so nice, and yet you didn’t cherish it at all. You just threw it away! You’re driving me mad!”

Huo Cong stared in astonishment at Huo Xiaobei, whose cheeks puffed up with indignation as she rattled off her complaints. So the blue hat Huo Xiaobei wore wasn’t specially made for him; it was the new little blue hat that was.

Unconsciously, Huo Cong glanced at the storage bin under Huo Xiaobei’s desk, still trying to save face. “...Really?”

“Of course it’s true!” Huo Xiaobei pulled the gift bag out from under the desk and slapped it down in front of him. “Try it on if you don’t believe me. See if it fits.”

Huo Cong hesitated, taking the hat from the bag, torn between wanting and not wanting to wear it…

Huo Xiaobei, growing impatient, simply put it on his head herself. She admired her handiwork for a moment and patted his head.

“See? It fits perfectly. And it looks great.”

Just as Huo Cong was about to take it off, the students in front of them turned around. “Is that your new hat? It’s so nice! Where did you buy it?”

“It’s not bought,” Huo Xiaobei announced proudly, standing next to Huo Cong with one hand on her hip and the other arm around his shoulders. “Huo Cong’s mom knitted it herself, by hand.”

Upon hearing that the hat was handmade by Huo Cong’s mother, a crowd of classmates gathered around, exclaiming “Wow!” in admiration.

“Huo Cong, your mom can knit hats? That’s amazing!”

“It’s beautiful! Way better than a store-bought one. My grandma knits for me, but my mom can’t. Your mom is so skilled, Huo Cong.”

Compliments rained down on Huo Cong, leaving him utterly dumbfounded. He had never heard such praise at home from the adults. When his mother was mentioned, his grandmother and aunt always spoke with disdain.

“Born from a humble family—never presentable. Who knits hats these days? Isn’t that old-fashioned? All the hats your aunt buys you are international brands. You look so much cooler in those.”

“Your mother just doesn’t know how good she has it. Always thinking the grass is greener elsewhere. She divorced your dad just like that and left you behind. So irresponsible. When you grow up, don’t be like her…”

But what was the truth?

Huo Cong’s mind was a blur, his eyes cast down as he wondered. Then he heard Huo Xiaobei say to their classmates, “Of course! Huo Cong’s mom is amazing—she loves him so much!”

He looked up and met Huo Xiaobei’s radiant, beaming face.

Inside him, a patch of ice quietly began to melt. Bathed in sunlight, wearing his little blue hat, Huo Cong broke into a smile.