On a midsummer afternoon, sunlight lazily spilled into the living room through the window lattice, even the air carried a hint of warm, sweet fragrance.

Three little kids had been running around wildly in the living room, playing train and hide-and-seek, each running until their heads were sweaty and their cheeks were flushed, their breaths carrying warmth.

Mao Sanmei watched them making a racket, feeling both helpless and affectionate, then turned into the kitchen. Before long, she brought out three large bowls of chilled Qingbufang.

The translucent jelly floated in sweet coconut milk, topped with red beans, green beans, barley, watermelon bits, and a few glistening pearls of sago, making one’s appetite spring to life at just the sight.

Tang Tang held her little bowl, obediently sitting on a small stool, her little eyebrows slightly relaxed, looking very content.

She spooned it up slowly, and when she ate something particularly delightful, her small body would gently sway, her short little legs flailing chaotically in the air, incredibly happy, as if the whole world consisted only of her and this bowl of Qingbufang.

Dou Dou watched enviously from the side, as her eyes darted around, she immediately leaned her little head over and sweetly asked, "Tang Tang, can I have a bite?"

Tang Tang instantly became unhappy.

With a swift motion, she hugged the little bowl tightly to her chest, covering it firmly with both hands, raising her chin and glaring at Dou Dou, her little face full of vigilance.

"Oh?"

That expression seemed to say, you clearly have your own, why do you want to eat mine?

Wasn’t that the case, Dou Dou was also holding the exact same little bowl, the Qingbufang inside indistinguishable from Tang Tang’s.

But Dou Dou had always been like this.

What’s in someone else’s bowl always tastes better.

"I see you eating so happily, yours must taste better than mine."

Dou Dou proclaimed righteously, as if it was really the case.

Seated at the edge, Xiao Ya quietly held her bowl, saying nothing.

She first silently glanced at the Qingbufang in her bowl, then looked up at Dou Dou and Tang Tang, her little face expressionless, merely quickening her eating pace.

She knew Dou Dou too well.

From her experience, if Dou Dou couldn’t snag Tang Tang’s, the next target would definitely be her.

Tang Tang wasn’t falling for it, still guarding her bowl tightly, unwilling to share even a bit.

"So stingy."

Dou Dou pouted, but didn’t snatch at it.

Her eyes spun again, quickly forming a new plan, she ran to the sofa with her bowl of Qingbufang.

Taozi was lazily leaning against the sofa, flipping through a new fashion magazine, sunshine falling on her smooth hair, making her seem leisurely and beautiful.

Suddenly feeling the light dimming, she lifted her head in confusion, only to see Dou Dou standing in front with a bowl, a sweet smile on her face.

"What’s up?" Taozi asked amusedly, closing her magazine, playfully teasing her, "Are you going to give Aunt your Qingbufang?"

She was only joking.

Yet unexpectedly, Dou Dou earnestly nodded, offering the bowl respectfully.

Taozi was stunned for a moment.

"So generous?"

She set down the magazine, suspiciously taking the bowl.

This little one was normally so stingy, why had she changed today?

"I’m really going to eat it." Taozi confirmed again.

"Eat, eat, I brought it especially for Aunt." Dou Dou’s eyes curved happily, looking as well-behaved as could be.

Taozi was more and more unsettled.

"Are you being good for some favor?"

"Nope." Dou Dou shook her head vigorously, her face sincere.

"Then I won’t be polite."

Taozi laughed, stopped pondering, directly scooping a big spoonful of Qingbufang into her mouth, the chilled sweetness driving away the afternoon’s stuffiness.

She savored it slowly, curious what Dou Dou was plotting.

But Dou Dou smiled without a care.

Seeing Taozi glance over, she kindly said, "Aunt, eat it all, don’t be shy."

With that, she ran off without looking back.

Taozi held the bowl, bewildered.

What was this about?

The little miserly one, normally calculating over even a candy, suddenly being so generous? Surely, there was a catch.

Before she could figure it out, Dou Dou dashed back to Tang Tang, hands on hips, chin raised, grinning at her.

The meaning was clear: your bowl should be mine now.

Xiao Ya seeing the situation, carefully edged herself further into the corner, wanting to hide away.

But then, Tang Tang suddenly lifted her small hand, flipped her bowl over smoothly, and shook it firmly, showing the bottom clean, empty, not even a drop of syrup remaining.

(￣口￣)!!

Dou Dou was stunned.

"You ate it so fast?"

Tang Tang raised her chin smugly, showing a sly grin, making "han~han~" sounds, bragging she foresaw this all along.

"You little rascal, sneakily got clever!" Dou Dou puffed her cheeks in frustration, annoyed and helpless.

At that moment, she turned sharply towards Taozi on the sofa.

Taozi simultaneously reacted.

Her eyes lit up, quickly lifted her bowl, lowered her head, shoveling the Qingbufang frantically into her mouth.

"Aunt! Wait..."

Dou Dou panicked instantly, her little feet frantically running towards Taozi.

Unfortunately, she was too late.

By the time she got to the sofa, Taozi slowly raised her head, mimicking Tang Tang’s earlier act, held the bowl upside down, shaking it lightly, cleanly empty.

Dou Dou: "..."

Xiao Ya glanced silently beside, further speeding up her eating, almost wanting to cover her face with the bowl.

"Give it back, how can you eat a child’s share?"

Dou Dou exploded instantly, climbing on Taozi’s leg, sitting on her lap, reaching to pry open her mouth, ready to reclaim her share.

Taozi laughed heartily, tightly closing her mouth, shaking her head defiantly.

"You gave it to me willingly, not that I snatched it, you accept the loss."

"I let you eat it, would you eat poo if I let you?" Dou Dou grumbled irritably.

Taozi’s laughter froze.

The next second, she lifted Dou Dou, pinning her across her thigh, and on that little bum, "pia~ pia~ pia~" gave several light pats.