After celebrating the Chinese New Year and changing into new clothes, Qin Guanglin's life returned to his usual routine of writing and drawing all day.
A few leisurely days passed, and on the fifth day of the new year, his aunt brought her son to pay a New Year's visit.
Qin's Mom and her sister had a ten-year age gap but were very close. The two families often visited each other. It had been a longstanding tradition for Qin's aunt and her child to travel from their hometown to Luo City to enjoy sightseeing and leisure, preserving this custom for many years.
"Auntie," Qin Guanglin greeted with a beaming smile as he stuffed a handful of candies into his cousin Jie's pocket, "Jie has grown taller, you've shot up so much in just one year."
"Thank you, cousin," ten-year-old Zheng Jie said politely, bowing his head in thanks.
"You'll grow even taller than him," his aunt teasingly said, then looked around, "Where's my sister?"