Sugar Made for You

The city had its marketplace.

Held regularly.

All kinds of goods and food would fill the stalls, laid out for people to browse.

Because the daytime sun was too scorching, leaving everyone listless, the market's hours were shifted to the night.

It became a night market.

"Whoosh~~~"

Gentle, cooling breezes swept across the sky above the river, winding through the gaps between buildings before finally settling into the night market.

Carrying the clamor of voices and the aroma of food.

Spreading them even farther.

"Xu Moli, is there anything you'd like to buy?"

Under the night sky, the bright moon hung high.

Xu Xi led Xu Moli into the bustling marketplace.

It was lively, filled with the shouts of vendors, and beneath the deep night, countless lanterns illuminated the ancient city.

Xu Xi himself had nothing in particular he wanted to purchase.

So, he turned his gaze to the girl following closely beside him.

"Hmm..." Under the dimming night, the usually decisive and fierce female immortal found herself at a loss this time. "Brother, let's keep walking ahead."

Nothing around them piqued her interest.

Xu Moli wanted to press forward.

With that, she boldly took Xu Xi's hand and pulled him into a run, deeper into the market.

As they ran,

lanterns streaked past on either side, forming continuous streams of light in their peripheral vision—flames leaping upward, their glow diffused through lantern shades of different colors, creating a hazy radiance.

The swaying lanterns flickered like dazzling stars.

Illuminating street performers and the stalls lining the ancient streets.

Children darted about in play, adults haggled over goods, and the warmth of human life slowly unfurled, soothing every weary heart.

"Brother."

Xu Moli came to a stop.

Her eyes were like clear pools, untainted and bright.

Following her gaze, Xu Xi spotted a vendor carrying bundles of candied hawthorns on a stick.

Clusters of fiery red, frozen like sparkling sweet-and-sour fireworks, were hoisted on the vendor's shoulder as he called out his wares.

"Brother, I want that."

Xu Moli spoke,

her fingers lightly tugging at the hem of Xu Xi's sleeve.

Her eyes blinked, just like when she was little, waiting for him to buy her sweets.

"Alright, I understand."

Xu Xi nodded and walked over to the vendor. When he returned, he held several sticks of candied hawthorns in his hand.

The sugar coating was thin and crisp,

transparently encasing each bright red hawthorn berry.

Vibrant and glistening.

"Here."

Xu Xi handed all the candied hawthorns to Xu Moli. The girl paused for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Brother, have some too."

Xu Moli plucked one stick from the bunch and pressed it into Xu Xi's hand.

She smiled,

thinking how foolish her brother was.

Buying so many candied hawthorns yet giving them all to her without keeping one for himself.

Such a brother... truly made her worry.

Who knew when those women might take advantage of him?

"Then I'll gladly accept Moli's kindness," Xu Xi said, taking the candied hawthorn just as the girl was lost in her thoughts.

Seeing this,

Xu Moli finally relaxed and began savoring hers with care.

Crunch—

The sugar shell shattered under her teeth.

The sweetness of the crisp coating and the tartness of the fruit rushed over her tongue in a delicious harmony.

"Is it good, Moli?"

"Mhm, very good."

The girl looked at Xu Xi as she answered. "Because it's from Brother, it tastes especially good."

"Is that so..."

Xu Xi was momentarily taken aback, his expression softening.

Bathed in the lantern light, he reached out and gently ruffled her hair. "Then I'll take your words to heart."

"They were true to begin with," Xu Moli added.

Still holding his hand,

she pulled him forward to continue their stroll.

There was still plenty of time before the market closed, and the girl had many things she wanted to do with Xu Xi.

To see, to hear, to experience.

No one else could take his place.

Only this foolish brother of hers.

"Moli, wait a moment." As they wandered, Xu Xi suddenly stopped. Kneeling by a stall, he bought a delicate floral hairpin.

He stepped behind Xu Moli,

gathered her silken black hair,

and fastened it with the pin.

When the girl moved, the tiny ornaments on the hairpin swayed ever so slightly.

"There, perfect."

Xu Xi nodded in satisfaction, stepping back to admire his sister from a better angle.

He thought

she looked especially lovely.

The night market, adorned with countless hanging lanterns, complemented the hairpin beautifully, enhancing Xu Moli's delicate charm.

"What do you think, Moli?"

Xu Xi asked.

"...It's beautiful."

Carefully, the girl reached up to touch the hairpin, her fingertips tracing its intricate patterns, feeling the cool touch of the metal.

The next instant,

Xu Moli's face bloomed into a radiant, blissful smile.

A smile

even Xu Xi rarely saw.

The market came to an end.

After buying the hairpin, Xu Xi took Xu Moli to watch acrobatic performances and sample more local delicacies.

The atmosphere was lively, brimming with the joy of "human" celebration.

Xu Xi loved it.

Xu Moli loved [Xu Xi's happiness].

But such bustling night markets weren't held every day.

Most of the time, the city's residents retired early once night fell.

Returning to their ordinary lives.

Back home,

Xu Xi busied himself with another matter.

Under the girl's curious gaze, he first brought out a wide winnowing basket, then fetched a large quantity of wheat grains. After cleaning them thoroughly, he spread them evenly across the cloth lining the basket.

"Brother, what are you...?"

Xu Moli was puzzled.

"I'm preparing the ingredients for malt sugar—maltose, to be exact."

Xu Xi didn't hide the truth.

Yet his answer only deepened the girl's confusion. "Maltose isn't expensive. Why not just buy it?"

Outside,

the dappled shadows of summer trees swayed.

Whenever a breeze passed, a soft rustling filled the air.

White clouds drifted lazily across the sky as Xu Xi, standing in the shade of the house, sprinkled more water over the wheat grains to keep them moist.

Once he finished,

he turned to Xu Moli.

"Moli."

"I remember you said that because it was candy from me, it tasted especially good to you."

"But I thought about it, and that isn't right."

Xu Xi paused, his voice gentle, his smile faint yet warm.

"I didn’t actually do anything. I just bought candy someone else made and received all your affection for it."

"That... feels too careless."

"So I thought, I’d try making candy myself."

His voice was soft.

Still the same tenderness etched in the girl's memories.

Unchanged.

And never to change.

Even for something as trivial as this, he kept it in mind and acted on it for her sake today.

"Brother is too foolish to do this well," Xu Moli wanted to say so much more, but her words caught in her throat.

In the end,

only this sentence escaped.

A little hoarse.

A little shaky.