The two deliverymen quickly unloaded the boxes into the yard with practiced efficiency. Just as they were heading back to their van, a soft, childlike voice called out, stopping them in their tracks.

"Wait!" Xiaoke called out in his gentle, milky tone, just as Su Bai had instructed.

Su Bai rummaged through the bag he had packed for the train ride and pulled out two bottles of juice—one apple and one orange. They had been meant for the journey, along with some snacks, but there were still a few left, so he didn’t mind.

Xiaoke obediently took the bottles and approached the deliverymen. Holding them out with both hands, he bowed slightly and said, "Thank you," his words polite and sincere.

The deliverymen hesitated. "It’s not necessary," one of them started, shaking his head. "It’s just our job." But when they looked down at the little boy’s earnest expression and the effort he had made, they couldn’t bring themselves to refuse.

"Thank you for your kindness," one of them said with a smile, accepting the drinks.

As they turned to leave, they said their company’s slogan, “Thank you for your patronage,” this time with genuine warmth in their voices. They got back into their van, carrying not just juice, but a small piece of joy from the thoughtful gesture.

“Baby, can you play outside with the kitty? Inside, there's too much dust, and you're still small—it could harm you. Okay, ma? You can also help me think of a name for it, alright?”

Although Su Ke wanted to help, he obediently went to sit under Grandpa Tree with the kitten, talking to it in soft, childish babbles.

“Hmm... let me get the cleaning supplies,” he heard as Han Li's wife began unpacking boxes alongside him. As they worked, some of the villagers uncovered old sheets draped over furniture. Chen Zi and Song Er took buckets from inside and headed to the pond to fetch water for cleaning.

“You’re not going to use these, right?” Han Li asked, holding up the dusty sheets that had been covering the furniture.

“No, we won’t,” Su Bai replied. With that settled, they began dusting using the old sheets as rags. Coughs and choking sounds soon filled the room—eighteen years of disuse had left the house cloaked in a thick layer of dust.

Su Bai suddenly remembered he had bought some masks. Quickly searching through the boxes, he found them. The department store had been exceptionally organized; each box was neatly labeled, making it easy to locate items. He made a mental note to give them a five-star review later.

Rushing back inside, he handed out the masks while putting one on himself. The others glanced at him with newfound softness in their eyes as they donned the masks and resumed dusting and wiping.

“Aiyo, you brought nearly everything!” Aunt Han exclaimed with a chuckle. “Are you planning to stay here for a long time?”

Su Bai smiled softly and nodded. He thought maybe until the end. He didn’t want to leave this place again. 

As Song Er and Chen Zi bought water saying to Song Da the pond became so clearer than before. It's really a miracle. 

Su Bai also curiously listened thinking the without human intervention everything will be good over time. He sighed while he went to nainai's room to clean. 

As Song Er and Chen Zi carried buckets of water back from the pond, their faces were alight with amazement. "Song Da, you won't believe this," Chen Zi called out, setting the bucket down with a splash. "The pond looks so much clearer than before. It's like a miracle!"

Song Da looked up from his work, raising an eyebrow. "A miracle? Weren't you two the ones who  scraped out the algae?"

Song Er laughed. "True, we did clear half of it,but we left the the lotus, water hyacinths, and the other plants. They make the pond look alive.”

Chen Zi nodded, wiping his brow. "It was hard work, but now it feels like the pond is breathing. Nature is taking care of the rest."

Standing nearby, Su Bai overheard the conversation. Curiosity flickered across his face, and for a moment, he lingered. Maybe they’re right, he thought. Sometimes, all it takes is removing what's harmful and letting the rest heal on its own. The idea warmed him, though it left him with a bittersweet sense of humility.

He read somewhere algae helps purify water naturally. He will find someone to clean whole pond.

With a quiet sigh, Su Bai turned away and headed to nainai’s room. The old wooden door creaked softly as he stepped inside, the familiar scent of herbal ointments wrapping around him like a gentle embrace. He picked up a cloth and began cleaning, his movements steady and thoughtful.

As his gaze fell on a faded photograph on the bedside table, he paused. It was an old image of the pond, its surface dotted with lotus blossoms under a warm sun. Su Bai smiled faintly. In its own way, the pond seemed to echo a simple truth: with care—and a little patience—everything has the chance to grow clear. 

“Kitty, Xiaopang, Mimi? Which one do you like?”

The little kitten, entirely unbothered by the importance of the moment, lazily licked his small paw. His leisurely attitude made it clear he had no intention of assisting in his own naming, leaving the young child to ponder deeply, his small brows furrowed in confusion.

“Kitty, if you don’t respond, I’ll just give you a random name!” The child tried his best to sound serious, thinking perhaps a little threat might motivate the kitten. But the fluffy creature simply glanced at him, gave a soft, indifferent "meow," and went back to grooming himself.

The child let out a helpless sigh, his big, round eyes brimming with frustration. “Fine, then! Let’s call you Xiaohei! Beautiful gege’s name is Su Bai, so you can be Xiaohei. Even though you’re completely white… still, Xiaohei sounds fun!”

“Meow! Meow! Meooooowww!”

The kitten suddenly looked up, his wide golden eyes filled with indignation, his protest loud and clear in kitty language. The soft white fur on his body practically glowed in the sunlight, making it all the more absurd that he was being saddled with a name like Xiaohei, which meant “Little Black.”

“Oh, now you have something to say?” The child crossed his arms, his tone half-annoyed, half-amused. “But you didn’t say anything earlier, so now your name will be Xiaohei.”

“Meow! Meow meooow! Meowww meow!”

The kitten’s tiny protests grew louder, as if he was desperately trying to explain how unfair this situation was. His pink nose twitched, and his tail flicked in indignation. But the child simply giggled, unbothered by the flurry of meows.

“Too late! Xiaohei it is,” the child declared triumphantly. 

******

Author's word:

QaQ sorry ???i am also finding a house to shift, so updated will a bit irregular. 

TaT??