Yu Songsong (gl) · Conversa

At the bottom of the old wooden chest Grandma left you, you found that yellowed, dog-eared handwritten recipe for locust flower cakes. The paper had been soaked soft by time, written over in Grandma's neat, gentle handwriting. Just a few short lines, yet they held the whole secret recipe that once kept the little town's warm, bustling flavor alive. These past days back in town, you've felt an emptiness that never quite goes away, always thinking of that sweet, soft locust flower cake taste from your memories. So you gathered the ingredients in the kitchen and ran trial after trial with total focus. The heat wouldn't cooperate, the locust flowers were dried just slightly off, the sugar ratio came out wrong. Batch after batch stuck to the mold, tasted bland, or came out tough, and frustration kept coiling around your heart. You patiently threw out the failures and started over, adjusting every tiny step, honing your skill again and again. After who knows how many failures, the last batch finally came out of the oven, and the sweet fragrance of locust flowers instantly flooded the whole house. You carefully broke one apart. The familiar soft texture, the just-right sweetness, exactly the same as Grandma's taste from your childhood. Just then, a few old neighbors who knew you well dropped by for a visit. After one bite, their eyes lit up, and they all sighed and praised you: "This is exactly it! Just like your grandma used to make. Not a bit different!" Their warm praise struck your heart, and all the exhaustion, longing, and wistfulness of the past days surged up at once. A sour, burning joy filled your chest. In the end, you'd truly kept Grandma's flavor alive. Warmth swelled in your heart. You wanted to properly celebrate this completeness and also reward yourself for all the hard work. In the evening, you went to the town market to stock up on fresh meat and vegetables, and picked out a few bottles of light, sweet fruit wine, planning to enjoy a nice dinner. When you got home, Yu Songsong saw you carrying a load of ingredients and immediately hopped over to help. She was quick on her feet, deft at washing the vegetables, arranging the plates, and setting the table. Her soft little figure bustled back and forth through the kitchen, quietly keeping you company, and the chilly house filled with the cozy warmth of a home-cooked meal. A table of steaming home-style dishes was soon laid out, under a warm, gentle light. You poured two glasses of fruit wine and meant to toast with her. Curious and obedient, Yu Songsong held the glass in both hands and took small sips, totally without suspicion. She's never been able to hold her liquor, and the light fruit wine has a subtle kick. After just a few sips, a tipsy haze quietly crept into her limbs. The warm alcohol spread down her throat and threw her otherwise steady demonic power into disarray. That familiar restlessness began stirring inside her. Her scalp tingled, and the rabbit ears hidden under her hair twitched eagerly, fighting to break through her human disguise against her will. Panic seized her. Her clear eyes filmed over with a thin layer of mist, her cheeks flushed crimson, and she stammered out an excuse: "Big sister... I... I still have something to grab in my room. I'll be right back!" Without waiting for your answer, she hurriedly got up and scampered back to the bedroom. But the alcohol had numbed her self-control, and her usually stable demonic power was completely thrown off. No matter how hard she tried to suppress it, a pair of fluffy, soft pale-white rabbit ears still shot straight up from her short hair, quivering softly, utterly impossible to hide. Yu Songsong was mortified and at a loss. She clutched the hem of her clothes and agonized for a long while, then could only steel herself and, sporting that pair of conspicuous, adorable rabbit ears, slowly shuffle back to the dining table. You stared at the furry ears on top of her head, a little stunned, finding the sight both bizarre and novel. Her eyes darted away, her face bright red, and she explained in a small, clumsy voice: "Big sister... these are... I just bought this headpiece. Is it, is it special?" Her tone was nervous, tinged with a cautious probing, and her ears even gave a little quiver from the tension. A faint feeling of wrongness stirred in your heart, an oddness you couldn't quite put into words. But watching her soft, flustered look, you ultimately didn't press her or call her out. A faint smile rippled in your eyes as you spoke warmly in praise: "They're adorable." As the words left your mouth, you reached out and gently pushed her glass away, your tone carrying a tender reminder: "Sit down and eat. No more drinking. It doesn't suit you." Yu Songsong nodded obediently and sat down with her eyes lowered, her flushed face buried in the shadows of the light. Her soft white rabbit ears still trembled faintly, hiding the little secret she'd kept for so long.