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Xiao Xingchen had run out of caramels for the second time in just twenty days. He usually made enough to last a month, but in recent years, with both Xue Yang and A-Qing hitting puberty and probably the highest point in their addiction, they barely lasted two weeks. It didn't matter that he always hid them in different spots. The teens had developed both a great skill at detecting and finding caramels, and a dreadful penchant for stealing.
It hadn't gotten them into trouble. Yet. Xingchen is somehow always nearby to prevent them from actually stealing. Both Xue Yang and A-Qing were great at planning it all, or pretending to plan, but one look at how concerned Xingchen looked made them stop on their tracks. Song Lan had once voiced his opinion in front of them. He was of the idea that Xingchen had to let them get into trouble now or they'd never learn and would escalate things. He'd said it in such a tired and disappointed look in front of Xue Yang and A-Qing, that both teens have secretly stopped altogether, now just pretending for appearances.
One way or the other, both teens had already gotten quite sneaky, and that, paired with their caramel addiction, only made Xingchen's stock go down.
He remembers he really didn't have to hide them when Song Lan and him had first adopted Xue Yang and A-Qing. They were both so cute, small, and polite… Xingchen really didn't know what had gone wrong. Neither of them could even reach the counter, so the caramels were always in a bowl in the middle of the wooden table they had at the apartment. If any of the toddlers wanted a caramel, either Song Lan or him would hand them a piece or two. Back then, the caramels would last up to three months.
He'd started hiding them when Xue Yang turned six, and got tall enough to steal some from the table. Xingchen had once found him sitting cross-legged on the table, caramel bowl on his lap as he ate some and threw others at A-Qing, who was still too short to reach.
He first hid them in the pantry's top shelf, thinking that if it was a matter of height, then the problem would be solved. He regretted his decision almost immediately after he caught both children climbing up the shelves to get to the bag that contained the candies. He's never run as fast as he did then to take them to safety.
Then, he hid them inside the oven at the very back of it. That worked until a few months later. They were going to bake some cookies and he forgot all about the plastic bag with the caramels inside it. He turned the oven on to preheat it and only remembered them after smoke started coming out of it and the caramels had become a burnt ugly thing. The oven still smelled horrible half a year after the incident.
He was about to hide the caramels behind the stove, but thought better about it. He definitely didn't want to find out how that could end. He's been hiding them all over the house ever since, even in his own drawers, but Xue Yang and A-Qing have always managed to find them.
Now that he's about to make some more, he's made sure he's home alone before he gets to work. He chose a Friday for that exact reason.
Fridays always went like this. After school, his teens would go to Wei Ying's house, pick up A-Yuan and his band of gremlins, and then go… well… somewhere…? Xingchen really didn't want to know what they got up to. He was only kind of reassured that Wei Ying followed around along with Lan Zhan. Only kind of, though… He was aware that trouble followed Wei Ying wherever he went, and Lan Zhan followed trouble wherever it went as a consequence. Song Lan tagged along sometimes to keep things legal.
This time, Xingchen was kind of excited about the caramels thanks to Song Lan. One of Song Lan's martial arts students had gifted them enough berries to last a year. They'd been eating them with everything and anything they could think of, from making them jam, to using them as decoration for a chocolate cake, and making pie out of them… They were running out of ideas already, so Xingchen was thinking of using them to make the caramels. Maybe make a juice first and then mix it in? Or make a syrup with them? Would he have to take out the butter? but then how…? His mind kept going on and on and on about it though the day, that and where to hide the caramels next.
Shortly after he's left alone, he gets notification after notification from the group chat he has with his little family. Wei Ying has apparently taken everyone to explore abandoned places, and Xue Yang has felt the urge to take pictures of everything and send them. Thankfully, Lan Zhan can be seen in some of the pictures. Song Lan sends a text, too, promising to join them after the last class is over.
A-Yang
@Xingchen don't bother with dinner, mama.
Xingchen huffs. Xue Yang had taken to calling him that some years ago. He doesn't know if he keeps it up sarcastically or truly as an endearment.
A-Qing
Yeah, concentrate on the caramels, mama.
We'll bring dinner.
A grilled ghost sounds nice?
He groans. How did they even know…? He has to admit he loves when the teens come together, but hates when it is against him.
Xingchen
You both will be washing the dishes until you tell me how you knew about the caramels.
Xue Yang sends a sticker of a movie's serial killer laughing to death.
A-Qing
There's too many berries!
It's the only recipe we haven't added them to!
Xingchen decides to have them wash everything he uses when they come back, and take his time to actually enjoy cooking.
He'd been debating on whether it'd be better to make a berry juice or a syrup, but settled on the syrup, only because he can leave some and pour it over some pancakes tomorrow morning for breakfast.
Making the syrup makes the whole house smell sweet. His mouth water, and he can't resist dipping a finger to try it. When it's ready, he separates some for tomorrow's breakfast, and then some more to eat with toast and a cup of coffee later in the afternoon.
Integrating it with the other ingredients and watching it boil only makes him impatient and expectant. He's never made caramels like these, and a nervous almost giddy feeling settles in his gut. He's sent at least twenty different voice messages to Song Lan. His anxiety spiking with each unsure step and then replaced with satisfaction.
"This won't work, I think I put too much…"
"Wait! It smells great!"
"Ugh, I've made a mess…"
"Do you think it'd work out fine if I used butter? or should I just take it out of the recipe?"
"Don't think this is quite working…"
"SONG LAAAAAAAAN!!!! THE CARAMELS ARE TOO GOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!"
That earns him a string of laughing faces and a single text:
Song Lan 🖤✨️
Of course they are, you made them.
By the time Song Lan comes back with Xue Yang and A-Qing, Xingchen has already hidden more than three fourths of the caramels and is begging all gods that both teens won't find them this time. The rest of them, he divides into four different plastic bags with the exact same amount of caramels. He's even made sure they weigh the same. He really doesn't want a repeat of that time when Xue Yang and A-Qing got a bit too competitive.
They'd gone as far as measuring the caramels and weighing them, arguing that Xingchen loved one of them more than the other based on the caramels they'd received. Talking about the number of caramels, Xue Yang had more. Talking about weight… well… A-Qing still rubs it in Xue Yang's face from time to time.
"Xingchen, we're here!"
Song Lan calls from the martial arts studio downstairs. His voice carries gently to the second floor, followed by rushed steps up the stairs. Both A-Qing and Xue Yang race to the kitchen. Their eyes are bright and expectant. Xingchen hands them each a bag.
"Here. Make them last, you're not getting more until next month, I mean it!"
Xue Yang grins and takes the bag.
"Thanks, mom." He snorts. "You say the same thing every fucking time."
"Language!"
Song Lan reprimands. Xue Yang doesn't mind it and starts eating his caramels.
A-Qing actually kisses his cheek before taking the caramels.
"Thanks. It's impossible to make them last."
Song Lan sets a bag with take out from Xingchen's favourite place on the table.
"Come eat dinner before you stuff yourself with sugar!" He turns to Xingchen. "They're not wrong, though… They're always too good to save for later.
Needless to say, the caramels he gave each teen are gone before Monday even arrives. He lets them suffer for two days before refilling their bags.
It's a week til A-Qing comes across the hidden caramels. Xingchen had noticed they never checked in Song Lan's things. They, apparently, respected him too much to poke around where Song Lan was involved. Xingchen had decided to try it out, with his permission. So, when A-Qing had been looking for a new pen, and Song Lan had told her to look for one in his desk's drawer, forgetting it was the new hiding place, Xingchen could only hold his breath and hope the girl wouldn't take the whole bag with her. To his relief, he only heard her call out to Xue Yang.
"Make your caramels last! We're not getting more till next month! They're all for dad!"
When Xue Yang groans loudly, he can't help but giggle. He'll keep hiding the caramels in Song Lan's desk.