Chapter 36

A few days later, Jiang Jiang chose a time when both her parents were home and told them about her desire to learn sewing from Master Yang.

He Guijuan discussed it with her husband. “Your dad and I were planning for you to come with me to the hospital on weekends, but since you want to learn sewing, go ahead.”

“When will you be going to Master Yang’s? It won’t interfere with your studies, will it?” Even though elementary education wasn’t overly emphasized at the moment, both parents cared deeply about Jiang Jiang’s learning.

“Master Yang said I could go on weekends for one or two hours a day.”

“That’s fine, then. I’ll drop you off on my way to work,” her father replied.

“Alright!”

So, Jiang Jiang’s plan to learn sewing from Master Yang was approved. A few more days passed, and Jiang Jiang’s birthday was approaching.

That evening, after they finished dinner, someone knocked on the door. Jiang Jiang opened it and was thrilled to see who was outside. “Sister Fengzhen! Brother Zhong Xing! Brother Hangyuan!”

Fengzhen smiled broadly at Jiang Jiang, her pale face brightening. “Jiang Jiang, long time no see!”

“Sister Fengzhen, it’s been ages! I’ve missed you so much!”

Hearing the commotion, Lin Youqing and his wife came over, warmly inviting the guests inside. “Come in and have a seat!”

The two greeted the couple politely, “Uncle Lin, Aunt He.”

Zhong Xing scratched his head. “We won’t go in this time. We just came from Dongxi Village and haven’t gone home yet. Tomorrow is Jiang Jiang’s birthday, so we’ll come back then. Fengzhen got car sick on the way here, so we need to ask Aunt He to take care of her.”

He Guijuan hugged her niece and said, “Well, we will take good care of Fengzhen. You all be careful on your way back and come over early tomorrow.”

After Zhong Xing and Yu Hang left, their family walked into the house. Jiang Jiang linked her arm with Fengzhen’s. He Guijuan then asked, “Do you still feel nauseous and dizzy?”

Fengzhen shook her head. “After getting off the bus and walking for a bit, I feel much better now.”

“I’ll prepare some hot water for you. After you take a bath, you can have a bowl of hot noodle soup, and then you won’t feel uncomfortable. Tonight, you can sleep with Jiang Jiang. You two sisters haven’t seen each other for a while, and I bet you have a lot to talk about,” He Guijuan said with a smile.

“Okay.”

This was Fengzhen’s first time visiting her uncle and aunt’s home in the city. Her aunt and uncle had been working in other places for a long time. She tried to control her eyes from wandering around, not wanting to appear too provincial.

The room was bright and felt no different from daytime. Fengzhen looked up, and the light source came from an oval lamp hanging overhead. She had seen this in books and knew it was called an “electric light,” but it was her first time seeing it in person.

After Fengzhen finished her bath, Jiang Jiang had already tidied up her luggage. In fact, there wasn’t much; she was already wearing a change of clothes, and apart from a thin cotton jacket, there was only a gift she had made for Jiang Jiang.

A bowl of sweet soup exuded a rich milky aroma on the windowsill.

When they arrived in the city, the cafeteria had already closed, and Fengzhen hadn’t eaten dinner, so she swallowed hard, feeling quite hungry. Just then, Jiang Jiang came back from outside and said, “Sister Fengzhen, this is the barley milk drink my mom made for you. She’s in the kitchen cooking noodles for you now. Drink this first to settle your stomach.”

So it was prepared for her. Fengzhen carefully picked up the bowl and took a small sip. It was sweet and delicious, making her usually furrowed brow relax, and a smile appeared on her face. “This is the first time I’ve had something so tasty.”

Jiang Jiang replied, “When I had it for the first time, I also thought barley milk was the best drink in the world.”

After finishing the bowl of barley milk, Fengzhen’s empty stomach found a momentary comfort. With only her and Jiang Jiang in the room, she finally gathered the courage to look around. The walls were painted pure white, and there was a painting hanging on one of them.

To the right of the entrance was a bed that was 1.2 meters wide, topped with a floral quilt that had a fragrant scent. The electric light hung overhead, and a large dark brown wardrobe was in the room. A pile of books and Jiang Jiang’s unfinished homework was on the desk by the window.

The handwriting in the notebook was neat. Fengzhen hadn’t expected that Jiang Jiang had only been in school for less than a month and could already write so beautifully, rivaling even Fengyin’s writing.

Thinking of Fengyin, she said, “Actually, Fengyin was supposed to come with us to the city.”

“Then why didn’t she come?” Jiang Jiang asked curiously.

Fengzhen smiled, “She had an upset stomach all day. She was waiting for the bus with us, but when the bus arrived, she had to rush to the restroom because of her stomachache. So, Brother Zhong Xing said they wouldn’t wait for her and got on the bus.”

In fact, Fengzhen didn’t want to go to the city with Fengyin. Her younger sister always ordered her around and never treated her like an older sister. She was either scolded for being stupid or for being silly.

Compared to the annoying Fengyin, Fengzhen preferred Jiang Jiang.

“Here comes the noodles,” He Guijuan said as she knocked on the door and entered with a smile, carrying a bowl of noodles.

Fengzhen took the chopsticks and noticed that two fried eggs were resting on top of the noodles. She felt a bit surprised; she had never been treated this way at home. Although there were two or three hens laying eggs, they were usually saved up to be sold for money or used to make a dish for the whole family to share. She would never get a share with so many children at home, even if there were eggs.

Fengzhen inhaled the fragrant aroma of the noodles. “Aunt He, Jiang Jiang, aren’t you eating?”

“We’ve already had dinner. This is specially made for you,” Jiang Jiang replied.

Upon hearing this, Fengzhen didn’t hold back any longer. She buried her head in the bowl and started to eat. The noodles were cooked with pork fat and soft and fragrant eggs.

“Is everything at home okay?”

“Just like before. A couple of days ago, Grandma fought with Old Cow Lady. Fengyin has started elementary school. She performs very well in class and often gets praised by her teachers.”

As Fengzhen ate her noodles, she chatted with He Guijuan about recent happenings at home. She enjoyed talking to her aunt; He Guijuan had a pleasant voice with a certain charm. When she spoke to Fengzhen, she would look at her gently, making Fengzhen feel respected. No matter what she said, He Guijuan always listened attentively.

Fengzhen envied Jiang Jiang, thinking how fortunate it must be to have such a mother.

After finishing the noodles, He Guijuan took away the bowls and chopsticks, and Jiang Jiang and Fengzhen lay on the bed chatting.

“Uncle and Aunt treat you very well, right?”

“Mm-hmm, they treat me really well.”

Although they had lived in the same village before, Jiang Jiang had never played with the other children in the village. It was only after Uncle and Aunt brought her to the Lin family that she became familiar with them.

Fengzhen had seen Jiang Jiang from a distance once. She remembered a thin, frail figure and a face that looked withered, radiating an unease and numbness that didn’t fit her age. An orphan, Jiang Jiang had been living with Zhou Fugui’s family, where she was often scolded and beaten.

Fengzhen had heard that the Yinhua siblings bullied her, pouring water on her sleeping area and encouraging Zhou Fugui’s wife not to feed her, leaving her to eat chicken feed out of hunger.

Fengzhen tilted her head, her gaze resting on Jiang Jiang’s profile. Jiang Jiang has come a long way since then. Her future seemed promising; she would have a warm, tidy room of her own, fashionable and beautiful clothes, and the love of her adoptive parents. All of that was truly enviable.