Itâs like sheâs her mom or something. She should ask for her, right?
But she canât get mad at a kid, so she took out a pear from the basket and said, "Is a pear okay? Iâm saving the apples for visiting relatives tomorrow."
"Aunt bought so many apples, whatâs wrong with giving Miao Miao one?" Saying that, she grabbed the pear from Lin Wanâs hand and threw it hard on the ground. Then she stood there and started crying loudly,
This scene made it look like Lin Wan was an adult mistreating a child.
But the few people walking together knew what was happening. Pears are quite fragile, and as soon as they hit the ground, they split into two halves and got covered with dirt. A perfectly good pear was wasted just like that.
They cost ten cents per pound, and pears are big; you get two or three pears per pound.
Before anyone could intervene, Miao Miao started crying out,
"Aunt Lin looks down on our family, doesnât like me, wonât even give me an apple."
A few women were stunned by Miao Miaoâs words.
Lin Wan was so angry, she felt a weight in her chest and pointed at her, saying, "When did I ever say that?"
"How can a little kid say such things? Little Sister Wang, arenât you going to hurry and calm the child?" Sister-in-law Zhang quickly stepped forward to comfort Lin Wan.
"Miao Miao, what are you saying? Didnât you hear Aunt Lin say so? Theyâre visiting relatives tomorrow. Pears are so nice, and yet you just threw it away." Wang Guihua hadnât expected her daughter to say such things. She wanted an apple, and had been arguing all the way. Wang Guilan thought Lin Wan bought so many and without any kids at home, sheâd surely give one if asked. Who knew this time she didnât give it.
"I saw Aunt Lin bought so many apples. Iâm little, I canât finish even one. She doesnât give me one, isnât that just looking down on us?"
Lin Wan, growing up, has only twice been angered by a child enough to want to scold.
"Sister-in-law Wang, please manage your child well. Weâre neighbors, I wouldnât be stingy for just a snack, but with a temper like that, sheâll suffer in the future."
"What kind of words are those, Lin? My daughter just wanted one of your apples. Sheâs just young and doesnât understand things. Sister-in-law Linâs tone just now was too harsh. How could you take it so seriously with a child? Tomorrowâs the last day of the holiday, shouldnât we all be going back? Saying stuff about visiting relatives is a lie, just not wanting to give it, and then claiming my child is unruly."
"Little Sister Wang, what youâre saying isnât right. Your kid indeed needs to be taught properly. Weâre all in the same yard, should help each other, but they donât owe you anything. Even with kids, they have the right to choose whether to give or not. Besides, Aunt Lin didnât leave your kid without anything to eat. She just didnât get what she wanted and started crying and fussing. Being like this at such a young age, how will she be when she grows up?" Jiang Ailian wasnât one to form cliques, but she particularly disliked Wang Guilan and her daughter. Poverty isnât scary, whatâs scary is exploiting people and acting righteous about it. When not given, they act so pitiful, as if someone wronged them.
She herself had encountered them one or two times, she was just too lazy to bicker.
Today the three or four of them bought apples, why didnât they ask them, and instead asked Lin Wan? Isnât it because Lin Wan usually speaks softly?
"Sister-in-law Wang, though we are neighbors, we havenât interacted much. This is only my second time here in the yard. The first time, most of my sunflower seeds and candies ended up in Miao Miaoâs stomach. This time I came hastily. I didnât bring any candies. But the snacks I prepared for Han Yi, your Miao Miao also ate quite a lot. This time I just didnât give anything. Today, even if I refused, you shouldnât have any complaints. I believe I havenât looked down on you, and have done my part between neighbors. If you insist on blaming me then, blame it is. Today Iâve learned a lesson. My house wonât welcome such neighbors." Lin Wan felt she had been too friendly in front of them, which made them feel she was easy to bully. No, they were wrong. Lin Wan has lived two lives; this life, finally living well, wouldnât be for them to bully.