Chapter 43 - 34: Watching a Movie

Chapter 43: Chapter 34: Watching a Movie

Mo Xiaoman knew that Lin Meilian was Lin Liuping’s sister, but after listening to her new friends talk, she was shocked to realize she only had a vague understanding of the Lin Family’s situation.

Mo Linghui glanced sympathetically at Lin Liuping behind the counter and said softly, "Even though Sister Liu Ping has an easy job as a clerk with benefits and subsidies, her life is pitiful. I heard that she never gets a moment of rest at home. She has to do all the household chores, and in the morning, she has to fill the water vats and feed the chickens and pigs before she can even come to the store... And even with all that, she still gets scolded every day!"

Guan Ailan sighed with a world-weary air. "My mom says a child without a mother is like a weed, and it’s so true!"

Mo Shuixia, who had been quietly munching on sunflower seeds, also added, "Everyone says Sister Liu Ping is lucky to have a doting stepmother, but that’s not true at all! If it weren’t for her maternal uncle’s family all these years, Sister Liu Ping would have it even worse!"

Mo Xiaoman couldn’t help but ask, "What are you guys talking about? Sister Liu Ping’s mom is her stepmom, not her real mom?"

The three girls stared at her as if she were an alien. It was Guan Ailan’s six- or seven-year-old sister who chimed in to enlighten her. "Sister Xiao Man, Sister Liu Ping’s real mom died right after giving birth to her. This mom is her stepmom. Everyone in the village knows that!"

The little girl blinked her big, dark eyes at Xiao Man, her expression clearly asking, ’How could you be the only one who doesn’t know?’

Xiao Man gave a wry smile. "I... I have to do so much work every day, I never have time to go out. I really didn’t know about this! Actually, there are a lot of things in the village I don’t know about!"

Mo Linghui nodded in understanding. "That’s true. You used to be so withdrawn, Xiao Man. You ignored everyone and didn’t like to talk."

Mo Shuixia said, "We all grew up in the same village—who doesn’t have chores? I’m not very talkative either, but what goes on in the village that I don’t know about? Xiao Man was just being controlled by that mother of hers. Not only did she have a ton of work, but she wasn’t even allowed to come out and play with us."

"Not being allowed to play was one thing, but she’d also hit and pinch her for no reason. I once saw Xiao Man’s mom beating her with a door latch right at their doorway. She was so vicious, you’d think she wasn’t afraid of killing her!"

Guan Ailan said, "Xiao Man, I’m not trying to gossip, but your mom really doesn’t act like a real mom. She’s even more malicious than Sister Liu Ping’s stepmom. At least Sister Liu Ping doesn’t get beaten!"

Mo Linghui looked at Xiao Man and said hesitantly, "The other day, Xiao Man’s grandma mentioned that Xiao Man was brought home from somewhere else. That made my mom remember something. She said that back then, Xiao Man’s mom really did give birth to a baby in a big-city hospital and then brought her back! My mom also said she was walking by the road that day and saw Xiao Man’s parents get out of a vehicle holding a baby. My mom even helped hold Xiao Man for a moment. She said you were so good and alert, you didn’t even cry, and your little face was as round and full as the full moon! The clothes and blanket you were wrapped in were all from the hospital. Xiao Man’s mom was bragging about how great big hospitals were, saying all the newborns wore standardized, sterilized clothes, diapers, and blankets so they wouldn’t get sick. But if that’s true, and every baby looked the same from the outside, wouldn’t it be easy to mix them up? What do you guys think? Ever since I heard my mom’s story, I’ve had this feeling... that you aren’t your mother’s biological daughter!"

Guan Ailan’s eyes widened as she looked from Xiao Man to Mo Linghui. "Then... then are you saying that Xiao Man... was taken home by the wrong mother?"

Mo Shuixia clicked her tongue. "If that’s true, this would be a huge deal—Who are Xiao Man’s real parents? Where are they?"

"Where else could they be?" Guan Ailan’s impish little sister, a natural-born gossip, squeezed in and interjected, "In that big city, of course! Just go ask around and see who lost a baby..."

Guan Ailan roughly shoved her sister out of their circle. "What do you know? Get out of the way! Do you have any idea what a big city is? You think it’s like our Gongdao Village, where you can find any lost cat or dog? That place is a sea of people. If you get lost there, you might never see your parents again in your whole life!"

The little gossip pouted, clearly unconvinced, but intimidated by her sister’s bullying presence, she obediently shrank back and carefully took out a few sunflower seeds from her pocket to nibble on.

Xiao Man smiled and said, "Actually, I’ve also had my doubts about whether I’m really a biological child of the Mo family. Why else would they beat and scold me my whole life, treat me like I’m not human, and not even let me go to school... But now, it doesn’t matter if I have real parents or not. My household registration is with Grandpa and Grandma. I’m Grandpa and Grandma’s child! You guys... you won’t look down on me because I don’t have real parents, will you?"

"What nonsense are you talking? Do you think I’m that kind of person?"

"If anyone dares to look down on you, I’ll help you chew them out!"

Mo Shuixia reached out and playfully ruffled Xiao Man’s hair. Guan Ailan also gave her a pat on the shoulder. Mo Linghui said with a laugh, "Don’t worry. Your grandpa and my dad are clan brothers. Those old guys are thick as thieves. It doesn’t matter if you’re a biological member of the Mo family or not. Since Grandpa has accepted you as his grandchild, everyone else will recognize you as one of their own. I’m twelve this year, not much older than you, but according to our generation in the family, you’re supposed to call me ’Auntie,’ you know!"

Xiao Man asked, "So from now on, I really have to call you ’Auntie’?"

Mo Linghui cleared her throat. "I was just explaining the principle of it. Don’t actually call me that. As long as you know, it’s fine. I’m already annoyed to death by the bunch of little kids at home calling me ’Auntie’ all day. If I have to add a grandniece who’s taller than me... I don’t want to get old that fast!"

The girls burst out laughing, playfully shoving each other as they walked out of the convenience store.

Liang Xiaoju had already run off when the dispute with Little Su started. The village school wasn’t far from the brigade headquarters, and Xiao Man thought, ’Since she was able to pull me all the way here before, she probably won’t get lost.’ There were still customers in the convenience store, so Lin Liuping couldn’t leave. Xiao Man decided to head out first with Mo Linghui, Guan Ailan, and the others.

After entering the village primary school grounds, the girls agreed to meet up again later to play or gather firewood on the mountain. Then they split up to find where their own families were sitting.

The forty-minute short film was nearing its end, and the main feature would be starting soon. The entire field was a dark sea of people. Xiao Man fumbled around for a long time and called out quietly a few times before she finally found her way to Grandma and Liang Xiaoju.

Grandma reached out, touched Xiao Man’s arm, and asked worriedly, "Little Su didn’t do anything to you, did she? Xiaoju came back and said you two argued? And were about to fight?"

Xiao Man glanced at Liang Xiaoju, who was sitting on Grandma’s other side spitting out sunflower seed shells, and answered softly, "Little Su cursed at me and tried to rob me. But Shuixia, Ling Hui, and Ai Lan helped me. We didn’t end up fighting, but we exchanged a few words."

"You didn’t lose out?"

"No."

"Mm, that’s good. Little Su is a handful; her mother has spoiled her rotten since she was little. I was worried you wouldn’t be able to handle her. It’s a good thing you had those girls to help you. There’s a saying: at home, rely on family; away from home, rely on friends. Now that you’re growing up, Xiao Man, you’ll make many friends. When you get to know people, you have to be sincere. People have hearts, you know. If you treat others well, they’ll treat you well in return, understand?"

"Grandma, I know." Xiao Man snuggled closer to Grandma and took out her own bag of sunflower seeds. "Grandma, have some sunflower seeds!"

Granny Mo smiled and took a small handful of seeds from the paper bag in Xiao Man’s hand. She popped one into her mouth and said to Xiao Man, "Xiaoju bought sunflower seeds too. I had her share some with Second Granny Qiu and the others just now. You should go share some too. Just a small pinch for each person is enough!"

Xiao Man agreed, grabbed a few seeds from the paper bag for her pocket, then stooped over and walked over, giving the entire bag to Second Granny Qiu and telling her to share it with her grandchildren.

Just as she returned to her seat, the science-and-technology short film ended. The lights suddenly came on brightly, and the projectionist was changing the film reel. Xiao Man saw Liang Xiaoju take a paper bag out of her pocket. ’Alright,’ she thought, ’time to freeload some cornmeal cakes!’

The main feature finally began, the screen immediately erupting with the ROARING of cannons. In the darkness, Grandma pressed something into Xiao Man’s hand. Xiao Man held it up to see, then craned her neck to look at Grandma and Liang Xiaoju, and was instantly rendered speechless. That stingy Liang Xiaoju had bought two cornmeal cakes but was only willing to share one. She kept half for herself and gave the other half to Grandma, who had then broken her own piece in half to give to Xiao Man...

Xiao Man took a bite of the cornmeal cake. It didn’t have the fragrant, sweet taste she’d been hoping for. She sighed inwardly. ’I guess tomorrow I’ll just have to use my own twenty cents to buy a couple and see how they taste!’