Mother - Chapter 1.

Sunny Day

Eleven-year-old Xiaojun sat by a huge open box near the door of her Baba’s shop. She had been sorting and putting products on the shelves since early morning. When the doorbell chimed, which happened several times an hour, she’d stand up and smile at everyone coming in and going out.

It was 1946 in a major city in northeast China named Chifeng, which means “Red Mountains.” The business was not bad, even though the country was in the middle of the Civil War.

“See you soon, Auntie!” Xiaojun said to a middle-aged woman, her high-pitched sunny voice brightened the crowded room.

With one hand holding a bag of rice and the other patting Xiaojun’s head, the woman exclaimed, “Aren’t you a pretty little girl!”

Before Xiaojun sat back down, an old man with a cane in his right hand walked toward the door. His left shoulder sagged under the weight of a big black bag, and the clanging of metal sounded with each step.

“You have a good day, Grandpa! See you next time!” Xiaojun called after him with the same sunshine in her voice.

“What a doll you are. Your Baba is lucky. The store is worth visiting just to hear your voice and see your face.” The old man paused, grinned at her, and walked on.

The store was quiet now. Xiaojun reached for her teacup. An over-washed shirt with a pink flower pattern loosely covered her small body. Mama had overestimated her growth rate when she made the shirt two Spring Festivals ago. The sleeves had to be rolled up to show Xiaojun’s oversized hands. Mama said people with big hands would have better lives. With her short, boyish haircut, Xiaojun could move her head with ease. So much better than pigtails tangling around my neck, she thought, and turned her head from side to side, relishing the sense of freedom.

Her round face had a pointed chin, making her face heart-shaped, the most desirable face shape of many Chinese in her parents’ generation. Of all her features, though, her eyes were the most extraordinary. Those eyes! The double eyelids inherited from her father, and her half-cherry-shaped eyes made her stand out—most people had long and narrow eyes with single eyelids. In contrast with most people’s dark brown pupils, her black pupils were deep and clear, as if they led to a world filled with mystery. Many times, women in the neighborhood would say to Mama, “Xiaojun is so pretty; she looks like she comes from another world!” In response, Mama would always proudly say, “Indeed, that’s the reason I named her Xiaojun, the little pretty girl—she hasn’t disappointed me.” In the northern regions of China, people used “Xiao” (小) in front of other characters to name a child. “Jun” (俊) meant pretty or handsome.

Ding!

A young man entered the store.

“Welcome to Mr. Liu’s! You must be new to the block?” Xiaojun stood up, her usual sunny demeanor returning to her voice and face.

“Yes, I’m visiting my aunt and need some parts to mend their windows.” The young man stared at her for a few seconds.

Xiaojun pointed. “They’re in the second row from the back.”

“Aren’t you too young to operate the store? Are there grownups here?” he inquired, looking around with a puzzled face. Xiaojun barely reached the height of his waist.

Before Xiaojun could answer, Mr. Liu, a man in his late 50s, came out from the back room.

“Welcome. What can I help you with?” His deep and voluminous voice stood in stark contrast to Xiaojun’s.

“Oh, hi, Lao Ban (Chinese for the boss). I’m looking for some screws,” said the young man.

“Come with me,” Mr. Liu gestured. The young man followed those broad shoulders to the back.

Xiaojun sat down and continued shelving. She spent every morning in the store. She loved to be there, partly because she could be with Baba and she knew that made him happy, and partly because she’d get to meet people. Observing them and predicting what they might do or say was fun. Plus, she’d learn whatever news they might bring to the store. Baba had told her she didn’t have to do any work, but Xiaojun liked to keep her hands busy and be useful. She couldn’t stand anyone thinking badly of her. The praise from Baba and everyone else motivated her to do more and be better.

Xiaojun wiped her forehead with her sleeve and put the empty box aside. Just then, Meiling’s face popped up by the door and she announced with a cheerful voice that matched the sunny day, “Time for lunch!”

From a wealthy family, Meiling was a good match for Mr. Liu’s first son, Xichang. According to Chinese tradition, the wife of the eldest son lived with her in-laws to help with household chores and take care of her husband’s younger siblings. But Meiling’s father had let the marriage go ahead on one condition for Mr. and Mrs. Liu—that Meiling wouldn’t do any physical labor, domestic or otherwise.

“Not a problem. My wife is still young,” Mr. Liu had said. “I have helpers around the house and at the store. Your daughter would be the last person to work on anything.”

With two pigtails, Meiling had a fuller figure: round face, round shoulders, round arms, and round hips. When the matchmaker mentioned her, the first thing Mr. Liu asked was how big she was—her physical shape. Mr. Liu was happy with his own wife’s body size. Tiny girls, however, would have trouble giving birth.

“Oh, don’t you worry! She can bear children for sure. She has wide hips,” the matchmaker assured him. After Mr. and Mrs. Liu had already declined five other girls, the matchmaker wanted this one to work.

Xiaojun still remembered the wedding day. Several young men unloaded boxes after boxes from four horse-drawn carts, along with several large pieces of furniture. The unspoken message was that the bride’s rich parents adored her, so her in-laws should too.

“Is my brother home from school for lunch?” asked Xiaojun, knowing what the answer would be. Since the wedding, Meiling had been greeting Xichang every day on the corner of the street when he came home for lunch or in the afternoon. At 16, Xichang was still in school. Happily married and adoring his wife, he grew worried one afternoon when he didn’t see Meiling by the street corner. Rushing home, he was told Meiling was having “the day of the month” and was hurting badly. For the rest of that day, he didn’t leave her side at all.

“Yes, he’s home and eating lunch now. You’d better hurry before the food gets cold.” Meiling used her right hand to brush off a piece of hair from Xiaojun’s forehead. Being the only girl at home, she’d always wanted a sister. Xiaojun was a nice playmate. Even though they were several years apart, Meiling didn’t pay much attention to their age gap.

Xiaojun went to the back. “Baba, it’s lunchtime.”

Mr. Liu raised his head and said, “You two go now. I’ll come as soon as I finish helping this young man.”

Xiaojun unrolled her sleeves and followed Meiling to the family compound, not far behind the store.

***

Xichang and Meiling lived in the East House on the other side of the yard. Xiaojun used to visit daily before Meiling moved in. Since then, Meiling had decorated the place to her own taste and displayed many items she’d brought from her parents’ home, including fancy furniture and nicer bedding. Xiaojun got to visit only when Meiling invited her.

Xiaojun liked Meiling—she was nice, not a picky eater, and not easily irritated. She’d listen to whatever Xiaojun was talking about and never interrupted her. She treated Xiaojun as a peer, not a child. And she’d braided Xiaojun’s hair—until Mrs. Liu cut it after Xiaojun’s persistent requests.

Still, Xiaojun felt uneasy and jealous because her brother spent much more time with Meiling than with her. He now spent all his time after school with Meiling in their East House.

“It’s not fair. He was my brother first!” Xiaojun complained to Mama once.

“Married people spend more time together,” said Mrs. Liu gently.

“But I get to spend time with Baba and you don’t always keep him to yourself,” countered Xiaojun.

“It’s different. You’re Baba’s girl. Wait until your brother and Meiling have children. Then they’ll be different, too,” Mrs. Liu said reassuringly.

Mrs. Liu was the cook of the family. It never bothered her to prepare three meals a day for the family of seven: herself, Mr. Liu, their two sons Xichang and Xidan, two daughters Xiaojun and Xia, and daughter-in-law Meiling. The boys were no help at all. When Mrs. Liu was too busy to go herself, she’d send Xiaojun to the market to buy groceries. Xiaojun would bring back the right stuff while spending the least amount of money. Helping Baba with the bookkeeping made Xiaojun good with numbers and she had a keen sense of money’s worth.

Mr. Liu came home for lunch. “Jun-Jun, you take a break this afternoon.” He was the only one who called Xiaojun that. “There’s no need for you in the store.”

“Come to our room after the nap,” Meiling invited Xiaojun.

Everyone took a brief nap after lunch. Afterward, they’d each attend to their own business during the afternoon: Students Xichang and Xidan would go back to school; Mr. Liu would go back to the store; and Mrs. Liu would take Xia to get water for laundry or whatever household chores she had to do.

Xiaojun knew Meiling had a collection of books in the East House. This had excited Xiaojun—and made her envious. She had no books because she couldn’t read. Mr. Liu kept saying, “You learn more in the store than in school.” Her parents had no books either. Mama could only recognize her name. Before the wedding, Xiaojun had never seen books in Xichang’s room besides his textbooks. She had, however, seen a stack of old books in Xidan’s room, but he always chased her out whenever she sneaked into his place.

Inside the East House, Xiaojun picked up one book and flipped through it. In addition to words, there were drawings. She guessed the meaning of some of them, and looked at Meiling with beautiful, smiling eyes.

Meiling knew the look. “Would you like me to read to you?” This was one of those few moments she considered herself to be useful or even superior.

Xiaojun nodded and jumped onto the edge of the kang to sit next to Meiling, who took the book from Xiaojun and opened it. She read smoothly, her voice rising and falling animatedly. At the end of each page, she let Xiaojun turn the page eagerly.

Time seemed to vanish.

“Wow!” Xiaojun exclaimed after Meiling had finished reading the last page. Taking the book in her hands, Xiaojun thumbed through it page by page. She pointed at the words on the cover and asked for two words she hadn’t learned from Meiling yet.

This was one of the few reasons she was glad Meiling had joined the family. She wished she could read like Meiling. The stories in the books were fascinating and she could see herself enjoying them very much. But the ability to read, Xiaojun thought, would be a superior skill in life.