Chapter 4

Chapter 4

My uncle, who had left, came back and pulled me up from the ground. “Quickly pack a couple of outfits and come with me. It’s going to rain soon.”

I always wore my sister’s old clothes, most of them riddled with holes.

Mom picked out two pieces from my sister’s wardrobe for me, and she screamed furiously, “Those are mine! Why give them to her?”

Mom glared at her. “Your sister is going to Uncle’s house. It’d be too embarrassing if she goes in rags. Your dad and I always give in to you. Now that she’s leaving, can’t you let her have her way just this once?”

Mom stroked my hair, her eyes red, and said, “You’ll stay at Uncle’s place for a while. Once the little brother is born, Mom and Dad will come get you.”

As I was leaving, my sister said huffily, “I’m so envious of you. You’ll get to live in a city apartment with Uncle and Auntie.”

“You must be secretly thrilled.”

No!

I was walking on thin ice.

Uncle led me inside, and Auntie smashed a bowl right in front of me.

“Hu Shan, what did you promise me before you left? Aren’t two sons enough torment for me? You think I’m not dying fast enough?”

“Send her back right now, this instant!”

Uncle took out the butterfly and dragged her into the room.

Auntie’s roaring continued: “It’s easy to welcome a guest but hard to send one away. Once you take her in, there’s no sending her back.”

“Food, clothes, housing, schooling-everything costs money. There’s no extra room in this house, and the factory’s performance is lousy…”

I put down my small bundle, grabbed a broom, and swept up the shattered bowl.

Then I carried a little stool to the kitchen.

When Auntie stormed out of the room, I had already washed the green beans and water spinach and was standing on the stool chopping chili peppers.

She stood behind me and asked in a dark, sullen tone, “What are you doing?”

Startled, my hand slipped and the kitchen knife cut my finger.

I immediately clenched my fist and hid my hand behind my back, forcing an ingratiating smile. “Auntie, I can do a lot of housework, and I eat very little.”

“Mom said they’ll come get me once the little brother is born…”

The kitchen had poor lighting, dim and gloomy.

Auntie stared at me wordlessly. I couldn’t maintain the smile, and my eyes started itching.

Instinctively, I rubbed them with my hand.

The spiciness hit all at once, and tears streamed down.

Uncle nudged Auntie and whispered, “Look how you’ve frightened the child.”

In the evening, Brother Jiawen and Brother Jiawu came home.

Brother Jiawen was aloof, merely nodding in greeting. Brother Jiawu smiled and patted my head. “Second Sister, you’ve gotten tanned again. At this rate, you’ll turn into a lump of charcoal.”

At the dinner table, Uncle said, “Second Sister will be staying here for a while. You two brothers will have to squeeze in together for now and clear out a room for her.”

Brother Jiawen’s face was blank. “I don’t want to move.”

Brother Jiawu scratched his head. “I’ve got so much stuff. I don’t want to move either.”

Auntie slammed her chopsticks on the table and yelled, “If nobody moves, is Second Sister supposed to sleep in the hallway?”