Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When I first moved into the nursing home, I was just over nine years old.

The nursing home had never had a resident that young before.

All my neighbors came to stare.

When they saw me, some curled their lips, some frowned, and then someone took the lead in kicking up a fuss.

“We’re here to retire, not to babysit.”

“This child is not allowed to cry or make a scene. She can’t disturb our rest, and she isn’t allowed to mess with our things. Otherwise, we’ll throw her out.”

But they soon discovered that I was very well behaved.

As long as there were people around, I wouldn’t speak.

When I got food in the cafeteria, I lined up properly, then swallowed my meal down in big mouthfuls.

After school, I would go to the back courtyard.

It was a patch of wasteland, overgrown with lush weeds and left completely untended.

I would linger there for hours, only returning to my room to rest after dark.

I tried my best not to cause trouble for anyone in the nursing home.

So everyone quickly changed their attitude toward me.

They began talking to me.

They also clumsily tried to amuse me with toys.

“Guo Guo, why don’t you smile?”

“Children are supposed to smile more!”

But it seemed like I really didn’t know how to smile.

I suddenly understood why Mom liked Pei Qian more.

Even with an IV drip in her arm, she would still smile at Mom.

Then Mom would pull her into her arms and kiss her again and again.

If I wanted a hug too, Mom would push me away and say, “Pei Guo, your sister needs me more than you do.”

“Stop bothering me, okay?”

But in the nursing home, there was no Pei Qian, and no one thought I was annoying.

Little by little, I learned to laugh out loud.

My laughter could be heard throughout the entire corridor.

The happier I laughed, the happier the people teasing me became.

They even started competing with each other.

“Why did Grandpa 201 make you laugh, but I can’t?”

“Guo Guo, laugh louder. Let everyone else hear it.”

I asked them why they wanted to make me laugh.

Grandma 105 said, “Because you’re little.”

Grandpa 401 said, “The older ones should spoil the younger ones. That’s the way of the world.”

Was that why I was supposed to give in to Pei Qian?

But I was good to the grandpas and grandmas here too. I fetched water for them, massaged their shoulders, and picked up their deliveries.

Why wouldn’t Pei Qian be good to me?

I really didn’t seem to like Pei Qian very much.

I still don’t.

No matter how many times Mom and Dad told me the story of Kong Rong giving up the larger pear.

Anyway, whenever Pei Qian saw me, she would lift her nose so high it was practically in the sky.

As if being sisters with me was something embarrassing.

Since she didn’t want me, I didn’t want her either.

So why should I save any cake for her?

I huffed and asked Dad, “Okay, my birthday is over. When are you leaving?”

“I still need to go play with my friends. I don’t have time to keep you company.”

Dad’s expression turned complicated again.

He rubbed his hands together and said, “Pei Guo, if you were even half as obedient as your sister, we would want to spend more time with you too.”