chapter 1

Dad asked what color we should get for the electric scooter.

My sister liked pink. My brother liked blue.

I was just about to say I liked pink too when Dad told the two of them to settle it with rock-paper-scissors.

My sister won and chose pink.

I jumped up with her and shouted, “Yay!”

She rolled her eyes at me.

“What are you yaying for? I’m the one who won.”

I hunched my shoulders.

“I like pink too.”

“Copycat,” she snapped.

I looked away. I was not going to stoop to her level.

I was a bigger person than that.

Besides, the new scooter was so pretty.

Cheng Xiaoyu said his dad’s electric scooter was the fastest in the whole world. Whenever he stood on the footboard, the wind puffed his cheeks up like balloons.

Once the wind puffed mine up too, I would go find him and tell him my dad’s scooter was every bit as fast as his.

But my brother climbed onto the back seat first.

Dad lifted my sister onto the footboard, then started the scooter.

“…We can take turns. I don’t mind going last,” I called as I ran behind them.

My brother and sister shrieked with excitement.

I laughed as I ran, just as excited as they were.

“It’ll be my turn next time around.”

The scooter made one big circuit.

It did not stop.

“Then the time after that will be mine.” I ran harder.

Dad said nothing.

“Faster!” my sister shouted.

So Dad sped up.

Their laughter went on as they left me far behind.

At last I slowed to a stop, braced my hands on my knees, and panted and panted.

Then I ran to find Mom.

She was always saying, “Once you’re done playing, let her have a turn.”

Surely she would say that now too.

But when I reached the corner of the wall, I heard her chatting with our neighbor, Auntie Zhang.

“We only had her so we could use the cord blood for her sister. Who knew her sister had been misdiagnosed?”

“Oh, what a waste. All that suffering for nothing!”

Auntie Zhang tried to comfort her.

“Another child is always a good thing. That’s one more person to look after you when you’re old.”

Mom let out a long sigh.

“But I already had a son and a daughter. You have no idea how much burden and trouble one extra mouth brings.”

The words I wanted to say stayed trapped behind my lips.

I had always known how Mom felt. Seeing the scooter had made me so happy that I had forgotten for a little while.

All the strength left me at once, and my shoulders sagged.

It was fine if I did not get to ride.

If I ran fast enough, the wind could puff my cheeks up too.

Auntie Zhang had sharp eyes. She leaned forward and pointed toward the corner.

“Oh my, is that your third girl?”

The moment she asked, she started laughing too hard to speak.

Mom yanked me out from behind the wall. One look at me, and Auntie Zhang laughed even harder.

“Oh, her hair is standing straight up! Hahahaha!”

“How fast did you run, child? You’ve turned yourself into a tiny Zhang Fei!”

Mom looked embarrassed.

She gave me a disgusted glance.

“Always running around like some wild monkey. Filthy.”

“I’m cutting those braids off tonight. I’m already run ragged looking after two children. I don’t have time for her.”

I pulled free of her hand and stepped back, smoothing down the hair on my forehead with both palms.

“You don’t have to cut it. I can wash it myself.”

Mom slapped my hands away.

“Stop touching it. Your hands are filthy too!”

“What did you come looking for me for? Don’t tell me you were going to tattle again.”

I swallowed what I had wanted to say and forced the corners of my mouth upward.

Then I changed the subject.

“I wasn’t going to tattle.”

“Did you see me, Mom? I just ran faster than anyone in the whole world!”