My name is Xu Yinxiang, I am seven years old this year, and I am the daughter of Xu Wenchi, the Minister of the Dali Temple in the capital. It’s not entirely true to say that I am a daughter, because I have a younger brother named Huaiyin, who is five years old this year.
I used to be the most favored child in the family, but ever since I had my younger brother, I've felt my status was threatened. He's a crybaby, always crying. He cries when things go missing, when he doesn't have food, and even when he loses a game.
Look, it was clearly his suggestion to play mud throwing, but when I threw the mud on him, he burst into tears and couldn't stop crying no matter how I tried to persuade him.
"Yinxiang, why are you bullying Huaiyin again!"
The person who was speaking was my eldest brother Xu Muyan. Although he was only two years older than me, he was just like my third uncle, square, rigid, and serious.
"Brother, how could I bully him? He wanted to play in the mud with me, and now he's crying because he lost. He really has no manners at all."
"I said let's play with mud, but I didn't tell you to throw it on me." Huai Yin's aggrieved expression made him feel as if I were an unforgivable villain.
I rolled my eyes and said, "I'm sorry, if you continue like this, I won't play with you anymore."
When Huai Yin heard this, she cried even more aggrievedly.
I looked at my eldest brother helplessly and said, "I really didn't mean it. Forget it, I'm going to go play with my cousin."
As soon as I finished speaking, Huaiyin wiped her tears with her sleeve and said, "Sister, I'm going too. I'll go with you." I glanced at my eldest brother and, under his tyranny, I had no choice but to take him with me. Before we even reached the door, we ran into my father who had just returned from duty. As soon as he came back, he picked up Huaiyin and said, "The sun is setting. Where are you going?"
"Go find my cousin." I looked at Huai Yin who was twisting his ear in his arms, and I felt very uncomfortable. That position once belonged to me.
"Let's go tomorrow. I'll go with you tomorrow. I plan to go back to my hometown in Qingzhou. I haven't seen your grandparents in a long time. I want to go back to see them and see when your third uncle plans to come back."
"Really, Dad?" It was incredible that this question came out of the mouths of three of us siblings at the same time. My eldest brother also came out.
I excitedly ran forward and hugged my father's thighs, "Dad, when are we leaving?"
Dad seemed to have sensed our emotions and smiled, "We'll leave the day after tomorrow. Judging from your expressions, you seem to be eager to leave tomorrow. Why is it that you are so unwelcome at home?"
I didn't listen to his chatter and turned around and ran to the backyard. Great, I was finally going back to my hometown in Qingzhou. I was going to see my grandparents who loved me the most. I ran back to the backyard as fast as I could and told my mother the news. My mother was also from Qingzhou and was very surprised to hear that I was going back to my hometown.
"Did your father really say that? Are we going back?" I could see the joy in her eyes at a glance. Look, the whole family is happy to go back to their hometown. Before my mother finished asking, my father came in and said, "You are the one who runs fast. You disappeared in a flash." My father put the baby on the ground and my brother followed him in.
"Yinxiang said you were going to take us back to Qingzhou?"
Dad smiled at Mom and said, "Yes, I haven't been home for two years. It's time to go back and take a look. We'll leave the day after tomorrow. I've already taken my leave. Let's stay a little longer this time and come back after the New Year in Qingzhou. Tomorrow I'll ask Third Brother if he wants to go with us."
Although Dad and my third uncle both held official positions in the capital, their duties were very different. My eldest brother told me this. Dad held a lower rank, a sixth-rank official, but he had a lot to do and was busy every day. My third uncle held a higher rank, a third-rank official, but he had very little to do. He returned home almost every year. I once asked Dad why he held a lower position despite doing so much, while my uncle, who worked relatively little, held a higher position. Dad just laughed and said I'd understand when I grew up.
For me now, it doesn't matter whether my official position is high or low. The most important thing is that my father finally has a vacation and can go back home. I haven't been back for two years. I miss my hometown in Qingzhou very much. There are vast cotton fields and many fruit trees there. Now when I go back, I can even climb up the orange trees and pick oranges.
That night, I couldn't fall asleep because I thought about my hometown in Qingzhou. That's great. When I return to my hometown in Qingzhou, I will become the most favored one again.
My third uncle's residence wasn't far from ours. Huaiyin was still asleep that morning, and Dad couldn't bear to wake him, so he took only my eldest brother and me to his uncle's house. I could tell that my eldest brother was also very happy. Although he didn't like to smile, he would secretly curl his lips from time to time.
My third aunt was very happy to see us.
"Why are you here together today? They are regular visitors, but you are a rare one." My third aunt picked me up and looked at my father with a smile. "Your third brother is always complaining about how busy you are. The higher-ups should report you."
"Is Third Brother here? I've applied for a leave of absence and am going back to Qingzhou. I wanted to see when you guys would be back. If it's late, we can go first. If the time is about right, we can go together."
My third aunt was delighted when she heard this. "That's great! We were planning to set a date to leave soon. If that's the case, we can go together. Your third brother is in the study, so go find him yourself."
Dad and my eldest brother went to the study, and my aunt took me to see my cousin. My cousin's name is Yan Ling. She's 15 years old this year and is my third uncle's youngest daughter. My three cousins are above her. She's been feeling a bit worried lately. She's said to be marrying age, and many people have come to her house to propose marriage, but she doesn't want to get married so early. I asked her if getting married wouldn't be a good idea, and she said she didn't know, and that's why she's worried. I said if she doesn't want to get married, then she shouldn't. My grandmother didn't marry my grandfather until she was 28, so there's still more than a decade between 15 and 28. She then laughed and called me silly.
I don't know what was stupid about what I said. I overheard this when my grandfather was talking to my mother. I didn't say anything stupid.
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