Every night the Huang family’s doorstep was filled with children’s laughter and joy. Huang Wenrong, who had just returned from school, could hear the noise from afar.
As they got closer, they saw the youngest sister playing enthusiastically with a group of children, her face flushed as she jumped vigorously. The second sister was swinging the rope vigorously, her arms swinging like a windmill. When Xu Mengyao saw Huang Wenrong, she smiled and waved, "Big sister, come and play, let's form a team!"
Huang Wenrong put down her backpack and excitedly joined the game. The three sisters had a blast playing until Huang's mother came to call for help. Then they reluctantly packed up the rope and went home.
"You are still young. As soon as you get home, you don't even eat and just go crazy with your sisters." Huang's mother scolded Huang Wenrong while serving noodles. The latter took it and smiled without saying a word.
"Mom, please boil some hot water for me. I want to take a shower," said Xu Mengyao.
She had played like crazy today, sweating all over and her hair was sticky. Huang's mother looked at her three sweaty daughters, especially the little one with a face like a little cat, and sighed, "Wash, all of you, wash, I'll boil water for you."
The three sisters carried two large wooden tubs into the main room and began to wash themselves. Then they carried the tubs to the well and began to wash their hair. Xu Mengyao hadn't washed her hair in a week. She scrubbed her hair vigorously with soap twice, feeling refreshed afterward.
After washing their hair, the three of them wiped each other with towels and sat in the yard, enjoying the breeze and chatting casually.
"Big sister, you should exercise every day from now on. Second sister said that you will grow taller."
"How old are you and you're already thinking about growing taller?"
"But I'm the shortest in the class, so I have to sit in the first row."
These words immediately pierced the heart of Huang Wenrong, who had always been sitting in the first row.
"Juan, where did you hear that?"
"Our teacher Zhang told me," Xu Mengyao coaxed without blinking, "Sister, why don't you try it? I'll teach you a few moves and you can do them every day when you return to school. If you really can help you grow taller, it won't be a loss."
"Okay, I'll try."
From then on, the three sisters worked hard to grow taller.
At this moment, a bright light suddenly streaked across the sky, causing the sisters to exclaim in surprise. Xu Mengyao excitedly pointed at the sky and shouted, "Look, that's a shooting star! Make a wish!" The three sisters closed their eyes and silently made their wishes.
Wenxia, her younger sister, pointed to the sky and shouted, "Big Sister, Second Sister, look at that star! It's so bright!" Huang Wenrong looked in the direction of her finger and saw a bright star in the night sky, gleaming with dazzling light. She smiled and pointed elsewhere, "See that spoon-shaped thing over there? That's the Big Dipper..."
Huang's mother, who was not far away, felt a warm feeling in her heart as she listened to the sisters' laughter and conversation. Xu Mengyao, on the other hand, was immersed in this peaceful and beautiful night, lamenting the purity and simplicity of this era.
She had never seen so many and such bright stars before, and she was getting more and more accustomed to the life here. Every day was simple and fulfilling. She could sleep soundly every night, and the problem of getting up at night disappeared. Even her eyesight became very good. Although there was occasionally the smell of livestock manure, the air was unusually fresh, making her feel comfortable and peaceful.
However, just when she thought everything was fine the next day, her eldest brother Huang Wenbin came back. His appearance was like a sudden gust of wind, breaking the peaceful atmosphere.
At that time, the three sisters were doing high jump exercises under the shade of a tree, laughing and talking happily. Suddenly, Huang Wenbin's voice was like a stone thrown into a lake, stirring up ripples:
"When did we get three jumping monkeys at home?" He looked at Wen Xia, who was still holding the rope, and said with a joking smile, "Are you going to play the role of a hanged ghost? Be careful of sleep paralysis at night."
The eldest sister Huang Wenrong rolled her eyes in dissatisfaction and responded unhappily: "There is no hanged ghost, but the annoying ghost is here."
Wen Xia saw this and immediately ran to the door, hugged her father's thigh and said coquettishly: "Dad, my brother bullied me!" Father Huang smiled and touched his little daughter's head.
"Dad is back with some meat. I'll ask your mom to cook it for you guys at noon."
"Dad is the best"
Huang Wenbin curled his lips in disdain. "Humph, all you know is to act like a spoiled brat. What a little flatterer."
Huang's father glared at him and said, "She's still young, why are you messing with her? Go get some meat from the kitchen and cut a piece for your uncle's house. Your grandma hasn't seen you for a month. Talk to her and ask her to come to our house for lunch."
Huang Wenbin made a face at the "pendant" on his father's leg and turned around to do what his father asked him to do.
Seeing this, Xu Mengyao walked over to help Huang's father push the bicycle in. She called out "Dad", and Huang's father was stunned for a moment before he responded.
Then I heard an annoying voice from the side: "Hey, the little fool finally got it and called daddy."
Xu Mengyao gritted her teeth and didn't look back. This brother was really a jerk! No wonder Huang Wenjuan hated him. Now that she had experienced it herself, she was even more annoyed. She had to find a way to deal with him.
When lunch was ready, Huang's mother ordered the table to be set. Wen Xia's loud voice echoed in the backyard: "Brother, it's time to eat!"
A short while later, Huang Wenbin came in, supporting Grandma Huang. Grandma Huang wore a black cloth cap covering her hair, a light blue blouse with a slanted collar, and black pants, revealing her feet in white socks and black cloth shoes. She looked both traditional and neat.
After the old lady sat down, she said, "Eat, everyone," and everyone picked up their chopsticks.
Lunch consisted of pork belly stewed with cabbage and vermicelli, scrambled eggs with chili peppers, cold cucumber salad, and a plate of salted duck eggs pickled by Huang's mother herself.
Huang Wenbin stretched his chopsticks directly to the plate of meat dishes, picking and choosing without any scruples, separating the cabbage and vermicelli one by one, and only picking up the meat to eat.
This kind of behavior was already commonplace in the Huang family, but Xu Mengyao couldn't help but say when she saw him like this:
"How can others eat if you keep picking at it like that?"
As soon as the words came out, the dinner table suddenly became quiet.
Grandma Huang frowned, put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands, and looked at Xu Mengyao dissatisfiedly:
"Second daughter, how dare you talk to your eldest brother like that? He's the only boy your parents have, so it's not right for him to eat more meat. It's because your family is well-off. Look at any other daughter in our village who can eat as well as you three girls."
Huang's father and mother also glanced at Xu Mengyao. Although they didn't say anything, their eyes revealed their dissatisfaction with her.
Xu Mengyao's heart sank. She understood that in this family, Huang Wenbin's domineering behavior was tacitly accepted as normal, and she, as a new member, became an unwelcome outsider.
She took a deep breath and said nothing more. She picked up the steamed bun and ate it silently, but her mind was full of thoughts. She knew that improving her status in this family was not easy and that there was still a long way to go.
She is only 11 years old and lives in a remote village. If she wants to make a name for herself in this patriarchal family as soon as possible, the only shortcut is to start with her academic performance. She decides to stay at home for the time being and not easily challenge the rules and habits of this family.
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