It’s All Over! (3)
She felt that her son had turned over a new leaf. Even if one day she suddenly closed her eyes and left, he could take care of himself.
People live in this world only so they can leave it in peace.
Jiang Xing sighed and said nothing.
When Jiang Xiumei returned inside, she suddenly bumped into Jiang Xiaoman.
Jiang Xiaoman was sitting on a chair obediently. The chair was a bit tall, so her short legs couldn’t reach the ground. Her feet were dangling, and she was putting her hands on her knees; this was the sitting posture that she learned in kindergarten, a very proper and well-behaved one.
Jiang Xiumei’s heart tightened upon seeing Xiaoman’s innocent and clear eyes.
Just now, she scolded Hong Xingguo while throwing all caution to the wind. She didn’t remember about this child inside; did she hear everything she said?
Jiang Xiumei walked over and asked, “My dear baby, why haven’t you slept yet?”
Jiang Xiaoman shook her head, but she didn’t cry or make a fuss.
Usually, she would have cried by now.
At the very least, she would be asking what it meant that she was not a child of the Jiang family or what a wild child was.
Jiang Xiaoman didn’t ask anything tonight. Her behavior was alarming.
Jiang Xiumei hesitated for a while and asked her, “Xiaoman, did you hear everything just now?”
Jiang Xiaoman nodded and said softly, “I heard you.”
Xiaoman still had memories from New Years’. She felt that Hong Xingguo was a bad person, so she obediently stayed inside so she would not trouble Grandma and Uncle.
“You… have nothing to ask?”
Jiang Xiaoman shook her head, but then she asked, “Grandma, is he going to come again? ”
“This… probably not.” Jiang Xiumei touched her head. After thinking for a bit, she said, “Xiaoman, if he says something horrible like you not being a child of our family, don’t believe it. He’s a bad guy who specializes in deceiving children.”
Jiang Xiaoman was surprised, “Well, I’m not, right?”
Jiang Xiumei’s face turned pale, and she was so shocked that she didn’t know what to say. She trembled and asked, “Who told you?”
“The teacher told me.”
“Eh?”
Jiang Xiaoman scratched her head and said, “Teacher taught me that Father’s father is called Yeye, and Mother’s mother is called Waipo3. I’m originally Mother’s daughter, not Grandma’s daughter. So why do I call you Grandma instead of Waipo?” with a distressed expression.
“Ah…ah. This…So the kindergarten still teaches this.” Jiang Xiumei felt complicated.
Jiang Xiumei calmly said, “I am Xiaoman’s Waipo, but in spoken language I’m called Grandma. If you want to call me Waipo, then you can call me Waipo. Anyways, Grandma is Waipo, and Waipo is Grandma.”
“Then why have I been calling you Grandma since I was little? Why have I not been calling you Waipo?”
“Because…because Grandma is easier to say. I also called my Waipo, Grandma.” Jiang Xiumei smiled and rubbed her head. “This kindergarten is very good. Xiaoman really became smarter than before. Grandma is happy.”
“Oh, I understand now.” Jiang Xiaoman finally understood, and she happily said, “If Grandma is happy, I’m happy too.”
That song was really hard and complicated3.
Jiang Xiaoman had no father or grandfather. There were many relationships that she did not understand.
But what had troubled her for days were finally solved.
So it turned out that Grandma was Waipo. Because she couldn’t make sense of that relationship, she almost thought that she was a child that was picked up.
After great effort, she finally managed to coax the child to sleep. When Jiang Xiumei carried Xiaoman to the bed, her eyes caught the crescent-shaped jade pendant on her neck. She froze for a moment, then she took it off and took it away.
System: “!!!”
What was happening?? You, put it down! Put the jade pendant down!
Host! Host, quickly wake up! Our important mission item is being taken away by your grandma! Quickly wake up!! Help!! Who’s going to stop her!!!
Its life was over!!!
Footnotes:
3. There’s a specific way to address each family member in Chinese. Grandparents from the mother’s and father’s side have different way of address. Older/Younger aunts and uncles from mother’s and father’s side are also called differently. It’s so complicated that they use a children song to teach them this complicated relationship, which is how Xiaoman learnt it in kindergarten.
You can check an example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMpJrOQTjbE
Now based on that way of address, Jiang Xiumei should be called Waipo, but Xiaoman has been calling her Laolao, which have been translated as Grandma. All the Grandma (Laolao) references in italics are when it’s usage is being directly contrasted against Waipo. As Jiang Xiumei said, they all mean grandmother.
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