Three days had passed since she heard the news of her grandmother passing away. Qian Lan locked herself away ever since that day she found out her grandmother passed away. As much as her parents disliked her, they couldn't help but worry about her health. Every food that her mother brought her she would not touch. Qian Lan hasn't even found the strength to bathe herself.
"Qian Lan! How long are you going to lock yourself in?! Clean yourself and come out! Your grandma's funeral is today!"
"Granny…sniff...sniff."
Qian Lan forces herself to move out of bed and open her curtains; revealing the small window. Qian Lan runs her hand along the bracelet that she had gotten from her grandma. Breaking into a weak smile, Qian Lan knew she needed to give her grandma a proper sendoff. Qian Lan changes out of her clothing and heads into the shower. After twenty minutes Qian Lan was finally clean. Not taking a bath for three days was something Qian Lan had never done before. Moving to the sink, she blow-dries her hair and puts on makeup to hide her dark circles. Finally moving to changing into a black dress, Qian Lan realized she didn't have one that was her size anymore. Quickly throwing on a tank top and a pair of shorts, Qian Lan runs down stairs to inform her mother.
"Ma!"
"What is it?! Why aren't you ready yet?! We're leaving in fifteen minutes!"
"I don't have anything to wear...…..."
"Just wear the black dress you I bought you."
"Ma! It's too short on me now!"
"Ring Ring."
Without even listening to her, her mother quickly runs up the stairs to check on the older sister. Biting her lips and clenching her fist, Qian Lan runs back to her bedroom and digs through her old clothes. After five minutes she pulls out the black dress she got from her mother when she was twelve. It was the last time she ever got anything from her mother as a present. Qian Lan was no longer a little girl. She was well over five feet six and weighing at least one hundred and twenty pounds now. The dress was meant for someone in their early teens and under five feet. It was a plain black dress with arm lengths to the elbow and a V-neck dress style with a flowy skirt bottom.
"Good thing I'm thin…. looks like I can still squeeze into this."
Quickly squeezing into the dress; Qian Lan places her hands by her side and realized the dress was at the length of a miniskirt now. Feeling like an idiot she digs up a pair of black leggings and wears it under her dress. Quickly running down the stairs she puts on a pair of black ankle high boots.
"There…..now it doesn't look that bad."
Moment's later Qian Lan could see her father carrying down Xia Lan. Qian Lan quickly pulls out the wheelchair and opens the door as her father carried her sister into their minivan. Once everyone was outside, Qian Lan shoved the wheel chair into the back of the car and moves in to seat herself next to her sister.
"Qian Lan, you look tired."
"Ah….I'm okay."
Qian Lan glanced at her sister and could see her all dressed up in new clothing. Qian Lan couldn't help but resent her sister for always getting everything. Xia Lan who was staring at Qian Lan quickly notices her bracelet.
"Qian Lan, that's a pretty bracelet."
"Oh, I got it from grandma."
"Make sure to take care of it then. It looks expensive."
After driving for an hour, they finally arrived at the funeral home. Qian Lan quickly greeted everyone and thanked them for attending. To her surprise her best friend Ah-Mi and her brother Lei Yi were also there.
"Ah-Mi! You guys came!"
"Of course! I was shocked when I heard it was your grandma! How are you doing?"
"I'm okay now…. it's hard but we have to keep moving right?"
As Qian Lan was busy talking to Ah-Mi, she didn't realize Lei Yi had left to go chat with Xia Lan.
"Qian Lan, why don't you just confess to my brother already?"
Qian Lan blushes from ear to ear. She didn't think she was so obvious.
"How…How did you know I like Lei Yi?"
"You're so obvious! Every time you see him you have this stupid look on your face."
"Whatttt…...It's not stupid!"
"Honestly, I don't know what you and other girls see in my idiot big brother."
"You don't see it because you're his sister! He's tall, handsome, has a great body and can speak four languages! He's a genius, isn't he?! A great bonus is he's going to college for his doctor's degree in medicine. Whoever ends up with him is set for life!"
"Bleh, gross. Wipe those hearts out of your eyes. Well, if you don't want someone else to take him then you better do something quick. Come on, lets head back inside."
Qian Lan follows Ah-mi inside where her grandmothers' body was being kept. Sitting quietly in the corner of the room, Qian Lan was debating if she was ready to see the lifeless body of her grandma or not. Ah-Mi who left first to glance at the body returns and sits next to Qian Lan.
"How was it?"
"Your grandma only looks like she's sleeping. I think you should go and tell her goodbye for good."
Qian Lan takes a deep breath and heads up towards the casket. She slowly leans over and glances at her grandmother's lifeless body. Unable to hold herself back she cries out; joining the few people that were also crying around her. Qian Lan works up her courage and places her right hand above her grandmothers. Leaning in closer, Qian Lan whispers her last words to her.
"Granny…. please continue to watch over me. You're now in a better place with grandpa."
Just as Qian Lan was turning around, she bumped into the chest of someone unexpected.
"Ah! I'm sorry!"
"Qian Lan?
Qian Lan looks up and realizes it was Lei Yi.
"Lei Yi, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking."
"It's alright, it's my fault for not keeping a distance."
"Have you seen my sister?"
"Ah-Mi? She's sitting over there."
Qian Lan looks over his shoulder and stares at where she was earlier only to find her gone.
"That's weird…. she was just there. I'll go check the restroom."
"It's fine! I actually have to talk to you about something."
"Oh…. alright."
Qian Lan tries to hold in her excitement. Quietly following behind Lei Yi, he leads them to the outside of the funeral home.
"Uh…. Qian Lan, I'll get straight to the point. Do you know what kind of guys you sister likes?"
"What?"
Qian Lan felt her heart shattered and her love end before it could even start. Not only was her sister the center of her parent's attention, she was now also the person Lei Yi liked. Unable to look Lei Yi in the eye anymore, Qian Lan kept her gaze down to hide her sadness. After five minutes of silence, Lei Yi asks again.
"Qian Lan?"
"I don't know! If you want to know then ask her!"
Qian Lan storms back inside the funeral home and finds Ah-Mi back in the usual spot. Quickly seating herself next to Ah-Mi, Qian Lan finally snaps and curses the world.
"What's so great about Xia Lan?! It's always Xian Lan this and that! What about me?! Am I invisible?!"
"Woah, what happened to you?"
"Your idiot brother happened, that's what!"
"What did he do?"
"He…..He asked me what kind of guys Xia Lan liked…."
Ah-Mi slams her hand to her forehead and couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"I did say you should've confessed when you had the chance."
"Don't make it sound so easy! Reality is far from what you read in books and I know that better than anyone."
"Well…. what're you going to do now?"
"Nothing, there's nothing I can do. Like today wasn't a bad enough day already. Seriously, who wouldn't like my sister? She looks frail, she's pale, thin, cute and small. The type that men would want to protect. But me? I'm just a normal girl compared to her."
"Qian Lan don't say that. You just don't see your own charms."
"Sigh…. what charms…. the only person that cared about me is now gone. Am I going to live like this until the day I die or something?"
"Well, have you thought about moving out?"
"And go where? I was homeschooled my whole life. I've never worked a day my whole life. Who would want to take me in or even hire me?"
"I mean…. the grocery store I'm working for is hiring. You can ask your parents to see if they will let you work there. Besides it's located near your home. It's like a ten-minute bike ride. So, what do you say?"
"I don't know...I guess I'll try asking later. I do want my own money."
"Good! Just let me know when you make a decision."
Just as Qian Lan and Ah-Mi were talking, Lei Yi returned and interrupted saying it was time for them to leave. Just as Ah-Yi was about to leave, she turns around and gives Qian Lan one last hug.
"Have some faith in yourself Qian Lan. You're a very smart and beautiful girl. I'd love to have your long legs and your smarts. I mean, don't forget you were done with high school courses by the time you were twelve."
"Thanks, Ah-Mi. Take care and stay in touch."
With those parting words, Ah-Mi quickly turns to leave with her brother. Once they were out of sight, Qian Lan returned to sit down next to her grandmother's coffin. As she sat in silence for two hour while playing with her smart phone, her aunt; the wife of uncle Ling came and sat down next to her.
"How are you feeling Qian Lan? I know you were closed to your grandmother."
"Aunt Ling, I'm alright now."
"That's good."
The aunt quickly notices the bracelet and asks Qian Lan how she got a hold of it.
"How did you get that bracelet?"
"Granny gave it to me."
"Nonsense! That's the family heirloom! It's been sealed and is locked up in the storage room at my home!"
"I'm telling the truth! Granny gave it to me!"
"You must've stolen it, didn't you?! Just wait till I tell your parents!"
Aunt Ling storms off and later brings back Qian Lan's parents. Qian Lan watched as her mother's face go red and her father apologizing to her uncle and aunt. No matter what she said, no one believed her that, her granny had given her the bracelet.
"I didn't steal it! Ma and Pa! Why won't you believe me!"
"Silence! You're embarrassing us!"
Once the funeral was finished for the day. Qian Lan's parents drove her sister home and then took her to her uncle and aunts' home. Everyone headed for the storage room to find the chest that the bracelet was supposed to be in. To everyone's surprise the chest had a bracelet just like it, still inside the chest.
Qian Lan watched as her aunt's face go pale. Qian Lan's aunt tries to walk towards her and grab her hand to ask for forgiveness.
"I'm sorry little Qian Lan."
"Slap!"
"No!"
Qian Lan slaps her aunts' hand away and glares at her parents. Unlike before, Qian Lan didn't understand why her heart was beating so fast. With tears streaming down her face, Qian Lan finally snapped.
"I'm done! I've had enough! My parents treat me like crap and my aunt and uncle accuses me of being a thief and in front of so many…..Sniff Sniff…..I'll go home on my own!"
Qian Lan storms out and walks home in the rain to cool her head. After thirty minutes she was now standing outside her parent's home. No matter how much she hated this place, it was the only place she could call home.