"Mother, it's not that I'm lazy. Juxiang has been doing all the housework for the past few years and we're used to it. Now you want me to pick up these chores, I'm not used to it! Why don't we get Wunian to do it? Isn't she already five years old?"
Madam Wang pointed at Madam Liu and said, "With your lazy personality, if it weren't for the fact that you worked to give us two grandsons, I'd surely get my son to divorce you. If you want to get the girl to do it, go ahead. I can't be bothered." With that, Madam Wang turned around and left.
Madam Liu looked at the bowls and chopsticks and then at her own hands. Still, she was unwilling to dirty them.
When Madam Liu arrived at the door of the dilapidated house, she saw the wooden stick that had been put in place to bolt the door. She went forward to remove it and pushed open the door. It was pitch-black inside.
Wunian, who was sitting behind the door, hugged her knees and buried her head in them. She looked like an injured bird, lonely and pitiful. However, Madam Liu couldn't see this.
After adapting to the darkness, Madam Liu looked around and realized that Wunian was sitting behind the door like a wooden figure, motionless.
She walked forward and kicked the girl. Wunian raised her tiny head questioningly.
Madam Liu scolded, "Sigh! You little b*tch, what kind of attitude is this? Your older sister is already gone. Don't think that we'll bring you food. If you want to eat, you have to earn it yourself. Do housework and do whatever you're told. Then you can be like before and have leftovers to eat. Otherwise, even if you starve to death, no one will care about you. Do you understand?"
Wunian got up, not that she was doing what Madam Liu demanded, rather, she was complying with what her elder sister had told her.
Her sister said that she had to get on with life, and do chores in exchange for food. So she would do the chores. In this world, other than her elder sister, no one else could be relied on. She could only rely on herself. At a young age, Wunian suddenly understood this principle.
"Auntie, I understand."
"Understand what?"
"I understand. I'll have to do chores to get food! Otherwise I'll starve to death."
"It's good that you know. That's right. Let's go! Go wash the dishes first. Then you may bring home the leftovers!"
Madam Liu got up and went out. Wunian also got up, but her lower body was completely numb from sitting for too long. As soon as she stood up, she fell again. Madam Liu looked back and said in disdain, "What's the use? You can't walk without falling. Hurry up and follow me."
Wunian's legs had eased up by the time she arrived at the dining hall of the main residence. She often watched her sister do chores. In the past, when her grandmother did not allow her to enter the main residence, she had never seen her sister clear the dishes, but Juxiang had taught her how to do it.
Wunian poured the unfinished food into another bowl and stacked the plates together. There were also chopsticks in the rice bowl. She moved them to the kitchen like ants moving house. Then, she filled a basin with water to wash the plates and bowls one by one. After that, she wiped the table. It took a long time to do all of this.
After everything was done, Wunian returned to her dilapidated house with her bowl of food. When she walked into the house, she spoke as though she was talking to her sister, but also seemed to be talking to herself. "I know how to do chores. I can support myself. Big Sister, what about you? Where are you now? Have you eaten? Did anyone bully you? I'll be obedient. I'll grow up well."
Wunian placed the rice on the table. She was now as tall as the table. She climbed onto the stool. In the dark room, she pretended that her sister was sitting opposite her. She ate a mouthful of rice and spoke to her sister. She ate another mouthful of rice and spoke to her sister again. It was as if her sister had not left!
The unfinished lunch was still there. Her sister had brought it over to eat with her. Looking at that bowl, Wunian's tears fell on their own. It was already dark, and now, her eyes were filled with tears, making it even harder to see.
Wiping her tears with her tattered sleeve, Wunian consoled herself. "I didn't cry. My tears came out on their own. I'm going to sleep. When I fall asleep, my tears won't flow anymore."
Wunian got down from the stool. She got used to this darkness again. She climbed onto the bed skillfully and closed her eyes. "Why are my tears still coming out when I've already closed my eyes? I'll cry for a while longer then. After crying for a while, I won't cry anymore! Boohoo, Big Sister, I miss you so much! Big Sister, Boohoo! Come back! Come back, I miss you! Boohoo…"
As she cried, her voice gradually softened. She was tired from crying. But even in her dreams, she was sobbing.