Chapter 1: Let Me Tell You A Story (pt.1)
Nice to meet you, my name is Cheng Huan. Let me tell you a story.
When I was seven years old, the grandpa next door who always did TaiChi and played chess was moved into a nursing home because of his severe Alzheimer’s. The grandma, to accompany him, also moved to an apartment near the nursing home with her little granddaughter who just started to walk. Her family decided to sell the home.
For a few months, the “For Sale” sign hung in front of the grey stone wall at the front of the yard. Occasionally, a realtor would come by to show people around. Sometimes, we would see them too, and speak a few words.
Five months before my 8th birthday, the house was sold. A couple weeks later, a family moved in, driving a shiny SUV. It was a young couple with a child my age, just like my family.
I will tell the truth; I briefly thought it was the coming of the devils.
From the moment I woke up that morning, nothing had gone right for me. First, I rolled off my bed. Second, I shattered my toothbrushing cup, the cute one with the little unicorn. I burned my tongue on the hot wonton soup, the cookie package that I thought was full was actually empty, I spilled milk over my glittery fairies shirt, I fell and nearly put my hand on a big, fat, wriggly worm that came out after the rain; the misfortunes were endless. I won’t tell you that the last one made me cry. It’s absolutely a secret.
In short, everything made me think these new neighbours meant disaster.
Little girls shouldn’t be superstitious you say? Nope, facts prove I was a genius and absolutely correct.
Why did that make me a genius? Don’t think too much, of course I’m a genius. My husband and my mom both agree with me.
I didn’t meet Ji XiuRan the first time I saw his family. I just saw his parents moving things around, and they called me a “shy and sweet little girl”. Don’t think I’m always shy and hide behind my parents when I meet strangers; it’s only because I thought they were the devils.
After observing for a little while, I saw that the mother looked very pretty and the father looked very cool. Actually, I thought they looked a little bit like the people in that poster hanging in my friend Su Wan’s big sister’s room.
Let me tell you about my friend Su Wan’s big sister. My friend Su Wan’s big sister knew all the cool songs and fancy celebrities. She had posters and key chains and umbrellas and stickers of handsome men and beautiful women. I didn’t really understand, but Su Wan said sometimes her big sister screams at the computer or the TV. Su Wan taught me the word “fangirling”.
Sorry, I got off topic. More importantly, they gave me a bag of tasty cookies. Of course, I immediately decided they must be great people, and this meant their son must be great too.
They told me very excitedly that their little boy was my age, and we were going to be great friends. They also said he had the latest tablet and video game console (when I asked, very cutely), so I had immediately decided we must become best friends. I had planned it all out, our glorious future of fun games and delicious snacks every day.
Truthfully, even before I was really excited someone my age going to my school was moving right next door to me. Lee NaNa lived close to Su Ming, so she always had someone to go to school with and go to the playground with. My parents were always the last ones to pick me up, and I always had to wait by myself.
I’m not sure if you know about this kind of loneliness, but it didn’t make me very happy. My parents would always be late to everything, whether it was school or birthday parties. You may think this meant I had more time to play, but you would be incorrect. It actually meant I had to be very polite and quiet at the end and keep smiling all on my own so that people wouldn’t feel bothered by me.
With this new neighbour, I could go home with them! Plus, every time I went to Lee NaNa’s house over the summer, Su Ming would already be there, and NaNa said they often played tag or other games with his older siblings. It looked like a lot of fun.
I really wanted to have someone to wait with and play in the backyard with.
Oh, little did I know.
Author's Note: Protagonist won't stay a child for every arc, so don't worry. She's an adult.
