In Jiang Li's home, there are two children......Sister Jiang Xin and Little Brother Jiang Yu.  The sister is one and a half years older than her brother.

1. About storytelling.

When Xin Xin was four years old, Guan Xiao Yan had tried to initiate her intellectual development, starting from Tang poetry.

Although her own language proficiency was not good, Guan Xiao Yan endured because she is a mother.  She held Xin Xin in her arms and said.  "Good girl, follow Mom and read…….’Spring night sleeping till dawn’.......”

Xin Xin leaned against Guan Xiao Yan in her arms and in her childish voice she obediently read......'Spring night sleeping till dawn.'

GXY:  "Everywhere are the sounds of chirping of birds."

XX:   "Everywhere are the sounds of chirping of birds."

GXY:  "The moon comes, the wind blows the rain."

XX:  "….."

Guan Xiao Yan waited for a long time for Xin Xin to read but she did not speak.  So Guan Xiao Yan repeated again but Xin Xin still did not speak.  Guan Xiao Yan was surprised and asked.  "Xin Xin, why are you not reading?"

Xin Xin looked up and she said solemnly.  "Mom, this should be 'The night comes, the wind blows the rain'."

GXY:   "….."

Defeated by a four-year-old kid.  Guan Xiao Yan felt ashamed.  In order to retrieve herself, she immediately took out the storybook 'All Stories' and said.  "Good girl, let Mom tell you a story."

Immediately, Xin Xin's black grape-like eyes shone and showing a sweet smile, she said in a cute voice.  "Mom is the best."   In the eyes of a child, a story is more interesting than those boring Tan poetry.

Guan Xiao Yan randomly opened a page and said.  "I will tell you the story of the Little Red Riding Hood!"

Feeling unhappy, Xin Xin pursed her lips and said.  "Mom, you told that story yesterday."

GXY:   "Then, what about the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?"

XX:  "The day before yesterday was that one."

Guan Xiao Yan helplessly asked.  "How about Daughter of the Sea?"

XX:  "Don’t want to listen.  Little mermaid finally died, *wu*………"

"Good baby, don’t cry."   Guan Xiao Yan was distressed and patted Xin Xin's back to coax her.  "I will tell you a happy story……..how about the story of a snail?"

Xin Xin did not want to listen and said.  "I have heard that story at least ten times.  I can even tell the story to the kindergarten auntie………"

Guan Xiao Yan did not know what to do and weakly asked.  "Then my precious, what do you want to listen to?"

Xin Xin blinked then hesitated and said.  "I…… I want to listen to a ghost story…....the story about the ghost blowing out the light…….."

Guan Xiao Yan felt a burst of cold air shooting down her back……ghost blowing out the light?!

'Jiang… Li ! ! !"   Guan Xiao Yan gritted her teeth and loudly called out his name.  She left Xin Xin and angrily stomped towards the study.

 

 

2. Little Brother's Refutation

When Little Brother was three years old, he could say nothing else except for "Dad" and "Mom" so they suspected that he had intellectual problems.  Jiang Li comforted Guan Xiao Yan and said.  "Don’t worry.  Our children and grandchildren will have their own blessings." (儿孙自有儿孙福)

Today, Guan Xiao Yan and Jiang Li were sitting on the floor carpet playing jigsaw puzzles with their two children.  Xin Xin kept instigating her Little Brother with the words......'stupid Little Brother, cannot speak, stupid Little Brother'. 

Guan Xiao Yan was afraid that Xin Xin's remarks might hurt Little Brother and was about to stop her when Little Brother suddenly said to Xin Xin.  "Fool."

Before the two adults had time to react, Xin Xin, who was slighted, grabbed the puzzles from Little Brother's hands angrily and demanded fiercely.  "What did you say?"

Little Brother in his cute voice, crisp and bright, confidently replied.  "I said, you are a fool.  Every time you will place the wrong puzzles at this same spot.  Fool Xin Xin."

XX:   "….."

GXY:   "….."

JL:  "….."

Xin Xin was completely defeated and she started to cry.  *Waa…*   Guan Xiao Yan quickly gathered Xin Xin into her arms to comfort her and gently patted her little back but Xin Xin struggled and crawled into Jiang Li's embrace……..

Jiang Li laughingly hugged Xin Xin, gave her a hard kiss on her cheek and said.  "My Xin Xin is not a fool.  Little Brother is a fool."

Guan Xiao Yan felt that she was given the cold shoulder and grievously picked up Little Brother who was also sidetracked and kissed his cheek.  In order not to encourage Little Brother to slander his sister, Guan Xiao Yan explained.  "Son, she is your sister, not a fool."  

The first word that this child spoke to his sister was not 'sister' but 'fool'.  Guan Xiao Yan sighed and shook her head. 

Nowadays, children are really amazing………..

Little Brother grievously bowed his head, gripped Guan Xiao Yan's skirt and muttered.  "But she is a fool……."

His words made his sister, who was coaxed by Jiang Li, to cry even louder.

Guan Xiao Yang could not help but sweat.  She gave a light pinch on Little Brother's cheek as a form of punishment and asked.  "Son, who taught you that word?"

Brother:   "Dad."

GXY:  "….."

 

3. About Mother

One day, when Xin Xin was six years old, while both the sister and Little Brother were quarreling in the living room, Guan Xiao Yan, out of curiosity, hid in the bedroom to eavesdrop.

They were debating on the topic which is the most powerful animal in the world.  Xin Xin insisted it is her father while Little Brother insisted that it is the panda.

By the way, Little Brother is fanatically obsessed over the panda.  His toys, clothes, and bags, etc., if printed with the mark of the panda, he would be assured to use.

So the two little ones argued and ultimately Xin Xin said.  "If you don’t listen to me, then I won’t accompany you to play the game."   Little Brother who likes to play the game seemed to be scared of the threat and kept silent for a long time.

Feeling that the threat was not strong enough, she added.  "I will also tell Dad not to play with you and Dad will listen to me." 

Little Brother hesitated for a moment and said.  "Mom can accompany me."

XX:  "Mom is so stupid, playing with her will certainly be boring."

Guan Xiao Yan who was eavesdropping in the bedroom rushed out after hearing those words.  With both hands on her waist, she angrily said.  "Am I stupid?  Am I stupid?  The food that you are eating every day is cooked by me.  If I am stupid, can you do that?"

XX:  "Mom, how can you compare cooking skills with a six-year-old?"

GXY:   "….."

 

4. Little Brother is a Genius

One day when Little Brother was seven years old, Sister came home from school crying.  She said that her maths teacher confiscated her comic book and criticized her in front of her class.

Guan Xiao Yan admonished her and said.  "From now onwards, you are not allowed to read comics during class.  You have done wrong."

Xin Xin muttered.  "I had admitted I was wrong but the teacher still refused to return the comic book to me."

Guan Xia Yan disagreed and said.  "It is right that you are punished."

Xin Xin was unhappy and said.  "But the teacher gave my comic book to her son!"

GXY:   "The teacher has the right in this regard.  Who told you to read comics during lessons?"

At this time, Jiang Li patted Xin Xin's head and said.  "Never mind.  Dad will buy you another one."

Guan Xiao Yan was not happy and used her chopsticks to poke Jiang Li.  "Hey, you are spoiling her."

Suddenly Little Brother who was silently eating his food spoke up.  "If you are willing to give me your new panda toy, I'll help you to take revenge."

Guan Xiao Yan felt that he was talking nonsense and did not take it to heart.

 

The next day, Guan Xiao Yan heard that Xin Xin's maths teacher had a problem with her computer during class.  All her course materials were replaced by rows and rows of the panda which would start automatically with a touch of the keys.   The teacher could not stop the program from running and finally had to seek help from the maintenance staff, leaving a group of eight to nine years old children laughing ferociously.  Of course, the happiest was Xin Xin.

After hearing the news from Xin Xin, Guan Xiao Yan sweated.  She turned towards Little Brother and asked suspiciously.  "Son, did you do that?"

Brother nodded his head honestly and in his arms, he was hugging a new panda toy which previously belonged to Xin Xin.

Immediately, Guan Xiao Yan glared at the figure sitting leisurely on the sofa.  "Jiang….Li!"

Jiang Li displayed an innocent smile.  "I can't do anything.  Our son is a genius."

Guan Xiao Yan angrily gave a knock on Little Brother's head.  "It's okay if your father is a genius, why are you also a genius?   You guys are always making me worry!"

Little Brother rubbed Guan Xiao Yan's leg to comfort her and said.  "Mom, you can rest assured  Xin Xin is not a genius.  She is a fool."

Xin Xin was not happy.  "I am not a fool!  And also, you are not allowed to call me by my name!  Do you have any manners?"

Brother:   "You are stupid.  You don’t even know what a 'source code' is….."

XX:   "You……make me mad."

Then a round of furious verbal war erupted.

Guan Xiao Yan sat at the side to watch the furor and silently sweated.  Fortunately, her son did not ask her about 'source code'........actually she also does not know………

 

5. The meaning of little stupid pig

When Brother was quite grown up, he still did not know how to tie his shoelaces and Xin Xin often ridiculed him.

Once when Brother tied his shoelaces in a wrong way, Xin Xin took the opportunity to call him 'little stupid pig' and asked him.  "Do you know who is 'little stupid pig'?"

Brother who was intently studying his shoelaces replied without any expression.  "I know.  He is the brother of 'big stupid pig'."

XX:   "….."

Guan Xiao Yan who standing by the side wiped her sweat and thought it was fortunate he did not say he is the son of the 'old stupid pig’.........