Xiao Tu had a big appet.i.te from young.
When she was three, she could eat two bowl of porridge in one meal, making her mother very worried about her.
Looking at the amount of food she eats, if this continued, what if Xiao Tu turned fat?
Her mother had considered that issue overnight and decided the very next day to allow Xiao Tu to eat only one bowl of porridge per meal.
This caused Xiao Tu to look at her empty bowl as she complained, “Mummy, food, food…”
But Xiao Tu’s mother ignored her plea as she pushed her daughter out of the house and said, “Go to your G.o.dmother’s house to play.”
Xiao Tu had turned back to look at the pot of porridge with longing as she took a step to her G.o.dmother’s house.
At that time, Ling Chao was two years and eleven months old.
As Xiao Tu entered her G.o.dmother’s house, she saw a big bowl of porridge being placed in front of Ling Chao which he refused to eat.
His mother started to worry as she continued to coax Ling Chao to eat, “Chao Chao, eat some porridge.”
Porridge?
Once Xiao Tu heard this word, her eyes started to resemble a weasel, a flash of green pa.s.sed her eyes.
“G.o.dmother, Tu Tu wants to eat porridge too!”
Seeing Xiao Tu, Ling Chao’s mother came up with an idea.
She got up and ladled a big bowl of porridge and placed on the table as she wave the toddler over. “Xiao Tu, come and demonstrate to Chao Chao how to eat. Doesn’t it look appetizing?”
Being a messy eater, Xiao Tu had porridge plastered all around her face.
Ling Chao did not even blink once as he look at Xiao Tu gobbled down the food.
Occasionally, his tongue will come out and lick his lips.
After a while, Ling Chao was unable to take the temptation anymore and he turned to his mother and said, “Mama, eat, eat porridge.”
“Okay!” His mother happily answered him as she ladled another bowl of porridge and placed it in front of Ling Chao.
Due to this incident, Ling Chao’s mother was always very happy whenever Xiao Tu came to their house to eat.
This also caused Xiao Tu to like going over to her G.o.dmother’s house whenever it was meal time.
As this occurrence started to become more often, Xiao Tu’s mother started to realize that something was up.
“Lao gong, do you feel that Xiao Tu stopped asking to eat more porridge nowadays?”
While repairing the radio, Xiao Tu’s father answered back, “Is that not good?”
“What good? These days she had been heading over to Lao Ling’s house once she finished eating, there must be a reason behind this. What if she is secretly eating over at Lao Ling’s house?”
Xiao Tu’s father frowned and with an impatient tone he said. “What’s with you? If our daughter like to eat then just let her eat!”
“What do you know? She is still young so she will absorb whatever she eat which will cause her to grow rapidly. What if her body started to become bigger? Next time when we make clothes for her, who will pay for those extra cloth that is needed?”
Xiao Tu’s father thought about it for a while and nodded in agreement. “If you are really worried, then just send our daughter to a kindergarten. The food over at kindergarten are fixed, thus this ensure that she would not overeat.”
Xiao Tu’s mother also felt that it is a good idea.
The very next day, she went to the kindergarten in town to register for Xiao Tu.
However, Xiao Tu was extremely unwilling.
But her mother had decreed it so she could not even protest.
After trying to escape a few time, she finally relent and decided to attend school obediently.
Luckily, a few days later, Ling Chao was also being sent to the kindergarten and they happened to be in the same cla.s.s.
The reason for this is actually very simple.
Ever since Xiao Tu was sent to kindergarten, Ling Chao stopped eating again.
His mother grew worried and was not able to come up with any other idea so she decided to just send her son to the kindergarten that Xiao Tu was in and had specifically requested for Xiao Tu and Ling Chao to be put together whenever it is meal time.
Due to this wrong decision, it caused all of Ling Chao’s meal to be taken by Xiao Tu in the future.
This leads to a period of time that Ling Chao did not even had energy to get up from his seat while Xiao Tu was able to jump and run about energetically even more so than when she was at home.
From then, Ling Chao was labelled as an introvert.
Fortunately, the aunty in the kindergarten discovered this situation and in order to not let any parents know of her negligence, she would distributed extra food to the both of them.
Finally, Ling Chao did not have to be hungry anymore and Xiao Tu was able to eat even more.
Turned out that kindergarten have more food compared to her home which made Xiao Tu extremely happy.
This makes Xiao Tu to start pestering her mother to send her to school every morning.
Now, whenever Xiao Tu’s mother was slightly late to send her to school, you can hear the sound of Xiao Tu crying.
In order to not let her skirt be spoiled by all the pulling done by her daughter, Xiao Tu’s mother decided to ask Ling Chao’s mother to send Xiao Tu to school.
At that time, Ling Chao’s mother had a 24 inch phoenix brand bicycle.
Ling Chao will sit at the front while Xiao Tu will be sitting at the back.
This causes the neighbors to start asking Ling Chao’s mother, “Are you sending your son and daughter-in-law to school?”
Ling Chao’s mother will simply answer them with a smile and then she will continue cycling while reaching back to make sure that Xiao Tu was seated securely.
Have to make sure that my future daughter-in-law doesn’t fall off her seat!
In a sense, Ling Chao’s mother is far-sighted person.
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With her bicycle, Ling Chao’s mother started her routine of sending the children to school in the morning and picking them up at night.
This continued on for two years later until Xiao Tu and Ling Chao were in the cla.s.s for bigger children and the bicycle finally broke down.
When the only transport vehicle in the family broke down, Ling Chao’s mother decided to change their mode of transport to walking.
After all, their house were not that far from the kindergarten.
They just had to pa.s.s through an alley and followed along the river all the way until they reached the school.
Xiao Tu is usually walking at the front, leaving behind Ling Chao who is taking his time to walk.
Ling Chao’s mother eventually had to ask them hold hands together.
Ling Chao refused to give his hand to his mother as he stepped behind her, hiding away.
Xiao Tu does not really care and obiediently followed her G.o.dmother instruction.
Therefore, in order to not disappoint her G.o.dmother, Xiao Tu had taken the initiative to reach behind and grabbed hold of Ling Chao’s hand.
The first time Xiao Tu held hands with someone her age she felt that the experience was rather nice.
Ling Chao had struggled for a while but gave up after that because no matter how hard he tried, Xiao Tu refused to let go of his hand.
From then on, every morning and night, there will always be the sight of a little girl and a little boy holding hands.
The little boy looked will look extremely reluctant to hold hand and will purposefully walked slower.
Behind the both of them, there would always be a kind looking lady who had a nice smile on as she looked at the both of them holding hands together.
With the nice and warmth sun shining on them, there was three shadows showing on the ground; two little ones and a big one.
Until one day, the three shadows become only two little ones, holding hands as they walked alongside the river.
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On that day, the usual punctual Mrs Ling did not come and fetch the two children.
Both of them had waited for a long time until all the other children had gone home with their parents, however Mrs Ling still did not appear.
Standing up, Xiao Tu had grabbed Ling Chao’s hand and said, “Let’s go home ourselves!”
Ling Chao was about to open his mouth and said something but gave up when Xiao Tu had already pulled him down the stairs.
The road to return home was relatively short but for the two five year old children, it was considered to be long.
Hand in hand, they walked along the river.
“Walk faster, if not G.o.dmother will worry!” Xiao Tu said to Ling Chao.
“Why do you listen to whatever my mother said?” Ling Chao retorted.
Xiao Tu tilted her head slightly to the side before answering him seriously, “Because she is my G.o.dmother.”
Ling Chao did not said anything afterward.
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It was rather late when they returned home.
From the front of the yard, they could hear people quarreling.
Xiao Tu was about to enter the yard when the door swung open and Lao Ling walked out as he turned back and shouted, “I don’t care whether you agree or not, I am going to go out and try to make a name for myself!”
Finished with his shouting, he turned back and saw Xiao Tu and Ling Chao who had looked shocked.
“Baba,” Ling Chao had called out weakly.
Lao Ling taken a look at his son.
For a man in his thirties, he found his eyes tearing.
“Tutu, G.o.dfather is going to leave for a while. I am going to have to leave Chao Chao in your care, okay?” He said to the little girl.
“Where are you going, G.o.dfather?” Xiao Tu asked.
“I am going to a place that is very far from here. When I return, I will bring back chocolates for the both of you.” He said.
Xiao Tu nodded her head, one of her hands still holding on to Ling Chao while the other hand patted her chest. “Don’t you worry, G.o.dfather. Tutu will take good care of G.o.dbrother!”
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Since then, Lao Ling did not return home.
The first, second and third day pa.s.sed, however even until the sixth day, he never returned.
Ling Ma (Mrs Ling) was very depressed and kept crying everyday.
She even neglect to send the children to school.
Therefore, Xiao Tu will hold Ling Chao’s hand every morning and head to school together.
This continued on until one morning when Ling Ma stopped crying and walked out of the bedroom with a new yellow dress.
Her eyes were puffy but there was a smile on her face.
Turning to Xiao Tu and Ling Chao, she said. “Come, I am going to send the both of you to school today.”
Xiao Tu was extremely happy.
She then told her, “G.o.dmother! You still look the best when you smile!”