Cheng XiaoXiao squatted down trying to help the young girl up, but she heard a cry fromthe girl. She saw her wrist where the rod had landed, Cheng Xiao Xiao felt badall over again.
Thinkingabout her old life, and the difference between the two, fate could be sounpredictable sometimes.
Both werefamilies in poverty, but her families were still protective and loving towardher, yet the young girl’s family treated her so cruelly.
“Mistress, Iam okay!” She turned her face away. The young girl didn’t want Cheng Xiao Xiaoto see her in that condition. Her father had sold her; her family no longerwanted her, what else could she do?
“Littlegirl, you are my people now. I promise I won’t let others bully you. From nowon you follow me. I won’t let you undergo any hardship.” Cheng Xiao Xiao walkedup and stroked the girl on her head, she looked at her full of pity.
Fate hadtreated the two so differently! The girl was only a couple of years youngerthan Cheng Xiao Xiao. She felt like a little sister, and she was quite fond ofher naturally.
“I….” Sheopened her mouth, but the young girl couldn’t find any words. Looking at thegentle way Cheng Xiao Xiao was looking at her, tears ran down her face again.She just wanted to cry.
Her ownfather and mother didn’t even treat her as nice as this stranger whom she hadjust met.
“Be a goodgirl and stop crying, okay? We will get you some food in a bit.” Cheng XiaoXiao helped the young girl up and pursed her lips; her eyes full ofindescribable emotions.
One couldtell almost immediately that this young girl was simple and kind in nature.Cheng Xiao Xiao would feel comfortable having her take care of her family.
“Okay!” Theyoung girl wiped her face with her sleeve. Her clothes was messy and dirty tobegin with, the wiping only made her little face messier and dirtier thanefore.
Taking theyoung girl with her and walking around the slum, Cheng Xiao Xiao purchasedanother young boy around 12-13 years of age, taking him out of the slum.
“What’s yourname?” asked Cheng Xiao Xiao as she turned around and looked at the little boy,a little bit of suspicion in her eyes.
One couldtell almost immediately that this was a kid from a loving family. If his motherwasn’t worried that he’d starve to me, she wouldn’t have sold him.
Bothfamilies sold their children, but for very different reasons – one washeart-warming, the other one bone-chilling.
“Replyingmistress, my name is Two Eggs,” replied the little boy courteously. He seemedvery uneasy. He had a hard time looking straight at the pretty girl, and he wasalso very afraid.
Hearingthat, Cheng Xiao Xiao couldn’t help but frowned. Both of these kids’ names areawful, it’s probably better if she give them new names.
“Why don’t Igive you new names?” Cheng Xiao Xiao couldn’t help but ask, these names mustgo.
Afterall,their names were given to them by their parents, she should at least ask themtheir opinions.
They bothnodded; neither one of them objected.
"Littlegirl, from now on we will call you Lu Zhu1, Two Eggs, let’s call you ZhuQing.”2,3 Even though these couple of names sound a bit on the grandeur sidefor the village, but Cheng Xiao Xiao was okay with that. The important was thatshe liked them.
“Thank you,Mistress, for awarding us with new names.” The two replied simultaneouslyagain. By now, both little girl and Two Eggs, no, both Lu Zhu and Zhu Qing’s.e.xpressions were already very different than before.
Now that themistress had given them new names, they completely belonged to her now.
“Zhu Qing,from now on you work for my family, we will pay you wages. You can save themfor when you get married, or you can give them to your mother to help her out.After all, she only sold you for your own good, so you should treat her nicelytoo. If you ever miss her, you can also go back to visit her.” She patted ZhuQing on his shoulder and said to him tenderly.
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Notes:
1. Green bamboo.
2. Bamboo azure.
3. I have been wondering why did ChengXiao Xiao say the little girl’s name was awful and need to be changed, as Idon’t remember when her name was mentioned. I guess her name was literally“Little Girl”. As I don’t know when the term was used as her name / referringto her as a girl… I will just leave it as is. J
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