It was so cold and there was a heavy rain just now. My clothing was not yet dry that I felt freezing after the wind whiffling through the trees. My body shrank with cold and my teeth chattered, which I had tried my best to restrain, but in vain.

Why was the wood so large and why couldn’t I go out it? I was eager to see somebody else. I looked around nervously but find nothing, except the trees, bare of leaves and wet. I was so afraid and cold, that the tears streamed from my eyes unawares.

Wondering whether the mo [1] is there, I fumbled about in the pockets for them. It was here, but wet.

I cried along the way as looking for my mom as well as my kid sister, and aunties and uncles were lost too. I didn’t know where they were and how could I find them. If I couldn’t find my mom any more, how about...what should I do?

I was very angry. I was so eager to eat one of the mo that I could not forbear to touch them. No...if I would eat one, the rest would not enough for my mom and sister. It was the mo that mom begged yesterday. mom, sister and I had shared one, and the other two is left for ours food of today and tomorrow. I was starving, but I dared not eat a piece of them.

With angry and cold, I feared especially. Nobody was in the wood, and whether there are monsters which would come out and swallow me? Sure! It was sure! It was sure that the monsters would come out and eat me! “mom! Come to me, please!” I cried loudly.

Maybe mom had deserted me. Maybe mom would not look for me any more...

I was eager to see somebody so much, even if he was a stranger. I was afraid...

Ah! There was! There was a brother like boy! He was coming toward me! I stopped crying, but turned into broken sobs. I stood and look at him with an intent gaze. I expected that he would go straight on and have a word with me.

He did come to me! He was as tall and old as my natural brother. He was dressed shabby clothes, but enviable dry.

He looked at me curiously, and asked" Who are you? Why did you stare me?"

"I…" I didn't know what and how I should say.

"Is it for the rain that you are wet through? Why not go home?" He asked.

I felt sorrow and complaint so much and burst into tears.

"Why do you cry? Can't you find the way to home?" The brother like boy asked me again.

I nodded with tears.

"You miserable girl!" He said gently.

When the wind whistled past, I got a chill. The brother took off his clothes and said, "You can put on it!"

When I looked at the clothing he handed to me, I wasn't sure what should I do. If I would put on his cloth, how about he would?

"No! I won't. You will feel cold."

"Never mind" He foisted the clothing into my hand.

For the cold I got a chill again, and consequently put on it. Though I wasn't warm be dressed the clothing, I felt better than before.

I looked at the brother who was stripped to the waist. I imagined that he must be very cold now. Feeling the clothing he given me, I was filled with appreciation and shame. But he said, "It doesn't matter."

And then the brother asked me again, "Why are you alone? Where are you dad and mom?"

I couldn't help crying and said, "Dad had left home long before, and now I can't found my mom…"

He frowned and asked me, "Well, then if you have remember your way home?"

"It's a long way from here that would spend many days on. I can't remember."

A sigh escaped his lips, "So how can I help you going home?"

I am so afraid he would leave without me, that wailed, "Don't go please. I'm afraid…:

He thought for a moment and then spoke, "Well…It's only in this way then. Anyway I myself haven't anywhere to stay, If you like, you can follow me. I will look after you."

I examined the big brother not several years senior to me gratefully, when a memory of my nature brother crept into my mind.

“Well… Now we should find something to eat. Are you hungry?”

“I…” I don’t know what I should do. For I had two mos with me and he had given me his clothing despite his cold, I should give him the mo in return. But if I did so, how about my mom and sister should do?

I couldn’t help weeping with worry. At once he asked me, “What's wrong with you? Why do you cry again?”

I was silent except sob, and for a time I felt better, I produced a mo from my pocket. I broke a piece from the mo, and replaced the rest in the pocket.

“You actually have something to eat with you!” He exclaimed with excitement.

I smiled and gave him the piece.

He didn’t accept the mo for surprise. He asked me, “Won’t you have some?”

Shaking my head I said, “They are originally left over for my mom and sister for tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. If we ate too much, they would not enough. For you have given me your clothing, I should give you my share in return. As for the rest, I will keep them for my mom and sister!”

He was silent for some time, before he accepted it. He broke a piece from the piece further and gave me a half. I was so hungry that I took it after a little hesitation.

Had finished eating I ask the brother, "Where should we go now? Can I find mom?"

He replied, "So wide is the world, I don't know whether you can see your mother again. I'm homeless and parentless as well as you, and have been a rover for a long time."

"Can't you find you dad and mom too?"

"No, they are dead."

There are many trees in the mountain, as if an inextricable maze. We had walked a long way, and on the road the brother always asked me whether I am tired or not, on which I replied no.

Suddenly a terrible sound sprang from the trees. It was a very loud roar, which I'd never heard. I seized the brother's hand immediately with fear. "What…What's it? I'm afraid…"

With the tremble sound, he said, "Me too! Hurry up! Run quickly!"

He grasped my hand and broke into a run in an opposite direction of the sound. I ran lots slower than he and so can't catch him at all. I cried, "Slow down please! I can hardly run!"

Taking hold of the rope tightly, he slowed down and said, "Hurry up! Hold on!"

Just at the time, the terrible sound roars again, and approached our ears nearer than ever. I asked the brother, "What in the world s it?" "I don't know!" was the reply.

A nasty scent of neither hogpen nor sheepfold was wafted along by the gale. I was mortally afraid and he ran so fast with me grasped, that I tripped over a stone and fell.

"Oh, my!" He exclaimed, and pulled me up in haste.

When I struggled to my feet, I couldn't help glancing back to see what the monster is. Oh! It was indeed a monster! It would eat us!

There was some distance from the monster, but I could discern that it was very large and having a yellow-colored coat with black stripes, rather like a cat but much bigger than it.

It opened its big mouth and roared again. The terrible sound was just what I had heard! The mouth was very big and there were many long sharp teeth in the red one. It is sure for it to eat me!

I couldn't help crying out with fear. The brother clung to my arm and made me run for life with him. The monster followed after us and almost was at our heels.

Suddenly the brother said, "Take care of yourself!" Before I was conscious of what had happened, the brother released my hand and I was pushed off the slope.

The brother deserted me! Why? I tumbled down the slope. For it was a gentle incline, I didn't get a nasty knock. Bearing pain, when I climbed up the slope with pain, the brother and the monster both disappeared.

I was very afraid because I didn't know whether the brother had been eaten by the monster and whether the monster would go back for me! Now I was alone again.

I wept a moment, and went on. Now not only my mom and sister but also the brother would I managed to find. Meanwhile a mind of the monster would come to eat me lingered on and frightened me all along.

It was till twilight I did neither meet the monster nor see who I managed to find. It was growing dark, and I felt colder. Stroking the clothing the brother had given me, I was reminded of him. I wondered how he was doing and whether he was eaten by the monster or alive. If he was alive, now he must be very cold. If he was dead, oh! I scarcely dare think of it. I couldn't help looking around again with fear.

Time crawled by. It is murky darkness in the trees. I sobbed and dare not cry out for fear the monster would find me.

Tired my walk I sat on the ground under a tree. Except for the mo that I had shared with the brother, I ate nothing today. Now I was hungry once more.

I couldn't help breaking another little piece of mo to eat and thought, if the brother was alive, he must be hungry now. I regretted having given him so little. Mom and sister must be hungry too. For the mo was at my place, what else could they eat?

All the aunts and uncles we came along with had been very kind, so I thought they would give something to my mom for eating, on the premise, of course, that mom and sister were not separated from them.

There were many strange birds shrieking eerily in the trees. When I left home with my mom, I had feared with the terrible sounds, but soon was gradually accustomed. Now I was just scared of the monster.

I felt very cold, and for fear, I lay awake all night, having the eyes completely opened. But inasmuch the strain, in the twilight my mind finally gave in to fatigue and I fell asleep.

It was not long after a while I woke up with a terrible dream. I had the nightmares that mom, sister, the brother and I had been swallowed by the monster all together.

Thus I dared not even to fall asleep. I leaned against the tree, with the eyes open and the heart fluttering until daybreak.

I must go on with my search for mom, sister and the brother. I rose to my feet, but somehow or other, I felt very tired and weak as well as cold. Since I didn't know where they are, I didn't know where I should go either. Anyway it's quite certain that I was disinclined to stay within the terrible trees any more.

I endeavored to walk along, and just having faltered a few steps, I felt very dizzy with everything going round and round in my head. I was scared. I stretched my hands and wanted to touch something to support my body, but I failed. The thought that I would be dead frightened me. I wept out "Mom!" and then fell into unconsciousness.

When I came to my senses, I felt so cold. I opened my eyes, and saw a blue bed-curtain. What a beautiful bed-curtain! The clothing of the bed-curtain in my house was very coarse, though clean, and old, yet this one was both pretty and smooth. The quilt covering my body was thick and soft, and the bed was comfortable.

Where…Where was I? Was I in a rich house? When I felt strange, I caught a whiff of herbal medicine. I knew the smell of herbal medicine, because at home mom had been always decocting medicinal herbs for my dad.

"Ah! You come to!"

Someone was speaking, a voice of an uncle! I looked around and discovered that I was lying in a very big and clean room in which there were pretty tables, chairs, cabinet, vases and others I'd never seen.

The speaker is an uncle. He was decocting the medicinal herbs. He seemed as old as my dad, but dressed better. When he was speaking, he owned with a grin, but my dad seldom smiled, and for this I usually had a fear of him.

In the period when my dad was at home, he had been lying in bed for his convalescence. Though he nestled me in his arms sometime, in more time he was severe.

Looking at the uncle, though I had been thinking that he was so rich that maybe he is a rich man, I was still very pleased. Because I saw a human being again! Actually he maybe was not a bad rich man because he was smiling at me all along which .made me comfortable and secure. I wondered if he could help me find my mom.

The uncle came and sat upon my bedside. He smiled, "Good child, tell me what's your name?"

"My name is Bean," said I. I felt very cold and tucked my body under the quilt further. What a clean and warm quilt! Mom and sister had never used such a good one and maybe the brother either.

"Where are your parents? Why were you alone and ill on the hill?" asked he again.

"I was ill?" I didn't know I had been ill.

"Yes," said he kindly, "you was ill. You have a fever, and it's serious."

I didn't know what I should say, since treating an illness cost much and I was penniless.

The uncle took a bowl of medicinal herb juice for me, and said," Come on, sup up the medicine juice. Be careful not to burn yourself. It's some bitter, lump it."

He assisted me in sitting on the bed by one arm and fed me the medicine by the other. The medicine was so bitter that I took one sip of it and didn't want to more.

The uncle said, "Poppet, you will soon be well after drinking it. If you drink up, uncle will give you a candy."

I nodded and swallow the juice hard. The uncle smiled. He put down the bowl and indeed gave me a candy. The candy was very sweet. I regretted very much that I should preserve a piece of it for my sister and the brother.

At the though I felt in my pocket for the mos. I found that not only had the mos disappeared, but also I was wearing a red, soft and very beautiful dress. My sister was fond of pretty dress all along. She would be bound to like it!

The uncle demanded me again. “Bean, what’s your formal name?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where is your home? Why your parents didn’t know you were ill alone in the hill?”

I wailed, “My family lived far away from here. I don’t know where my house is.”

“Well, but however did you get here yourself? Where are your parents?”

“My dad had been ill many years. When he was well last year, he began to quarrel with mom. They often argued, afterward dad took my brother to a long distance. Later on a flood started in my village, and then mom took my sister and I leaving my home with uncles and aunts in the village. We had traveled many days. Mom said that she didn’t know where we would go, and hoped we would wind up somewhere could accommodate us.

“Yesterday a heavy rain caught us. We all were drenched. Just at the moment lots of soldier riders flew out at me rudely. Mom carried my sister in her left arm, and gripped my hand by the right. The team approached soon. My clutch was not tight enough and I was separated from my mom. It was a very long queue. I called for my mom, while I could hear mom calling for me. But I deafened by the noise and couldn’t tell the location of them. The situation was chaotic. Uncles and aunts all fled in disorder. I didn’t know which orientation I should go and finally, I was lost.”

Afterwards I related the story of encountering the brotherly boy and the monster to the uncle. At my words, the uncle sighed,” What you encountered is the tiger. He is a nice boy of goodness. The reason why he pushed you down the slope was that he wanted to save your life, while he himself drew away the tiger. Alas, he was boded ill rather than well.”

“Be boded ill rather than well? What's the meaning of this?” I didn't understand what the sentence meant.

”It means…Ah.” The uncle pumping up a smile, said,” Let it pass! Forget it.”

“But where am I, uncle? The room is furnished so well.”

“Here is an inn. I found you on the hill, seeing that you were lying on the ground and had a fever, so I brought you here. I had changed a new dress for you and sent for a doctor”

“What is an inn? Is it another name of home?” demanded I.

The uncle arranged a tuft of my hair behind the left ear gently and said,” Inn is a place which provides food and shelter for travelers. Of course, we must pay for it.”

“Are you a richer?” I felt some uneasy. Mom had ever told me that most of richer are bad, and forbad me to associate with them. But I thought the uncle wasn’t a bad man.

The uncle smiled,” I’m not a rich man. I merely live relatively comfortable life. Bean, have you any plan about future?”

“I’m going to find my mom, my sister ant the brother.”

The uncle sighed,” The world is very wide. It would be a difficult business for you to find them. Here, if you would, you can live with us. In my home there are thee children much of your age for company. Is it ok?”

I had no idea of it. Though I’d like to, I could not give up finding my mom either. But by which means could I find them? I didn’t know.

So after turning the idea over for a moment, I accepted the uncle’s invitation with deeply grateful.

The uncle was very pleased that I accepted his offer. He asked me my age. I told him that I was seven. The uncle said I will have two elder brothers and a sister then.

We walked many days further on. Following the uncle, I could live in the inn in the evening, and was offered many delicious foods that I had never eaten, which was never same as the cold and hungry I had been with mom. As we went, whenever I have anything good and interesting, I thought of mom and sister; the clothing the brother had given me had been washed clean and stored well, and I hope I could meet him again and have the clothing back one day; as for the remains of the mo, I stored it well in the pocket of my new dress too.

I didn’t understand why I insisted on preserving them. Would I give mom the mos to eat? I didn’t know. I only want to keep them. Although the mos had been drenched by the rain, after being dried they could last a long time, maybe, forever.

One day I followed the uncle at the foot of a high mountain. The uncle said on that mountain located his house. At the thought of seeing many strange persons, my heart began to beat fiercely with rejoicing and excitement.

It took a long time for us to reach the destination. What a huge garden house! To my surprise it was even more than Provincial Graduate He’s. Provincial Graduate He was the richest and noblest man in my hometown as he held the degree of Provincial Graduate from emperor.

The main building was enclosed by a high stone wall. The red door faced south, closed, and had a piece of green-lacquered woodcarving plaque with several characters. I could read all of them. They were “Dawu Hall”, as the name of the mountain where the house located was “Dawu”.

Be different from Provincial Graduate He’s front gate, there were neither four guards nor two stone lions.

I felt inclined to be timid. For the huge garden house, the uncle must be extremely rich.

Holding my hand gently, the uncle went up to the door and knocked. Soon an old man opened it. When he saw the uncle, he cheered up immediately, and said,” Back you come, milord! Madam said it! Madam said you would come back today or tomorrow. Precisely!”

The uncle patted him on his back, and said,” Old Fu, come and see the little girl. I adopted her on the way. Come, good child, this is Grandpa Fu.”

“Good afternoon, Grandpa Fu.” greeted I timidly.

Grandpa Fu smiled, “Atta girl!”

I followed the uncle into the courtyard. Had there been so much a grand and beautiful place for home in the earth? There are many houses; a path paved by little mice stones led to the main hall; trees and flowers were planted all over garden in order.

Here a sisterly girl ran out of the house. She flew to the uncle’s arms, and cheered,” Good dad!” Then she began to kiss the uncle on the cheek. If I had seen my dad come back from a distance, I would be delighted too. But I dared not kiss him, for dad was not always kind to me, and he always kept a straight face.

Holding the girl’s hand, the uncle introduced me to her,” come, Liying. This is elder sister Bean. Afterward you will live and play together, is it ok?”

The sister looked at me with a curious expression, which embarrassed me more or less. Her dress was very beautiful, just like the daughter’s of Provincial Graduate He. As far as the He’s young lady was arrogant and willful, I wished the sister would not has the same ill temper as her.

She looked me up and down for a minute, and demand, “Are you also my apprentice sister?” Her voice was very nice, but I didn’t know what the apprentice sister meant. The uncle answered for me with a smile, “Yes.”

Then the uncle said to me,” After a while I will take you to meet two other elder brother. They both lost their parents, and just like you, I took them back and arranged them grow up with my daughter Liying together. I taught them Kung Fu, so I am their master, and they and Liying are brother and sister. In the following days I will teach you Kung Fu too.”

“Kung Fu?” I spelled out the word lowly. I knew the term; it meant boxing and I had seen my brother boxing by the river.

“Kung Fu is martial art. I will explain it to you later.” said the uncle.

The uncle took sister Liying and me into the center hall. No sooner had the uncle sat down, than a graceful aunty came to us followed by two elder brothers at the age of me.

The aunty was very beautiful. Her kind expression reminded me of my mom. I imagined that how nice if my mom had not carried the long scars on her face, and had a same fine look as the aunty.

Here the two elder brother came and bow to the uncle. “Tutor-father!” said they respectfully. The aunty smiled too,” You come back.”

The uncle avoided their salutes and said to the aunty,” Wanyu, this is the girl I adopted on the way. I like her very much and intend to adopt her as our foster child. Would you agree?”

"I certainly do,” said the aunty. She nestled me in her side, caressing my head, and said,” What’s your name, my child?”

“It’s Bean.” I looked at her, and I loved her. I liked being stroked by the aunty. Her petting just was my mom to me.

The uncle said," She lose touch with her parent. Unlike Yong and Junyang, she doesn’t know her family name and formal name. So I intended to adopt her as a foster daughter, not only teach her Kung Fu, but also give her a surname and a whole home.”

“I see.” The aunty smiled gently. She said to me,” Bean, since you couldn’t find you nature dad and mom, if you like, uncle and aunty would replace them as your adoptive parent. From this out we will love you like your nature parent. It’s ok?”

I was melt into tears and gave her a nodded with delight. I indeed expected that during my mom’s absence I could obtain as affection from somebody as Liying and someone would stroke me gently on my hair.

Uncle said, “Well, unlike Yong and Junyang, from this out you can address me as adoptive-father instead of tutor-father. As far as the aunty, you can call her adoptive-mother. It’s ok?”

“Adoptive-dad! Adoptive-mom!” I murmured the greeting with a blush and timidity. However my adoptive-dad and adoptive-mom were very pleased.

A younger brother came to me and said,” Tutor-father, she will be our apprentice sister then?”

Adoptive-dad said, “Yes! Well, Bean, I tell you this is your second elder apprentice brother, named Shi Junyang, and that is your first elder apprentice brother, his name is Zhong Yong.”

“First apprentice brother! Second apprentice brother! “I greeted them. I’d never heard of such an appellation and felt it was interesting.

My two apprentice brothers said in chorus, “Apprentice sister!”

Adoptive-mom pushed sister Liying in front of me and said,” send regard to your elder apprentice sister. Of course she is also your elder sister.”

Sister Liying looked curiously at us, and said,” apprentice sister and sister!”

Adoptive-dad smiled, “you can choose either. You needn’t associate them.”

I felt embarrassed somewhat. I returned, “Sister Liying.”

My adoptive-dad said,” Bean, you can’t use a nickname for ever. You should have a formal one. Now you can use my surname, Jiang. For you are very quiet, I shall give you the name Jiang Jing [2]. Do you like it?”

I nodded. I indeed loved it.

Adoptive-dad said,” I’m the master of Dawu Hall. My name is Jiang zhanyuan. If you’re asked, tell them the name.”

From that day I settled on the Dawu Hall.

Both adoptive-dad and Adoptive-mom were very kind to me. They asked me to regard here as my own home.

Adoptive-mom was much considerate. In a few days she had copied everything Liying held for me, such an individual room, fine furniture, pretty dresses etc. However I still felt homesick. I missed mom, missed dad, missed brother, missed sister, and missed the brother boy.

I had begun to see what the Kung Fu was. I spared no pains to study with adoptive-dad. He often praised me for my brightness, endeavor and learning fast.

Normally I learned and practiced together with other apprentice brothers and sisters. First apprentice brother studied hardest of us, while second apprentice brother was playful, and his playing had came between him and his practices. Sister Liying was very fond of playing with second apprentice brother, and they often got a sermon from adoptive-dad together.

When adoptive-dad gave us a lecture, he appeared very august, but not fierce.

My adoptive-mom had no skill in Kung Fu, but she was very learned, even familiar with Mongolian, which is difficult to understand for us Han People, and most of Hans would not learn. In our spare time adoptive-mom would teach us reading and writing, and Mongolian usually.

When I was at home before, both mom and dad had cultivated my literacy. Adoptive-mom was very glad that I could write many characters.

As the days passed by, there had been three years. The cloth brother gave me were well preserved, and the remaining mos often were fetched out by me to retrace the past.

Besides, I had made a same sachet as the one I had used at home. I remembered that my nature sister Seedling had liked my sachet very much, and always on my back asked for it. I had promised her that I would make a same one for her, but before I had fulfilled their promises, we were parted.

So at my leisure I made the sachet, in order to give her it when I would see her again. However, when the day would come?

Notes：

[1] A kind of steamed bun of China, which quality is poor.

[2] In Chinese, Jing (静) means " a calm and introverted temperament".

Last Updated in 06/09/14 20:56

( To be continued... )