Self-Perception - Chapter 55

The interior was brightly lit. Grandma’s gaze fell upon Bai Jin, and she called out, “Ah Jin.”

Bai Jin stepped forward with a quick response.

The old woman’s eyes then shifted to Wen Jinyan, who was standing beside Bai Jin.

“Whose family does this beautiful girl belong to?”

Gu Wansheng held Grandma’s hand with one of her own while signaling to Wen Jinyan with her eyes. Wen Jinyan walked over, and Gu Wansheng took her hand, smiling at the elderly woman. “She’s mine, Grandma. Her name is Wen Jinyan. Wen as in gentle, Jin as in hibiscus, and Yan as in speech.” Fearing the old woman hadn’t heard clearly, Gu Wansheng traced the characters stroke by stroke in the palm of her hand, then repeated, “Grandma, this is my wife.”

Same-sex marriage had been legal for many years; even in the village, most elderly people weren’t particularly surprised to hear of it.

After listening, Grandma pulled a pair of glasses from her bag, putting them on slowly and earnestly to look at Wen Jinyan.

Wen Jinyan half-crouched so the elderly woman could see her clearly just by lowering her gaze.

After a few minutes, Grandma took off her glasses, grinning from ear to ear. “The girl is very beautiful, even prettier than I thought at first glance. Xiao Jiu, you’ve found yourself a beautiful wife, this is Xiao Jiu’s good fortune.”

Gu Wansheng helped the old woman sit on the sofa. “It is my fortune.”

She added, “Grandma, it’s getting late. Let me help you go rest.”

Grandma said cheerfully, “Good, good, good. Ah Jin, come here and let me see you too.”

The elderly woman was hard of hearing and had misunderstood. Hearing her name, Bai Jin stepped forward and crouched down.

A weathered, calloused palm slowly brushed against her skin. “Ah Jin has grown even more handsome too.”

“Then Grandma, am I better looking or is Gu Wansheng?” Bai Jin asked mischievously.

Gu Wansheng shot her a look that seemed to say, “How childish.”

“Both are beautiful,” Grandma laughed. Since it was late, the two of them helped Grandma into her room to rest, closing the door quietly as they left.

Grandma’s house had four rooms in total.

Gu Wansheng familiarly led Wen Jinyan by the hand to a room. Although the furnishings were simple, it was very tidy. Gu Wansheng pulled a four piece bedding set from a vintage looking cabinet, and Wen Jinyan joined her in making the bed.

By the time they finished, exhaustion had swept over them, and they both fell fast asleep on the bed.

The next day, Wen Jinyan was woken up by the sound of a rooster crowing. Her hand instinctively reached out to the side, but it met only empty space.

Where was Gu Wansheng?

Wen Jinyan got up in a daze. Bai Jin was standing in the courtyard washing her face using an old-fashioned porcelain basin; she was currently applying toner.

When Wen Jinyan walked over, Bai Jin noticed her and pointed to the basin. “I’ve already used the water in there, go ahead and pour it out. There’s hot water in the thermos.”

Wen Jinyan nodded. After washing her face, she asked, “Do you know where Gu Wansheng is?”

“She went to the car to get some things,” Bai Jin gestured with her chin. “Look, she’s back.”

Wen Jinyan looked in the direction she pointed. Gu Wansheng was walking toward them at a leisurely pace, carrying several bags of snacks in her left hand and leading a young girl with her right.

“Hello, Sister! My name is Xiao Mian,” the little girl greeted Wen Jinyan sweetly.

Wen Jinyan was stunned for a moment, then crouched down to eye level with Xiao Mian. “Hello, Xiao Mian. My name is Wen Jinyan. Wen as in hot spring, Jin as in hibiscus, and Yan as in speech.”

“Wen… Jin… Yan?” Xiao Mian, currently in second grade, only recognized the first and last characters. She asked, “Pretty Sister, how do you write Jin? I don’t know that one.”

After a moment’s thought, Wen Jinyan opened the notes app on her phone, quickly typed the second character of her name, and turned the screen toward Xiao Mian.

“Oh, so that’s how Jin is written! I’ve learned a new word.” Xiao Mian looked happy. Bai Jin reached out and took the lollipop Xiao Mian was holding.

“Auntie Bai, why are you taking my candy?” Xiao Mian said, a bit upset. Her small frame reached for the arm holding her lollipop, but finding she couldn’t reach it even by jumping, she wrapped both arms around Bai Jin’s arm to try and pull it down.

Children are light, and Bai Jin lifted her easily. Fearing Xiao Mian might let go, she didn’t lift her very high.

“Little Mian, why do you call me ‘Auntie’ but call Wen Jinyan ‘Sister’?” Bai Jin asked.

“Because Sister Wen is pretty and young!” Xiao Mian reached for the candy with one hand while Bai Jin supported her waist with the other to keep her from falling.

“Little Mian, you’re being a bit biased. I’m about the same age as your Sister Wen, why is there such a difference in titles?”

Gu Wansheng couldn’t watch any longer. “Alright, stop teasing the kid.”

Only then did Bai Jin set Xiao Mian back on the ground and return the candy. Xiao Mian immediately ran behind Gu Wansheng, acting as if she were ignoring Bai Jin.

Children can’t hide things, their feelings are written all over their faces.

“Sigh, a single lollipop and some snacks bought you over. Little Mian, your Auntie Bai has even more snacks than your Auntie Gu.”

Hearing this, Xiao Mian’s eyes lit up. She ran back to Bai Jin, tugging at the hem of her clothes and shaking her hand. “I knew Auntie Bai was the best to me!”

Bai Jin joked, “With talent like that, you should be sent to learn Peking Opera to preserve intangible cultural heritage.”

“Peking Opera?” Xiao Mian didn’t understand. “Is it hard?”

Bai Jin laughed again and patted her head. She didn’t elaborate, but held out her hand for Xiao Mian to take. “Come on, let’s go get those snacks.”

Gu Wansheng pulled a green apple flavored lollipop from her bag and handed it to Wen Jinyan. “For you.”

“For me?”

“Mhm.” Gu Wansheng gave her a subtle wink, quickly checking to make sure the other two hadn’t returned. Her voice was soft and low. “Hide it so Xiao Mian doesn’t see. I told her this lollipop was a limited edition and that there was only one.”

The wrapper of the lollipop was still warm, likely from being kept in the bag for a long time.

Even though Wen Jinyan hadn’t eaten the candy yet, a sweetness began to bloom in her mouth, sweeter than any confection.

“Is it really okay to trick a child like that?” Wen Jinyan asked with a smile as she tucked the candy into her bag.

“If you don’t trick them now, they’ll be harder to trick when they grow up.”

As she spoke, Bai Jin and Xiao Mian returned, with Xiao Mian holding a bag of potato chips.

“Where is Grandma?” Wen Jinyan looked around.

“Grandma is sitting at the village entrance,” Xiao Mian said, her little mouth moving as she munched on the chips.

“Have you done your homework?” Bai Jin patted her head.

“Auntie Bai, don’t hit my head! I’ll turn stupid,” Xiao Mian complained.

Xiao Mian was shooed back to her room by Bai Jin just as Gu Wansheng’s phone rang.

“Alright, I’ll be right there.” Gu Wansheng hung up. “The furniture I ordered has arrived; I need to go give them directions.”

“I’ll go. After all, you’re a public figure,” Wen Jinyan said, taking her hand.

“Don’t worry, we’re taking the car. Wansheng won’t get out. Besides, she knows the roads, and someone needs to watch Xiao Mian. You know I just offended the kid,” Bai Jin interjected.

Wen Jinyan was convinced. She watched as the two drove out of the courtyard.

“You got up so early just to bribe Xiao Mian into changing her title, didn’t you?” Bai Jin asked, glancing at Gu Wansheng as she drove.

“What do you mean?” Gu Wansheng turned the steering wheel.

“When we first arrived, Xiao Mian called both of us ‘Auntie.’ Then you started bringing her things every day to make her call you ‘Sister.’ I even said back then you were just refusing to grow old.”

At that time, though Gu Wansheng’s age made the title “Auntie” perfectly appropriate, she simply refused to accept it. Like a child herself, she brought Xiao Mian sweets and toys every day. Children are simple, they love whoever is good to them. Within a few days, Gu Wansheng successfully got Xiao Mian to change her way of addressing her.

Gu Wansheng didn’t say anything, which Bai Jin took as a confirmation.

Half an hour later, they returned, followed by a delivery truck.

“Does this go here?” The worker carrying the water dispenser and refrigerator asked Bai Jin for confirmation.

“Yes, right there. Thank you for your hard work.” Once the appliances were placed in their designated spots, Bai Jin handed the workers some water.

The workers accepted the water, thanked her, and left.

Gu Wansheng waited in the car until the workers had gone before stepping out.

Xiao Mian, who hadn’t come out while the strangers were there, rushed out of her room once they left. Her eyes widened at the sight of the brand-new refrigerator. “Wow!”

She ran to Bai Jin. “Auntie Bai, does this mean I’ll have endless ice cream from now on?”

Her house had a big refrigerator now; in the summer, they wouldn’t have to go to the riverbank just to stay cool.

Bai Jin patted her shoulder. “Of course. But if you eat too much, you’ll get a stomachache and have to go to the hospital, where the nurses will give you a shot in the bottom.”

Xiao Mian wasn’t scared at all. “Then I’ll just eat one a day!”

“Last year it was an air conditioner and lights, this year it’s a fridge and a water dispenser. Grandma’s going to scold you again when she sees,” Bai Jin said to Gu Wansheng.

“Don’t I have you to help me?” Gu Wansheng walked over slowly, keys in hand.

After all that work, they finally sat down for breakfast. Afterward, Gu Wansheng suggested taking a walk around the village.

They walked along the rural paths. The surrounding hills were barren but covered in white snow. The temperature in the mountains was low, so Gu Wansheng tucked Wen Jinyan’s hand into her own coat pocket to keep it warm.

In recent years, thanks to the government’s efforts, the once muddy village paths had been paved with concrete, making the roads wider and smoother.

They walked along the right side, occasionally passing small cars.

“These are all people returning for the New Year,” Gu Wansheng explained.

Suddenly, a question occurred to Wen Jinyan. She looked at Xiao Mian, who was leading Bai Jin ahead with excitement, and asked, “What about Grandma’s children?”

“Grandma originally had a son and a daughter. Her son left because he thought she was old and useless, and he never came back. Her daughter passed away from an illness, leaving Grandma to outlive her child. The villagers probably take pity on her, they help out whenever they can.”

Gu Wansheng looked at the skipping Xiao Mian and said in a low voice, “Not long after her daughter died, Grandma found Xiao Mian.”

“So Xiao Mian was also…” Wen Jinyan didn’t finish. Gu Wansheng nodded. “She was also abandoned by her family. Not long after Grandma took her in, Xiao Mian started getting dizzy spells. Once, it was so bad she collapsed on the road and couldn’t be woken up. Grandma was so scared she carried her to the county hospital overnight. After an examination, they found a tumor in the girl’s head.”