CH 6

The more Aunt Hua thought about it, the more scared she became. When she was studying, there were also some children in her class, who had slow reactions and didn’t like talking. They were always alone.

Aunt Hua imagined Little Miaomiao in school with a large group of children happily playing together, but her little daughter always remained alone and watched the others play. This unsettled her heart.

Aunt Hua asked Miaomiao about it, but she said nothing. After dinner, Aunt Hua sent a WeChat message to Teacher Li.

“Lulu. Did something happen to Miaomiao, when she attended school today? She ran into her bedroom, as soon as she returned home, and there were tears in her eyes. When I asked her, she didn’t say anything.”

Teacher Li read the WeChat Message. She felt a little confused. Little Miaomiao didn’t do anything at school. Although she was indeed a little special and not very sociable, it was obvious that there was someone else, who was even more special and even more unsociable. The one sitting next to her.

Teacher Li messaged Aunt Hua back, “Do not fret. I’ll ask her tablemate. He’s a genius child. A teacher once mocked a student, who had a stuttering problem in class. He stood up and recited the teacher’s code of conduct, which made the teacher cry. But he is very amiable to other children.” Teacher Li was embarrassed to say that the child once stated that caring for human cubs is what everyone should do.

Aunt Hua still remembers that little, precocious boy.

Teacher Li quickly sent a WeChat message to the registered number of Zhou Yuan’s primary school, “Zhou Yuan, was there anything wrong with Miaomiao in school today? She looked sad, when she returned home.”

While typing the message, Teacher Li decided to use Aunt Hua’s own words, “tears in her eyes.”

Zhou Yuan was reading a book, when he received the message. After reading the message, a phantom image of his little tablemate crying appeared in his mind…

Zhou Yuan recalled and replied, “No, she was the same as she was the day before.”

Then, he thought of something, “She didn’t eat the pomegranates at noon today. She wrapped them in tissues and hid them in her schoolbag.”

Could it be because of this?

Teacher Li: “Thank you, Zhou Yuan.”

Zhou Yuan: “You’re welcome, Teacher. This is what I should do.”

Teacher Li: “…”. 

Sometimes, she wondered whether the other party was a peer of the same age. No, no, no, she felt like he was a parent of a student, who acted more maturely than her.

Teacher Li quickly reported to Aunt Hua what Zhou Yuan had told her.

Aunt Hua found this matter slightly confusing. She carefully opened the door of Little Miaomiao’s bedroom. Little Miaomiao was fast asleep.

Aunt Hua took her schoolbag and found nothing.

Uncle Hua was much more scrutinizing, when he searched. Eventually, he stumbled upon an edge of a small piece of paper towel hidden under the bed, so he reached and took it out.

He saw the withered pomegranate seeds.

Was Little Miaomiao sad because the pomegranate seeds withered and died?

Aunt Hua took the seeds from Uncle Hua and put them back in its original hiding place.

Early next morning, Little Miaomiao awoke and heard Aunt Hua say, “Dear, today is a good day for planting. Go and buy some pomegranate seeds. When the seedlings grow, we can plant them on the balcony. They will sprout and bear pomegranates.”

When Little Miaomiao overheard this, she was stunned. She hastily ran to her bed and took out the sixteen from under the bed.

Sixteen. It’s so amazing. Not only can you eat them, but they can also grow more sixteen.

Little Miaomiao clasped the pomegranate seeds wrapped in the paper towel and slowly opened the door. She had the sixteen that her aunt asked her, so she didn’t have to go out to purchase it.

When Little Miaomiao came out, she still wore the pink bunny pajamas. And just like a timorous, little rabbit, she said, “Auntie…”

Aunt Hua squatted down, “Miaomiao got up so early today.”

Little Miaomiao lowered her head and put the paper towel in her Aunt’s hands, “Sixteen…”

Aunt Hua received it and wowed in astonishment, “Miaomiao, Auntie was just about to look for pomegranate seeds!”

Because she was able to help her aunt, a feeling of delight filled Little Miaomiao’s heart. But, she was timid and had no idea how to express herself.

Then, Aunt Hua dragged her to the balcony and Little Miaomiao saw a large ceramic pot that was filled with soil.

Uncle Hua happily took out a small spade and planted all the pomegranate seeds that Little Miaomiao provided.

Little Miaomiao happily looked on, as her uncle and aunt planted the sixteen. Due to her youth, she didn’t understand why a feeling of euphoria filled her heart, but nonetheless, she was beaming with joy.

Seeing her elated face, Aunt Hua and Uncle Hua looked at each other and smiled.

After two days, Aunt Hua went to purchase some pomegranate seedlings.

Aunt Hua packed up Little Miaomiao’s schoolbag. They were about to depart for school. Before leaving, Little Miaomiao thought about going to her room. She wanted to secretly take the packet of dried meat under her quilt to bring to school.

Aunt Hua made the dried meat herself and she packed it meticulously.

Just then, Uncle Hua knocked on the door, “Dear, are you ready? We should depart now.”

Aunt Hua led Little Miaomiao out quickly along with her school bag. As a result, Little Miaomiao forgot to take the packet of dried meat.

After her arrival at school, Zhou Yuan was nowhere to be found.

Little Miaomiao sat in her seat and looked at the empty seat next to her. If she would’ve brought the packet of dried meat, then it would’ve sat comfortably on his table now…

When Zhou Yuan came, he saw Little Miaomiao reading. Today, she wore a pink, long-sleeved shirt instead of her school uniform.

The school only required students to wear school uniforms on Monday. They were permitted to wear their own clothes during any other day.

Zhou Yuan walked over with a swift gait and said with a smile, “Miaomiao, what do you think this is?”

Zhou Yuan held a pomegranate in his hand, a pomegranate that had not yet opened its shell.

Little Miaomiao raised her head and scrutinized the thing that was larger than an apple. But she knew that it wasn’t an apple.

She felt a tinge of confusion and she asked in a hushed voice, “What is it?”

Her voice was quiet. Like a grandmother’s voice.

“Pomegranate.” Zhou Yuan declared.

Before going to bed last night, he asked the teacher why Little Miaomiao was crying. The teacher said it was because her pomegranate died. So when he was heading to school, he passed by a fruit store. He asked his father to stop the car, got out and bought some pomegranates.

Zhou Yuan put the pomegranate into her hand and said with a smile, “I am giving it to you.”

Little Miaomiao was taken aback. She held the pomegranate and looked at Zhou Yuan, who smiled back. Did he want to be friends? Good friends, perhaps that’s why he gave me food…