ISBH - Chapter 27
Chapter 27: New Year
After the report cards were handed out, it was almost time for the New Year.
The city was hung with lanterns and bright decorations everywhere, and most of the people at the construction site in front of Mo Sheng's home had gone back for the New Year, leaving only a few watchmen behind.
The rumbling of machines that had lingered around every day suddenly vanished, and the whole area became quieter than ever before.
The demolished buildings stood like a dividing line, separating the noise of the city ahead from the bleak quiet of the shacks behind.
Mo Sheng had never looked forward to the New Year since she was little.
When her parents were still alive, the New Year had meant quarrels between them and her mother's hysterical crying. Later it became cold streets. Every New Year's Eve, Mo Runsheng was afraid debt collectors would crowd around the house to ask for money, so he always took Mo Sheng out to wander outside until dawn...
Later there was nothing left at all, only Mo Sheng curled up alone in a freezing corner, cold and hungry while waiting for the new year to arrive.
...
So when Han Tian said she wanted to buy New Year goods, Mo Sheng felt a little dazed.
In Mo Sheng's memory, this was the first time she had ever prepared for the New Year.
Han Tian herself was not really someone who cared much for traditional festivals, but because this was the first Spring Festival she would spend together with Mo Sheng, she wanted to celebrate it in a lively way.
Han Tian urged Mo Sheng to go to the supermarket and bought spring couplet paper and window paper-cut, candy and drinks...
Next to the supermarket was a small market for household appliances. After Mo Sheng had carried the purchases a short way and looked back, she saw Han Tian floating in front of a small color television with an expectant look on her face...
Even when she was abroad, every New Year Han Tian's grandparents would gather the whole family to watch the Spring Festival Gala together.
Although in recent years, as living standards rose, the Spring Festival Gala no longer attracted people as strongly as before, in people's hearts it still stood for beautiful hopes for life to come...
Han Tian felt it was absolutely necessary for Mo Sheng to buy a television.
"Aren't you afraid I'll stop studying hard once I have a television?" Mo Sheng looked at Han Tian, who was blinking at her, and pressed her lips tightly together. Although she knew in her heart she would very likely give in eventually, she still wanted to put up a little resistance.
Han Tian was used to Mo Sheng acting like a little housekeeper, and her smile grew even sweeter for a moment. "Would Mo Sheng be the kind of person who would neglect her studies just from watching television?"
"I rather hope my Mo Sheng won't stay so tense every day thinking only of studying, and can relax a bit more..."
...
"Little Mo Sheng, just buy it! I know what I'm doing..." Han Tian floated over and patted Mo Sheng's head again.
During this time, as Little Mo Sheng grew taller and taller, Han Tian felt Mo Sheng was already a big girl and seldom patted her head anymore. Only at certain special moments, like now when she wanted to break through this housekeeper's limits, would Han Tian pat Mo Sheng's head in an almost coaxing way...
Mo Sheng lowered her head and clenched her fists, struggling fiercely inside for a moment, but in the end she still lost to Han Tian calling out again and again in a softened voice, 'Little Mo Sheng, please, okay?'
After the television was carried back and the lines were connected, it could receive dozens of channels. At this time one had to pay to receive channels, and Mo Sheng felt a pang just thinking about the extra money she would have to pay every month.
Han Tian pinched Mo Sheng's pouting cheeks, then smilingly pulled Mo Sheng over to watch television.
Dramas at this time were not yet as strictly controlled as they would be later. Han Tian blinked and switched to a movie channel.
After returning to the country, Han Tian had heard colleagues say this channel started showing horror films every night at nine, and it counted as a childhood trauma for them.
Little Mo Sheng had always been too sensible!
Han Tian wanted to see her show some of the looks a child her age should have.
It should... not be too scary, right?
What was playing right then was a horror film. A group of people had agreed to go play in a scary amusement park built over a graveyard...
Han Tian would watch the television a moment, then turn to glance at Mo Sheng beside her. When she turned back, she was caught off guard by a ghost face looming close on the screen...
Han Tian jumped in fright and shrank back into her chair!
Yet when she peeked sideways, Mo Sheng beside her was watching the screen and did not look scared at all.
Even Mo Sheng, a child, was not scared. If she got scared herself, that would be too embarrassing!
Han Tian braced herself mentally and did not dare get distracted again, watching the television with full focus.
Withered hands clawing up out of the earth, corpses hanging from trees, and steel wire suddenly appearing to strangle people by the neck...
Although she knew all of it was fake, the atmosphere created by the television was truly too effective. Han Tian nearly used up all her strength just to keep herself from crying out...
She had never watched horror films before and had never imagined they could be so scary. But the story had already begun, and Han Tian desperately wanted to know how it ended, yet she could not bear to change the channel.
Mo Sheng sat beside Han Tian and watched the television obediently.
Even while sitting on the sofa, Mo Sheng still kept her back straight with her hands on her knees, looking very well behaved.
Mo Sheng seemed to be watching the plot on the television, but her eyes kept drifting to Han Tian beside her.
Back then she had once mistaken Sister for a ghost, and even then she had only been afraid for a few days, let alone a film like this that was obviously fake at a glance.
Yet Mo Sheng knew Han Tian was afraid. Although Sister made no sound, her lips were pressed tightly together, her body was tense, and her fingers gripped the armrest of the chair...
She was clearly afraid, so why insist on acting tough? Unless...
In that instant, Mo Sheng suddenly understood Han Tian's original intention.
As expected, Sister was being silly again.
...
Yet Mo Sheng felt she herself was even sillier.
Because even though she knew Sister was being silly, Mo Sheng could never help wanting to play along with her.
Mo Sheng lowered her head.
The next moment, she suddenly let out a short scream and threw herself at Han Tian. Mo Sheng rested her chin on Han Tian's shoulder and held tightly to Han Tian's waist. "Sister, I'm scared..."
Mo Sheng had only acted this way on purpose to play along with Han Tian, and she did not really feel all that scared inside. Yet after wrapping her arms around Han Tian's waist, Mo Sheng suddenly felt she did not want to let go.
She had not held anyone like this for many years.
She feared others would dislike her, and she feared becoming weak herself.
But Sister was different. When feeling fear and dread, Sister was someone she could lean on...
Han Tian was startled by Mo Sheng's sudden move, and her body hugged Mo Sheng back on instinct. Only afterward did she finally realize that Mo Sheng was finally scared!
Although she did not understand why Mo Sheng only got scared after the scariest part of the film had passed, the fact that Mo Sheng was scared meant Han Tian had achieved her goal.
Still, Mo Sheng seemed too badly frightened, holding tightly around her waist without letting go...
So why had she come up with such an idea in the first place?
Han Tian truly regretted it. While patting Mo Sheng's shoulder comfortingly, she turned her head, wanting to change the channel...
Mo Sheng, who was holding her, pressed down her hand, and her small voice came through. "Sister, can we not change the channel? I... I'm not scared..."
If they changed the channel, she could no longer hold Sister!
The little girl's voice was a little soft, like freshly baked glutinous rice cake, with a faint nasal tone.
...?
It took Han Tian a while to realize what was happening. Was the little girl acting spoiled with her?
After realizing this, Han Tian felt a little happy. This was a sign that Mo Sheng depended on her.
Mo Sheng was finally like other little girls, able to feel fear and act spoiled...
Han Tian did not change the channel after all, but she did not quite dare look at the images on the television anymore. So she used holding Mo Sheng to hide her own embarrassment and stared toward the door...
Yet even though she could no longer see the images, the sounds kept coming...
A scream seemed to come from the television!
Han Tian's body trembled sharply.
The little girl's voice followed at once. "That man wearing a hat was dragged in by the coffin..."
Another shrill scream rang out.
The little girl's voice was perfectly calm, and she even patted Han Tian's arm. "Sister, don't be afraid. That woman in red, her boyfriend has turned into a ghost..."
"That leader is an evil ghost, so scary!"
"That oldest man was crushed by a car..."
...
Han Tian did not know when she had fallen asleep.
In a hazy daze she seemed to hear a short laugh. Someone pressed close to her face, speaking in the soft sweet tone she liked, but the words made Han Tian grind her teeth even in her dreams.
"Sister is such a little coward..."
...
When Han Tian woke up, it was already the next day.
Han Tian found herself sleeping on Mo Sheng's lap.
Morning sunlight streamed in, lighting up the quiet sleeping face of the little girl above. Her cheeks had grown a little rounder, her nose was slim and straight, and her lashes were long...
Han Tian had already forgotten the words she had heard while drowsy.
In all her life she had only ever fallen asleep with her head on two people's laps. Just waking up, the scene felt strangely familiar, and even the little girl looked a little like Mo Sang...
Han Tian felt she must truly be bewitched! She seemed to think of that person all the time, and she even linked Mo Sheng with that person.
Mo Sang loved acting spoiled so much, while Mo Sheng was like a little adult. There was simply no similarity between the two of them.
Still, it would be nice if Mo Sheng also liked acting spoiled like a certain someone...
Han Tian was lost in her own thoughts and only belatedly noticed Mo Sheng was already awake, a pair of pretty eyes meeting her own.
"Sister, what are you thinking about?" The smile on Mo Sheng's lips looked utterly harmless.
Yet for some reason, Han Tian suddenly felt she did not dare meet Mo Sheng's gaze.
Han Tian quickly scrambled up from Mo Sheng's lap.
She gave two awkward laughs to cover herself. "I wasn't thinking about anything. I just feel Little Mo Sheng is getting prettier and prettier, and it makes me happy..."
Mo Sheng looked deeply at Han Tian, then lowered her head and rubbed her own legs. Her voice was no different from usual. "Sister is the prettiest."
Sister was lying!
She must have thought of that person yet again!
Was that person really so good? Good enough to make Sister think of her again and again?
Mo Sheng bit down hard on her lower lip...
Now almost everyone who knew her praised her, but Mo Sheng felt it was not enough!
But Mo Sheng firmly believed she would keep getting better and better! So good that in Sister's eyes there would be no room for anyone but her...
This day was already New Year's Eve.
After breakfast, Han Tian set about cleaning up together with Mo Sheng, putting up spring couplet paper and window paper-cut. After cleaning, the two went to the wet market to buy vegetables, and in the afternoon they started wrapping dumplings together to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.
Han Tian had to admit she had no talent at all in cooking.
The dumplings Han Tian wrapped looked more like small buns clumped together...
Mo Sheng was clearly wrapping dumplings for the first time too, yet apart from two that looked a little crooked at the start, the rest looked even in size, as if even the folds were equally neat...
Han Tian felt a little gloomy and competed silently, yet the more seriously she wrapped, the uglier her dumplings turned out...
Han Tian felt completely undone!
From the corner of her eye, Mo Sheng's lips seemed to curve up. Han Tian felt a little annoyed and was about to put down her dumpling when the dumpling Mo Sheng was wrapping suddenly split open.
"It broke, Sister..." Mo Sheng looked up at Han Tian with a seemingly helpless look in her eyes.
"Can you patch it?"
Looking at Mo Sheng, Han Tian regained some confidence. Although the dumplings she made were a little ugly, none of them had broken. That made her seem quite capable after all.
Mo Sheng took another dumpling wrapper and wrapped up the broken dumpling. It ended up looking like a square pancake...
After that Mo Sheng seemed to lose her composure, and each dumpling she made turned out uglier than the last. Han Tian no longer felt any pressure, and the two of them kept wrapping while comparing what each dumpling looked like and which one was scarily ugly, no longer following any proper way of wrapping at all...
Soon all the dumplings were wrapped.
Once the dumplings went into the pot and Mo Sheng made two more dishes, the New Year's Eve dinner was ready.
Han Tian sat across from Mo Sheng. Although she could not eat, watching Mo Sheng eat happily made Han Tian happy too.
After Mo Sheng finished eating, Han Tian sat on the sofa and started watching television.
Mo Sheng washed the dishes, exercised in the room for half an hour, took a shower and changed into pajamas, and only then edged over to Han Tian's side little by little.
Han Tian dried Mo Sheng's hair while listening to the singing part of the Spring Festival Gala.
"Our Mo Sheng sings just as nicely as they do!" Han Tian sighed casually after drying her hair.
Han Tian had not expected that shortly after her hair dried, Mo Sheng, wearing pajamas with a coat over them, would pick up the guitar and sit in front of Han Tian, looking at her seriously with bright black eyes. "Sister, what song do you want to hear?"
"Can I ask for any song I want?"
Han Tian instinctively named one of Mo Sang's signature songs.
Seeing Mo Sheng frown, Han Tian realized this song did not exist in this time and space, so she named a pop song from this era instead.
The little girl wore pink pajamas, her hair still damp and looking a little messy. The skin on her face was paler than before, and at first glance she seemed very quiet, not the kind of beauty that caught the eye at once...
Yet from the moment the little girl opened her mouth, this place became her kingdom!
Mo Sheng's voice carried endless power, able to sweep away all stray thoughts like fallen leaves in the wind, leaving people able only to drift along with her rhythm...
Mo Sheng's voice had not yet fully matured, and her breath fell short in places. Yet to have such a voice at this age could only be described with the word 'genius'!
Han Tian even had a feeling. If Mo Sheng entered the entertainment industry, Mo Sang would surely meet her strongest rival!
But Han Tian had once asked Mo Sheng about her dream. Mo Sheng wanted to study economics and earn a great deal of money in the future. With Mo Sheng's ability, she was very likely to fulfill her own wish, and she would probably have nothing to do with the entertainment industry from now on.
Han Tian felt a little regret in her heart, but she did not plan to interfere with Mo Sheng's choice.
"Mo Sheng is amazing!"
"Mo Sheng, you sing so well!"
...
"Cub, Cub, one more!" At first Han Tian's fan flattery was fairly proper, but later Han Tian got carried away for a moment and blurted out 'Cub' without thinking...
After shouting it, Han Tian felt a little regret, though luckily Mo Sheng did not seem to notice...
"Mo Sheng, feel your pocket!"
Afraid Mo Sheng would strain her throat, Han Tian did not let Mo Sheng keep singing after a few songs, and she winked at Mo Sheng.
Mo Sheng lowered her head and felt her pocket, pulling out a red envelope from inside.
"Surprise!"
"Lucky money!" Han Tian acted like an elder and patted Mo Sheng's head in a solemn way. "Next year you must move up another level in your studies and eat a bit more..."
Yet she could not say any more words of advice, since Mo Sheng was much more sensible than most children.
...
This was the first time Mo Sheng had ever received lucky money.
Mo Sheng thought she had already grown used to it, yet she had not expected Sister to keep bringing her surprises beyond all expectation...
Mo Sheng wanted very much to cry.
She knew if she cried, Sister would surely ache for her. Although Mo Sheng loved seeing Sister ache for her, today was the New Year, and Mo Sheng wanted Sister to be happy more than anything.
Mo Sheng held back her tears, lifted her face to look at Han Tian with a smile, rushed over to hug Han Tian's waist and buried her face in the curve of Han Tian's neck. "Sister, I'm really so happy..."
Han Tian could feel Mo Sheng's happiness.
If she were not truly happy, the little girl would not rush over to hug her and act spoiled.
"All right, all right," Han Tian realized only then that her own personality had changed. At least when faced with the little girl's rare show of affection, she had learned to respond, comforting the little girl naturally and carefully. "Mo Sheng, your future will surely keep getting better and better."
During this time, she felt she was no longer a science machine thinking only of experiments all day, and she could have more time to discover her true self.
Mo Sheng happily took out a box and hid the red envelope inside.
Han Tian could not help laughing at her careful manner. "There's no need for that. My money is your money."
Mo Sheng shook her head seriously. "It's different."
Although she said so, Mo Sheng did not say where the difference lay.
...
After putting away the red envelope, Mo Sheng sat down near Han Tian, and the two snuggled together to watch the Spring Festival Gala.
At this time the city had not yet banned fireworks. Around nine, loud bangs rang out outside as fireworks went off, and the sky above the city filled with flowing light and color.
Mo Sheng turned around with Han Tian and lay against the window to look outside...
"Mo Sheng, quickly make your New Year wish..."
Mo Sheng looked at Han Tian, who was very close, and obediently closed her eyes.
"What wish did you make?" Seeing Mo Sheng open her eyes, Han Tian asked eagerly.
Only by knowing what wish the little girl had made could she help make it come true.
Yet Mo Sheng looked at Han Tian with curved eyes and, for the first time, did not obey Han Tian and speak her wish aloud.
Han Tian blinked, recalled how the girls in Mo Sheng's class roughhoused together, leaned over and started tickling Mo Sheng...
Mo Sheng had never laughed so freely before.
The little girl's eyes curved, and the corners of her eyes and brows were full of soft smiles...
Yet until the very end, Han Tian never managed to coax out what wish Mo Sheng had actually made.
Amid the familiar music of "Unforgettable Tonight," the two stayed up together until midnight. During this time they had adjusted their daily rhythm together, usually falling asleep by eleven at the latest. Now they both grew sleepy without prior agreement, and not long after midnight they went to bed.
After the lights were turned off, Mo Sheng sat on the bed and glanced sideways at Han Tian sleeping beside her, a trace of a smile flashing through her eyes.
The best wishes had to be hidden away, kept from anyone else.
"May we stay together year after year from now on."
Soon the second semester of eighth grade began.
Han Tian made Mo Sheng buy a lot of medicine to fade scars and sunburn. After staying covered through the winter, the skin on Mo Sheng's body had grown much paler.
Han Tian also bought Mo Sheng a lot of sesame and walnuts, letting Mo Sheng grind them into powder according to her own taste and roll them into balls. Eating one sesame ball morning and evening every day, after half a year Mo Sheng's originally dry and yellowish hair looked much smoother.
The weather grew hotter and hotter, and when the midterm exams came, Mo Sheng was still first in the grade.
Summer gradually arrived, and people wore less and less.
The homeroom teacher now treated Mo Sheng like a treasure, and Mo Sheng had also entered the circle of some good students in the class. Her popularity in class was much better than before.
After May, when Mo Sheng changed out of her warm underwear into short sleeves, the little girl had grown much paler, and her old scars were almost invisible.
Mo Sheng was now nearly 1.6 meters tall. The little girl had shot up and looked like a pretty flower bud.
Han Tian did not know if it was her own illusion, but she always felt Mo Sheng looked more and more like a certain someone.
But Han Tian had no photos of Mo Sang at hand, and besides, many pretty people looked alike, with big eyes and small faces...
Han Tian could only tell herself that all of this was an illusion born of longing.
Recently Mo Sheng studied more and more efficiently on her own, and Han Tian began to feel at ease letting Mo Sheng go to school alone. Han Tian started staying home by herself to watch television instead of going to school with Mo Sheng.
Han Tian did not notice the faintly resentful look Mo Sheng cast at her.
In June, Mo Sheng came home one day with a large new scar on her knee, which startled Han Tian. Although Mo Sheng said she had fallen by accident, Han Tian still worried Mo Sheng was being bullied by classmates again, so the next day she followed Mo Sheng to school.
Han Tian did not see anyone bullying Mo Sheng. She only saw a small pink envelope in Mo Sheng's desk drawer.
Mo Sheng held the small envelope with a frown and did not open it for a long time, but Han Tian understood very well what was inside.
When Han Tian was little, many people had confessed to her too. But Han Tian's talent was truly too outstanding, and she kept skipping grades. The classmates in her class were all much older than Han Tian, and since Han Tian rarely went out, she invisibly put great pressure on her suitors.
As Han Tian grew more and more outstanding, those who had once been interested in Han Tian all gave up the idea.
"A little boy likes our Mo Sheng!" Han Tian laughed when she saw the envelope. "Let me see who has fallen for our Mo Sheng..."
"Don't worry. Sister is understanding. If that little boy is reliable, I absolutely won't stand in your way..."
...
Mo Sheng pressed her lips together and said nothing.
Yet during the break, Mo Sheng handed the unopened envelope directly to the teacher...
Han Tian had not expected Mo Sheng to do this. Seeing a little boy called out of the classroom by the homeroom teacher, Han Tian clicked her tongue in surprise.
"That little boy is quite handsome..."
Still, Mo Sheng was a child who followed the rules and behaved well, so it was understandable that shyness made her overreact and give the letter to the teacher.
For Han Tian, the matter ended there.
Only after school did Han Tian belatedly realize Mo Sheng was angry with her. The little girl kept her head down doing homework and would not answer no matter how Han Tian called her.
"Mo Sheng, what's wrong with you? Did I do something wrong?" Han Tian felt utterly baffled, but she could not let the little girl stay angry. The little girl was probably so angry she had not even eaten dinner.
Only then did the little girl look up.
When she saw the little girl's face clearly, Han Tian jumped in fright.
The little girl's face was covered in tears. She wiped them pitifully and stared at Han Tian with wide eyes. "Sister, don't you want me anymore? You don't go to school with me every day now, and I'm still so young, yet you want me to find a partner..."
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