5. Interview records
(1) Mei Mei’s words
Actually, I wasn’t that stupidly loyal. The sufferings from my early years taught me a bit of slyness. Being observant was the only method for survival under the abuse of the Chen family’s mother and son.
When I first got to the Li Family, I felt like I had arrived in heaven. No one beat or scolded me. I didn’t have to do house work. I could eat till I was full. There were new clothes to wear…Every night, I could only fall asleep when I really couldn’t keep awake anymore; afraid that it would all be a dream when I woke up and I would have returned to that scary Chen family again.
Every night, before I slept, I would pray to God: as long as you let me stay in this family, I will be the best person ever.
I tried my best to fawn over everyone in the family, including my older brother. I could tell that the most treasured one in the family was him. I placed fawning over him in first place. As long as I had him in hand, then I had hope to always stay in the family.
Perhaps, in the first 10 years of my life, I had bore all the hardships for my life. Once I got to this family, hardships never came to find me again.
Such luck! To allow me to come by such a grandma, dad and mom. They used love to wear down the vulgar marks in my life and let me discover that I could actually be such a capable child.
Luck within luck! To allow me to come by such an older brother. For this reason, I don’t hesitate to thank Chen Yong Kang. Thank him for giving me the chance to be rescued by Ge Ge from that swamp.
At first, the adoration I had for Ge Ge was a bit feigned, and was only to fawn over him. But Ge Ge was the type to have an extreme sense of responsibility. Whatever expectations you had of him, he would not let you down. What a pity that Dad, Mom, and them didn’t see this special quality of his and always treated him as a bad child, causing him to be pushed farther and farther away onto a devious path.
I often think, perhaps the heavens brought me up for him. Only I could see that special quality of his. People often says that a woman is like a good school. If you’ve taught before, then you’re bound to understand that what a teacher faces can shape the mind of a talent. Of course, I couldn’t let him off.
Do you want to know how I molded him? It was really easy. I only had to worship him like a hero and he became my hero.
Many once asked me whether I was with Ge Ge to repay his kindness. Even Ge Ge had asked a similar question himself.
I answered no. Even though it had an element of repayment, it only played a role in the beginning — pulling the two of us together. As for later on, it was my expectations that slowly guided him to become the man I desired. How could I not love a man that was measured and made for me?
Some people say that I am too yielding to Ge Ge, causing women to lose face.
I want to say, the process of quibbling between a man and a woman is not important, appearances are not important. One can only look at whose desire the end result leans towards to know who the victor was.
Sometimes yielding can be a type of power, guiding him to wish to head towards your direction, giving him honor in defeat. That is the greatest victory.
And so I love him and he loves me. No matter who loses or wins, we will both be happy because our happiness is the happiness of the other.
(2) Dad says
Honestly, before Mei Mei came to our home, I was very disappointed in this son. I had already prepared for prison visits and even sending him off in death. Mei Mei simply seemed like she came to this home in order to save him. And then, everything was like a miracle. The runaway wild horse put on a bridle and changed into a fine steed.
First, my son tested into a famous middle school. In order to graduate with Mei Mei, he tested into graduate school. After the two went to study abroad and came back, my son became the CEO of a multinational corporation and Mei Mei became a college professor. Now, who doesn’t look at me with envy over my good fortune?
Now, my grandson is already five years old and seems to have the same demeanor as his father as a child. My preparations are based on precedence. One of these days, I’ll go to the orphanage and adopt a pretty little girl.
(3) Mom says
I’ve always wanted a beautiful daughter. Unfortunately, due to my physique, I couldn’t give birth again. Mei Mei’s arrival can be considered as making up for my flaw. Mei Mei is a good daughter and I am extremely satisfied with her. I couldn’t help but add fuel to the fire to instigate the two kids to start puppy love when she was still in junior middle school. I, wholeheartedly, wanted to keep the goods.
Facts prove that she was also a good daughter-in-law. It’s just too bad that she gave birth to a son. Originally, my son and daughter-in-law’s careers were very successful. They could afford to pay the fine and raise a second child. Mei Mei also agreed. But that son of mine was a disappointment. He was scared out of his wits the first time Mei Mei gave birth, and refused to ever let Mei Mei get pregnant again. Mei Mei and I stealthily messed with the condom before the seed was successfully planted. That stupid boy actually went and got a ligation in his anger. I was originally saying that if this baby wasn’t a girl, then have Mei Mei get pregnant again. There is no hope now.
But seeing him follow Mei Mei so closely every day with a mourning expression — worrying about the upcoming delivery till he’s nearly pulled out all his hair — My, this old woman’s, anger has dissolved a lot.
Heavens bless us, it must be a little princess this time! And be pretty like Mei Mei.
(4) Grandma says
(a bunch of stuff in dialect)
(I still have to say, a bad person doing bad things will have retribution. Old lady, I, have never done anything bad in my whole life. Now, four generations live under one roof and live with extreme contentment. Now, I look forward to my granddaughter-in-law giving birth to another son…)
Grandma is very old and says too much. The translator has already been sent to the hospital for emergency treatment from exhaustion. So what comes after can only rely on everyone’s imaginations.
5. Interview records
(1) Mei Mei’s words
Actually, I wasn’t that stupidly loyal. The sufferings from my early years taught me a bit of slyness. Being observant was the only method for survival under the abuse of the Chen family’s mother and son.
When I first got to the Li Family, I felt like I had arrived in heaven. No one beat or scolded me. I didn’t have to do house work. I could eat till I was full. There were new clothes to wear…Every night, I could only fall asleep when I really couldn’t keep awake anymore; afraid that it would all be a dream when I woke up and I would have returned to that scary Chen family again.
Every night, before I slept, I would pray to God: as long as you let me stay in this family, I will be the best person ever.
I tried my best to fawn over everyone in the family, including my older brother. I could tell that the most treasured one in the family was him. I placed fawning over him in first place. As long as I had him in hand, then I had hope to always stay in the family.
Perhaps, in the first 10 years of my life, I had bore all the hardships for my life. Once I got to this family, hardships never came to find me again.
Such luck! To allow me to come by such a grandma, dad and mom. They used love to wear down the vulgar marks in my life and let me discover that I could actually be such a capable child.
Luck within luck! To allow me to come by such an older brother. For this reason, I don’t hesitate to thank Chen Yong Kang. Thank him for giving me the chance to be rescued by Ge Ge from that swamp.
At first, the adoration I had for Ge Ge was a bit feigned, and was only to fawn over him. But Ge Ge was the type to have an extreme sense of responsibility. Whatever expectations you had of him, he would not let you down. What a pity that Dad, Mom, and them didn’t see this special quality of his and always treated him as a bad child, causing him to be pushed farther and farther away onto a devious path.
I often think, perhaps the heavens brought me up for him. Only I could see that special quality of his. People often says that a woman is like a good school. If you’ve taught before, then you’re bound to understand that what a teacher faces can shape the mind of a talent. Of course, I couldn’t let him off.
Do you want to know how I molded him? It was really easy. I only had to worship him like a hero and he became my hero.
Many once asked me whether I was with Ge Ge to repay his kindness. Even Ge Ge had asked a similar question himself.
I answered no. Even though it had an element of repayment, it only played a role in the beginning — pulling the two of us together. As for later on, it was my expectations that slowly guided him to become the man I desired. How could I not love a man that was measured and made for me?
Some people say that I am too yielding to Ge Ge, causing women to lose face.
I want to say, the process of quibbling between a man and a woman is not important, appearances are not important. One can only look at whose desire the end result leans towards to know who the victor was.
Sometimes yielding can be a type of power, guiding him to wish to head towards your direction, giving him honor in defeat. That is the greatest victory.
And so I love him and he loves me. No matter who loses or wins, we will both be happy because our happiness is the happiness of the other.
(2) Dad says
Honestly, before Mei Mei came to our home, I was very disappointed in this son. I had already prepared for prison visits and even sending him off in death. Mei Mei simply seemed like she came to this home in order to save him. And then, everything was like a miracle. The runaway wild horse put on a bridle and changed into a fine steed.
First, my son tested into a famous middle school. In order to graduate with Mei Mei, he tested into graduate school. After the two went to study abroad and came back, my son became the CEO of a multinational corporation and Mei Mei became a college professor. Now, who doesn’t look at me with envy over my good fortune?
Now, my grandson is already five years old and seems to have the same demeanor as his father as a child. My preparations are based on precedence. One of these days, I’ll go to the orphanage and adopt a pretty little girl.
(3) Mom says
I’ve always wanted a beautiful daughter. Unfortunately, due to my physique, I couldn’t give birth again. Mei Mei’s arrival can be considered as making up for my flaw. Mei Mei is a good daughter and I am extremely satisfied with her. I couldn’t help but add fuel to the fire to instigate the two kids to start puppy love when she was still in junior middle school. I, wholeheartedly, wanted to keep the goods.
Facts prove that she was also a good daughter-in-law. It’s just too bad that she gave birth to a son. Originally, my son and daughter-in-law’s careers were very successful. They could afford to pay the fine and raise a second child. Mei Mei also agreed. But that son of mine was a disappointment. He was scared out of his wits the first time Mei Mei gave birth, and refused to ever let Mei Mei get pregnant again. Mei Mei and I stealthily messed with the condom before the seed was successfully planted. That stupid boy actually went and got a ligation in his anger. I was originally saying that if this baby wasn’t a girl, then have Mei Mei get pregnant again. There is no hope now.
But seeing him follow Mei Mei so closely every day with a mourning expression — worrying about the upcoming delivery till he’s nearly pulled out all his hair — My, this old woman’s, anger has dissolved a lot.
Heavens bless us, it must be a little princess this time! And be pretty like Mei Mei.
(4) Grandma says
(a bunch of stuff in dialect)
(I still have to say, a bad person doing bad things will have retribution. Old lady, I, have never done anything bad in my whole life. Now, four generations live under one roof and live with extreme contentment. Now, I look forward to my granddaughter-in-law giving birth to another son…)
Grandma is very old and says too much. The translator has already been sent to the hospital for emergency treatment from exhaustion. So what comes after can only rely on everyone’s imaginations.
