Standing Next To You

At the bustling market, the grandmother and granddaughter pair crouched at the side of the road. The baskets were put beside them. They had been walking for hours. They took a quick break before they start their business.

"Grandma, why don't you want to tell me about Mother?" Bei Sangyun was peeking at her grandma seriously with a missing slipper on her foot.

Grandma Bei was fixing Bei Sangyun's straw grass slipper. "Because there is nothing to tell."

"There are a lot of things to tell! What my mother looked like? Is she pretty? Did she die?"

Grandma Bei finished fixing her slipper. She regretted mentioning Bei Sangyun's mother. Now the child was persistently asking her about it.

But what could she tell? Although Bei Sangyun was smarter and more mature than most children in her age, she wouldn't understand the things she would tell her. It might even affect Bei Sangyun's growth.

"I'll tell you the whole story when you become an adult."

"How old is an adult?"

"Hmm. When you turn twenty years old?" At that age, Bei Sangyun was mature enough to understand the complications of life. She might even have a family of her own at that time.

Bei Sangyun opened her mouth wide and cover it with her little hands. Her big eyes were all teary, "I am seven now...so that will take thirteen years! Thirteen years is too long!"

Granda Bei raised her eyebrow and was proud that her Bei Sangyun just did the math quickly. She felt her granddaughter's life would not turn out like hers or her daughter's. Bei Sangyun could achieve more and leave this village to explore the world.

Her granddaughter would become an educated woman and a mother that her children won't despise.

"Let's go quickly. You still need to attend your class."

Bei Sangyun was in kindergarten in Changsan Elementary school. Unlike the elementary and high school kids, kindergarten students had a lot more freedom and time. They only spent half a day on schooling.

Bei Sangyun pouted. She wanted to know more about her mother but since her grandma was the most stubborn person in the world, she knew she won't have the answers today.

She was an obedient child so she held back from asking.

When her grandma told her that she was picked up from the road before, she never asked about her parents again since Grandma don't know about them too. But since Grandma knows about her mother, it means that there was a chance she might meet her mother!

The grandmother and granddaughter pair began to prepare their small stall. Bei Sangyun was often in the market because she accompanied her grandma to sell the woven baskets and mats.

Her grandma was not good at talking with other people. So Bei Sangyun did all the selling.

Her adorable appearance and smart talk captivated the customers. The price was not too high and the quality of the product was good, so Bei Sangyun was able to sell all of them in a few hours.

Bei Sangyun wiped her sweat. "Grandma, I need to go to school now."

Grandma Bei handed her the cloth bag. "Eat your bun when you arrived at your classroom."

"Yes, Grandma!"

Bei Sangyun ran immediately. When she disappeared on the corner, Grandma Bei muttered with a smile. "She never runs out of energy."

Granda Bei then started buying the tools for her next produce and the necessities that she and Bei Sangyun would need.

.....

Bei Sangyun bid goodbye to her classmates.

All of her classmates were fetched by their mothers. Looking at the mothers who either nagged, spanked, or spoiled their children while they left the gates of the school, Bei Sangyun felt a strong envy she had never felt before.

Now that she learned she had a mother, the feelings of wanting to know her mother got stronger.

Would her mother fetch her like them? She was adorable and pretty. Would her mother be pretty too?

As she was imagining what her mother would look like, a crying child near her was being pacified by her teacher.

"Your mother won't come. But your father will fetch you. Let's just wait for a bit, okay?"

Bei Sangyun blinked.

....Father.

Right! She also has a father!

If Grandma doesn't want to talk about her mother, then talking about her father would be okay, right?

Since Grandma knew her mother, then she might know her father too!

A little while later, the child's father came and apologized to the teacher for being late. All children left the gates except Bei Sangyun.

"Bei Sangyun, will your grandma fetch you today?" Her teacher asked her when she saw Bei Sangyun was the only one left alone.

"No, teacher. I'll go home by myself."

"I see." The teacher was already used to seeing Bei Sangyun going home alone.

If it was any other children, the teacher won't let them go and wait until sunset before taking the child home by herself. But Bei Sangyun was a sensible child with a good memory. She knew how to take care of herself.

Besides, the teacher could not take Bei Sangyun home since the village where Bei Sangyun came from was a bit far from the town. She heard from Bei Sangyun that they need to walk for two hours. The teacher could not travel far and then walked back to the town.

The teacher like Bei Sangyun very much. She was a kid that didn't make trouble or run around like other kids. She seriously listened well and asked smart questions.

The only trouble Bei Sangyun makes was she had a knack for making other children cry.

But after observing, she knew that the other children cry because they could not catch up to Bei Sangyun.

The teacher has a soft spot for Bei Sangyun because, among the children, her living condition was the worst. Although Bei Sangyun looked neat and clean, her thin and small body induced pity.

"Ah, right. Teacher has some cookies left. I saw you only ate a bun for your lunch. Here, take this."

The teacher handed an open small pack of cookies to Bei Sangyun. There were still two cookies left.

Bei Sangyun's eyes turned bright and wanted to accept it. She was indeed hungry.

However, as she reached out her little hand, a strict voice echoed in her head.

'Don't take food from others. Especially leftovers. We are not beggars.'

Bei Sangyun's hand paused. Why she was hearing Grandma's voice in her head? This made her all guilty as if she was betraying Grandma.

'Endure it.'

Bei Sangyun had a bitter face as she bowed to her teacher. "Thank you, teacher. But I can't accept it."

She then ran away. If she stayed any longer, she might take the cookies!

If grandma learned about it, her grandma would spank her until her butt was sore!

.....