<Aria Lady> Chapter 1: My Beginning (completed)(2)

Afterwards I related the story of encountering the brotherly boy and the monster to the uncle. At my words, the uncle sighed,”What you encountered is the tiger. He is a nice boy of goodness.The reason why he pushed you down the slope was that he wanted to save your life, while he himself drew away the tiger. Alas, he was boded ill rather than well.”
“Be boded ill rather than well? Whats the meaning of this?” I didn’t understand what the sentence meant.
”It means…Ah.” The uncle pumping up a smile, said,” Let it pass! Forget it.”
“But Where am I, uncle? The room is furnished so well.”
“Here is an inn. I found you on the hill, seeing that you were lying on the ground and had a fever, so I brought you here. I had changed a new dress for you and sent for a doctor”
“What is an inn? Is it another name of home?”demanded I.
The uncle arranged a tuft of my hair behind the left ear gently and said,” Inn is a place which provides food and shelter for travelers. Of course, we must pay for it.”
“Are you a richer?” I felt some uneasy. Mom had ever told me that most of richer are bad, and for bad me to associate with them. But I thought the uncle wasn’t a badman.
The uncle smiled,” I’m not a rich man. I merely live relatively comfortable life. Bean, have you any plan about future?”
“I’m going to find my mom, my sister ant the brother.”
The uncle sighed,” The world is very wide. It would be a difficult business for you to find them. Here, if you would, you can live with us. In my home there are thee children much of your age for company. Is it ok?”
I had no idea of it. Though I’d like to, I could not give up finding my mom either. But by which means could I find them? I didn’t know.
So after turning the idea over for a moment, I accepted the uncle’s invitation with deeply grateful.
The uncle was very pleased that I accepted his offer. He asked me my age. I told him that I was seven. The uncle said I will have two elder brothers and a sister then.
We walked many days further on. Following the uncle, I could live in the inn in the evening, and was offered many delicious foods that I had never eaten, which was never same as the cold and hungry I had been with mom. As we went, whenever I have anything good and interesting, I thought of mom and sister; the clothing the brother had given me had been washed clean and stored well, and I hope I could meet him again and have the clothing back one day; as for the remains of the mo, I stored it well in the pocket of my new dress too.
I didn’t understand why I insisted on preserving them. Would I give mom the mos to eat? I didn’t know. I only want to keep them.Although the mos had been drenched by the rain, after being dried they could last a long time, maybe, forever.
One day I followed the uncle at the foot of a high mountain. The uncle said on that mountain located his house. At the thought of seeing many strange persons, my heart began to beat fiercely with rejoicing and excitement.
It took a long time for us to reach the destination. What a huge garden house! To my surprise it was even more than Provincial Graduate He’s. Provincial Graduate He was the richest and noblestman in my hometown as he held the degree of Provincial Graduate From emperor.
The main building was enclosed by a high stone wall. The red door faced south, closed, and had a piece of green-lacquered woodcarving plaque with several characters. I could read all of them. They were“Dawu Hall”, as the name of the mountain Where the house located was “Dawu”.
Be different From Provincial Graduate He’s front gate, there were neither four guards nor two stone lions.
I felt inclined to be timid. For the huge garden house, the uncle must be extremely rich.
Holding my hand gently, the uncle went up to the door and knocked.Soon an old man opened it. When he saw the uncle, he cheered up immediately, and said,” Back you come, milord! Madam said it!Madam said you would come back today or tomorrow.Precisely!”
The uncle patted him on his back, and said,” Old Fu, come and seethe little girl. I adopted her on the way. Come, good child, this is Grandpa Fu.”
“Good afternoon, Grandpa Fu.” greeted I timidly.
Grandpa Fu smiled, “Atta girl!”
I followed the uncle into the courtyard. Had there been so much a grand and beautiful place for home in the earth? There are many houses; a path paved by little mice stones led to the main hall;trees and flowers were planted all over garden in order.
Here a sisterly girl ran out of the house. She flew to the uncle’s arms, and cheered,” Good dad!” Then she began to kiss the uncle on the cheek. If I had seen my dad come back From a distance, I would be delighted too. But I dared not kiss him, for dad was not always kind to me, and he always kept a straight face
Holding the girl’s hand, the uncle introduced me to her,” come,Liying. This is elder sister Bean. Afterward you will live and play together, is it ok?”
The sister looked at me with a curious expression, which embarrassed me more or less. Her dress was very beautiful, just like the daughter’s of Provincial Graduate He. As far as the He’s young lady was arrogant and willful, I wished the sister would not has the same ill temper as her.
She looked me up and down for a minute, and demand, “Are you also my apprentice sister?” Her voice was very nice, but I didn’t know what the apprentice sister meant. The uncle answered for me with a smile, “Yes.”
Then the uncle said to me,” After a while I will take you to meet two other elder brother. They both lost their parents, and just like you, I took them back and arranged them grow up with my daughter Liying together. I taught them Kung Fu, so I am their master, and they and Liying are brother and sister. In the following days I will teach you Kung Fu too.”
“Kung Fu?” I spelled out the word lowly. I knew the term; it meant boxing and I had seen my brother boxing by the river.
“Kung Fu is martial art. I will explain it to you later.” said the uncle.
The uncle took sister Liying and me into the center hall. No sooner had the uncle sat down, than a graceful aunty came to us followed by two elder brothers at the age of me.
The aunty was very beautiful. Her kind expression reminded me of my mom. I imagined that how nice if my mom had not carried the long scars on her face, and had a same fine look as the aunty.
Here the two elder brother came and bow to the uncle.“Tutor-father!” said they respectfully. The aunty smiled too,”You come back.”
The uncle avoided their salutes and said to the aunty,” Wanyu,this is the girl I adopted on the way. I like her very much and intend to adopt her as our foster child. Would you agree?”
“I certainly do,” said the aunty. She nestled me in her side,caressing my head, and said,” What’s your name, my child?”
“It’s Bean.” I looked at her, and I loved her. I liked being stroked by the aunty. Her petting just was my mom to me.
The uncle said,” She lose touch with her parent. Unlike Yong and Junyang, she doesn’t know her family name and formal name. So I intended to adopt her as a foster daughter, not only teach her KungFu, but also give her a surname and a whole home.”
“I see.” The aunty smiled gently. She said to me,” Bean, since you couldn’t find you nature dad and mom, if you like, uncle and aunty would replace them as your adoptive parent. From this out we will love you like your nature parent. It’s ok?”
I was melt into tears and gave her a nodded with delight. I indeed expected that during my mom’s absence I could obtain as affection From somebody as Liying and someone would stroke me gently on my hair.
Uncle said, “Well, unlike Yong and Junyang, From this out you can address me as adoptive-father instead of tutor-father. As far as the aunty, you can call her adoptive-mother. It’s ok?”
“Adoptive-dad! Adoptive-mom!” I murmured the greeting with a blush and timidity. However my adoptive-dad and adoptive-mom were very pleased.
A younger brother came to me and said,” Tutor-father, she will be our apprentice sister then?”
Adoptive-dad said, “Yes! Well, Bean, I tell you this is your second elder apprentice brother, named Shi Junyang, and that is your first elder apprentice brother, his name is ZhongYong.”
“First apprentice brother! Second apprentice brother! “I greeted them. I’d never heard of such an appellation and felt it was interesting.
My two apprentice brothers said in chorus, “Apprentice sister!”
Adoptive-mom pushed sister Liying in front of me and said,” send regard to your elder apprentice sister. Of course she is also your elder sister.”
Sister Liying looked curiously at us, and said,” apprentice sister and sister!”
Adoptive-dad smiled, “you can choose either. You needn’t associate them.”
I felt embarrassed somewhat. I returned, “Sister Liying.”
My adoptive-dad said,” Bean, you can’t use a nickname for ever.You should have a formal one. Now you can use my surname, Jiang.For you are very quiet, I shall give you the name Jiang Jing[2]. Doyou like it?”
I nodded. I indeed loved it.
Adoptive-dad said,” I’m the master of Dawu Hall. My name is Jiangzhanyuan. If you’re asked, tell them the name.”
From that day I settled on the Dawu Hall.
Both adoptive-dad and Adoptive-mom were very kind to me. They asked me to regard here as my own home.
Adoptive-mom was much considerate. In a few days she had copied everything Liying held for me, such an individual room, fine furniture, pretty dresses etc. However I still felt homesick. I missed mom, missed dad, missed brother, missed sister, and missed the brother boy.
I had begun to see what the Kung Fu was. I spared no pains to study with adoptive-dad. He often praised me for my brightness, endeavor and learning fast.
Normally I learned and practiced together with other apprentice brothers and sisters. First apprentice brother studied hardest of us, while second apprentice brother was playful, and his playing had came between him and his practices. Sister Liying was very fond of playing with second apprentice brother, and they often got a sermon From adoptive-dad together.
When adoptive-dad gave us a lecture, he appeared very august, but not fierce.
My adoptive-mom had no skill in Kung Fu, but she was very learned,even familiar with Mongolian, which is difficult to understand for us Han People, and most of Hans would not learn. In our spare time adoptive-mom would teach us reading and writing, and Mongolian usually.
When I was at home before, both mom and dad had cultivated my literacy. Adoptive-mom was very glad that I could write many characters.
As the days passed by, there had been three years. The cloth brother gave me were well preserved, and the remaining mos often were fetched out by me to retrace the past.
Besides, I had made a same sachet as the one I had used at home. remembered that my nature sister Seedling had liked my sachet very much, and always on my back asked for it. I had promised her that I would make a same one for her, but before I had fulfilled their promises, we were parted.
So at my leisure I made the sachet, in order to give her it when I would see her again. However, when the day would come?

Note:
[2] In Chinese, Jing (静) means ” a calm and introverted temperament”.