Chinese Cinderella (14 page)

I knew my sister would get into big trouble if I didn’t warn her, so I waited until I saw her going by herself into her dressing‐room, which was a storeroom emptied out and set aside for her to change her clothes. I told her of the conversation I had overheard between Grand Aunt and Niang. Tears came to her eyes and she patted me fondly on my head. ‘I’ll never forget this kindness on your part. Thanks for the tip‐off. You’re the best sister in the world and I’ll always be indebted to you.’

For the first time she was kind to me and I felt very close to her. Later, I saw Big Sister and Niang walking towards the balcony and talking privately just before she and Samuel left for their honeymoon. Was she able to explain it all away? I hoped so. I only wished I could have helped her more.

Next morning, Third Brother told me he was playing hide‐and‐seek on the balcony of the Cathay Hotel after the wedding banquet when he overheard Big Sister and Niang talking. He was hiding behind a large potted plant and could hear them very plainly.

In a tone full of regret and self‐reproach, Big Sister was confessing about ‘something on her conscience’ which did not permit her to remain silent any longer. Although Aunt Baba had sworn her to secrecy and advised her not to reveal to Niang Grand Aunt’s wedding gift of a jade pendant, she had decided to ignore Baba’s instruction because our aunt was being selfish and dishonest. Besides, the piece of jade would be a perfect match for Niang’s favourite jade ring and she begged Niang to accept it. In one stroke, Big Sister had endeared herself to Niang while simultaneously denouncing Aunt Baba.

Touched by Big Sister’s honesty and generosity, Niang immediately allowed her to keep the jade pendant. Promising to be forever loyal to Niang regardless of Baba’s sedition, Big Sister swore Niang to secrecy, thus remaining in the good graces of both while driving the wedge ever deeper between Niang and Aunt Baba. She then left on her honeymoon in an excellent mood, wearing her beautiful jade with a clear conscience.

Chapter Thirteen

A Birthday Party

A
s soon as we went back to school after the summer holidays in September 1948, Wu Chun‐mei began begging me to go to her house to celebrate her birthday.

‘Remember the duckling you used to have a long time ago which we nicknamed PLT?’ she reminded me. ‘Whatever happened to it?’

‘She died,’ I said rather brusquely. PLT’s tragic fate was a secret locked in my heart, together with all the other unspeakable stuff I hated to think about. It was certainly not something I wished to share, let alone with someone as nice as Wu Chun‐mei. She would never be able to understand. I thought of Big Sister’s jade pendant and her lies about Aunt Baba, and longed to disclose to my friend all that was buried within. What if I were to suddenly blurt out, ‘Should my stepmother force me into an arranged marriage like my sister’s and I run away from home, will you take me in?’ Would she be shocked?

Meanwhile Wu Chun‐mei was saying, ‘No wonder you don’t speak of PLT any more. Well, for my birthday, my parents said they’d give me a pet of my very own if I promised to take care of it. They took me to the pet shop last week and I saw the most adorable puppy . . .’

‘For me, no other pet can ever replace PLT . . .’ I interrupted rudely because, for a moment, I thought I was going to cry. ‘Besides,’ I continued with a shrug as if I had not a care in the world, ‘I’m scared of dogs. They bite!’

‘This one won’t! It’s a little pug with big eyes and a tail which stands up. Oh, do come and see it! Mama says you can come any time that’s convenient to you. It doesn’t have to be on the day of my birthday. Just give her a few days’ notice. You’ve never been to my house before and I have so many dolls and books to show you. Please say you’ll come!’

I couldn’t very well tell her I was forbidden to visit any of my friends, ever. For a whole week, I kept making all sorts of excuses but she was persistent. It became increasingly difficult because, inside, I was simply dying to go.

Suddenly, Teacher Wong informed us that next Tuesday would be a special school holiday because it was the name day of our new Mother Superior. She said we were lucky because all the other school children in Shanghai would still have to go to school that day. At first I was disappointed because I’d much rather go to school than stay home. Then Wu Chun‐mei asked me again at recess to go play at her house. On a whim I said, ‘How about next Tuesday? Instead of going to school, I’ll go to your house and celebrate your birthday!’

As soon as I said this, I felt scared and wanted to back out; but Wu Chun‐mei was already jumping up and down with glee. The next day, it became even more impossible to change my mind, because her birthday party had grown to include six other girls. ‘They’re all coming because you said you’d be there,’ Wu Chun‐mei exclaimed. ‘It’s going to be a very special occasion starting from 8.30 and ending at 3.30. My mama says she’ll get out of the house so we can play in the living‐room by ourselves! I can’t wait to show you my new puppy and my doll collection! Papa bought me a doll at every city he visited when he was studying in America.’

The eight of us held a council, and carefully made our plans. We’d all dress in our school uniforms and gather in front of our school at eight. Wu Chun‐mei’s driver would meet us there and take us to her home. We felt very grown‐up and conspiratorial.

I could hardly sleep the night before the party. On Tuesday morning, I put the silver dollar Aunt Baba had given me (for topping my class the previous term) in my pocket and walked to school with my book bag as quickly as possible. Wu Chun‐mei’s chauffeur was already there. We piled into Dr Wu’s big American car, giggling all the way, and spent a wonderful morning playing with dolls, admiring Wu Chun‐mei’s puppy, eating watermelon seeds, skipping, and shooting basketballs into a hoop erected by Dr Wu in his garden.

I was watching Wu Chun‐mei dribble the ball and admiring her shot sailing through the air into the net when her maid came out to summon us for lunch. It was twelve o’clock. I remembered with a sudden lurch who I was and where I was. For a few hours I had been a normal little girl attending a birthday party at her classmate’s house. This was strictly prohibited and I had broken Niang’s rules. If she found out, the consequences would be disastrous.

We walked towards the dining‐room and everyone rushed off to the bathroom. I placed a restraining hand on Wu Chun‐mei’s arm and whispered, ‘I have to go home for lunch. They’re expecting me. I’ll be right back.’

‘Look what Mama has ordered the cook to make! You can’t go now!’ Wu Chun‐mei said. Laid out on the dining‐table were steaming baskets of meat‐filled dumplings and bowls of noodles topped with barbecued pork and scallions. In the centre was an enormous birthday cake, colourfully decorated and piled high with whipped cream and eleven red candles.

‘I really can’t stay but I’ll be back as soon as I can.’

‘All right! What’s your phone number?’

Without thinking, I replied, ‘79281. Don’t look so disappointed. I’ll be back before you cut your cake.’

‘We’ll wait for you!’

I ran home as fast as I could. The hall clock showed 12.09 as I dashed upstairs to use the bathroom. Normally, I would have arrived home at around 12.30. Wu Chun‐mei’s house was much closer than my school and I had overestimated the time. Never mind, better too early than too late. It just meant I’d have some time afterwards to buy her a birthday present with my silver dollar.

Bursting into my room in the highest spirits, I came face to face with Niang. She was standing by my desk in the bright sunshine, sleek and flawless in a brown dress covered with black spots. Her appearance reminded me of a leopard lying in wait.

My heart was pounding and blood was rushing into my temples and ears, beating over me in waves. A voice inside my head kept repeating, ‘Be careful! Be careful!’

‘Good afternoon, Niang!’ I greeted her tremulously, fingering the silver coin in my pocket and wondering where to hide it. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth and I could hardly swallow.

‘Why are you home so early?’ she asked suspiciously.

‘They let us out a little early,’ I answered. She said nothing but continued to look at me unblinkingly, obviously expecting more of an explanation. ‘From school, I mean,’ I added stupidly, flipping the coin from one side to the other in my sweaty palm.

‘What’s that in your pocket?’ she demanded, as if she could see through my uniform.

‘Nothing!’ I lied, squirming like a worm and wishing I could disappear.

‘Come here!’ she commanded. I approached her slowly, shaking like a leaf. She patted my body to search me, put her hand in my pocket and extracted the silver coin.

‘Who gave you this?’

There was a prolonged silence. As I desperately searched for a plausible reply, all I heard was the buzz of a fly banging persistently against a window‐pane.

‘I am asking you a question!’ she reminded me angrily. ‘Where does this come from? I order you to answer me
now
!’

My brain was whirring but nothing came to mind. I looked dumbly at her cold, beautiful face. What could I tell her without implicating my aunt? I felt as trapped as the bluebottle whizzing around from pane to pane.

‘Why are you home so early, you sneaky little liar? And where did you get this money?’

My silence was infuriating her. She took it as a personal insult, as if I was trying to provoke her. Her face suffused with rage, she slapped me. I felt dizzy and my ears hummed but I continued to stare at her in petrified silence.

‘Until you give me a true explanation of what is going on,’ she commanded, ‘you will have nothing to eat or drink. I always knew no good would come of you!’

I opened my mouth. ‘I . . . uh . . . I found the coin somewhere . . .’ I lied vaguely, squirming around and hating myself. Inside, I was in complete turmoil with but one thought. I must not betray Aunt Baba.

‘Did you steal something from the house and pawn it, you little thief?’

I was considering admitting to theft as a way out when we both noticed the new maid, Ah Sun, standing timidly at the door.

‘Excuse me, Yen tai tai.’ She cleared her throat nervously. ‘There is a telephone call.’ She nodded in my direction. ‘For her.’

A new chasm had opened and I felt faint. I knew at once that Wu Chun‐mei must have become tired of waiting for me to cut her cake. I kicked myself for carelessly giving out my telephone number.

Niang hurried down to answer the phone in the stairway landing. With a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach, I heard her voice, now utterly transformed.

‘My daughter is busy right now. This is her mother speaking. Who is calling please and can I give her a message?’

There was a short pause.

‘Waiting for her to cut your birthday cake! How nice! Where is this celebration taking place?’

Another pause.

‘But don’t all of you have to be at school today?. . . Oh, I see! . . . A special holiday! . . . How splendid for you! . . . I’m afraid my daughter will not be returning to your party this afternoon. Don’t wait any more!’

She came back and glared at me with scathing contempt. ‘Not only are you a liar and a thief but you are manipulative as well. Nothing will ever come of you. The problem is that you have bad blood from your mother. You don’t deserve to be housed and fed here. Girls like you should be sent away. You don’t belong in this house!’

A shiver of ice ran through me. I felt my world crashing. ‘You are to stay in your room without anything to eat until your father comes home,’ she commanded.

Disgraced and miserable, I sat alone in my room looking down at Jackie restlessly pacing the garden. Time went by. I heard the sound of laughter and the clink of plates and cups drifting up from below. Afternoon tea was being served to Fourth Brother and Little Sister in their room, which we had nicknamed the antechamber. A while later, Fourth Brother appeared on his balcony carrying a plate of assorted goodies he no longer fancied. I watched him toss sausage rolls, chicken sandwiches and chestnut cake with nonchalance to a delighted Jackie, who jumped to catch the morsels between his powerful jaws. I drooled with hunger and longing as I imagined the delicacies sliding down my throat. Finally, I sat there with my eyes tightly shut, wishing with all my heart that when I opened them again, I would be Jackie and Jackie would be me.

Later, after Father returned home from work, he came into my room in a towering rage with the dog whip Hans (the dog‐trainer) gave him last Christmas looped around his arm. When he questioned me I could not lie. He ordered me to lie face down on my bed and he whipped me. As I lay there trembling with pain and shame, I saw a rat scurrying across the floor, its eyes bright and alert and its long tail trailing behind. I almost screamed out in terror but bit my lip and remained silent throughout the punishment.

‘Unfortunately,’ Father announced, ‘your aunt is a bad influence. She gives you money behind our backs and continues to spoil you. I’m afraid you two will have to be separated.’

I looked up at him in utter desolation. The fabric of my life was about to be torn apart. My heart felt heavy with the most excruciating pain. But he merely relooped the whip over his arm and walked out.