Chinese Cinderella Read Online Free Page A

drove us from the station through the main lane of our ‘long tang’, turned left into a narrower alley‐way, and stopped in front of a wrought‐iron gate. Father led us into a charming garden, with a small lawn lined by clipped camellia bushes, a magnolia tree with wonderfully fragrant blooms, and a wishing‐well next to a wooden dog‐house. A large, ferocious‐looking German Shepherd rushed out, jumped excitedly at the sight of Father, but barked at us. I glanced briefly at the large, brutish animal with its sharp teeth and pointed ears. Father noticed and said to me, ‘His name is Jackie. Don’t be afraid of him. Just behave naturally. He is getting obedience training lessons every week from a German dog‐trainer. He won’t dare bite you.’
    All the same, I was nervous. I got away and followed Big Brother up three stone steps through tall French doors into the formal living‐room.
    ‘Here we are!’ Father said, looking around proudly as we gawked in open‐mouthed wonder at the burgundy‐red velvet couches, matching velvet curtains and thick woollen carpet partially covering a teak parquet floor. The wallpaper had long strips of raised velvet napping which matched the curtains. Beautiful white orchids in an antique Ming Dynasty vase rested on an elegant imitation Louis XVI coffee‐table. Everything was ornate, formal, polished and hard.
    Niang entered, holding Fourth Brother’s hand. We greeted her timidly. Like the room, our stepmother was stylish and flawless with her large, piercing eyes, long shapely nails painted bright red, and enormous flashing diamonds at her throat, wrist and ears. Standing opposite her made me feel quite shabby and ill at ease.
    ‘Sit down, all of you! And welcome to our Shanghai home!’ Niang announced in a loud, clear voice. ‘The maids will show you to your rooms. This house consists of three floors. On the ground floor, the living‐room and dining‐room are in the front. The kitchen, garage and servants’ quarters are at the back. You are to enter and leave the house by the back door only. The front gate leading out of the garden is reserved for your father’s guests. So is the living‐room. You are not to invite any of your friends home, or to visit them in their houses.
    ‘The first floor is where your father and I, and your younger brother and sister, have our rooms. You are not allowed to enter any of the rooms on our floor without our permission.
    ‘All of you will live on the second floor. You three boys will sleep in the same room. Wu Mei (Fifth Daughter) will share a room with Aunt Baba. Ye Ye and Big Sister will each have a private room. Keep your rooms tidy because your father and I might come up and make an inspection at any time.
    ‘We have enrolled all of you at very expensive private missionary schools. School starts next Monday. Now go with the maids to your rooms and wash yourselves. In half an hour, Cook will ring the dinner‐bell. As soon as you hear it, all of you will come down at once. Do you understand?’
    We nodded solemnly. As we climbed the stairs, Big Brother muttered, ‘To her, we are not separate people. Over here, we have become one single unit known as all of you . Seems like this is how it’s going to be from now on.’

Chapter Six
    First Day at School

    O n Monday morning, with Aunt Baba still in Tianjin, a maid helped me put on my brand‐new school uniform. It was a little too long, stiff with starch, white in colour and had the name of my new school, Sacred Heart (Sheng Xin), in bright‐red Chinese characters embroidered on the left breast‐pocket.
    After breakfast, I stood in the hallway for what seemed like a very long time waiting for someone to take me to school, wondering who it was going to be. I was excited to be starting first grade in my new primary school, which was located next door to Big Sister’s Aurora Middle School. Big Sister, however, was still in bed. Her classes were scheduled to begin one hour later