It was the highlight of Mingzhu’s day. She had never owned a pet in her life and she had four now, a dog and three cats.
"Daddy, are they really for ?" Mingzhu asked, for the third ti.
Jingzhe patted Mingzhu on the back, "Yes, they are all for Mingzhu. They are still a little sick but we will take care of them. When they are strong enough, you will be able to play with them."
The animals were all sleeping, having been visited by a veterinarian that vaccinated them. Mingzhu wanted to touch them but she seed to be apprehensive. She was worried that she would hurt them as they were sick, especially the kittens.
Mingzhu had mories from her childhood that she had never shared with her mother, like the one ti she brought ho a kitten that she found on the playground of her school.
Madam Sun had taken one look at the kitten, grabbed it and thrown it out of the house over the balcony. She had threatened Mingzhu that if she ever brought ho another animal as useless as her, she would beat them both to death.
Mingzhu had never asked for a pet of dread of owning one since then. She stuck to envying other little girls and boys that owned pets. Now, she did not have to be envious anymore, she had her own pets.
She could be like Lian that owned two dogs. No--she was better than Lian because she had a dog and three cats.
She looked back at her mother, tears in her eyes. "Mommy." she cried out.
i i swooped in, picked her up and hugged her. Mingzhu was crying insensibly, just as she herself had done that morning.
"Aiyo...why is our Mingzhu crying?" i i bounced Mingzhu in her arms, patting her back gently. "If you cry, you will scare the kittens. You have not even give one of them a na."
Mingzhu removed her head from i i’s shoulder, sniveling. Mingzhe that was watching wiped Mingzhu’s tears with the arm of his shirt. He sighed and wiped her snot too. As soon he was finished, he winced and took the shirt off, walking to a locker to get another one.
"You uncle is afraid of snot." i i whispered to Mingzhu, snickering.
She put her daughter down, they looked at the dog and the cats. Jingzhe was so efficient that he had even bought for them beds already. His assistant had co by with manager Gao to deliver pet supplies.
"What should we call the dog? Mommy nad him Cont Barkula."
"Oh crap! You inherited it." Mingzhe groaned as if he was in physical pain. He was still pulling a shirt over his head. "For once, can’t a pet in this family have a normal na? What is wrong with Bao, Xiong Xiong, Hu."
"Hu ans tiger. You want us to na our dog, tiger!!?" i i scoffed. That sounded stupid.
"You wanted to na him Whiskers!" Mingzhe said, equally judgental.
Jingzhe was on board with Mingzhe. But he also thought Tiger was not the right na. There was really sothing in the Jun family genes that had beco crooked when their naming brains were ford.
If the Jun’s heard him, they would have been quick to correct him. It was in the Chi side of the family, not theirs!!
"Big yellow." Mingzhu said.
i i and Mingzhe wilted lettuce leaves left in the sun. Big Yellow sounded like a na of a dog raised in the 1970’s in the countryside! There was nothing wrong with it. It just sounded ancient....old fashioned.
Mingzhu turned to the cats next. "Mommy cat will be Noodles, baby cats will be Tea and Biscuit."
i i clutched at her chest dramatically. "You did this." She accused Jingzhe. "I ca up with cute nas, cool nas."
"Beans and corn is not cool." Jingzhe replied. "I like Tea and Biscuit." he declared.
Who had told the daughter to be like the mother? Was there a difference between beans and corn and tea and biscuit? They were all food inspired.
"Baby," i i turned Mingzhu around and smiled widely, "Baby...what if we call mommy cat Pitch-black?"
Mingzhu’s small face frowned, she did not even know what pitch black ant. It just sounded ugly to her. Noodles were so colorful and sweet and they slled nice.
"But I like Noodles." she said.
There was so force in Mingzhu’s voice which told i that they were heading in the ’Mingzhu has decided territory.’
"Mommy cat is Noodles, Mingzhu has decided."
i i blinked a few tis and dropped her hands from Mingzhu’s shoulders. "Noodles it is."
"And Tea and Biscuit." Mingzhu declared.
"Whatever you want sweetie." Jingzhe said, stuffing a laugh down his throat. His sister had always lost every naming battle with their mother and she had lost to her daughter as well.
"At least let na the dog." i i refused to wave that white flag. She would not be bullied by her daughter. She was twenty nine, Mingzhu was six!!! "Count..."
"General Big Yellow." Mingzhu declared in a stern voice with an even sterner look on her face. Her small voice seed to be saying that there was no room for negotiation.
"Ha!! Mo Mingzhu..." i i started.
She stopped the tirade she was preparing when she t Mingzhu’s eyes. Monday morning Mingzhu had not shown up but apparently Monday evening Mingzhu had been invented.
Even Jingzhe and Mingzhe were wise enough to hold their breath and back off. Mingzhu looked like she was ready to blow up her mother.
"General Big Yellow it is." i i said. "You win."
Jingzhe clapped his hands. "What wonderful nas. Our Mingzhu is wonderful na giver. When General Big Yellow grows up, he will be fierce and....big. Just like his na."
Mingzhe anwhile pulled his sister to the side and they stood by the window in the private lounge. He burst into laughter, bellowing without grace. The sour look on i i’s face was such a sweet delight to him.
"Are you scared of your daughter?" he asked.
i i huffed, displeased. "Who says that I am scared of her?"
"She is like that kid in the exorcist." Mingzhe laughed even more.
i i hissed at him and she started lightly slapping him. He caught her arms and continued to laugh. "Okay, I am sorry. I take that back. But you have to admit that she is one tough kid. I guess all the things you two endured toughened her up."
i sighed and she relaxed. "She is sweet but tough.."
"Tough!!" Jingzhe snickered, shoulders shaking rampantly up and own. "i i I hate to break it to you but you gave birth to a champion, an imposing future imperial commander that will probably go into my profession when she grows up. Mingzhu was born to be a soldier."
"Not my baby...no." i i shook her head.
Jingzhe moved his arms like a robot that was dancing stiffly. Then he stood still, pretended to take sunglasses and said chanically, "I’ll be back."
"Are you doing terminator?" she asked him.
He nodded and laughed. "Mingzhu is the terminator."
"Does that make you Sarah Connor?" she joked.
Mingzhe shivered, "I hope not because how can I take on that sweet baby niece of mine. Skynet would win that battle. That is how you win a war i i, not with adult soldiers but creatures too cute to kill."
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