Chirp chirp!
From the large banyan tree came the sound of birds singing in bursts.
Under the tree, a little girl leaned against the tree, holding her dirty little bun face with her two chubby hands, her large, grape-like eyes blinking, full of confusion.
Who... was she, exactly?
Her head hurt, messy and chaotic, as if stuffed with many things, yet she just couldn't remember who she was.
"Whose child am I, really? Can anyone tell me who I really am?"
The little one called out with a fierce but cute cry.
As soon as she finished speaking, a surprised voice of a woman came from behind the big tree: "Oh dear, there's a little child hiding behind the tree?"
The little one turned to look behind the tree upon hearing this, and saw a woman in her twenties looking at her with a surprise yet kind smile.
The smile on her face seemed particularly warm, just like... mom?
The little one couldn't recall what a mom was, but still followed her heart and called out: "Mom, is that you?"
"Oh my, this little one, I'm not your mom. But little girl, whose child are you?"
The woman handed the bundle in her hand to the man beside her, then held up her skirt to come over, squatting in front of the little one, pulling out a cloth to wipe the dirt off the little one's face.
The question of whose child she was hadn't been too pressing until the woman brought it up, then the little one's big eyes immediately welled up with tears, pitifully saying: "I, I don't know whose child I am either. Waaaa, aren't you my mom? But you look so much like my mom! Waaa, whose child am I really?"
Saying this, large tears began to roll down.
It was truly heartbreaking to see.
The woman hurriedly picked up the little one: "Don't cry, dear child, your crying is breaking my heart."
The little one didn't care and continued to cry loudly.
She really wanted to know who she was!
The woman's husband approached, also feeling pity for the little one: "Meng Niang, this child might have been separated from her family, how about we take her home first? It's not safe to leave her alone in this wilderness."
Yi Meng nodded after hearing this: "Yes, it's indeed unsafe."
Then she asked the little one in her arms: "Little girl, would you be willing to come with auntie? Once you remember whose child you are, auntie will take you back to your parents."
The crying stopped instantly.
Her glistening eyes were still brimming with tears, but her little head was nodding away quickly: "Okay, okay, mom, oh no, auntie, you really are a good person!"
"This little one's mouth is really sweet. Come on, auntie will hold you."
Yi Meng picked up the little one and stood up.
The couple continued their journey with the child, and by the time they returned to the Qi Family, it was almost dark.
The doors of the households in the village were all closed, with not a soul in sight on the road.
"Brother Jin, we've brought a child back; do you think mom and dad will be unhappy?"
At the doorstep, Yi Meng thought of this question.
Qi Quanjin smiled gently: "Don't worry! Mom and Dad are the kindest people, they won't blame us for doing this."
Yi Meng still felt a bit uneasy, but the soft little girl sleeping soundly in her arms made her feel assured.
It's a pity that such an adorable little girl can't remember anything, it's really pitiful.
As soon as they entered the house, they heard a voice from the main room.
"Fourth child, is it you who came back?"
"Mom, it's us."
Qi Quanjin replied, then asked: "Mom, have you and Dad gone to bed yet?"
"No, what's up?"
The woman spoke, and the sound of footsteps came out too.
Qi Quanjin led Yi Meng towards the main room.
As they reached the entrance, they met Mrs. Qi who was coming out wearing an outer garment.
Mrs. Qi was startled and scolded: "Why did you rush in so recklessly? You scared your parents to death!"
"Hehe, mom, I'm just anxious to tell you and Dad something!"
Qi Quanjin chuckled sheepishly.
Mrs. Qi cast a glance at her fourth son, then looked at Yi Meng, just about to speak, when she noticed the little baby in Yi Meng's arms and was surprised: "Where did this child come from?"
"Mom, this is what I wanted to tell you!"
Qi Quanjin helped his mother into the room.
Mr. Qi Sr., Qi Zheng, who was in the room had already lit the oil lamp, and seeing his fourth son help his wife in, asked: "What child?"
Yi Meng came in, carefully placed the little one from her arms onto the kang bed, and then said: "Dad, Mom, we met this child on our way back with Brother Jin. She was all alone crying badly under a big tree by the roadside, and when asked, she knew nothing. So, Brother Jin and I were worried it was unsafe for her, such a little one, in the wilderness, so we brought her back without waiting for decisions."
After explaining the situation, Yi Meng, full of guilt, said: "Dad, Mom, it was my decision alone, please punish only me and not Brother Jin."
At this moment, neither Qi Zheng nor Mrs. Qi looked at Yi Meng, but instead, they were fascinated by the peacefully sleeping little girl on the kang bed.
After a long time without a response from the elders, Yi Meng looked for help from Qi Quanjin.
Seeing Qi Quanjin also captivated by the little girl, Yi Meng had to tug on his sleeve.
Qi Quanjin snapped back to reality and hurriedly said: "Dad, Mom, what do you think about this child..."
"Ah!"
Mrs. Qi regained her senses, looking at Yi Meng: "Meng Niang, you just said this child knows nothing?"
"Yes, she only said she was four years old, everything else she couldn't explain."
Yi Meng hastily replied.
Mrs. Qi thought for a moment, clapped her thigh and said: "This child isn't merely found, it's a treasure sent by heaven to our family!"
This sudden exclamation left both Qi Quanjin and his wife in astonishment.
Mrs. Qi's smile deepened the wrinkles on her face: "Since this child remembers nothing, yet happens to be found by you two, isn't this a gift from heaven for our family?"
"But, Mom, this, this..."
Qi Quanjin wanted to say something, but his mouth opened and closed without saying anything rebuttal.
Then Mrs. Qi's expression suddenly changed, she clasped Yi Meng's hand, her voice choked up: "Meng, it has been years now, and I never had the heart to bring it up. Back then, if it weren't for fetching medicine for me, your daughter wouldn't have... left like that..."
Yi Meng's expression immediately became a bit stiff.
How did this topic suddenly switch to that child?
Thinking of that child made Yi Meng recall her own origins, and she suddenly found it hard to continue the conversation.
Instead, Mr. Qi Sr. coughed twice and said: "Alright, that's something from years ago, why bring it up again? To tell you the truth, I think this child has been reborn, determined to join our family."