Chapter 3 Long Life
Seven years earlier, my sister Mu Weiyi had come into this world.
Like countless older sisters in second-child families, I had to take on the responsibility of looking after my younger sibling.
Since I was still a child myself, I suffered a lot because of her.
When she was two and rolled off the bed, I got a harsh beating from my parents.
When she was three and almost got hit by a car, I broke my own leg trying to protect her.
When she was four and lost a hundred-yuan note, my parents were convinced I had taken it and locked me outside all night. Later the money was found in her pocket, and of course no one apologized to me.
I had always been frail, short and skinny. Even the kindest adults didn't like to tease me.
My sister, on the other hand, was raised delicately—healthy, clever, welcomed everywhere she went.
Even so, even though I wasn't favored, I often thanked heaven for giving me a little sister.
Compared to a brother, I preferred a sister. I thought that even if my parents didn't care about me, at least I could be friends with her.
Mu Weiyi calmly enjoyed everything she received. She wasn't particularly close to me, nor did she reject me, but she did help me once—
When I was ten, one winter, I rescued a dying puppy from the snow. I named it Changsheng, built a little den for it, and secretly fed it ham and thin porridge.
I knew if I asked to keep it, my parents would refuse. But if I didn't find a proper place for Changsheng, it wouldn't survive the winter.
At the critical moment, Mu Weiyi appeared. She saw the little den and excitedly said she wanted to raise it.
My parents weren't dog people, but after her long pleading they reluctantly agreed.
In that instant I felt endless gratitude toward her. I silently erased all the previous grievances.
But Changsheng didn't stay at home for long.
While playing with Mu Weiyi, it scratched her fair little arm. She immediately sat on the ground and wailed: "I don't want this dog anymore!"
I was out buying groceries at the time and had even picked up a ham sausage for Changsheng. When I came home, I only saw fresh bloodstains at the doorway.
My father held a stick, glaring at me with full hostility:
"You still have the face to come back? That mad dog was sold by me to the dog meat place. Beat it to death and be done with it!"
So I really ran out to search for Changsheng.
But the dogs at the meat place were crammed together in piles, faces indistinguishable. I couldn't tell which one was him.
In the end I returned empty-handed.
That ham sausage was stir-fried with green peppers by my mother and fed to Mu Weiyi.
Tears still in her eyes, she whined to Mom: "It hurt so much when it bit me. The shot hurt too."
Mom comforted her:
"Beasts are beasts. We said from the start it shouldn't be raised. Forget it—consider it a lesson. Sold and gone, problem solved."
Mu Weiyi looked a little confused: "Mom, where did Changsheng go? Is he still around?"
"Dead. Slaughtered and eaten." Father gave her a piece of meat with his chopsticks.
She made an "oh" sound and fell silent.
"You shouldn't hold a grudge either. If it hadn't bitten your sister, I wouldn't have sold it. It brought this on itself." Father sighed and gave me a piece too.
I couldn't eat. I secretly threw it all in the trash.
From then on, the family silently agreed never to mention Changsheng again, as if he had never existed.
Half a month later, spring finally came to our small county, and things slowly warmed up.