ISBH - Chapter 24
Chapter 24: Earning Money to Support Her
Classes were set to start the next day.
The wind had picked up the night before, and by nighttime a light rain had begun to patter down.
The temperature dropped again.
Mo Sheng woke once in the middle of the night.
In her drowsy haze she seemed to slip back into those earlier years.
Back then winter had always been the hardest season for Mo Sheng to endure.
The first couple of years had been tolerable, but later the roof began to leak with a steady drip, and whenever rain or snow came the whole house turned cold from every direction, until even the bedding breathed a chill.
Mo Sheng did not know how she had managed to survive it.
Life in those days had been so bitter that its marks seemed to have soaked into her bones...
Yet now her body felt incomparably warm.
When she saw Han Tian asleep beside her, Mo Sheng's startled heartbeat slowly settled. The bedding was warm and full of the smell of sunshine. Sister had aired it in the sun a few days before.
Sleep washed over her again, and unlike in the past, Mo Sheng did not lie awake until dawn after waking.
She quietly edged closer and rubbed against Han Tian's shoulder.
Han Tian's skin felt a little cool, but Mo Sheng did not mind at all. Only by truly touching Sister could Mo Sheng know that all of this was not a dream.
When Mo Sheng woke again, daylight had already come.
Sister was already awake.
Something was cooking in the rice cooker, sending up white steam. Sister had moved the table to the front of the window and was writing something there. From where Mo Sheng lay, she could see only Han Tian's gentle profile.
"Good morning, Little Mo Sheng!" Seeing Mo Sheng awake, Han Tian turned and smiled at her, then walked aside and switched on the radio in the room. "The temperature dropped today, so put on more clothes..."
Mo Sheng held back her excitement as she touched her newly bought clothes, her eyes on Han Tian. "Sister... can't I save them to wear for New Year?"
"No," Han Tian understood Mo Sheng's thoughts almost at once and glanced at her with a smile. "Be good! Don't be reluctant to wear them!"
"For New Year I'll buy you even prettier clothes!"
Mo Sheng said nothing more.
She carefully changed into the new clothes, then dawdled over to Han Tian's side.
Han Tian was writing some kind of formula on paper, mixed with many English letters. Mo Sheng glanced at it and could not understand it.
"Go wash up!" Han Tian yawned. "By the time you finish, the porridge will be just about hot. There are steamed bird eggs on the side too..."
Mo Sheng obediently went into the bathroom. Listening to the sweet announcer's voice coming from the radio and looking at herself in the new clothes in the mirror, Mo Sheng blinked and could not help smiling at the mirror. She tapped the glass lightly. "I'm really so happy..."
After finishing the porridge and bird eggs, it was time for Mo Sheng to leave for school as usual. Han Tian tucked what she had written into Mo Sheng's schoolbag, reminded Mo Sheng to bring the bank card that had been issued for the yearly poverty allowance, and then floated out behind Mo Sheng with familiar ease.
The rain outside had mostly stopped, having just dampened the ground. Mo Sheng walked very slowly all the way, afraid mud would splash onto her new shoes and trousers.
At this rate she would likely be late!
"Before the break your teacher told you to memorize vocabulary." Afraid of hurting Mo Sheng's pride, Han Tian could not bear to puncture her excitement, so she simply diverted her attention. "Let me quiz you. How do you spell umbrella, and what does it mean..."
Mo Sheng was indeed distracted.
Han Tian reviewed vocabulary with Mo Sheng and corrected her spoken pronunciation. Before they knew it, they had reached the school.
Only when they reached the classroom did Mo Sheng belatedly realize what Han Tian had intended, and she lowered her head a little shyly.
Because of the delay at the start, Mo Sheng arrived much later than usual.
Part of the class was already seated. Catching sight of the neatly dressed little girl in the doorway, for a moment none of them realized this was the usually grubby Mo Sheng.
Only when Mo Sheng walked back to her seat did the classroom erupt in a sudden uproar!
Was this Mo Sheng?
How did this filthy little beggar suddenly get the chance to buy new clothes?
Remembering a certain rumor, the students' gazes at Mo Sheng began to flicker...
Could they have been stolen again?
Children's kindness and malice both come with unusual directness, and besides, Mo Sheng usually showed a temper as soft as dough. In no time, whispers rose on all sides...
They were called whispers, but a few people deliberately raised their voices, and Mo Sheng, sitting in the back row, could hear almost every word clearly.
Mo Sheng sat in her chair with her head lowered.
The anticipation and joy in her heart all faded when she heard those whispers, replaced by brimming anger and confusion...
Why was everyone willing to believe only rumors and unwilling to believe her explanations?
Was she really so hateful?
She had clearly never stolen anything...
Looking at Mo Sheng, Han Tian sighed inwardly, but outwardly she gently pinched the little girl's lowered neck.
"Don't hunch, you did nothing wrong, and never bend your own spine no matter what!"
Seeing the little girl straighten up, Han Tian softened her tone and went on. "Some people believe only what they want to believe, and some simply follow what others say. Instead of telling them about your grievances again and again, use your strength to crush their worldview! Let them burn with jealousy inside while remaining completely unable to touch you..."
"Mo Sheng, you're a student, and I know you can prove yourself with your grades!"
Just like that person. After saying those words, she used her strength to make her anti-fans grind their teeth in hatred yet still have to admit her excellence.
Until she became so outstanding that everyone in the entertainment industry looked up to her!
Knowing Mo Sheng could see her, Han Tian deliberately lifted her chin and struck the same disdainful pose Mo Sang had once used, the kind that could infuriate all the anti-fans. It almost made Mo Sheng laugh out loud!
But the smile faded at her lips. Sister's nature was actually extremely gentle and reserved, and she likely would not have said such words. Such an arrogant bearing had very likely come from that "star" in her heart.
Yet Mo Sheng had to admit the words held reason.
That "star" must have done it, or Sister would not show such a proud expression as she did now.
If she could do it, then Mo Sheng could do it too.
Mo Sheng bit her lower lip hard and resolved to work even harder for this exam. This time she would place in the top three of the whole school.
If she made the top three in the school, the school would not only waive tuition but also provide a monthly living subsidy.
Before, she had not dared to hope for the top three in the school and had only wished to enter the top three of her class. After all, merely staying alive had already used up most of her strength.
But now she had Sister.
With Sister protecting her, life had improved. If she still failed to improve, that would be too foolish!
Han Tian watched Mo Sheng open her schoolbag and take out a new test paper. Though she still frowned, the heaviness that had surrounded her before had faded.
Han Tian breathed a sigh of relief, yawned, and sat down beside Mo Sheng and lay across the desk.
Wang Zhi arrived rather early that day.
She had spent the past few days vacationing in another province and had enjoyed the holiday immensely. With a desire to show off, Wang Zhi came to the classroom early in the morning to hand out local specialties she had brought back to a few friends, earning a round of envious looks...
Wang Zhi had kept one pack in her bag for Mo Sheng. Because Mo Sheng had been tutoring her at her home during this time, Wang Zhi had many times seen her mother pay Mo Sheng wages, and she knew her mother was really too stingy. But her own pocket money was held in her mother's hands, and Wang Zhi had never spoken up for Mo Sheng, so inside she always felt a little indebted to her...
Wang Zhi had not expected to see such a scene in the classroom!
By rights Wang Zhi was the culprit behind this matter, and she thought Mo Sheng should hate her. Yet Mo Sheng did not glance in her direction even once.
Hearing those broken whispers, Wang Zhi did not know where her anger came from. She frowned and shouted in the classroom. "Aren't you annoying! You act like you're the only ones with tongues! If I catch anyone shouting nonsense again, I'll hit them..."
When the class bully spoke, the rest did not dare to talk anymore.
Yet even though Wang Zhi had spoken, Mo Sheng still did not look toward her...
Mo Sheng's head was tilted slightly, as if she were looking at the empty seat to her right. Seeing Mo Sheng like this irritated Wang Zhi.
She was standing up for her, after all! And this little ugly freak just ignored her like that...
She knew this little ugly freak really disliked her inside and had only been forced to come tutor her.
Still, the ugly freak did not look so ugly now, and even looked a little pleasing.
What was she thinking!
After realizing what she had been thinking, Wang Zhi knit her brows tightly.
So be it if there was no more tutoring. It wasn't as if anyone cherished her! It wasn't as if she hadn't been paid.
Watching Mo Sheng lower her head to work on problems, Wang Zhi curled her lip and turned over, falling asleep as usual.
She seemed able to understand some of the lessons now.
But the way these teachers lectured was boring, not nearly as good as the little ugly freak...
Because she was inexplicably sulking at Mo Sheng, when Mo Sheng told her in the afternoon that she would not come to help with tutoring that evening, Wang Zhi agreed on the spot.
Mo Sheng did not know why Han Tian wanted her to ask for leave.
Still, in Mo Sheng's heart, everything Han Tian said was right.
Mo Sheng had never imagined Han Tian would take her to the internet cafe!
Computers had only become popular in recent years. In Mo Sheng's mind, the internet cafe was a place only bad kids entered. Bad kids would slip inside to play games, and then their grades would plummet.
Sister... why did she come here?
Han Tian did not understand Mo Sheng's feelings.
She walked to Mo Sheng's side and signaled her to find the internet cafe manager to buy three hours of internet time.
Mo Sheng felt a little nervous.
The internet cafe manager glanced at Mo Sheng through narrowed eyes while smoking a cigarette. "A minor, right? I need to check your ID card..."
Han Tian widened her eyes. She had actually forgotten about this. Just as she was thinking of another place where they could borrow a computer, the internet cafe manager spoke again.
"But it's fine if you want us to cover for you," the internet cafe manager said and put down the cigarette. "One extra yuan per hour. After all, we have to take a risk, right?"
Only then did Han Tian realize that internet cafe management was not yet as strict as it would later become, and she immediately urged Mo Sheng to pay.
Mo Sheng felt a pang of pain in her heart, but Sister had already decided, so Mo Sheng could only pay with grievance.
Seeing the little girl's reluctant expression amused the internet cafe manager. He had seen plenty of elementary and middle school students pretending to be grown up and flashing money, but it was his first time meeting Mo Sheng's type. He could not help laughing. "Little girl, come again next time, and next time I won't make you pay!"
"Go to that corner for now! It's a blind spot, and no one will notice you..."
Even as he said this, the internet cafe manager did not think Mo Sheng would come again. After all, this little girl looked like a good girl at first glance, completely different from those kids who skipped school to get online on ordinary days.
Mo Sheng thought the same herself.
"Mo Sheng, don't be afraid. A computer is only a tool. What matters is how you use it..." Han Tian walked ahead and led Mo Sheng to the corner the internet cafe manager had mentioned. Han Tian took Mo Sheng's hand with a slightly mischievous smile. "Poor Mo Sheng..."
No one noticed Mo Sheng's corner.
In the occasional glances from people outside, Mo Sheng sat upright in her chair and looked as if she were typing...
Yet no one knew that Mo Sheng was actually sitting on Han Tian's lap, her hands stiff and motionless on the desk while Han Tian did all the typing...
The open document was being organized into a popular science article.
After learning of the relationship between Mo Runsheng and Mo Sheng, Han Tian recalled something. The article by Mo Runsheng that she had seen back then had been published after Mo Runsheng's death, roughly around this present time.
In fact, many other pieces had been published under the name Mo Runsheng.
Yet when Han Tian had obtained Mo Runsheng's manuscripts in a later age, she had discovered that Mo Runsheng did not possess the skill to compile qualified popular science articles.
Only now did Han Tian remember why she had felt so moved when she first read that article!
Because its wording and phrasing were entirely in the style Han Tian herself knew best.
Han Tian had originally assumed that Mo Runsheng's relatives had helped transcribe his documents after his death, but by now a faint idea had formed in Han Tian's mind.
Mo Sheng did not possess the ability to compile academic papers, and during his lifetime Mo Runsheng had offended almost all of his relatives...
Perhaps the so-called "relatives of Mo Runsheng" never existed.
She had written these articles herself!
But Han Tian's name could not appear in this time and space.
Holding this idea, Han Tian decided to publish articles under Mo Runsheng's name.
After all, on certain foreign journals, good articles earned rather high royalties.
In the past Han Tian had chosen higher tier journals without royalties, but now Han Tian fully understood the feeling of being driven to desperation by lack of money, so she could only submit to such journals.
To prevent the Spacetime Rules from blocking her from producing the articles, Han Tian had deliberately brought Mo Sheng along.
Han Tian had also almost discovered something by now. She did not know what Mo Runsheng had done to Mo Sheng, but Mo Sheng was a black hole to the Spacetime Rules. With Mo Sheng present, Han Tian could write her own work almost without restraint.
Han Tian focused on typing the article on the computer while Mo Sheng sat stiffly in Han Tian's arms. Watching Han Tian's hands flutter over the keyboard like butterflies, Mo Sheng's whole face turned red as a tomato.
She had not been this close to anyone for a long time!
The feeling was a little shameful. It was as if she were still a child who had not grown up and needed a parent to hold her.
If only she could grow tall quickly!
Then she could hold Sister instead of being held by Sister like this.
Mo Sheng's cheeks burned red as jumbled thoughts floated through her mind...
Yet Han Tian did not know how Mo Sheng felt. Because she knew the Little Mo Sheng in her arms begrudged the money, Han Tian could only type at top speed and had no time to notice Mo Sheng's expression...
To Han Tian, the three hours passed quickly.
Han Tian finished typing the fully English manuscript and checked it once. After finding no errors, she registered an email account, told Mo Sheng to memorize the address, then signed the author's name, bank card and email at the end of the document before sending it off.
Seeing Han Tian finish exactly on time, Mo Sheng also breathed a sigh of relief, though she still did not know what Han Tian was doing.
Being held in Sister's arms for so long, Mo Sheng felt every minute of those hours was torment!
Though the weather had clearly turned cold, Mo Sheng had broken out in sweat...
Han Tian lifted her hands from the keyboard and stretched lazily in the chair. Mo Sheng had already jumped swiftly off her lap.
Only then did Han Tian notice Mo Sheng's flushed cheeks.
"What's wrong?" Han Tian looked at the blush on Mo Sheng's face, puzzled.
Her legs had gone a little numb from sitting so long, so Han Tian did not stand up right away.
Mo Sheng lowered her head, her lashes trembling quickly. "It's too hot in here."
The temperature in the internet cafe was higher than usual, and with the girl held in her arms, no wonder the little girl felt hot.
Rushing the draft had nearly drained Han Tian's mind, so she did not think much and naturally assumed the little girl was truly hot.
"Sorry!" Han Tian smiled at Mo Sheng, her voice a little soft. "It won't happen next time!"
"But when I hold Little Mo Sheng, she feels really too thin, so you need to eat more!" Han Tian sighed.
After holding Mo Sheng for so long, whether from the power of time and space or some other influence, Han Tian could hardly feel any weight...
This tone, as if she were holding a small child...
She was already fourteen!
Mo Sheng lowered her head even further.
Though she had thought before about growing taller and prettier, she had not felt any urgency inside. Only now did true longing rise from the depths of her heart. She did not want to be held in Sister's arms like a small child anymore!
Because of this feeling she had never known before, Mo Sheng did not even notice Han Tian's mention of a "next time".
Han Tian did not notice Mo Sheng's expression.
Seeing a few minutes of the morning remained, she found a short Tom and Jerry cartoon and called Mo Sheng over to watch.
Mo Sheng's attention quickly shifted. Usually reserved, her eyes now showed glimmers of a smile.
This was her first time watching a cartoon.
Han Tian smiled and patted Mo Sheng's head. When the cartoon ended, the internet time had just run out.
When they passed the front counter on the way out, the internet cafe manager called out habitually. "Come again next time!"
But Han Tian actually stopped.
Mo Sheng's heart skipped a beat, yet the ominous premonition came true the next second. Han Tian beside her yawned. "Right, I think I should remind him to remember to charge us one yuan less tomorrow..."
They had to come again tomorrow?
Mo Sheng lowered her head and bit her lower lip tightly. She used to live day by day and rarely worried about the future, but now for the first time she began to dread the tomorrow so close at hand...
After returning home, Mo Sheng silently made dinner.
Because she was too tired, Han Tian did not notice that Mo Sheng was a little more silent than usual that night.
Han Tian could not help Mo Sheng with cooking, since she had no sense of taste now.
Still, Mo Sheng seemed to have great talent for cooking. By her second time in the kitchen, she already looked quite competent.
That night, Mo Sheng for the first time ever ate an extra bowl of rice and even went out to run several laps around the house.
The next day, Han Tian had Mo Sheng ask Wang Zhi for leave again.
After a whole night of mental preparation, Mo Sheng still could not help her ears turning red when Han Tian held her...
Han Tian was careful that day not to hold Mo Sheng too tightly, so she naturally noticed Mo Sheng's reaction.
"Sister was careless," Han Tian suddenly understood, feeling a little awkward inside.
Mo Sheng was so thin that she looked very petite, much younger than her actual age.
Yet Mo Sheng was already a grown girl of fourteen!
She should have been more careful...
"Funds are tight right now, so we can only do this..." Han Tian sighed in explanation. "When we have money, we'll get a private booth. Then you only need to shield me..."
By Han Tian's thinking, she had wanted to buy a computer herself, but Mo Sheng lived alone now, and wealth should not be flaunted, so caution was better.
Mo Sheng lowered her head and nodded, still not looking at Han Tian's face.
Would it only be like this for a while?
Then even after she grew taller, would she still never get to hold Sister instead?
Mo Sheng felt regret, yet her resolve to grow tall only hardened. One day she would hold Sister...
On the third day, Mo Sheng asked Wang Zhi for leave again.
Wang Zhi frowned tightly. She thought this girl Mo Sheng was deliberately opposing her, believing Wang Zhi had brought back no food from her trip and thus bearing a grudge.
But the food she had brought for Mo Sheng that day had all been divided among others.
Wang Zhi felt she needed to teach this little ugly freak a lesson! Lately she paid less and less attention to her.
But Wang Zhi did not want to beat Mo Sheng directly as she had last time, so she felt a little irritated.
On the fourth day, the mobile phone Han Tian had been repairing was finally fixed. To ease Mo Sheng's financial strain, Han Tian had Mo Sheng sell the mobile phone on the way to school.
Because repairing the mobile phone had kept her up too late, Han Tian stayed in the house that day to catch up on sleep and did not follow Mo Sheng to school. She had Mo Sheng come back at noon to fetch her, so they could go to the internet cafe again in the afternoon to write the paper.
In the morning there was a music class. Because the music teacher had been on maternity leave, everyone had always used this period for self study. Now that the teacher had returned from leave, she began to teach everyone to sing.
Mo Sheng had heard the song the teacher taught on the radio with Han Tian, so Mo Sheng took out her physics test paper and began to look through it...
Most students quite liked music class and eagerly joined in the singing. Mo Sheng, who did not sing, stood out starkly among them.
"The last student in this row, will you try singing?"
So when the teacher called on someone to test the singing results, she naturally called on Mo Sheng.
Under the gaze of all, Mo Sheng stood up.
She had never been exposed to so many eyes before. For a moment her lips even trembled, and her voice came out broken and unable to form phrases.
The whole room burst into laughter.
The teacher glanced at Mo Sheng but did not criticize her, only commenting pointedly. "The pitch is on key and the tone is very good. You're just too timid. You should blend into the group more..."
Fortunately the bell rang then and rescued Mo Sheng.
Mo Sheng sat in her chair, feeling a little sad. After so long, she still seemed to have no courage.
She could only feel grateful that Sister had not seen such a cowardly side of her.
After class Wang Zhi sidled up to Mo Sheng. She felt she now knew how to punish Mo Sheng. Mo Sheng sang so terribly, and a KTV had opened beside the school, so she could take Mo Sheng there and make her recognize her place!
Yet before Wang Zhi could speak, Mo Sheng spoke first with the same line she had been repeating these past few days. "I've something today, so I won't come tutor you tonight..."
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