Chapter 11: Midnight knock at the door (Part 1)

Grandmother quickly picked up the handkerchief and wiped the red soup stains in my mouth to comfort me. And said that she also used to drink this before.

*

After drinking this stuff for two days, my nose and tongue got already immune with it.

And I only spent my whole day by lying in bed, watching TV, nap, and sleep peacefully with grandmother during the night.

But on the third day morning, I felt nervous when grandmother gave me a longevity soup.

My mind suddenly got filled with the bald monk’s  words again. When I think about us becoming husband and wife, my body turn cold. I couldn’t help but pull the quilt to hide and curve my body into a ball.

At around seven o’clock in the evening, grandmother knocks on the door. But I noticed that her face unusually looks ugly when she gave me five different dishes for dinner.

Grandmother sits beside me and handed me the red soup. She keeps looking at me while I’m eating the other dishes. When I finished eating them all, I put down my chopsticks in a bowl. Grandmother was about to leave, however, before she left she seriously told me that tonight, no matter who called me out of the room l shouldn’t answer back.

And, if I hear a knock on the door and I shouldn’t open it. Grandmother also told me that tonight, she will stay in the backyard room to guard.

I stared at my grandma, I don’t know why my heart felt so uneasy. As if something bad will happen.

“Don’t worry, you have me. So nothing bad will happen to you.” Grandma said, but she coughs up again.

So I quickly run towards her and gently patted her back. But grandmother waved her hand again and again and said: “It’s getting late, just sleep well tonight and tomorrow, everything will be alright.”

“Grandma, are you sure nothing will happen?” I asked grandmother because I was very worried.

“Silly girl, if you’re really worried then you must listen to whatever I told you to do. Otherwise, grandma’s effort for these past few days will be wasted.” Grandmother reminded me once again.

“Mmm.” I solemnly nodded.

Grandmother tried to coax me, she said: “Xiao Xi, it will be New Year soon. So tomorrow, grandma will accompany you to buy new clothes.”

“Really?! That’s great.” I nodded excitedly and half of my fear subsided.

For a little girl like me, new clothes are more important than food and chance to play outside. But this time, I didn’t know that it will be our last moment together.

Grandmother went out of the room, but before she closes the door she smiled at me and said: “Sleep early! when you wake up everything is over.”

“I know.” I also smiled at her and pull the quilt to lay down on the bed.

When grandmother was about to closed the door, I saw the tears in her eyes. At that moment, my heart got tight.

With the “bang” sound of the door, the room fell into a dead silence.

The blowing sound of the wind outside is getting stronger.So I got more worried about my grandmother. I felt bad that she has to stay in the backyard room because of me.

I wanted to go outside to give her a thick cloth, but I remembered her warning not to go outside. So I put down the sweater and went back to bed.

Originally, even in this cold weather. I can easily fall asleep when I cover myself with a warm quilt. But tonight, I really don’t know why I keep tossing and turning my body and can’t fall asleep.

I tried closing my eyes, but when I closed it I can vaguely see a man’s back. I got scared so I open my eyes immediately.

At around ten in the evening, I still can’t fall asleep and just repeatedly turn my body.

Time passed by and it’s been an hour already since my birthday has ended. Does that mean I can relax now and I no longer need to marry that bald monk?

“Creak-creak”

I was still thinking when suddenly I heard the door made a creaking sound.

This sound clearly shows that someone was twisting the doorknob.

I got scared and hurriedly covered myself with a quilt. I didn’t even dare to make any noise. My heart was beating so fast and I felt nervous. I don’t know if the wooden door can really stop the bald monk from entering.

“Bang bang bang, bang bang bang.”

The creaking sounds stop but change to a quick knock.

From the outside of the door, someone suddenly shouted very loud: “Xiao Xi ah! It’s grandpa, hurry and open the door.”

“Grandfather?” I whisper to myself and pop out my head from the pillow. I wanted to give him an answer but I remember grandmother’s words.

“Xiao Xi, Xiao Xi, open the door. I’m so tired, I want to sleep already!” Grandpa from the outside become agitated.

When I heard him I got anxious, so I rush to the door. If I don’t open the door, surely grandfather will be mad at me tomorrow. But, if I open the door, the bald monk will find me, right?

“Xiao Xi, grandpa is really sleepy now. Let me get in first.” This time grandfather’s tone is very gentle.

I really can’t refuse him with that kind of tone, so I bite my lips and slowly walked to the door in tiptoe.

But when I was about to put my hand on the door, I felt that something was wrong.

Usually, grandpa has a bad temper. If he knew already that I was inside the room and didn’t immediately open the door for him, certainly he will get angry and keep on swearing. So why he is so gentle right now?

Surely, that person outside is not my real grandfather.