**Chinese meanings are at the top**
Zǎoshang hǎo! = good morning
Wǎnshàng hǎo = good evening
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Chapter 3
“Everybody, it’s time to wake up! It’s time to do your chores. Remember, you’ll be punished if you don’t follow the rules.” Yin announced with a menacing look on her pale face.
“Wake up Mingyu. Hurry before you get in trouble.” Rui nudged me. I opened my eyes, wiping away the crust that forms around your eyes. I reached over, fumbling to find my glasses.
“Here, you might need these.” Rui giggled.
“Oh, thanks.” I mumbled.
Today, Yin looked pretty. She was wearing a dress and her hair was pinned up. The dress was a light pink dress with lace outlining it. It flattered her petite body. It was different from the usual red shirt with Guangzhou Orphanage on the back. Her hair had a matching light pink flower pinned on the right side of her hair.
I got up, folding my blanket and placed it on my dirty mattress. Rui and I
rushed over to the cribs to where all the babies lay.
I picked up Hua, she was only eight months old. Hua was one of the cutest baby I had ever seen. She has big, beautiful brown eyes with silky black hair. I was jealous of her hair. Sadly, her hair was bald in the back from laying down all the time. I wasn’t sure how to take care of a little one, so I decided to ask Rui for some help.
“Hey Rui, can you teach me how to change Hua’s diaper? I remember changing my brother’s diaper once.” I asked. Rui agreed and told me step by step.
The first thing I did was change her diaper. It was full of stinky, brown poop along with yellow staining on the diaper. Next, I took her to the bathing area. All the metal tubs were full of brown, dirty water already. I thought this was disguising, but I didn’t want to break the rules. I bathed Hua while apologizing in my head. After cleaning her up, I went to the box full of baby clothes and picked out a blue dress with white butterflies on it. I knew it was too big for her, but I didn’t want her to be in a diaper all day. The dress went to the floor, but she couldn’t walk and wouldn’t be able to trip over it, thankfully. It was eight o’clock and rushed Hua over in the next room where the dining table was, bringing my plastic cup. Next to each of our chairs was a high chair for the little ones to eat. I set her down and then I sat down. The chairs were a greenish brown color with wobbly legs. The table was a long oak table. It seated all of us, surprisingly. At the end, sat Yin, kind of like how a Queen or King would.
“Zǎoshang hǎo!” Yin said standing at the end of the table.
“Zǎoshang hǎo!” Everybody replied with their heads facing down toward the table.
“Today, we’ll be having noodles with a side of rice. We’ll be serving soy milk as your drink. Eat up!” Yin clapped at the end and that let everyone know to get up and get food for them, as well as the one that they were caring for.
I followed Rui to the buffet. Only it was a serving line, you pick up a bowl and bring your plastic cup. The trays were nasty, like they hadn’t been washed. I used my hand to wipe out the crumbs in the bowl. The nannies at the end would scoop up noodles first and then place the rice on top. Then they would fill your plastic cup with soy milk half way.
“What about the children’s food?” I whispered to Rui, hoping the nannies wouldn’t hear me.
“You have to share your food with them.” He whispered back.
YOU ARE READING
Being Adopted
Non-FictionJune 2, 1996, Guangzhou, China. I sat in my box hoping that rain will come soon. The sun was scorching and I was sweating profusely. Next to me was a sewer, and it smelled horrible. The smell of dead fish, dirty clothes, rotting food, and rat f...
