The Scavenger's Daughters (Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters, Book One) (17 page)

“I know what to do,” Maggi said. “We can draw flowers and cut them out to represent all of us.”

Linnea could tell her little sister was anxious to get her hands on the paper and she took the first roll to her, along with a pencil from the bag of scissors. Jasmine plopped down beside her sister and patiently waited to be handed some paper.

“You make the first drawing, Maggi. Show us your flower.” The girl knew exactly how to draw a magnolia; Linnea had seen her do it many times before.

“I want to do some paper folding next,” Maggi answered.

“No, we aren’t doing origami today. We’re doing paper cutting!” Peony called out.

“Girls, did you know origami is a Japanese word?” Nai Nai asked, and Linnea smiled. Since Linnea was a little girl, their Nai Nai had always found a way to fit lessons into their daily lives. Linnea was used to it now.

“I know—I know!
Ori
means folding in Japanese, and g
ami
—really supposed to be k
ami
—is paper,” Peony said.

“That’s right, Peony, but the Japanese got credit for inventing paper folding in the sixth or seventh century. In the old days paper was very expensive, so only the rich had access to it, no matter which country they were in. In Japan the samurai folded paper around dried meats or bits of fish and gave it as gifts. Later they started folding paper butterflies around tiny bottles of sake or rice wine used when presenting the new bride and groom at weddings. But there are those who argue that the Chinese were already doing paper folding in the first or second century, long before the Japanese discovered it.”

“Because the Chinese are smarter,” Peony said under her breath. “And better-looking.”

Linnea choked back a laugh. She loved some of the discussions her family got into. She hoped Jet found it just as entertaining; she didn’t want to bore him to death.

“Peony, that’s not nice,” Ye Ye called out from across the room. “Actually, our paper folding began not as celebrations for life events, but as a way to give honor at funerals. Just as we do today, in the Sung dynasty they were folding paper money, clothes, and even dishes to burn at funerals for their deceased to use in the afterlife.”

“So we did beat the Japanese, then,” Ivy said, looking up at Nai Nai.

“Okay, that’s enough talk about who did what. I think that’s a debate that will continue until long after I’m gone, but I didn’t know my history lesson would turn into a competition,” Nai Nai said.

“Now, which one of you is Lily?” Jet teased as he diverted their attention by rummaging around in his box again. Linnea saw Lily smile as she stared blankly ahead of her. Jet knew which one was the blind sister, but it was sweet for him to pretend not to.

Jet pulled a book from the box and took it over to Lily. He gently put it in her lap and opened the cover, then guided her hand to the first page.

“This is a book about animals, printed especially for the blind. I know you can’t read Braille yet, but you might one day. And each page has an illustration made of different textures. Feel this. It’s a lamb.”

Lily’s smile spread wider as Jet guided her fingers across the soft cottony substance that made up the picture in the book. Jet left her with the book and returned to his stool.

Linnea met her Ye Ye’s eyes as they both heard Lily whisper to herself, “I wish I could see this.”

Neither she nor he addressed the comment, as it wasn’t one made to get attention. Her heart ached for her sister and she was glad Jet had been so kind as to think of her disability.

Linnea watched Peony as she stood and walked over to stand in front of Jet. In her usual sassy stance she put her hands on her hips, waiting.

“Peony! Leave him alone!” Linnea could feel her cheeks start to burn again.

Jet chuckled and pulled a stack of postcards from the box, then handed them to Peony. “Share these with your sisters,
hao le
?”

“Okay,” she answered, already engrossed in flipping through the detailed photographs of the Great Wall and the terra-cotta warriors on the fronts of the cards. Linnea could only imagine how fast Peony would be using them to pen notes back to her mother—notes that would never be sent because the woman was still missing in action. It infuriated her to think of
the nerve the woman had in giving Peony false hope, and she truly wished she’d disappear once and for all. But she wasn’t going to let thoughts of another runaway parent ruin her day.

Jet reached in his shirt pocket and took out a deck of cards and set them on the table. “Do you all already have playing cards?” he asked, looking around.

“No, we don’t have cards,” Linnea answered softly. Cards were a luxury they’d never splurged on and it embarrassed her that Jet immediately saw them lacking such a small thing that for most Chinese families was a staple for entertainment.

“Well, later I’ll teach you all how to play
Dou Di Zhu
. It’s the most famous card game of all now and I am thus far undefeated,” he answered, winking at her. He looked at Calli standing in the kitchen cove. “I’ve also brought a pail of corn, peppers, and zucchini.”

Nai Nai nodded her approval at the boy, and Linnea was amused that she looked a little bit shy. But then she wasn’t surprised; Jet had the good looks to match his movie star name and her Nai Nai obviously wasn’t immune to it, either.

Next Jet bent down and pulled out a small silk satchel. He stood and took it to Maggi. She put down the paper and scissors and held out her hands for the gift.

“I hear you’re becoming quite the accomplished knitter. I hope this helps.”

The little girl grinned from ear to ear—a shy smile that caught every heart in the room. She pulled open the drawstring of the bag and gasped when she looked inside.

“What is it?” Ivy demanded to know, ever the curious one.

Maggi pulled out a beautiful bundle of copper-colored yarn and a small set of bamboo knitting needles.

“For my very own?” she asked as she held them to her chest.

“Your very own. The needles are imported from Japan and said to be the best. Now your hands will never need to be lazy,” Jet replied, and Linnea
could have sworn he had a tear in his eye but he turned away too quickly for her to tell. She felt a burst of pride for her sisters’ good manners and hoped Jet noticed how well-behaved they were.

Linnea’s Ye Ye cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. He waited for the girls to quiet down so he’d have their full attention.

“So, Jet. Where’s your family on this special day?”

Linnea met Jet’s eyes from across the room. She already knew that his father wasn’t too pleased at all the time he was spending with her. Jet had wanted to be honest with her and they’d discussed the situation after she invited him over. Jet told her to be patient, and that he was working on them. She was sad that his family didn’t want to meet her but she could understand their reluctance to let their son be involved with a girl from the poor side of town. Even if he hadn’t told them she was a scavenger’s daughter, he did mention where she lived and that was enough.

“My father is meeting with his contemplation group today. They follow the old ways and will be spending time under the trees until dark, drinking rice wine and smoking. My mother was napping when I left. We just returned from our family visits yesterday. I couldn’t wait to get back to see Linnea and meet all of you. And I want to thank you for allowing me to join your celebration and giving me the joy of seeing your girls smile at my humble gifts.”

Her grandfather nodded but Linnea could tell he knew there was something Jet wasn’t saying. Ye Ye was a smart man and it was rare to get anything past him. She hoped he wouldn’t question Jet too much in front of the rest of the family, and she held her breath as he started to speak again.

“So what do you do, Jet? For a living, I mean.”

Linnea could see Jet swallow hard and could almost hear the blood pounding in his ears from where she sat. She knew he was dreading this question. They’d discussed her Ye Ye’s aversion to positions of power, and how it was a touchy subject.

“I—uh—I graduated from the University of Shanghai a few years ago and now I’m doing an internship at my father’s office. My goal is to one day
do something to help the people, possibly in welfare reform—but I, uh, might have to be elected to an official position to do it.”

Benfu nodded slowly, and Linnea’s heart felt like it would pound out of her chest. Finally he spoke.

“Well, I don’t know about you, Jet, but I want some red paper lanterns to hang outside beside all the girly flowers they’re making. How about it? You up to helping an old man trace and cut?”

Linnea breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t going to give Jet an inquisition and maybe he wouldn’t find out that Jet’s father was an official. At least not until after the festival.

“Absolutely!” Jet answered, pulling a beautiful leather sketchbook from his box and jumping to his feet. “But only if you promise to tell me some stories about the Red Guards later.”

As he crossed the room to come to her, Linnea saw a bundle of red envelopes poking out of his front pocket. She shook her head in amazement. He’d thought of everything and saved their spring festival.

He handed her the sketchbook and took a step back. “Linnea, a true designer needs a real portfolio. This is for you.”

Linnea held the book in her hands and couldn’t speak. It was the nicest thing she had ever owned, and all she could think about was opening it and filling it with all the ideas floating around in her head.

Benfu broke the moment. “I’ll tell you about those Red Guards—if you’re sure you can handle a few horror stories.”

Nai Nai called out from the kitchen cove. “Good. You men keep yourselves busy while Linnea and I get this meal ready. We don’t need you underfoot anyway.”

With that Linnea joined Nai Nai back at the small stovetop. Her pork was simmering and it was time to drop the dumplings. She looked over at her Ye Ye and he gave her a wink of approval. She smiled and thought how happy she was in this moment—happier than she’d ever thought possible.

Benfu leaned back in the rocking chair and crossed his arms over his too-full belly. They’d finally finished eating and all of them except the designated dish-washing crew, Calli and Peony, sat around the living room. The other girls lay scattered around the floor, tracing and cutting out paper lanterns and dragons. Even Jasmine had dragged her paper across the room and knelt at his feet as she cut out the flower Linnea had sketched for her. Maggi perched on her bench, knitting with her new needles. Poppy lay in her cradle, entertaining herself with her own fingers.

It hadn’t gotten past Benfu that Jet and Linnea sat side by side on the floor, leaning against the edge of the bed. They were close but not brave enough to touch in front of everyone. He still watched them closely. He wasn’t happy about the boy’s aspirations to work in the government sector but he wasn’t going to ruin a good day by dissecting it. He’d let it go for another time, when he could talk to Linnea about it alone.

“Calli, you and the girls made a mighty fine meal. I thought I’d died and gone to the afterworld when I tasted those dumplings.”

Calli waved her dish towel in his direction. “Oh shush with you, Benfu. They weren’t that special.” She went back to drying and stacking bowls on the counter, a satisfied grin on her face.

“Ye Ye, you promised to tell us a Red Guard story,” Linnea said.

Benfu began rocking back and forth. He thought it was important his daughters hear the real truth about the Cultural Revolution, and not the fairy tales they would be taught in school. “I just might. But who can tell me what a Red Guard is?”

Peony moved quickly from her station in front of the dishpan of soapy water. She jumped up and down excitedly.

“I can, Ye Ye! I can. The Red Guards were students that followed Mao Zedong and did anything he wanted.”

Benfu nodded. “Yes, you are right Peony, except it started out only as students but later even peasants and factory workers joined up. Ivy, can you tell me what the Red Guards set out to do?”

Ivy looked up from her red paper. “To get rid of all the old stuff and make way for a new China.”

Benfu nodded again and looked at Linnea and Jet. Jet’s face was impassive. Benfu didn’t know what the boy thought about the Red Guards but supposed it might be a good time to test the boy’s character by judging his reaction to the story.

“That is true, Ivy. That is true. They wanted to rid China of the Four Olds and that was their biggest mistake,” Benfu said. “They planned to erase China’s culture and customs and make a new way of living. But Mao’s strategy turned into a vendetta of violence that wreaked havoc on our history. They destroyed antiques, books, and even famous works of art in their quest for a new, redder China!”

Jet nodded but still kept silent.

“Didn’t they also kill people, Ye Ye?” Lily asked, her eyes staring blankly ahead.

Benfu took a moment to answer. The girls knew a lot about the Cultural Revolution but not so much about how it had affected him personally.

“Yes, Lily. They beat and sometimes killed innocent people they considered counter-revolutionaries. They went after anyone with any wealth, power, or education—especially teachers and professors. The lucky ones were sent out to do manual labor and learn new ways of thinking from the peasants. But even they suffered from abuse and starvation. The unlucky ones were beaten, humiliated, and sometimes even tortured.”