Today is Xiao Nian’s death anniversary. Mama took me to her grave for the first time.
Mama says I’m her little daughter, and Xiao Nian is her big daughter, so I should call her “Big Sister.”
Xiao Nian’s grave is on a high hill, overlooking the park where I used to roam.
I wonder if Xiao Nian ever looked down and saw me from here.
Mama talked to Xiao Nian, and I meowed along.
On our way down, we met an old man with a goatee selling trinkets.
He stopped Mama, offering a free fortune.
I tugged at Mama’s sleeve, meowing.
“Let’s go, Mama. He looks like a scammer!”
The man just smiled and tapped my nose.
“Past causes, present fate. Cherish your reunion.”
I didn’t understand his fancy words.
But Mama suddenly got emotional, her voice trembling.
“Sir, what do you mean?
“Is it… what I think it is?”
The old man replied, “Take good care of your daughter. She suffered a lot to find you.”
Then he packed up and left.
Mama sat on the steps, stroking the triangle-shaped gray patch on my face, and cried.
“Xiao Nian, my Nian Nian.”
Stupid old man! He made Mama cry.
If he hadn’t left so fast, I would’ve shown him my claws.
On the way home, we passed the park where I used to live.
I jumped out of Mama’s arms and called my old friends.
“Meow—meow—”
Big Yellow came out, followed by Big Orange and Little Spots—all grown up now.
Big Yellow recognized me first. “Well, well, Broomhead, I thought you were dead.”
Big Orange ran up, excited. “Scar! Scar! I missed you, Scar!”
Hmph. One calls me Broomhead, the other Scar.
How rude.
I jumped onto a flower bed and announced, “I’m not Broomhead or Scar anymore.
“Mama gave me a new name.
“My name is Nian Nian.”
Nian Nian. Remembering Xiao Nian
END
Chapter 09
Epilogue