Explore Chapter 18 of "牛天赐传" with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
Tianci was walking alone on the street. The crescent moon had just appeared, curved like a sickle, and also like a bow. He thought of the days after his father's death. His mother had changed, Nanny Ji had left, and Sihu had gone too. The house felt empty, left with only him and his mother. Mother was no longer as formidable as before; she sighed all day and sometimes cried. Tianci felt bad, but didn't know what to do.
His mother told him to learn a trade, saying, "Your father left some property, and someone has to manage it. You've studied for a few years; it's time you learned to do business." Tianci didn't want to go. He hated the smells in those shops and the sound of abacuses. He loved freedom, and like Teacher Wang said, he wanted to go see the boundless apple blossoms. But he dared not disobey his mother, so he had to agree.
The next day, Tianci put on new clothes and went to the shop to see the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper was a thin old man who spoke slowly. He taught Tianci to read account books and use the abacus. Tianci was absent-minded. He flicked the abacus beads a few times, but his eyes were fixed on the window. Outside the window stood an old locust tree, with a sparrow hopping on it. He remembered catching sparrows with Sihu when they were young, and his heart ached.
After just a few days, Tianci didn't want to go anymore. He sneaked back home. His mother asked him what was wrong, and he said, "I don't want to learn a trade. I want to go to Yantai to see the apple blossoms!" His mother was so angry that she trembled and scolded him for being good-for-nothing. Tianci didn't say a word, but he had made up his mind. While his mother took a nap, he quietly packed a few clothes, pocketed a few copper coins, and went out.
The street was quiet. The crescent moon hung in the sky, cold and desolate. Tianci walked towards the outskirts of the city. He felt a little scared but also exhilarated. He remembered what Sihu had said: "A real man leaves decisively; don't be a coward." He straightened his chest and quickened his pace. Outside the city gate lay a vast field of crops. The wind rustled the corn leaves. He felt a little hungry, took out the copper coins, and thought about buying a sesame cake, but he couldn't bear to spend them.
At a fork in the road, he saw an old man selling pears. The old man sat under a tree, guarding a basket of pears. Seeing Tianci, he smiled and said, "Child, where are you going so late?" Tianci said, "I want to go to Yantai." The old man shook his head. "Yantai is far away. You can't go there alone. Here, have a pear." Tianci took the pear and took a bite. It was crisp and sweet. The old man asked about his background, and Tianci told him everything. The old man sighed. "You're just like me when I was young, restless at heart. But it's not easy to make your own way in this world. Go back home first, talk nicely to your mother, and go out when you're grown up."
Tianci didn't listen and kept walking. He hadn't gone far when it got dark. He felt scared. The crescent moon hid behind the clouds, and everything was pitch black. He crouched by the roadside, not daring to move. Suddenly, he heard footsteps. He turned around and saw the old man selling pears. The old man carried a lantern and said, "I knew you would be scared. Come on, go back with me. I'll take you home tomorrow." For some reason, Tianci's tears fell. He followed the old man back to the city.
The next day, the old man took Tianci home. When his mother saw him, she was both angry and delighted. She held him and cried. Tianci never again mentioned going to Yantai. He dutifully went to the shop to learn the trade. But in his heart, he always remembered that crescent moon, curved like a sickle, cutting at his heart.