Explore Chapter 20 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‘s father died, and so did his mother. He became an orphan. Only Nanny Ji and Sihu remained in the house, along with the empty rooms and debts. Mrs. Niu’s family came and took away all the valuables. Tianci did not know what to do. He only felt that the house was empty, and even breathing felt stifling. He remembered his father taking him out to eat apples, and his mother’s strict discipline. Now they were all gone. He sat under the crabapple tree, watching the fallen leaves, feeling as if his heart had been hollowed out.
Nanny Ji and Sihu discussed the matter and decided they needed to find a way out for Tianci quickly. But Tianci was still young and had little education. What could he do? Teacher Wang Baozhai heard about the Niu family’s misfortune and came to help. He saw that Tianci was a thoughtful child, so he suggested that Tianci go with him to Jinan, where he might find some work. Tianci did not want to leave home, but he had no other choice. Sihu slapped his chest and said, “We’ll go together, brother! I’ll protect you!” So Tianci packed a simple bag and left Cloud City, the place that had raised him.
In Jinan, Teacher Wang found him a job as a young apprentice in a shop, learning the trade. Tianci went from being a young master to a laborer, and at first he was very uncomfortable. He served tea and water, swept the floor, and wiped the tables, tiring himself until his back ached. At night, lying on his small, crude bed, he secretly cried. But after crying, he remembered Sihu’s words: “A real man does not whimper.” He gritted his teeth and worked hard the next day. Gradually, he learned to read people’s expressions and to endure hardship. The other shop assistants saw that he was honest and hardworking, and they slowly became kinder to him. Tianci felt as if he had been reborn.
Half a year later, Teacher Wang came to see him again. He noticed that Tianci had lost weight, but there was a new strength in his eyes. Teacher Wang nodded and said, “Tianci, you have grown up.” Tianci smiled, pressing his thin lips together, and said nothing. He knew that he was no longer the pampered young master; he had to rely on himself to survive. He looked up at the sky. It was still so high, so blue, as if waiting for him to soar into it.