5.5" Shan (HA0032A)

It was a normal school day, Ten Ping got ready as usual and was about to set off to school with her brother Shan. Upon her dismay she found her brother Shan crying cross-legged with fists bumping to the ground in the living room. Grandma stood beside him and tried to tug Shan off the ground.

“Shan, you need to get up to go to school. You cannot just stay in bed because you want to sleep!” Bickered Grandma.
Shan did not respond but continued to cry even louder.

“Shan, if you don’t go to school, you will not become successful in life, you cannot be great like our president. And you are going to disappoint your parents.” Bickered Grandma even further.
Shan did not respond and continued crying.

“You know what, I’m done being nice, I think it is time for some punishment, let me get my cane” said Grandma. She entered her bedroom to search for her cane.

Upon this predicament, Ten Ping quickly ran out and carried Shan out of the house.

Ten Ping carried Shan for a few streets before she put Shan back on the floor and gasped for breath.

Shan stopped with watery eyes and looked at her sister.

“Big sis, I don’t want to go to school today.”
Ten Ping already had her answer ready. She crouched down until her head was at the same level as Shan and kindly said.

“That is fine, little brother. You don’t have to go to school today. But hey, we have some free time to ourselves, shall we play a little game?”
Shan’s eyes widened with interest.

“What game sis, what game?” Said Shan quickly.

“We shall go to the nearby fruit cart ran by the old Cho. We need to buy some fruits home for tonight. But the game here is that I will choose 3 fruits for you to name, and if you name them all correctly, I will give you a sugar gourd tonight.”

Sugar gourd was Shan’s favorite candy, and Shan nodded his head quickly.
Shan and Ten Ping arrived at Cho’s fruit cart. Cho was a friendly old man in his 80s, he didn’t talk much ask he lost most of his teeth already, but he had always been kind to Ten Ping, and his fruits had always been delicious and reasonably priced.

Ten Ping waved a hearty hi to Cho, and wasted no time in picking fruits for Shan to guess.

Ten Ping held out an orange to Shan, in which Shan quickly shouted.
“Orange!”

Ten Ping then chose an apple and held it out to Shan, and Shan quickly replied once again, “Apple!”

Ten Ping then chose a fruit he knew Shan did not know of. She held out a grapefruit to Shan.

Shan’s smile faltered at once, and started scratching his head for an answer.

“Yellow-orange?” Shan tested,

“No,” replied Ten Ping.

Shan continued to scratch his head for an answer while his eyes look imploringly at Ten Ping. The sugar gourd prize was too much of a prize to give up.

“If you don’t remember, why don’t you go ask others what it is?” asked Ten Ping.

Shan’s eyes lightened up, he looked around and found Cho. His mouth was about to open up when Ten Ping interrupted.

“No, you cannot ask Cho, that’s too easy.”

Shan faltered and continued to look around again, there was no one around them.

“Is there anyone you know who would know what the name is for this fruit?” asked Ten Ping.

Shan thought for a moment, and then exclaimed “grandma!”

“Well, we cannot go back to grandma correct? She is still angry at you. Is there anyone else?”

Shan thought for a moment, and then exclaimed “Miss Chow!” Miss Chow was Shan’s teacher at pre-school

Ten Ping gave a big smile as she achieved her purpose. “Alright, why don’t you go ask Miss Chow, and when you know the answer, I will give you the sugar gourd right away.”

Shan nodded happily and started walking towards the school.