5.5" Shan (HA0035A)

“Hey, Gigi, look! I got a huge one!” Shan held up his hand to Gigi with his palms open.

There was a peanut that was the size of Shan’s little palm. Although Shan’s palm is still small, the peanut was still easily the size of a giant wasp.

“Great one!” Smiled Gigi, as Gigi unloaded another basket full of peanut plants.

That day, Gigi, Shan, and Yu Ping were all working in a nearby peanut farm run by farmer Lee. Their job was to harvest and gather the chopped peanut plants; pluck the seeds; wash them and finally lay them out on the ground to dry.

Ten Ping, was supposed to come today; but had to go out of town to find the doctor in another village to come to treat her sick grandmother. In her absence, Ten Ping had Gigi come in her stead.

Gigi, Shan, and Yu Ping spent a whole day harvesting, collecting, plucking washing, and drying the peanuts. It was backbreaking work. Gigi made sure Yu Ping and Shan had the easiest job of plucking the seeds, and spreading the peanuts to dry; while Gigi harvested, collected, and carried basketfuls of peanut plants from the field outside to Yu Ping and Shan who were sitting indoors under the shade.

After the day was over, the trio had harvested and processed many basketfuls of peanuts. But at the end of the day, they disappointedly realized that their compensation for the day’s work was not even enough to buy a pack of peanuts from the local market.

Shan was especially upset.

On the way home, Yu Ping and Shan were visibly exhausted.

Gigi, with her usual cheery personality, tried to cheer the other two up by comparing neighbors they encountered to various fruits on the farms.

Yu Ping was laughing when Gigi compared neighbor Zhou’s belly to a watermelon, when Gigi realized that Shan was lagging purposely behind.

Shan’s little palms were holding onto his belly, which was big and bloated as if he’s pregnant.

Intrigued, Gigi went closer to check. And upon inspection, GiGi found out that Shan had peanuts hidden inside his bib pants around his waist.

Gigi promptly realized that Shan had stolen some of the peanuts they had harvested for farmer Lee.

Standing cross-armed, with an imitation of her teacher Ms. Chow when she’s angry, Gigi towered over Shan demanding an explanation.

“Gigi,” Shan pleaded “It’s fine. We harvested many basketfuls, and I only took two handfuls. No one will notice. And you know grandma is sick, and she loves peanuts. I want to get some for grandma. Maybe, after eating these peanuts, grandma will become well and happy again.”

“Shan.” Gigi said compassionately, a little moved by Shan’s plea, “I know you want to give some to your grandmother. But do you think your grandma would be happy if she knew these peanuts were stolen? You do realize that her symptoms may worsen because she will be disappointed?”

Shan was silent as he lower his head.

Gigi hesitated a little, pondering if it was her place to lecture Shan. Yet Ten Ping’s righteousness crossed through her mind, and she knew she had to have Shan return the peanuts. She had to do it for Ten Ping.

“Yes Shan, we are so poor that we have to skip a few meals every week and purchase overripe vegetables in the market because they are cheaper. But this does not merit us to steal peanuts. Your big sister Ten Ping is right when she always recited the Chinese proverb. “We can be broke, but our souls and integrity should never be broken.”

Hearing this, Shan promptly broke into huge wails; as he rubbed his eyes very hard, his feet stamping the floor; but yet there are no tears.

Gigi knew these reactions all too well, Shan was using his ultimate weapon, crying, in hope that Gigi would sympathize and let him off.

Gigi remained adamant, her face hard as steel. Finally, Gigi issued an ultimatum, “if you don’t return the peanuts right now, I’ll make sure grandma will beat you with a stick.”

Defeated, Shan knew that there was no way out, as he grudgingly conceded to Gigi’s command.

Slowly the trio walked back to farmer Lee’s house. Upon arrival, they found farmer Lee in front of the warehouse, moving baskets of peanuts inside.

“Uncle Lee,” Shan said quietly, “I want to tell you something, but please promise that you won’t be mad. I took some of the peanuts we harvested to give to my sick grandmother. I want her to be happy. But Gigi scolded me and told me what I did was wrong, so I would like to return all the peanuts I took from you and apologize.” Then Shan started crying again, but this time it was genuine. Perhaps Shan was a little frightened of what may happen next.

Farmer Lee, surprised at this news, stared closely at Shan’s face for a moment. Then, without a word, Farmer Lee suddenly turned and went hastily into the warehouse.

Immediately Shan hid behind Gigi and tugged her hand to run away. Shan had expected farmer Lee to come to beat him with a stick.

Gigi hid Shan behind her back and pondered what to do next.

Then, farmer Lee suddenly came out of the warehouse with a sack of peanuts on his shoulders and placed it gently in front of Gigi’s feet.

Then Farmer Lee crouched down to Shan’s height, and said gently “Shan, I appreciate you coming forward to tell me this, that was very brave of you. You know I have 2 children, but none of them are as brave as you. They had always tried to lie their way out of any misdoings.” Farmer Lee said as he shook his head. “If I had disciplined them better in the past, then they wouldn’t be in the state they are now.” Farmer Lee continued, as he let out a long sigh

“Well I think you have a great heart, Shan, I think it is very nice of you to try to take some peanuts to your sick grandmother. But in this world, you should work for what you get, and taking shortcuts would always come back to haunt you eventually at the end. So, you did the right thing in returning these peanuts. But do promise me that you wouldn’t do this kind of stealing again, not anywhere nor to anyone else.” Farmer Lee said, in a firmer tone.

Shan nodded his tiny head in apology.

“But,” farmer Lee continued, “I have a great harvest this year, and you all were of great help today. Take this sack of peanuts and bring it home to your grandmother. You’ve earned it”

Shan couldn’t believe his ears.

Gigi jumped up in the excitement and hugged Farmer Lee, her mouth blurting non-stop “thank you; thank you…..”s,

Yu Ping reacted quickly and tried to grab some peanut from the open sack to eat; when Gigi slapped her hand away and said. “Nah-uh, these are uncooked.”

Shan standing close by, now just happily relieved that he did not get any beating.

That night, the whole family was delighted with an extra plate of stir-fried peanuts on the dinner table.

When Shan told grandma he got the nuts for her after a hard day of work, grandma put up a pleasantly surprised face, perhaps a little too surprised, as Ten Ping snickered at grandma’s poor acting.

Shan looked pleased nonetheless.

After a happy meal, Gigi pulled Ten Ping aside to whisper today’s true encounter to Ten Ping in private, clearly not wanting grandma to find out. It was also then that Gigi learned another truth about Farmer Lee from Ten Ping.

Ten Ping had heard rumors that Farmer Lee’s sons were in serious gambling debts. And to escape from their debtors, the sons ran away from home with most of Farmer Lee’s lifetime savings.