In Saigon, Vietnam in 1951, a 10-year-old country girl Xiaomei, after walking all day, finally found the family where she was a maid, and after the hostess opened the door, she handed Xiaomei to the housekeeper and settled her to sleep, and Xiaomei's life, from the time he stepped into this house, has been quietly changing.
This family sells cloth for a living, by the hostess full management, the old man is a music lover, the attitude towards her is very cold, after serving her husband to drink tea, the hostess also has to go upstairs to settle the old lady to sleep, this family only the eldest son Ah Zhong, who also likes music, and the old man can still have a little common language.
The next morning, Xiaomei was woken up by the birds outside, although the first day can not get up early, but she did not continue to sleep, but looked at the housekeeper who washed the green papaya, lying by the window to look out, a look of novelty looked at the outside of the green, green papaya milky juice, dripping onto the leaves, Xiaomei could not help but show a happy smile.
Xiaomei who first arrived at the owner's house
At noon, the housekeeper who prepared lunch for the host, in teaching Xiaomei to cook, and they only want to eat differently, the big family should pay attention to the color and fragrance, Xiaomei learned very seriously, and helped to serve the dishes to the table with her hands and feet, and then, Xiaomei, in accordance with the hostess's instructions, did not forget to prepare a meal for the old lady upstairs, when she turned around, the photo of the deceased in the family attracted Xiaomei's attention, and the remains of one of the little girls, Xiaomei couldn't help but look at it for a long time.
At this time, a spirited teenager came in outside, he was a good friend of the young master Ah Zhong, Ah Quan, the two were about to go out to dinner, xiao Mei who walked down the stairs, suddenly fell in love with Ah Quan, stared at his back, and couldn't help but look at him for a long time.
In the hot afternoon, the old man talked about musical instruments, the third young master slept on the nap, the second young master used wax oil to play with the ants on the ground, read the book, different from the comfortable pleasure of the men in the family, the hostess was busy in the shop, and Xiao Mei was wiping the floor, the third young master who could not sleep, very naughty and mischievous, he stared straight at Xiao Mei, and then tried to kick down the bucket, helplessly too small, after being reprimanded by the second brother, he threw it away.
I'm working in the summer
This box in the cabinet, containing the hostess's jewelry and money, every day after closing, she will put the money in and lock it, from the mouth of the housekeeper, Xiaomei gradually began to understand the family, the relationship between the old man and the hostess is not good, so often take the money from home, run away from home, the hostess not only has no complaints, but also painstakingly supports the family.
7 years ago, the old man who left home did not leave a penny for the family, it just so happened that the youngest daughter Ah Tao was seriously ill at this time, because there was no money to see a doctor, and finally died of illness, ironically, the next day the old man came back, the old man was ashamed of Ah Tao's death, he never went out again, before she saw the girl's photo, it was Ah Tao, the old lady did not go downstairs anymore, ate and prayed every day, prayed all day, and atonement for her son.
If Ah Tao is still alive, she should be about the same age as Xiaomei, and it is precisely because she saw the shadow of her daughter from her, and the hostess looked at Xiaomei's eyes, full of kindness and pity, and proposed that she could go home every three months to see her mother.
On this day, Xiaomei, who was busy, was stopped by an old master, who claimed to be surnamed Tang, asked her about the situation of the old lady, and after learning that she was very good, Uncle Tang's face smiled and blossomed, and he thanked Xiaomei and left in a hurry.
At night, the old man claimed to go out to blow the wind, walked out of the house, the hostess did not forget to remind, remember to go home before the curfew, but this time, the old man once again ran away from home, woke up in the early morning, found that the old man did not come back, the hostess hurriedly opened the box, and sure enough, the inside was already empty.
She came to Xiaomei's bed, quietly looking at her sleeping, xiaomei in the dream, still murmuring to her mother, but did not know that the hostess next to the bed, has long been in tears, the next morning, the housekeeper found that the hostess was busy in the kitchen, she called the housekeeper to the side, learned that the remaining rice can still eat for four or five days, took out the only remaining money, told her to buy vegetables these days to save some flowers, although it was not explicitly said, but the housekeeper had guessed, came to tell Xiaomei, the old man ran with the money again.
At this time, the second young master, just came out of the toilet next to him, angrily staring at the housekeeper, he hated others to say that his father, the house leaked in the overnight rain, today's cloth line did not have anyone to buy cloth, the housekeeper added more salt to the dish, so that he could eat more and eat less vegetables, the third young master who took the lead in moving chopsticks, was salty and spit out the dish, the second young master of course knew why, he ate the next dish silently, and the third young master could only eat hard scalp.
Xiaomei likes to observe small animals, ants on the ground, toads in the pool, and secretly in the tank, raising two crickets, this day, Uncle Tang came again, and brought food to Xiaomei, still the same as last time, just want to make sure that the old lady is doing well.
Observe the crickets
Business was getting worse and worse, only two bales of cotton thread were sold a day, and in order to save money, the housekeeper opened up a small piece of land to grow vegetables, and Xiaomei helped to water it.
At night, the second young master heard a movement upstairs, quietly climbed up to eavesdrop, the room heard the old lady's scolding of the hostess, at the beginning he knew that the son and her, will not be happy, the hostess is silent, always silently doing things, simply do not know how to please the husband, please him, hearing here, the hostess covered her face and cried, looking at the mother's trembling crying, the second young master also could not help but shed tears, at this moment he also finally understood that he has been working hard to maintain the father, how desperate.
Xiaomei picked a green papaya, according to the instructions of the housekeeper, cut into shreds and stir-fried, also a dish, the rest of the part was originally to be thrown away, but curious Xiaomei, or could not help but break open and look, it was full of white tender and unripe white seeds.
Follow the housekeeper to make green papaya
The man never came back, the third young master missed his father, could not help wiping tears, the second young master also ran away without a word, hiding in the corner crying, the hostess who was almost out of breath by the burden of life, he could only accompany him to cry silently, finally, the cloth shop sold a few pieces of cloth, solving the urgent need of the family, the rice tank was no longer empty, and the dishes at night were more fish and meat.
From the mouth of the housekeeper, I learned that Ah Quan would come to dinner at night, and Xiao Mei, who had just opened her heart, deliberately changed into the most beautiful clothes before serving dishes, and Ah Quan's unintentional glance also made Xiao Mei excited for a long time.
Uncle Tang came again, and talked about his past with the old lady, originally they were young plum bamboo horses, the old lady was promised to others, after giving birth to the male master, the old lady died, but the old lady who was widowed early, but still did not have the courage to look for Uncle Tang again, nevertheless, Uncle Tang still looked at her from afar for many years, where the old lady moved, where Uncle Tang followed.
7 years ago, the old lady never went out again, although from Xiaomei knew that she was still fine, but Uncle Tang still hoped to see her again, but did not want the old lady to see herself, the clever Xiaomei thought of a way, she let Uncle Tang climb the stairs when the old lady was chanting, so that she could see her from behind.
Although it has been too old, but seeing the lover in front of him, Uncle Tang still showed a juvenile smile, one day, when Xiaomei was wiping the vase, because of the prank of the Third Young Master, she was frightened by the lizards in the vase, Xiaomei lost her hand and broke the vase, and the single hostess just touched her head and told the timid Xiaomei that it didn't matter.
The housekeeper told Xiaomei that the hostess liked these the most, they were all valuable antiques, the kind that the poor could not afford to buy in their lifetime, and when she heard this, Xiaomei blamed herself and wiped her tears.
Finally one day, the old man returned, but he was seriously ill, and the mistress who could not cry did not complain about him, and began to raise funds non-stop, treated him, and had to sell her favorite vase, but the vase that was originally valuable, because there was only one left, the value was greatly discounted, and the hostess had no choice but to sell it at a low price. Smashing pots and selling iron, she invited the best doctor for her husband, and invited a band to play his favorite music for him, but despite this, the old man was still powerless to return to heaven, and the hostess was even more sad and fainted on the ground.
Fast forward ten years have passed, Xiaomei has been out of the woods, after the old lady died, the hostess moved upstairs, the eldest young master has long been married, with a wife, the second young master and the third young master went outside to break in, now they have fallen in the middle of the family, can no longer pay the salary, the hostess plans to let Xiao Mei go to Ah Quan's house as a maid.
In the past ten years, Xiaomei in her eyes, has been like a daughter-like existence, she took out the clothes and jewelry prepared for her daughter many years ago, gave it to Xiaomei, as if marrying a daughter, Xiaomei has long been with the hostess with the same mother and daughter, really reluctant to leave, lying on her legs, constantly sobbing, the hostess has actually always hoped that the second young master can marry Xiaomei, so that she can be her daughter in a bright and upright way, and now, these can not be realized.
Packing up her luggage, Xiaomei looked at the corners and corners of this house, as if to remember everything here, and the hostess upstairs watched her every move, and finally couldn't help but lie on the bed and cry bitterly.
Ah Quan, is also a rich child who loves music, the family situation is obviously superior to the hostess's family, he lives alone, he also needs someone to take care of, every day, Xiaomei will serve ah Quan carefully prepared meals, self-aware of her low status, she will never take the initiative to disturb Ah Quan.
Ah Quan, who is not small in age, has a rich family's fiancée, this is a lively and cheerful girl, every time she comes, the home is always filled with the happy laughter of the two, Xiao Mei is also very sensible, and will wait until they leave the house, will come in to clean up, Ah Quan's shirt button is off, will be intimately sewn for him in time.
On this day, Xiaomei saw a high heel, the instinct of women to love beauty, let her want to try, hesitated, or ran away, a lipstick rolled out from under the pillow, Xiaomei looked at it curiously, and then put it in the dresser drawer.
On this day Ah Quan was not at home, Xiao Mei turned out the hostess to send her own clothes, changed into a dress of Xiao Mei, the value of the face suddenly rose several steps, thinking that it seemed to be something worse, Xiao Mei opened the drawer of the dresser, at this time she saw several pictures of Ah Quan, as if it was whose face, did not think too much, Xiao Mei carefully painted lipstick on the mirror.
As everyone knows, Ah Quan actually came back early, standing at the door, he also thought that there was a stranger at home, and when he crept closer, he found that it was Xiao Mei, four eyes facing each other, Xiao Mei panicked and put away the lipstick, hiding, this is the first time Ah Quan saw, so different Xiao Mei, he quietly looked for the place where Xiao Mei hid, Xiao Mei behind the wall, also thought that Ah Quan had left, just ready to leave, was startled by Ah Quan in front of him, embarrassed by the two, left in a hurry.
Since seeing Xiao Mei like this, Ah Quan's heart can no longer calm down, and her attitude towards her fiancée has gradually cooled down, sensing that something is wrong with her fiancée, pretending to leave, who knows that in the pouring rain, Ah Quan did not chase out, and she was sad and ran away crying.
In the dead of night, Ah Quan's portraits are more and more, he began to wander at the door of Xiaomei's room, after hesitating repeatedly, he still pushed the door and walked in, and closed the door with his backhand, his fiancée finally knew the fact that he was abandoned, and after venting freely, he left the engagement ring, and in the days that followed, Ah Quan began to teach Xiaomei to recognize words and learn, Xiaomei learned very seriously, and Ah Quan also taught very carefully.
Ah Quan taught Xiaomei to read
Soon after, Xiaomei became pregnant and became Ah Quan's wife.