A Slight Smile is Very Charming

Side Story 5: The brothers’ moonlight before the bed

Teaching Ming Cong to recite poetry.

“The moonlight shining brightly before my bed, makes the floor looks covered with frost, when I raise my head I see the moon, and when I lower my head I think of home.” (Li Bai/Bo poem)

Even though Cong Cong gets it as soon as he is taught, Wei Wei feels that children will forget easily, so she teaches it again the next day. On the third day, Wei Wei continues to review it with him, “The moonlight shining brightly before my bed…”

Cong Cong solemnly asks, “Mommy, is this the only poem you know? Grandma and Grandpa (paternal) know many poems.”

Ashamed, Wei Wei says, “Mommy studied the sciences…call your daddy over to teach you…”

Having been disdained by her son, Wei Wei, emotionally, goes into the study to find her husband and throws down the poetry anthology in her hands to him, “You go teach. The genes in your family is too bullying…”

The Daddy, who has been driven away from the study, goes to sit down next to his son. He looks at the book in his hands: the “One Hundred Poems for Teaching Children.” All the poems inside are very easy and simple. Xiao Nai flips through it a bit and then throws the book aside, picks up his son, and casually picks a poem to teach him:

“A white jade capital in the heavens, like the five towers and twelve gates……”

It is also the great Li Bai’s poem, the poem is called “Thankful to the emperor at the end of this chaotic world, reminiscing on my times here, a poem for Prefect Wei Liang Zai of Jiangxia” (roughly)…the name is long, and the entire poem is even longer…Little Cong Cong is at a loss. A certain someone does not feel that bullying his son is shameful, and pats his little head with satisfaction, “In the future, don’t bully Daddy’s wife.”

Kindergarten Teacher Wang likes Cong Cong a lot and teases him to speak, “Cong Cong can recite poetry?”

Cong Cong, “Yes.”

“What poems can you recited?”

Cong Cong turns his head, “All of them.”

The teacher is speechless, “Then what is Cong Cong’s favorite poem?”

Cong Cong recites mindlessly as he plays with the little train, “The moonlight shining brightly before my bed, makes the floor looks covered with frost, when I raise my head I see the moon, and when I lower my head I think of home.”

The teacher didn’t think he could recite it so fluently, and asks in pleasant surprise, “Why does Cong Cong like this poem?”

Cong Cong raises his head, and says loud and clear, “Because younger brother is moonlight!”

The teacher is at a loss, what are you saying Cong Cong…

Very soon the kindergarten is about to hold parent-teacher conferences and the teachers need to plan a program to show parents the results of the education. The program that Teacher Wang signed up for was for Baby Xiao to recite poetry.

The kindergarten principal tests the quality of the program in advance and is very satisfied with Cong Cong’s poem recitation. Seeing the principal being pleased, the teachers proceeds to show off something else, “He even understands what this poem means.”

“Really?” The principal is very surprised and asks Cong Cong, “Cong Cong, then what does ‘The moonlight shining brightly before my bed’ mean?”

Piling up his building blocks, Cong Cong, with his baby voice and energy, answers with certainty, “Younger brother who’s at the foot of the bed is not wearing a shirt or pants!” (‘Ming Yue’ is the name of his younger brother and ‘Guan’ can be used to mean light or empty/used up/naked)

Teacher, “…”

Principal, “…Sigh, that Teacher Wang…”

The teacher becomes emotional, he was still clearly saying that the moonlight shone at the foot of the bed, yesterday!!! How did it suddenly become such a restricted answer?!!!

Alas, Teacher…those with the surname Xiao will invariably be formidable from young to old.