One evening, my grandmother and I sat outside the house and talked. Suddenly, we saw a wild dog chasing a little boy from the neighbor's house. I immediately picked up the stones on the ground and threw them at the ferocious dog to drive him away. Grandma smiled and praised my bravery, she said I am grown up and able to protect others. Then, the grandmother asked, "Mei, do you remember when you were little, you were also chased by a dog like that?" "Of course I remember!" I answered. "The dog even bit my face, the scar is still there today! At that time I cried a lot..."
At that time, our village only had a few children,/not many children lived in our village, the very close relationship between neighbors made us all best friends, often playing together. Among us, my brother (Wei) is the most special. He is brave, but also so mischievous that his/her mischief always makes people dizzy/trouble —known as "the naughty one" by the neighbors, and is the "leader/leader" among the children. In my memory, there was a nearby Indian family who kept a big black dog in their backyard. The dog is very fierce, big, with sharp and ferocious eyes, the iron chain around his neck is always ringing/clanging, making anyone who sees him feel horrified.
My grandmother often warned us, "Don't ever go teasing that dog, it will bite people!/then you'll get bitten" Every time grandma told the black dog "stories", her voice became low and soft, as if a dog that can hear it. However, the more forbidden, the more curious we find it interesting and fun to challenge. For our small group of adventurers, grandma's warning was like a challenge, encouraging us to face the dog and "beat him". Especially my brother, the bravest among us,/who never admits to being afraid, doesn't believe grandma's words. Full of confidence, she didn't care and said grandma just wanted to scare us “The black dog is not scary at all!/ The black dog is not that scary! Why don't we try to see?" he said.
One day, my brother gathered us—Guan, Kim, Huan, younger sister (Serene), and me. We quietly approached the backyard of the neighbor's house. The outer gate of the fence was not closed tightly, and through the gap in the fence, we could see the black dog sleeping in its cage. "Look, it's not fierce at all, is it? Not even scary!” my brother whispered. He was at the front, waving his hand at us as he said, "You cowards, don't come!" Everyone obeyed, standing far away and watching the older brother trying to tease the dog, except for me who stubbornly wanted to follow, wanting to prove my courage, "I'm not afraid, I want to follow too! Don't worry, I can run fast!” I said confidently.
"Do you remember when you were little, and a dog chased you like that?" Liling asked, her voice a gentle reminder of the past.
"Of course I remember," Mei replied, her voice tinged with old emotions. "The scar is still here, and I cried a lot back then."
"It takes courage to face your fears, just like you did today," Liling said, squeezing Mei's hand gently.
The bravery of Mei was a reflection of the strength passed down from her grandmother, a legacy of courage and resilience.
Mei looked at the stars, feeling a sense of fulfillment and connection that spanned beyond generations.
"Remember, my dear, bravery is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it," Liling whispered, her words a guiding light for the future.
