Chinese Cinderella: Chapter 9: Chinese New Year Summary & Analysis

Chinese New Year is one of the most anticipated times of the year, enjoyed by both children and adults. The most important tradition of the holiday is the gifting of a new set of clothes, which symbolizes “a new beginning.” Although Niang’s own children received fancy, Western-style clothing in the latest fashion, the stepchildren are all given traditional, outdated robes. Adeline simply receives a brown smock.

The stepchildren are enraged at the inequality, complaining amongst each other that they are only allowed a couple meals a day of cheap food, while Niang’s children are given all sorts of snacks whenever they want and constantly are seen throwing their leftovers to Father’s German Shepherd. Niang has also hired a nanny, Miss Chien, who seems to be spying on the stepchildren and blaming them for things they have not done. As a result, Father whips his children, even though they are innocent.

In one of the third-floor rooms, Big Sister insists that they should organize a resistance. The stepchildren fight over how to go about this, finally settling on the idea that Big Sister will write Father an anonymous letter in Chinese—which Niang cannot read—to explain their grievances.

As they are doing this, Third Brother opens the door and steps outside, finding Niang with her ear pressed against the door, listening to the conspiracy. Third Brother is too terrified to make a sound, and Niang threatens him to keep quiet. Third Brother continues to the bathroom, so terrified that he vomits multiple times. When he returns, Niang is no longer at the door, listening. He tells his siblings what happened, and they all expect retribution. However, Niang seems even more polite that evening at dinner, seemingly enjoying the “cat-and-mouse game” and the dread her stepchildren feel.

Rather than strike back, Niang breaks up the resistance by bribing Big Sister into aligning with her, offering her a luxurious room on the second floor. Big Sister distances herself from the other stepchildren and begins spying on her siblings like Miss Chien, with whom she becomes friends. Soon, she is acting much like Niang, condescending and cruel. The other stepchildren despise Big Sister for this and immediately distrust her. However, with their leader having defected to Niang’s side of the struggle, their resistance falls apart.

Adeline grows closer to Aunt Baba and their shared room becomes a place of safety for her. She knows that Niang hates both of them and that Aunt Baba is in a strange and terrible position, having to always be weary and submissive, despite being much older than Niang. Though this pains Adeline, she is unable to speak about it—it is too painful and she lacks the words.

Adeline strives to please Aunt Baba through excelling in her academics. By the time she is seven and in second grade, her classmates nickname her “Genius.” After Adeline’s teacher praises an essay she writes about her friendship with Aunt Baba, Adeline becomes enamored with story-writing. She discovers that she can rewrite herself as a courageous warrior, rather than a “lonely little girl bullied by her siblings.”

Adeline suspects that, despite her academic prowess and skill as a storyteller, her classmates think she is “pathetic” in some way. Her clothing is old and never fits, her haircut is archaic, and no family members ever visit to support her when she wins awards. Adeline is “desperate” to appear normal and convince everyone else that she has a loving family rather than reveal the truth: her family resents her and Niang makes her feel worthless and ugly. This becomes a great burden for Adeline, filling her with self-loathing and anxiety. She can see no way out, except for the dim hope that if she studies as hard as possible and tries to act right, her parents might someday love her.