Her heart sank. She knew something was wrong.
But she didn't panic. Instead, she quietly put the candy back on the table and tiptoed over to the aunts.
"You must be tired, Aunties! Your shoulders must be sore after standing all day. Here, let Shanshan give you a massage."
With that, she reached out her chubby little hands and gently placed them on the nearest aunt's shoulders.
Hearing this, the hearts of the several aunts who didn't have daughters simply melted.
One of them, Aunt Yang, even felt her eyes redden as she looked down at Shanshan.
She worked away from home year-round, while her daughter lived with her in-laws. She only saw her a few times a year.
Another one, Aunt Zhang, couldn't resist reaching out to caress Shanshan's cheek.
"Oh, my. This child is more thoughtful than our own daughters."
They couldn't help but wonder.
'Are we being too selfish?'
'How could such a well-behaved little girl have such a petty mind?'
'How old is Shanshan, anyway?'
