Chapter 9: Wind of Change
"Stupid, stupid Dao Ming Shi. Who does he think he is? If he can't say nice things to other people, he better shut his mouth up. I can't believe I just accept him as my friend! I'm going to... What the? Mom, dad, what is going on here?" she asked, shocking to see that her parents are packing their clothes and some of the things in their house.
"Shan Chai, you're here! Guess what? Your dad has been promoted as the new assistant store manager but. it's not here. We have to move to Yunlin. They are going to open up a new store there. That is why we're packing," her mom explained, still folding her clothes and put it inside the big bag in front of her.
"Really? Yay! I'll go and pack now," Shan Chai happily answered back, hurrying to her bedroom to start on packing.
Her father and mother stopped packing and looked at each other. Her father nodded his head to his mother who wore a worried face. Shan Chai saw the whole act and felt something was wrong.
She doesn't like the look on her father and mother's expression. Looking back at Shan Chai, her mother said, with a low, sad tone, "Honey, you have to stay here and finish your study at Ying De."
"But mom, I don't want to. I want to follow you. I don't want to be left behind. I'll be all alone. Where will I stay?" she protested, tears started to fill her eyes.
Her mom stood up and hugged her. Both were crying and hugging, while her father looked up and wiped his eyes. The mother and daughter scene was too depressing. Finally, Shan Chai's mother broke loose and put both her hands on Shan Chai's face.
"It's not that we were thrilled to finally get rid of you, you know," her mother said, smiling. Shan Chai and her father chuckled by the joke her mother just told.
Her father stood up as well and joined the two. Hugging both of them, he said, "You both are the most special and important woman in my love. I can't bear to lose any of you." Kissing Shan Chai's forehead, Shan Chai added, "Especially mother, right?"
Her father looked over to the mother and smiled. "Yes, especially your mother. Shan Chai, we really would want you to come along with us, but your mother and I have sacrificed so much so that you could study at Ying De and get the best education. We just don't want it to go to waste just like that. You do understand our intention right? And, you'd be staying here. I will bank-in the rent into the landlord's account. Don't worry about it, okay. I will also bank-in your college fees and allowance every month. You only have to think about your studies and.."
Her mother but in, "Finding a rich boyfriend. Go and pursue that Hua Zhe Lei. Show off your charms and win his heart. Then, we all will be rich and live happily with money."
She looked at her mother with wide-eyed. "Mother! Thinking again, I think it is best for you to leave me alone. I can't stand hearing your nag about rich boys. I'm your daughter, not your ticket to wealth."
"Now, that's my Shan Chai. Take care of yourself here, okay. Now, help us pack. We have to leave tomorrow morning with the moving lorry," her mother told, holding Shan Chai's hands. ~~*~~*~~
He drove his car straight into the garage and not to the main entrance as always. He was tired but at the same time, he has a lot of things going through his mind. Stepping in the house, he glanced to the antic 'Old Ben' at the corner of the hall. 'Emm... it's already 11. I have no idea I've been going around the city for that long. No wonder I'm pretty beat-up. Got to go to sleep.' He was just stepping up the stairs when his butler calls out his name.
"Master Hua Zhe Lei, Madam called at 10 and she wants you to call her back right after you came home. She said it was urgent."
"Very well. Thank you Boon Seng."
'Mother called? They don't usually call me at night. Something important must had happened. Wonder what it could be?' he wonders. Picking up the phone, he called up his mother in Japan.
"Hello, mother? I just came home. What's wrong?"
"Hua Zhe Lei, you have to come to Japan. Your father had a stroke this afternoon and was admitted to the hospital by the doctor. His condition is not that good. I, I'm worried. Please come.," her mother cried out, panicked.
He was shocked to hear the news. His father was a well-fit man and his mother always takes care of his diet. Even though he wasn't in a really good term with his father, since he was always away on business most of his childhood life, but he still respect and love him. Hearing her mother weeping on the phone added the hollow feeling he felt right then.
"Mother, please don't cry. He'll be okay. He is a strong willed man.I'm sure he'll pull through. Don't worry, okay. I'll head to the airport now and take the earliest flight they have. Everything's going to be okay," he assured his mother.
"Okay, son. Please hurry. I'll meet you at the Tokyo hospital. I'll send someone to pick you up at the airport. Bye."
Hanging up the phone, he called out to his butler.
"Boon Seng, my father had a stroke and was hospitalized. I'm going back to Japan now. Take care of the house."
"Yes, Master Hua Zhe Lei. I hope Big Master Hua Zhe will recover soon. We will pray for his health here. Don't worry about the house, just go."
"Thank you, Boon Seng."
Giving orders to the driver, he sat at the back of the car and took his mobile phone out. He looked at the phone.
'Shan Chai, if only you have a phone. I am so sorry. I can't get in touch with you for sometime now. I wish I could tell you about this. Right now, I just hope that you will be okay and not worry about me missing. Oh! Shan Chai.'
Looking out of the window, he remembered back the little times he had spent with his father. He doesn't want to lose him not when they have lost so many of their time being apart. Picking up his phone, he dialed one of the three most familiar numbers in his mobile.
"Hello, Xi Men. I'm flying back to Japan tonight. My father had a stroke. Bye." The short but direct message was saved in Xi Men's voicemail.
'He must be with one of his mei mei,' he assumed. ~~*~~*~~
The uploading task took them about 20-30 minutes time but it felt to her as if it was only 5-10 minutes. She hates having being left behind like this. If possible, she wished the time would stop at that instant. Her mother looked at her. She could see the tears that ran down her cheek.
"Mother, please don't look at me like that and stop crying. You'll make me cry too."
"As if you haven't cried yet.," her mother answered, gently wiping away Shan Chai's tears and hugged her tightly.
While they were hugging each other, another person came and hugged the both of them.
"We have to go now, dear. Shan Chai, can take care of herself. She would be really upset if she sees you off like this. It's not like we cannot be together again. When she's on semester break, she could come over to see us," comfort her father to her mother.
Nodding her head, she let go of her mother and said, "Father's right. It would only be for another three months before my break. I can take care of myself. I'm weed Shan Chai, remember? I wouldn't be defeated that easy. Now go. I love you both and take care of each other, okay?"
She kissed her parents on the cheek and put on a smile. She'll be brave for them. She doesn't want her parents to worry about her. Waving goodbye, she just looked at the lorry, driving out of sight. Closing the door behind her, she slumped to the floor and cried her heart out. She has never been left alone before. Looking around the half empty house, she felt really lonely.
'I'm alone. Father, mother.I'm sorry. I am not that tough. I'm missing you already. I wished I didn't have to go to that stupid college. I don't belong there. I want to be with the two of you. Where ever I study is really not a factor for me. Father, mother..'
She doesn't know how long she squatted on the floor, crying, letting go her sad feelings. She doesn't felt like going to the college today. Nothing seems to care to her at that moment. A knock on the door startled her.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. It's 9.30 in the morning. 'I have been sitting here, crying for 45 minutes. This has to stop! I can't keep on being a cry baby for the whole 3 years I'm studying here. I'm Shan Chai! My parents believe in me, and now it's my turn to believe in myself. I can do this! Wait a minute. someone at the door. Who could that be?'
Wiping her tears, she stood up and opened the door. To her shocked, it was Ah Si standing in front of her.
"Why aren't you ready? I have been waiting for 10 minutes for you to open the door! Stupid woman!"
She was not in the mood to argue with him. "Who asked you to come anyway? Go away! I'm not going to college today!"
She closed the door but something blocked the door from closing. It was Ah Si's foot. She glared at Ah Si.
"What do you think you are doing? I've told you I'm not going to college. Just go away!"
"I'm not going until you tell me the reason. Something's wrong. I can tell. Why does your eyes and nose all red? As if you had been crying all morning. Where's your parent? Why are they okay with you not going to college? Are you sick?" asked Ah Si, concern sounded in his voice.
Hearing the word parent made her broke down. She squatted on the floor again and cried. She doesn't care if Ah Si was looking or not. She thought she was strong about the whole thing but it looked like she was wrong. It would take some time before she could move on, but right now she just want to cry and let all the loneliness pass by her.
Seeing Shan Chai's condition, Ah Si, squatted beside her and hold her in his arm. This would be the most appropriate time for him to shut up. He felt really sorry to see her like that and confused at the same time. 'What did he just said to make her like this?'
"Stupid, stupid Dao Ming Shi. Who does he think he is? If he can't say nice things to other people, he better shut his mouth up. I can't believe I just accept him as my friend! I'm going to... What the? Mom, dad, what is going on here?" she asked, shocking to see that her parents are packing their clothes and some of the things in their house.
"Shan Chai, you're here! Guess what? Your dad has been promoted as the new assistant store manager but. it's not here. We have to move to Yunlin. They are going to open up a new store there. That is why we're packing," her mom explained, still folding her clothes and put it inside the big bag in front of her.
"Really? Yay! I'll go and pack now," Shan Chai happily answered back, hurrying to her bedroom to start on packing.
Her father and mother stopped packing and looked at each other. Her father nodded his head to his mother who wore a worried face. Shan Chai saw the whole act and felt something was wrong.
She doesn't like the look on her father and mother's expression. Looking back at Shan Chai, her mother said, with a low, sad tone, "Honey, you have to stay here and finish your study at Ying De."
"But mom, I don't want to. I want to follow you. I don't want to be left behind. I'll be all alone. Where will I stay?" she protested, tears started to fill her eyes.
Her mom stood up and hugged her. Both were crying and hugging, while her father looked up and wiped his eyes. The mother and daughter scene was too depressing. Finally, Shan Chai's mother broke loose and put both her hands on Shan Chai's face.
"It's not that we were thrilled to finally get rid of you, you know," her mother said, smiling. Shan Chai and her father chuckled by the joke her mother just told.
Her father stood up as well and joined the two. Hugging both of them, he said, "You both are the most special and important woman in my love. I can't bear to lose any of you." Kissing Shan Chai's forehead, Shan Chai added, "Especially mother, right?"
Her father looked over to the mother and smiled. "Yes, especially your mother. Shan Chai, we really would want you to come along with us, but your mother and I have sacrificed so much so that you could study at Ying De and get the best education. We just don't want it to go to waste just like that. You do understand our intention right? And, you'd be staying here. I will bank-in the rent into the landlord's account. Don't worry about it, okay. I will also bank-in your college fees and allowance every month. You only have to think about your studies and.."
Her mother but in, "Finding a rich boyfriend. Go and pursue that Hua Zhe Lei. Show off your charms and win his heart. Then, we all will be rich and live happily with money."
She looked at her mother with wide-eyed. "Mother! Thinking again, I think it is best for you to leave me alone. I can't stand hearing your nag about rich boys. I'm your daughter, not your ticket to wealth."
"Now, that's my Shan Chai. Take care of yourself here, okay. Now, help us pack. We have to leave tomorrow morning with the moving lorry," her mother told, holding Shan Chai's hands. ~~*~~*~~
He drove his car straight into the garage and not to the main entrance as always. He was tired but at the same time, he has a lot of things going through his mind. Stepping in the house, he glanced to the antic 'Old Ben' at the corner of the hall. 'Emm... it's already 11. I have no idea I've been going around the city for that long. No wonder I'm pretty beat-up. Got to go to sleep.' He was just stepping up the stairs when his butler calls out his name.
"Master Hua Zhe Lei, Madam called at 10 and she wants you to call her back right after you came home. She said it was urgent."
"Very well. Thank you Boon Seng."
'Mother called? They don't usually call me at night. Something important must had happened. Wonder what it could be?' he wonders. Picking up the phone, he called up his mother in Japan.
"Hello, mother? I just came home. What's wrong?"
"Hua Zhe Lei, you have to come to Japan. Your father had a stroke this afternoon and was admitted to the hospital by the doctor. His condition is not that good. I, I'm worried. Please come.," her mother cried out, panicked.
He was shocked to hear the news. His father was a well-fit man and his mother always takes care of his diet. Even though he wasn't in a really good term with his father, since he was always away on business most of his childhood life, but he still respect and love him. Hearing her mother weeping on the phone added the hollow feeling he felt right then.
"Mother, please don't cry. He'll be okay. He is a strong willed man.I'm sure he'll pull through. Don't worry, okay. I'll head to the airport now and take the earliest flight they have. Everything's going to be okay," he assured his mother.
"Okay, son. Please hurry. I'll meet you at the Tokyo hospital. I'll send someone to pick you up at the airport. Bye."
Hanging up the phone, he called out to his butler.
"Boon Seng, my father had a stroke and was hospitalized. I'm going back to Japan now. Take care of the house."
"Yes, Master Hua Zhe Lei. I hope Big Master Hua Zhe will recover soon. We will pray for his health here. Don't worry about the house, just go."
"Thank you, Boon Seng."
Giving orders to the driver, he sat at the back of the car and took his mobile phone out. He looked at the phone.
'Shan Chai, if only you have a phone. I am so sorry. I can't get in touch with you for sometime now. I wish I could tell you about this. Right now, I just hope that you will be okay and not worry about me missing. Oh! Shan Chai.'
Looking out of the window, he remembered back the little times he had spent with his father. He doesn't want to lose him not when they have lost so many of their time being apart. Picking up his phone, he dialed one of the three most familiar numbers in his mobile.
"Hello, Xi Men. I'm flying back to Japan tonight. My father had a stroke. Bye." The short but direct message was saved in Xi Men's voicemail.
'He must be with one of his mei mei,' he assumed. ~~*~~*~~
The uploading task took them about 20-30 minutes time but it felt to her as if it was only 5-10 minutes. She hates having being left behind like this. If possible, she wished the time would stop at that instant. Her mother looked at her. She could see the tears that ran down her cheek.
"Mother, please don't look at me like that and stop crying. You'll make me cry too."
"As if you haven't cried yet.," her mother answered, gently wiping away Shan Chai's tears and hugged her tightly.
While they were hugging each other, another person came and hugged the both of them.
"We have to go now, dear. Shan Chai, can take care of herself. She would be really upset if she sees you off like this. It's not like we cannot be together again. When she's on semester break, she could come over to see us," comfort her father to her mother.
Nodding her head, she let go of her mother and said, "Father's right. It would only be for another three months before my break. I can take care of myself. I'm weed Shan Chai, remember? I wouldn't be defeated that easy. Now go. I love you both and take care of each other, okay?"
She kissed her parents on the cheek and put on a smile. She'll be brave for them. She doesn't want her parents to worry about her. Waving goodbye, she just looked at the lorry, driving out of sight. Closing the door behind her, she slumped to the floor and cried her heart out. She has never been left alone before. Looking around the half empty house, she felt really lonely.
'I'm alone. Father, mother.I'm sorry. I am not that tough. I'm missing you already. I wished I didn't have to go to that stupid college. I don't belong there. I want to be with the two of you. Where ever I study is really not a factor for me. Father, mother..'
She doesn't know how long she squatted on the floor, crying, letting go her sad feelings. She doesn't felt like going to the college today. Nothing seems to care to her at that moment. A knock on the door startled her.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. It's 9.30 in the morning. 'I have been sitting here, crying for 45 minutes. This has to stop! I can't keep on being a cry baby for the whole 3 years I'm studying here. I'm Shan Chai! My parents believe in me, and now it's my turn to believe in myself. I can do this! Wait a minute. someone at the door. Who could that be?'
Wiping her tears, she stood up and opened the door. To her shocked, it was Ah Si standing in front of her.
"Why aren't you ready? I have been waiting for 10 minutes for you to open the door! Stupid woman!"
She was not in the mood to argue with him. "Who asked you to come anyway? Go away! I'm not going to college today!"
She closed the door but something blocked the door from closing. It was Ah Si's foot. She glared at Ah Si.
"What do you think you are doing? I've told you I'm not going to college. Just go away!"
"I'm not going until you tell me the reason. Something's wrong. I can tell. Why does your eyes and nose all red? As if you had been crying all morning. Where's your parent? Why are they okay with you not going to college? Are you sick?" asked Ah Si, concern sounded in his voice.
Hearing the word parent made her broke down. She squatted on the floor again and cried. She doesn't care if Ah Si was looking or not. She thought she was strong about the whole thing but it looked like she was wrong. It would take some time before she could move on, but right now she just want to cry and let all the loneliness pass by her.
Seeing Shan Chai's condition, Ah Si, squatted beside her and hold her in his arm. This would be the most appropriate time for him to shut up. He felt really sorry to see her like that and confused at the same time. 'What did he just said to make her like this?'