Author Angel Chua
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong'er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Breach of Chasm (05.24.2021 edited)
In a little town, at the heart of the marketplace, a fine young woman is setting up her trades and goods for today's business.
While everyone moved on, engaged, others married, the fine woman remained single and chose to be a nobody to everyone.
An old lady was only her companion as they help each other set up their goods.
They have known each other since they met one fateful night and from there on, the old lady became her beacon to live each day.
One afternoon a man came to deliver a parcel to the old lady and suddenly glued her eyes to the man. He was tall, ordinary, and nobody wearing poor man's clothing, an old tattered, farmer's dress, he exudes a balance of confidence and humbleness, on his eyes, one can define the endless pristine and stormless semblance.
He gave the parcel and bowed to the old lady and left.
The old lady wanting to talk to him more she was not able to help herself, and she called him and said: "Hey, come back here, you forgot to collect the payment."
The humble man came back and again the man was back to the old lady's sight without saying a word; he waited patiently until a sudden rainfall came to shower the entire marketplace.
It was a spring rain, the first rain of the year and suddenly all of the people in the market went into shambles.
The man looking around so cool saw a woman putting some blankets in their dry goods business. Another man was disappointed for the vegetables on display is wet, murmuring on his loss, he tried to save what's left.
Suddenly a fine woman running on her maidservant dress but pretty face turned around when the man saw him, and his world stopped.
The fine-looking woman drenched in the rain, and then she went to cover a little boy who lives in the street and looks like the boy has nowhere to go.
The man watched the fine woman from head to toe and saw her worn out boots, a long dark brown hair and of course her pretty face, shifted to look at her side view.
Far from his distance one cannot really know who is she and what she is doing here but looks like she is a native from this place.
The man wanting to go near them when suddenly the old lady said: "Thank you, would you like to sit down and snack for a while, we have the best ginseng noodle soup in town and also it is my birthday today and maybe you came like an angel and to be part of my special day."
The man looking at the old woman was expressionless but humble when he suddenly said: "Where can I sit and accept the blessing of the old lady?"
His voice was as calm as the waters, but he called the old lady, a response that the old lady did not expect from a simple but stern face.
Nonetheless, the old lady interested she smiled a bit and said: "Well, thank the Qians (means heavens), this good-looking man in front of me will join the celebration in a moment."
Muqin, I am here, look what I got here.
Thank you, sweetie, we have a guest today.
A guest? I never knew you invited someone to your special day.
The old lady and the fine woman came to the dining area and saw a man.
The man was not looking at them and was looking at the soup on the table he gently turns up his face and saw the fine woman.
Their eyes gazed upon each other, and the man held his sight for a little longer than it is supposed to be and the fine woman got it, she frowned at him.
The man suddenly stood as he was stunned at the fine woman and would like to ask her right away, however, the moment went back to coldness, the man couldn't find any words to say.
The man said to himself: "I am sure she saw me."
The man left to his thinking, ruggedly handsome pleasing look, stole a glance from her and he said to the old lady: "It was nice meeting you. I am leaving."
Again, the old lady looking puzzled she said: Why are you leaving so soon? "You did not even start your soup."
The man not wanting to be impolite said: "I have another parcel to deliver, a delay will cause me in trouble."
And the man not wanting to hurt the old lady's birthday he said: "If tomorrow is a good day, I will come and revisit you."
He gave the old lady the kindest look, and the man left without waiting for their reply.
Suddenly the old woman left puzzled was looking back and forth to the fine woman and to the direction where the man went.
The fine woman asked: "What? I didn't do anything."
The old lady said: "You are not going to have a man in your life and will end up and old lady like me if you are going to continue frowning."
The fine woman said: "Why not? I am a fan of yours."
The old lady laughed and said: "I don't believe you are." And then suddenly the fine woman said: "Muqin don't tell me…"
The fine woman put her hands on her mouth so she could stop talking. The old lady on her curious face, somewhat deciphering the hint on her face told her: "Oh, do not even think of it!"
"ha..ha..ha..I never knew you like younger guys half of your age."
And the old lady rebutted to put back the insult to her she said in a daring voice: "I will snatch him if you didn't even notice something in him! Tomorrow, if he is a real man he will come back."
The fine woman did not add more to it and just brushed off the old lady's indiscretion she finally said: "I will change my clothes, I am all wet here and oh this is for you."
The fine woman left her gift at the table.
This is so thoughtful and so sweet of you, said the old lady.
The next day, on the narrow bustling business street, around the corner opened its business as usual and the man on his usual route passed by again the old lady's Kowloon noodle house and the old lady noticed him as he intentionally walked slow, his ears waiting for that call the old lady even went in the narrow street to block him she greeted: "What a coincidence to see you again Mister!"
The man on his usual muse kept a cool countenance expressionless face he said: "I must have passed by the same route for another parcel to deliver just around the corner."
"Oh, I thought you are dropping by to finish your ginseng soup already cold since yesterday" said the old lady reminding him what the man left yesterday is putting him to set aside a pit stop he replied: "Oh, I missed that ginseng soup yesterday but first things first I have to finish my job and maybe come after my job is done?"
And the man scratching his head, the old lady said: "Okay be sure to come after your shift, I'll prepare the best ginseng soup for you."
The man nodded to show respect and in his cold stare continued to walk but stole a glance at the Kowloon house inside hoping to see the pretty lady but no trace and his heart somewhat skipped a bit.
The old lady was keen she saw that glance, and squinted her eyes having an idea what the man's eyes were looking somewhere or are it, someone?
After some time, the fine woman wearing her usual maidservant dress came right after the man left and the old lady said: "How come You are late?" The old lady's voice was a cold as the morning did not even look at her.
"If I am late, who is early?"
The fine woman not wanting an early morning discussion gave a corner smile shaking her head from right to left and went to attend her casual kitchen duties. She is the cook to the best Kowloon noodle house in the marketplace.
The customer started to arrive, and orders are coming in the old lady shouted: "Two ginseng soup and black tea later!"
She put a flawless finish on that finely sliced onion stalks when suddenly she throws the chef's knife an 8-9 inch blade and a thick bolster, a metal that extends from handle to the edge of the blade as a nearby post full of blade marks.
Her face is pretty seriously looking at her apron hanging on her neck, her nape extended and long, as tiny sweats start to appear on her forehead.
She quickly took a white cloth and folded it to make a long rope she used it to swat a nearby long handle ladle, it flew on the air and landed on her right hand she opened that gigantic casserole, a steamy air went out, and the ginseng aroma meets her nose, using the ladle to scoop the ginseng soup and pour it with art and grace to a ceramic bowl.
A scene you would not want to miss.
"Order's complete!" she exclaimed.
The old lady getting more orders fed the pretty chef's ears all day long, where she executed all of them perfectly. The fine woman on her graceful and quick on the trigger moves transforms her kitchen into a killing training ground bore its walls, jumped into its ceilings and the sharpened her tools from the tiled floors and not so visible blade marks around it.
She can tell whether the throwing of a knife was perfect or needs improvement, on a small space she performed her cooking using her martial arts skills, thus leaving her sharp but undiscovered.
At the end of the day, she always manages to have leftovers, and after all her chores are done, she wears a rugged brown fading, head hood half way long up to her waist, she never missed a day to feed the street people and children.
A man standing outside the Kowloon house and the old lady is busy counting the coins when she slightly tilted her head to see who is this athletic man and she suddenly recognized him.
The man took his words for real, the old lady on her bland voice said: "A demigod is looking for you, and please, you do not want to impress him with your dirty looks eh?"
The man looking gray but expressionless tried to look for the old lady who is inside, and he just waited there in the outside.
The fine woman was just cleaning the dishes when she heard the woman's murmur like voice she asked coldly: "Who?"
"Why to ask me?" said the old lady's sarcastic voice forcing her to come out and see who's outside.
The man started to slowly walk when suddenly the fine woman on her apron came out and peeked outside the open windows of the Kowloon noodle house.
The man like a passing scene put into slow motion saw her pretty face, and the crisp, fresh airbrushed his face basking in the moment of time.
While the fine woman not able to see who is the man outside waiting or standing, frowned, did not bother to see who and said: "Maybe its a ghost."
The old lady looked at the outside and saw the man was gone she said: "You're late!"
The fine woman complained: "You have been telling me I am always late today, what's the fuss? And I will never get tired of asking you, who is early if I am late? There's the only ghost outside."
The old lady smiles and tells herself: "This is interesting. How can the rooster meet an angry peacock?"
The fine woman ready to go finally went out and on her daily end of the day routine destination, to the streets of the poor and bless them with heaven's grace.
The next day, it is a sunny morning and all of sudden a child running in the marketplace chased by a gangster.
It looks like they are bullying the little boy and ran as fast as he could in the front of the Kowloon house and a man was passing by towards the narrow street and saw the little boy so afraid, the little boy sat down in front of it.
The man keen on his senses and humble clothing, did not bother to look at who is at his back and simply put his foot to swat the first person chasing the little boy and then suddenly he was down on the ground the man went to fake his actions by looking cold and angry he said:" Are you blind? Get out-of-the-way you maybe slip out of your foot again!"
And the man sensed another one coming, he faked his action by turning around and stepped on another man's foot, and the youngster was receiving the pain while the man complained: "Didn't you see, a man here who just stumbled?"
There were three more who came to bully the little boy and did not bother their two members who were so caught up with dust in the ground.
The three youngsters came to the little boy who is scared and started to turn around his back to knock at the Kowloon noodle house.
The customers were somewhat startled, and other curious ones came to see the boy.
The old lady sensed someone is asking for help she ringed a bell and the kitchen chef was awakened.
The man not far and near was just looking at the three youngsters who came to beat the little boy, and if any juvenile crime happens on site he uttered to himself: talking about breaking the rules!
He decides to save the little boy and just be gone.
The fine woman came out of the Kowloon house cold and no fear, she looked at the three youngsters, and the little boy went to hide on the back of her skirt the gangster bully laugh at him.
While the fine woman rolled her eyes, esteeming herself whether to teach them a lesson and give them some critical thing to remember or scare them by faking her identity she muttered: "I am the mother, why are you bullying my child?'
Suddenly the three gangsters did not show any respect and said: You? Thin and… and.. not yet finished speaking when swiftly the fine woman swat one of his knee making his head bow at her and spank his butt she said: "What were you saying?"
And the youngster swallowed his throat and cried in pain while the man in the middle of the street was just watching, and on his cold eyes, he secretly hid a joyful muse in there.
Another one came to strike the fine woman but she quickly grabbed his front shirt and hung him in the Kowloon's wall lamp, slapped his face twice then she said in a slight but somewhat angry voice: "If your mother did not yet do this to you, then you just come back here. My hands are always free to do it."
The man just watched the fine woman doing her role as the Muqin of the little boy, he put his hand on his jaws and formed his arched brow made him so gorgeous and a standby Adonis.
Then after her slapping session, the little boy at the back of her skirt secretly laughing in victory, the fine woman held his hand and asked: Where is the leader of this gangster.
The little boy pointed his fingers towards the man who is standing in the middle of the street where the two youngster boys beside him in pain and the leader was just running towards him they ask him to help them.
The fine woman thought that the leader is the man standing in the middle street.
An Adonis looks, athletic, and a face like came from the coldest north pole with a hint of a muse in his eyes suddenly grabbed the ears of the gangster leader who asked him his help and pulled him back towards the fine woman, who gave away her fierce looks and times ten angry look than earlier.
The man suddenly in front of her but not looking at her, he looked at the leader of the gangster he said: "I must be an accessory to the crime, here is your main offender" and he finally looked at her and threw a corner sly smile and continued: "Like a father I am telling you to bow to show some respect to the Muqin, apologize to her child and promise not to make this thing happen again and in thirty days you will serve the mother of the child as a penance for your bullying acts."
His voice as calm as the hunting winds stirred to kill two birds at one time.
The leader of the gangster enduring the pain in his ears, heard the voice of his fake father, he bowed his head to the fine woman and uttered: "We are very sorry to the little boy and to you Aunt Muqin, I will fetch some pail of water to help you in your chores and befriend your child."
The fine woman on her wrinkled eyebrows and diffused anger after hearing were satisfied with the words of promise.
She shifted her looks to the man, she gazed on him revealing her beautiful brown eyes, she said: "If these were your kids, make sure for them to remember the face of my child because the next time I see them in this scene I will make sure to punish not only them but their accessory to the crime father!"
The man receiving that killer but somehow most beautiful gaze of her eyes colors the gray areas of his life he replied: "Nothing to worry."
He paused before he said: "I just wished my children would have a Muqin like you, then I can just stay at the corner of the house be at ease knowing my children are disciplined from head to toe."
The fine woman praised and complimented on her fake mother role from this man's fake father role of the moment totally let go of the matter they left him and his gangsters outside.
Another day is done, and the old lady was just watching at the Kowloon house windows, and the viewers were thrown in awe and gawky face they forgot about their busy lives.
She suddenly took a staff and repeatedly banged in on the wooden post and said: "The action is over, back to your seats please."
The crowd looking frenzied and startled, got back to their seats and to their normal lives, happy to eat their noodle soups.
Connect to Chapter 41 Blind date
