Chapter 4 - Life in Un Long: Longevity

灵鹊是活跃的绿衣使
明月是莹澈的菱花镜
我们管领着这一片青冥
享受着永远的承平
说什么天长地久有时尽
说什么碧海青天夜夜心

The alert magpie is actively making green clothes
The bright moon is lustrous clear like the water chestnut flower pond
The path leads us to the green offering time of Qing Ming
Forever enjoying due to its peacefulness
Say when, in the eternity, is it time to end
Say which blue sea and which green day melody

September 1957

It took almost two weeks, but Yao had managed to ride out the fever that befell him immediately after arriving to Hong Kong. During that time, Chun-Yi had insisted that Yao remain in his room, even during the last few days when he felt better and he wanted to aid her with housework.

Yao was incredibly underweight and malnourished- courtesy to the bad harvest that occured in their village and lack of access to the marketplace in Guangdong, along with the past week of travelling with little to no food. Though, he didn't realise how bad he looked until he went to the bathroom in their apartment, when he looked at the mirror hanging above the marble sink and realised that his ribs were showing through his translucent skin, his stomach almost caving in. Chun-Yi fed him well, and much more than Yao thought he really needed, but she wouldn't stop filling his plates and bowls.

Once Yao's fever had subdued, and he was allowed to finally walk around freely without Chun-Yi hovering over him every few hours, Yao went about looking outside the window and walking around the flat.

He found the layout of their place- actually, the entire town of Un Long- to be interesting and awestrickening. Yao has never lived in an tong lau before, only ever seeing the tall building when he went on a trip to the city with his parents. The stores would line up the bottom part of the building, separate from the livable apartments above.

The interior makeup was interesting as well, particularly their kitchen and bathroom- in the village, he would usually bathe outside in a designated area, using water from the well and a bucket, while fully or partially clothed. The Leis had a bathroom, where there was a low, long basin along the wall, the bathtub, beside a Western-style toilet. There was a showerhead that hung above the bathtub, and with a quick turn of a knob, water would come pouring out, Yao knowing that it connected to the lake nearby through pipes.

It was interesting how much different life in Un Long was compared to Jinqiu - the lifestyle was definitely more cozy and faster than the slow pace back home. It was louder, and brighter, with store lights always flashing late into the night when Yao would lay in bed, the sound of people chattering and footsteps thudding on the pavement being constant where eventually Yao managed to learn how to fall asleep with the noise.

Days passed, and soon, August came to an end, September beginning with a week worth of rain showers and chills. School had begun for all under the age of 18, and thus, all of Chun-Yi's children would be away from home for most days, leaving Yao to entertain himself alone.

When Yao had enough strength to stand for long hours without feeling dizzy, he wanted to work for Chun-Yi as a way to repay her for taking care of him, but she insisted to wait a bit longer until they were sure he was in good health. Eventually, after days of lounging around, listening to the radio, and reading the manhua, a story made up of multiple drawings in square panels, that Mei-Lin let him borrow, Yao took IT upon himself to do most, if not, all of the housework around the apartment when Chun-Yi couldn't. From sweeping and mopping the floors, to cooking food in the kitchen that they barely used, to running down the launderettes with the laundry that Chun-Yi would leave off to do after she finished work, Yao did anything to keep him occupied and be useful.

"Yao, you know you don't have to do any of this!" Chun-Yi had exclaimed when she found Yao sitting on the couch in their living room, casually folding the clothes into separate piles.

"I'm fine with doing this Ayi," Yao replied, continuing to fold while looking at her, the pattern quickly becoming second nature to him.

"It's like you're my niece instead of my nephew," Chun-Yi commented with a huff, both hands on her hips. "You could at least get Lin-Lin to help you with it!"

"She does, don't worry!" Yao had waved off her comment with a smile, continuing to fold the fabrics in his hand, not paying much attention to what he was folding as he listened to the songs playing in the background.

During that time of recovery, the mysterious man he had seen before, Mr. Hsui, continued to visit Yao regularly, to ensure that he was healthy and progressing well. Yao soon found out from Siu-Chun that Mr. Hsui was indeed a doctor as Yao had suspected, a licensed physician no less, who had gone to study at the University of Hong Kong and is now one of the main doctors at their hospital. Further inspection led to Yao finding out that the Leis have always known Mr. Hsui's family, who were only down the road from their tong lau. His family owned a traditional herbal store that stood between a few other shops, unlike underneath the apartments as Chun-Yi did, and Chun-Yi and Wei-Chou knew Mr. Hsui since they moved to Hong Kong, when he was finishing his residency in the hospital in their town. They had quite a close relationship, with Wei-Chau helping Mr. Hsui's family during a period of time where they weren't able to keep up with their debt repayment, particularly while Mr. Hsui was still in his residency and attempting to help his parents out.

He was a quiet man, his face being expressionless most of the time besides a small smile here and there. Mr. Hsui knew that Yao was Chun-Yi's nephew from the People's Republic- he asked him some questions about him, basic questions to make him comfortable around him. However, to Yao's surprise, he never asked Yao how had managed to get in to Hong Kong despite the rigid borders or why he had decided to leave to begin with. Even the story Chun-Yi told Mei-Lin was sparse to ensure her daughter wouldn't accidentally expose Yao's position, before repeatedly telling her that if any of her friends from school and the tong lau asked her about him, she had to tell them he was a distant cousin from the countryside. Mr. Hsui didn't say more than needed, and instead went about checking Yao as he usually does, quietly, with a few words here and there.

Yao noticed, however, that there was something about Chun-Yi and Mr. Hsui's relationship that seemed deeper than just being Wai-Chau's wife and friend. Mr. Hsui would casually stop by at times in the evening, not there to check on Yao like the young man thought he was. Chun-Yi would pour him a cup of tea on the dining table, laughing and chatting with him as he listened, nodding along.

This display of casualness between a man and a woman such as this felt off to Yao. The thought of adults of the opposite sex being as friendly as they were was incredibly odd, to Yao at least. Despite the idea of women being a man's equal being instilled by the government, it was still a social taboo. His mother would talk to her male friends when his father was not home, but usually only in the company of her female friends l- never alone like Chun-Yi did. And although technically they weren't alone thanks to her children being around the home along with Yao, what man would visit a married woman alone while her husband was away?

Still, Yao had to admit, seeing Chun-Yi smile the way she did with Mr. Hsui was better than her being stressed from work alone. He knew she was struggling to keep up with everyone. She had a lot on her plate as it is, with all three of her children attending school, and running the tavern on the bottom floor of the tong lau they were in. After talking with Chun-Yi, he found out that Wai-Chau had actually managed to emigrate to Canada, to the city of Toronto, and has been there for the past two years. How he managed to get a visa into the country, however, was something she did not mention.

The process to get into the Americas, particular the United States and Canada was hard, and much harder than the Carribeans. Yao knew of someone in his village who had talked about wanting to leave Jinqiu to go to Canada, but it was difficult, with the requirements being out of his reach - they only opened the doors to diplomats and students, neither of which the man was. He ended up emigrating to Jamaica, an alternative for someone without an education, as a kuli - a word his father used that he said was basically 'an indentured slave'. This was back when Yao was still a child, though - he knew that the whole exclusive requirement was repealed, and talks of people considering to attempt to emigrate became more prominent in recent years.

Yao had heard that now they only allowed families and dependants of the Chinese that lived there under a Canadian citizenship - which leads to some escaping China to Hong Kong, buying fake papers claiming they were married to a man that lived in Canada, or even pretending to being their son or daughter. Perhaps, that was the case with Wai-Chau

Yao didn't press on, though- his aunt was sheltering him, despite not needing to, and she accepted him into the family with open arms. If there's a reason for her being sparse about Wai-Chau's immigration, then it would be for the best - if the authorities were to find out there, it would only cause him to get deported back, and be subjected to jail time here.

Deportation back to China, however, was something that Yao was very much concerned about. He has heard the tales of the men who were attempting to escape the very same way he did, being caught by the Hong Kong border control and being handed back to mainland officials. They were horrific stories of men being sent around camps, being tortured and paraded around for the public to see, before officials would send them off to some factory to work with others that have betrayed their home for the remainder of their sentence.

One evening, when Yao woke from an evening after having taken some leung cha with the herbs Mr. Hsui had recommended to soothe any aches in his body, Chun-Yi and Mr. Hsui were both sitting on the deep red coloured couch on opposite sides, looking as if they were waiting for him. A platter of freshly boiled tea in the white teapot they used along with cups sat on the low table in front of them, a matching cushioned chair on the side facing as to look at both of them.

"Yao, please sit down," Chun-Yi gestured towards the empty chair, before pouring the contents of the teapot into an empty cup. "We have to talk to you about your situation."

Yao accepted the tea cup, feeling his throat suddenly tighten, his blood running cold at her words, snippets of his journey on feet through the mountainous trails and through the ocean flashing in his mind. He then took a deep breathe, trying hard not to let the overwhelming feeling of anxiety take over, and he sat on the chair, making sure his back was straight to show he was ready for the conversation they were going to have.

It's the 'What are we going to do about you' talk that Chun-Yi had avoided bringing up while he was healing in bed. The furthest she got from Yao's situation was about his mother and father, whose photo she had and gave to him to set up a small altar in the living room to honour them (Yao was not able to bring the only family photo they had with him for fear of it being destroyed).

Yao glanced over quickly to the altar- the black and white photo was that of his parents on their wedding day, with his mother wearing a Qun Kua, a two piece dress that hung loosely around the body with a veil pulled back on her head, and his father wearing a black suit. Their photo, though small, was framed in black wood and sat on top of a short dresser, behind a piece of wood that held up the incense that had burned out and a plate of mandarins stacked on top of each other.

Taking another deep breath, he turned to look at both Chun-Yi and Mr. Hsui, sipping on the tea. He was unsure why Mr. Hsui was there exactly, though it would be better to have someone else besides his Ayi to help him figure out a way to settle down in Hong Kong without getting in trouble. Chun-Yi appeared to want to say something, but before she could, Mr. Hsui spoke.

"Ms. Lieng has told me about how you had crossed the border through Hau Hoi Wan," he started when he caught Yao's glance, his voice deep and low, suiting his straight face. Yao's eyebrows immediately pulled in, waiting for the man to continue. "And that you're here illegally."

I'm sure you already knew that, Yao thought, taking another quiet sip, patient. The pause in between was filled with the ticking of the wooden clock that hung on the wall opposite to the couch, the thin second hand ticking around the circle with black dashes.

"There are many people just like you who have escaped the mainland to come here since the election," Mr. Hsui continued, Yao knowing he was referring to the '49 election. "Many who attempt to escape do not survive the trip. Those who do, well…some get caught at the border and are forced to turn back. You're one of the few who crossed without getting caught."

Yao assumed that Mr. Hsui was trying to make Yao less cautious around them about the subject, but the sturdiness of his voice and the expression his face, blank and emotionless, ruined what the doctor was aiming to be - warm and welcoming.

"I understand that you may be worried about what would happened if the authorities were to find out that you're now living in Hong Kong," Mr. Hsui continued. "And that may be the case elsewhere. I'm unsure if you had heard of this from the mainland, but the government has been lenient when it comes to illegal refugees going to the authority. You might not be able to receive amnesty or official refugee due to the current political conflict between Hong Kong and the People's Republic, but it might allow you to start an independent life."

Yao was unsure of what this political conflict could be precisely, though he has heard from the drone of the radio of an ongoing issue in regards to Chinese refugees in Hong Kong that has been taken all the way to the United Nations - it was a global organization that was created at the end of the Sino-Japanese War, and from what Yao knew as a form of cooperation between the nations of the world. Or, really, a way for the Western countries to maintain power, with their exclusion of the People's Republic as a member, only recognizing the so called "Republic of China" as the only China. The issue of the refugees was based on whether the United Nations Human Rights Council should extend their aid to Chinese refugees, and apparently, from what the news anchor recounted, as been an issue since the influx of refugees Hong Kong has received in recent years.

Although, the news anchor did mention that there was an issue on the recognition of whether the People's Republic of China or Taiwan were truly China, with many nations picking sides and recognizing one or the other, with Hong Kong being stuck in the middle due to the British recognising PCR as China. That issue of recognition might be the reason as to why refugee status would not be handed to Yao so easily - if he were to be considered a refugee under Hong Kong, that would go against Hong Kong's alignment with China.

"I disagree with going to the authorities at all," Chun-Yi finally spoke from her spot, hands folded on top of each other on a knee that was probed up. Worry was etched in her face, and she glanced between the two men. "I understand that it might allow Yao to live comfortably without fear, but who knows what they might do to him- they may say they won't return the refugees back, but there's still the likelihood they would. Or even worse- they might make him relocate to Taiwan, and you know how the government there might not be so kind to Yao."

"Considering that there would be more organizations that are starting to aid Chinese refugees, you should take advantage of it," Mr. Hsui continued passively, though it sounded like he was mostly talking to Chun-Yi. "And they haven't sent any of the refugees that remained back to the mainland- I doubt they would force him to go anywhere, considering that you live here as well."

"I still do not like it," Chun-Yi spoke back quickly. "There are plenty of refugees who continue to live here without telling anyone. And they manage to find jobs as well."

"They all don't have access to many things and the jobs they do find are factory work," Mr. Hsui replied, and for the first time, he saw his lips turn upwards into a slight frown. There was something about his frown that reminded Yao very much of how Siu-Chun frowns.

"First off, I won't allow any nephew of mine to work in a factory. If anything, Yao may work at the tavern with me as a server," Chun-Yi scoffed. "His mother entrusted him with me- that's the only reason why she sent him off here. She want him to be under my care."

"He's still a young man, Ms. Lieng, who would want to eventually not be dependant on his aunt. How do you expect him to continue on with his life if he were to work for measly wages here?"

"Who's to say he'll be receiving measly wages? I will be sure to pay him properly!"

Yao cleared his throat, wanting the two to stop their argument (if you could call it an argument- Mr. Hsui barely raised his voice while Chun-Yi grew louder and louder).

They both, indeed, stopped their quarrel, looking at him as if they just remembered that Yao was sitting right in front of them, waiting, before Mr. Hsui commented steadily, "Let the boy decide what he wants to do, Ms. Lieng. I just wanted to let him know his options-"

"That was one of his options. The other is that he doesn't go to the authority, and I'll figure out what he could do for work. While he lives with me," Chun-Yi emphasised the last part, and it was clear to Yao that his Ayi had no intentions of letting him be in a position of being relocated away from her and her family. And Yao wasn't sure if he was ready to be put in that position, either.

"I think I want to wait a bit longer, before deciding what to do," Yao replied, his voice a bit hushed, but came clear and through. "Truthfully, the only thing I was worried about was whether discovery from authorities would send me back to the mainland. But even knowing that that would not be the case...I'm still a bit apprehensive of revealing my status so soon."

"Not necessarily a problem at the moment," Mr. Hsui replied after a pause. There was something about his tone that made it seem he like he was holding a certain detail out. He glanced over at Ayi, as if seeking permission to say, but Chun-Yi did not look his way, instead choosing a spot on the table to stare at. He then proceeded slowly, and Yao noted how solemn his voice had become, "You do know about Mr. Lei living in Canada, correct?"

"Yes, Ayi has already told me that he's currently living there," Yao replied evenly, feeling slightly uneasy with the lack of assurance from Chun-Yi as she remained silent.

"Yes, well...well...There are plans for Ms. Lieng and her children to immigrate their eventually, when Mr. Lei is able to send enough money for their visas," Mr. Hsui continued.

"Oh," was all that escaped Yao, dumbfounded when the realisation dawned on him.

Eventually Chun-Yi and his cousins would eventually leave to be with Wai-Chau. Thought, it would be the path that made the most sense- why else would Wai-Chau remain in Toronto for so long, if he weren't going to bring his family along with him?

"They won't be able to bring you, regardless of whether they could or not."

"Yes, I know," Yao interjected, not wanting to hear Mr. Hsu go on a tangent. "Only immediate families are allowed to enter."

"Yes," Mr. Hsui responded slowly. "And that means you'll be in Hong Kong alone. I understand you still lived with your parents in Guangdong, but you may not be able to be dependant on Ms. Lieng sooner or later. You'll have to make ends meet, and it is much harder to maintain a place, even a decent one-bedroom, with a factory job."

"I've always been aware that eventually I would not be dependant in Ayi while I live here," Yao replied after reflecting a bit on the issue. On one hand, it would be a better option in the long run to seek governmental help- he could eventually claim asylum as well, if the time ever came. If he were to settle on his own, it would be important to be in good standing and be able to receive the help he needs.

However, as Chun-Yi said, Yao didn't like how unreliable going to authorities could be. They might suddenly decide to return most of the refugees back to China- his stomach turned at the thought of having to end up like his father at a labour camp.

"And I understand that there are likely benefits if I admitted my status," Yao continued. "But I still feel like I need some more time to be adjusted while living here. I don't want to find myself in a situation where I would be at a disadvantage if the government decides to change some laws."

"Besides," Chun-Yi started. "If we ever have to leave, Yao could always take over the tavern and the apartment. Both are almost paid off. I'll teach him how to manage and control finances for the remainder of the time that we are in Un Long."

"We would like to avoid resorting to forging documents for Yao," Mr. Hsui replied, an eyebrow raised. "And if that were the case, then he should get an official status document."

Yao remained silent, not knowing what else he could say at the moment, but Mr. Hsui sighed, "Stubbornness runs in the family, apparently."

"This is coming from the most stubborn man in Un Long," Chun-Yi replied, a smug smirk growing on her face, happy she won this issue.

"If you can't afford another server, Ms. Lieng, then my office is always open for another receptionist," Mr. Hsui replied, and Chun-Yi laughed at his comment.

"With his beautiful face, if you dress him up right, you'll have a lot more male clients."

To this, Yao couldn't help but smile bashfully, looking down so they couldn't see his expression. Mr. Hsui just shook his head, and surprisingly did not seem to be distraught by Chun-Yi's reply, taking it lightly.

"Do as you wish, Yao," he continued, getting up from the couch, appearing as if he were ready to leave. "You're a grown man, and I'm sure you made the right decision for yourself. I will continue to check up on you. You are drinking the herbs I bring for you, yes?"

"Yes, they've helped a lot with my fatigue," Yao nodded, and Mr. Hsui hummed in agreement.

"Good, good. I'll see you soon then. Ms. Lieng, thank you for the tea," Mr. Hsui replied, and Chun-Yi followed suite.

"I'll see you out. I have to Make sure Mr. Li is alright as well," Chun-Yi immediately got up, before looking over to Yao. "Yao, can you check on Lin-Lin and make sure she isn't procrastinating on her homework for me? She's been there for over two hours and I'm sure she hasn't been doing any of her work."

"Sure, Ayi," Yao replied, finding the dismissal to be sudden, but he didn't ask any further of it. He got up, and walked down the hallway.

He stole a glance over towards the front door where Chun-Yi and Mr. Hsui were walking towards. He knocked on Mei-Lin's door, before entering, catching the slight knowing smile on Mr. Hsui's face towards his Ayi.


As Yao continued living with the Leis, it became apparent as to why Chun-Yi was able to spend most of her days working at The Golden Coast without worrying about her children as Yao did. Yao notice how all her kids, even little Mei-Lin, were incredibly independent- they all followed a structural life where they did not depend on Chun-Yi for much, other than for food and shelter. Yao is in his 20s, but even he knew that he was still dependent on his parents for many things before - the many house chores always landed on his mother, and he would help his father at times but Lei carried the bulk of the work, with Yao falling behind.

Yao had figured the patterns the Lei children followed, and was able to allocate the times they were not in the house in order to finish chores and walk them (or, at least the younger two) to and from places, something that his Ayi appreciated greatly. Siu-Keung was in his last year of secondary school, and would usually come home right after school to work at the tavern with his mother, except for Tuesdays and Thursdays to play in his school's football team. Both Mei-Lin and Siu-Chun had tutoring session for maths every Wednesdays in the evening, with Mei-Lin having piano lessons every Saturday morning. Siu-Chun took his martial arts classes every Saturday for half the day, along with Sunday and Thursday evenings.

Yao attempted to take an active role with being involved with his cousins, even going as far as to helping Mei-Lin and Siu-Chun with maths, although, there was a difficulties when it came to the need of constant translation- most of the children in Hong Kong, including his cousins, attended an English Medium School, a language that Yao did not know a lick of besides the basic 'Hello' and 'Bye'.

English was not at all taught in his school in Guangdong, and albeit it did hold a sort of prestige for being a foreign language, it was not to the level of importance as Russian, which was what Yao chose to study when given the opportunity in secondary school. The two cousins attended a public school in Un Long, and although they did use Cantonese in some lessons, most of their instructional learning was through English.

They both had started to teach Yao some words and sentences, as a distraction from their real work, though Yao somehow managed to grasp it well. Thought at first it was tedious, with the alphabets and the new sounds being introduced to his memory, Yao managed, and started to try his hand at old workbooks Siu-Chun had kept from his primary years.

So far, reading was easier than talking, and he hoped he never had to use English with anyone other than Mei-Lin who gave him bite size questions as help him get the hang of pronunciation.

"Hello, Cousin Yao. How was your day today?" Mei-Lin would start to ask in English every time she comes home from school or when Yao would meet her at the gate of her school.

"No English," Yao would simply reply back, being another useful sentence he learned, but would eventual give in when Mei-Lin would continue in English. "I am good. How are you?"

Another barrier for helping with their schoolwork came in the form of how they wrote, using the traditional. The first time Yao had seen Siu-Chun's Cantonese letters, the way they seemed to have more complex strokes compared to the ones he learned. They were familiar, yet foreign at the same time.

"What is this?" Yao asked, as he stared at the black strokes on the paper in front of him. It came across as 雲. He felt as if he should know what it meant- he remembers reading it somewhere.

"'Cloud'," Siu-Chun read, before giving a confused look to his elder. "Why do you ask Biugo?"

云 is how Yao would have written it, clean and concise, and the realization that having been taught with the simplified form of the Chinese characters had made him forgotten the traditional stroke patterns. Siu-Chun took it in strides when Yao explained how they stopped using traditional writing while he went to school, and was more than willing to read a character if Yao didn't comprehend the lines.

Needless to say Yao got along well with his younger cousins, and became close with them. His relationship with the eldest one, on the other hand, was much to be desired.

Siu-Keung wasn't home much, or in one place really - he was always out and about, not giving Yao the time of day. They do talk here and there, particularly during dinner, yet, Siu-Keung seemed to always be in a daze, as if his thoughts were elsewhere while his siblings bickered at the table. One evening , over dinner, when Siu-Keung had come home later than usual, and Chun-Yi had retired to her bedroom down the hall, Mei-Lin told Yao that he was seeing someone.

"Muimui, you know it's not good to talk about such lies," Siu-Chun hushed his sister's voice, but she continued to indulge Yao with this juicy secret.

"I'm not lying! I saw Daigo walking with a girl on the other side of the river, with her friends!" Mei-Lin waved off her brother's words, finding that her elder brother's pursuit being amusing and lighthearted, not understanding how their mother would take it if she were to find out her eldest son was courting someone she did not know. "It's the same one I saw him talk to at the school- you can't even deny that he's at least interested in someone!"

"Muimui, I know you find this fun and all, but you must not speak about this to anyone," Yao warned her in a soft tone, taking another scoop of rice from the rice cooker, a device that Yao was simply fond of since discovering it in their cupboard. "If your mother finds out about this, your Daigo would get in trouble."

"Of course I would never tell Ahma. I know better," Mei-Lin scoffed, using her chopsticks to scoop up the remaining beef from her bowl into her mouth.

"Yes, but you can't go around telling anyone as well. They may look down on Ayi, and that would make it harder for Daigo to get married," Yao explained, and Mei-Lin did not mention his brother and his lover again afterwards, though, Siu-Keung's behaviour now made sense to Yao. Afterall, he had gone through that phase, once, and he couldn't blame the boy for daydreaming.

September flew by quickly - the days were still warm and humid, but the rain and typhoons soon became less frequent, and at times there would be a chill that would force Yao to wear a thin sweater. Soon, they were reaching the end of the month, when the Mid-Autumn Festival would usually occur.

The festival was one that Yao had enjoyed in his youth, with the colorful lanterns hanging along posts and families gathering around a table that would be set outside to enjoy the sight of the moon, it's white light casting on to them as children played and adults talked while snacking on mooncakes. Deeper into the night, an offering table would be out in the courtyard, facing towards the direction of the moon incense burning and a plate of mooncakes and fruits would be placed as offering to the moon goddess, Chang'e.

The tale of Chang'e was a common one, one that would often be retold by the adults to the children. Long, long time ago, there was ten suns that raised up in the sky, causing the crops to wilt and the oceans to dissipate. One day, Hou Yi, a gifted archer, shot down nine of the ten suns, leaving what we now have as the single sun in our sky. In order to thank him for his heroic act, the Western Queen Mother granted him an elixir of immortality, that Hou Yi refused to take an hid. One day, one of his students, Peng Meng, attempted to steal the elixir while Hou Yi was away from the house, confronting his wife, Chang'e. Chang'e, seeing no way of keeping the elixir away from Peng Meng, drank the elixir, making her immortal and she flew to the moon.

Hou Yi, saddened and heartbroken with his wife's disappearance, left a table out at night with food, hoping she would return home to him. Thus, every Mid-Autumn Festival, they were encouraged to leave offerings during the night for Chang'e.

At times a few people from the village would go to the temple in near the bigger cities, receiving blessings from the gods on this prosperous night. Yao had been to a temple once, with his father, who, although has always held himself as being atheist, still participated in the celebrations, likely for his mother's sake.

This Mid-Autumn Festival will be the first one where he celebrated without his parents and with his cousins instead. It will also be the first festival he has ever seen in Hong Kong. In order to celebrate this first time, he decided he would attempt to make a traditional dinner by himself, without the aid of Chun-Yi. The festival fell on a weekday, allowing Mei-Lin and Siu-Chun to stay home.

The Golden Coast remained open throughout the day, and would close in the early evening to allow the workers to return home to their families to celebrate the day, and thus the three cousins were left alone in the apartment to start preparing the meal.

The sun was setting, painting the sky pink and purple, and Yao could see the translucent outline of the full moon rising from the kitchen window that faced out into the street. Their section of the town had the streets closed off from cars and rickshaws, allowing pedestrians to enjoy the many restaurants and entertainment on the street that night.

The usual loud chatter from road could be heard, with the sound of jingling of bells and tangu drums thudding in the backdrop. Yao continued to glance out to the scene before him - the bright red and white restaurant signs lit up the streets, urging families to enter.

"What are we going to do about the mooncakes?" Siu-Chun asked nonchalantly as he continued to slice the skin of the apple in his hand, taking his sweet time as the skin slowly curled.

The menu for the night was grander than anything they usually would eat, including roasted duck glazed in plum sauce, fried sliced seasonal taro and pumpkins, along with freshly bought fruits that Siu-Chun was putting together to look 'appealing' on the plates.

Yao was responsible for the duck, not trusting the two siblings despite this being the first time he had attempted to make the dish, while Mei-Lin sliced the taro and pumpkin for frying (after much arguing with Siu-Chun who antagonized her cutting skills). Siu-Chun had assumed a manager role of watching the two work, making comments here and there as he worked on the fruits.

"We don't have the pan to make mooncakes," Yao groaned to himself, glancing over to the boy. "How could I forget the mooncakes?"

"Yao-Biu, how can you forget the most important part of the festival!" Mei-Lin exclaimed. Mooncakes were indeed one of the most important part of the Mid-Autumn Festival- a square pastry the size of a palm with chewy, brown crust encasing sweet paste filling with and a variety of other ingredients. Yao's personal favourite were the ones with egg yolk.

Mooncakes were a rare delicacy, not one you would eat besides on the night of the festival. Yao's mother would make it in a iron pan with the other women in the village, enough for all of them to eat while they were together. The pans were used specifically for mooncakes- they had designs engraved, detailed and curvy, with the characters for 'longevity' engraved in the center and surrounded by loopy designs of vines and flowers.

"I'm sure we can buy them," Yao sighed, thought he was disappointed that he couldn't make them by hand. "Are there any bakery stores open at this time?"

"Sweet Treats should be open," Siu-Chun replied. "But if we want to get there, we should hurry. I think the performances are going to start and they might close before then."

"Right, your school is going to be doing the lion dance!" Mei-Lin quickly exclaimed in excitement, as Yao went to the low table in the living room to retrieve the money Ayi had left for them. "Why didn't you choose to do it? It's so much more interesting than all your boring routines that you always practice."

"Hung Ga is one of, if not, the most tradition form of kung fu," Siu-Chun started, seemingly offended by Mei-Lin's comment. "It dates back from centuries ago is one of the most revered and honourable forms of martial arts. There's a reason why there are so many films about Wong Fei Hung-"

"Yes, yes, we know, Wong Fei Hung, the mystical hero, was a master of this art form," Mei groaned, the sarcasm dripping from her words as if she had heard Siu-Chun say it a thousand times.

"He wasn't mystical, he was a real historical figure that was important to the formation of Hung Ga as we know it!" For once, Yao was able to hear Siu-Chun's voice crack slightly, reminder of the boy still being a young adolescent and that Siu-Chun could get riled up if you were to hit the right buttons.

Siu-Chun tended to be quiet and more calm compared to his two siblings- rarely has Yao ever seen him raise his voice beyond necessary. Of course, Mei-Lin knew exactly how to break Siu-Chun beyond that. Though, Yao didn't really understand who Wong Fei Hung was, it was clear from his tone change that Siu-Chun admired this figure, regardless of whether he was a fictional or historical figure.

"Really?" Mei scoffed, thought she seemed more amused. "So did Wong Fei Hung truly cause a fight between a unicorn and a lion? That is very historical."

"This is coming from the girl who believes in soulmates and the moon rabbit," Siu-Chun finally dismissed his sister's taunt, walking off towards the front to put his slippers on. Yao and Mei-Lin followed suit, with the youngest continuing to patronize her sibling.

"That's more realistic compared to talking lions," Mei-Lin continued, mockery in her tone, traipsing out the door.

"Who is this Wong Fung Hei?" Yao asked, catching up with the two at the end of the hallway by the stairs.

He could see Siu-Chun widen his eyes, before he said, "You don't know who Wong Fei Hung is? Haven't you watched his films in the theatres back home?"

"The closest place with a theatre was Guangzhou, but it was too far and we didn't have a truck," Yao replied. "Actually, we would go to a work unit near Dongguan that my friend lived to watch a film whenever they released one."

"What kind of films did they play?"

To this, Yao faltered slightly. Film back home was a tricky subject- after the Communist Party took power, the old opera films were considered

"Is it true that all you guys were allowed to watch is communist propaganda movies?" Mei-Lin asked, as the trio started to make their way down the flight of stairs.

"Communist propaganda?" Yao questioned, the negative connotation clear in Mei-Lin's question, though he himself knew that it was the case.

"Yeah, my teacher told us that no foreign films are allowed in PRC, and that all films are made by the government," Mei-Lin replied, thought she seemed to falter slightly, likely at how Yao's tone suddenly changed to a serious one.

"Well...yes and no. All the films that we watched had to be government approved," Yao continued. "It was part of their censorship movement to ensure we weren't influenced by old and outdated ideas."

Which, for the most part, was true- most of the foreign films idolized the bourgeoisie lifestyle, and even some modern films made in China seemed to idolize the class differences in society, which are promptly branded as "rightist" films and banned from viewing. Most of the films Yao watched nowadays concentrated on the common man- the labourer, the worker, the soldier, the farmer. All of those whose stories aren't glamorous and are often sidelined. And although Yao appreciated the reality the films often showed, there were also certain aspects that even he knew were meant to portray modern China as being better than it actually was.

The last film that Yao saw before the ban on certain was a Zhou Xuan film, called Sorrows of the Forbidden City, where the singer played the role of Zhen Fei, the concubine of the Emperor Guangxu during the 19th century and attempts to persuade the emperor to create reforms for the benefit of the dynasty.

Yao loved the story despite knowing how the class difference back then was portrayed with indifference and was showing a very heavily glamourized version of China under the Qing court. And he loved it, and movies from the past, a whole lot more compared to the opera films that were being produced now- the music was entirely different then, the themes being more about love, though that was all labelled as Yellow Music and was now banned. The music he heard now was to boost national morale, and at times, he felt as if he were being brainwashed by how glorified his nation portrays itself.

"Are wuxia films banned too?" Siu-Chun pressed, curious to know more.

Wuxia- mythical hero- was a term Yao has never heard before, but he was sure it was reminiscent of the tales of heroes from the past. If he were to think back, then it was likely the books in that genre were banned- when he was a teenager, he could no longer find the books of the stories he read of mythical adventures and folklore when he was younger in the Dongguan library.

"Never watched one back hpme," Yao said. "If the tales were from the old times and it had mythical elements or anything of the old dynasties, then it would have been banned."

"Then we should go watch one together," Siu-Chun replied. "There's going to be a new Wong Fei Hung movie coming out soon-"

"As there always is," Mei-Lin interrupted, but Siu-Chun ignored her.

"And we can ask Ahma if we can go watch it. For your birthday, perhaps."

"Who says Yao-Biu wants to watch it?" Mei-Lin continued, and before her brother could reply, Yao said,

"I don't mind - it would be nice to see what kind of films you guys like."

"I don't like those movies," Mei-Lin stuck her tongue out slightly. "It's just a bunch of men yelling and fighting each other."

"There are women who fight as well," Siu-Chun finally muttered, rolling his eyes at his sister's words.

At this point, they had exited their tong lau and were now on the street, the festivities coming to a start with a large amount of people bustling on the road and the sidewalks. They quickly made their way to Sweet Treats, with Mei-Lin leading them there as she continued to pick on Siu-Chun, and soon bought a handful of moon cakes enough for the family.

Once they returned back to the road, with a paper brown bag in hand, they could hear the sounds of drums beating in the distance, with the faint sounds of bells jingling along the beat.

Yao paused, a sudden wave of nostalgia washing over his body, recognizing the pattern of the sounds, and a childlike excitement surged in his stomach. Blurry imaged resurfaced, and he remembers - he remembers the yellows, reds, blacks, and whites that would dance along with the beat of the drum playfully.

"Mama! Look, lions!" Yao noticed a little boy yell in excitement as he dragged his mother by the hand in front of them, towards the direction of the sounds.

"Seems like they started the lion dance," Siu-Chun noted, following his gaze towards the sounds, though they couldn't see much with a big crowd forming down the road.

"Is Kit-go also doing the dance?" Mei-Lin asked, and Yao noticed how suddenly excited she was after mentionning this 'Kit-go' person.

"Yes, he should be," Siu-Chun nodded, before looking at Yao. "Can we go watch the lion dance, Biugo?"

"I don't see why not," Yao replied, and Mei-Lin quickened her step towards the direction of the crowd, Siu-Chun following suite. Yao held to the bag tightly before following his cousins, attempting to keep up with their pace.

They managed to shimmy through the crowd, an found an appropriate spot on the sidewalk to watch the spectacle without straining their necks.

Yao had forgotten how the lions looked- the images were smudged in his memories but when he saw the lions in the middle of the crowd, the tableau was much clearer, and he stood in awe.

Two lions were in the middle- one black and one yellow, both with long bodies and a big head that was covered in fur, with pops of red and silver on each one respectively, moving and bouncing up and down to the cymbals and drums. There were two people who were underneath the lions, both wearing thick fur pants suited to the lion,with one holding up the head of the lion and the other holding the back half.

Despite knowing that there were humans controlling a costume, Yao found it fascinating how lifelike the lions were, as if they had a will and life of their own. The eyes of the lions seemed to blink in a lifelike way, with their round horns and black tails flapping up and down with every single steps it took. The coins around their necks danced along as well, adding more sounds and making the experience breathtaking to watch. They took specific steps and stances, reminiscent of fighting stances Yao had seen Siu-Chun practice in the living room. The black lion was taking the lead with the music, with a lot complex sequences and high energy movements that would cover most of the are around them.

"Is Kit-go in the yellow lion?" Mei-Lin asked, smiling as she watched, and Siu-Chun nodded.

"Yes, he should be the head of the lion."

The yellow lion was truly one entertaining the crowd and particularly the children- the yellow one was much more playful with their movement, coming up to the faces of the crowd and opening its mouth, and jumping slightly when a child would grab at it's white beard.

As the beat continued, Yao noticed that there was a man who stood by in a colourful outfit of a yellow robe lined with red while holding a palm leaf that he waved about here and there. The man had a mask with large lobes and a wide grin painted on it, and Yao was unsure what part the man had in the dance.

"Who is that?" Yao asked Siu-Chun, as he watched the man pester the lions with the leaf he held, making comedic movements has he attempts to 'escape' the lions mouth.

"Dai Tau Fut," Siu-Chun simply responded without further explanation, and Yao didn't bother to ask,curving his lips up in amusement at the name- literally meaning 'big head Buddha'.

He continued to watch the Big Head Buddha, and after another jab at the lions, the man pulled out his bag he had slung over his chest and he took the a little plastic table that he been sitting on and placed it in the space between the lions. The Buddha pulled out a stack of lettuce out of his pack, and Yao noted the red string that wrapped around the greens, and the little red envelope sticking out in between the leaves.

The crowd seemed to be more lively at this little reveal, knowing what to expect, and Yao watched intently, ready to see what was about to happen next. The two lions looked over to the table where the lettuce sat, their heads cocking to the side curiously, and they took similar steps towards the tables, following the beat.

Up, down, up, down- the head of the lion went straight up, the dancer's arms stretching upwards as his legs lifting up in the manner of an animal's two front legs, though much more sharp and swift.

"What are they doing?" Yao asked, not remembering ever seeing this little act before, and the lions started to circle around the table, eyeing one another, as if challenging the other to take a step forward.

"They're going to fight for the red envelope," Mei-Lin pointed out towards the lettuce. Yao raised an eyebrow at the word 'fight' and Mei-Lin must have noticed, because she continued. "The lion who gets the treat first will be able to get the envelope inside- though, this is mostly for a show, since they both are from the same school."

"What do you mean?"

"Both lions are from Kwan Academy" Siu-Chun replied, Yao knowing that it was the name of the school Siu-Chun attended for his martial arts classes. "But there's another school in Un Long that also teaches martial arts and lion dancing. They're considered our rivals, for the most part. There's been some issues with some of their members fighting with our members over the envelopes."

"It's not only over the envelopes," Mei-Lin waved. "They just like to brawl with each other and try to play dirty by injuring the dancer and the costumes. It happened many times before- that's why Ahma doesn't want Siu-Chun to join the lion dancers. She thinks that Siu-Chun would turn out to be a gangster."

"Our school is much more honourable that to stoop to that level. Regardless, they're not in this part of town- their turf is over the river. There's no way they would come here," Siu-Chun continued, before the beat increased, and the cousins returned their attention back to the lions.

They started to mimic the same movements, legs stretching up and down, quick shifts of the head forwards as if the lion was going to bite the other's head off, and Yao could hear people discussing who would win. It seemed like the black lion would win, it the over the top movements, yet the yellow lion's movement has become complex, along with more energetic. Though it was likely a performance that was already set up, eventually, the yellow lion gave the final move, with the back of the lion lifting up the front of the lion, to make the lion appear taller, and the bottom dancer moved a bit while holding the head dancer in the air.

"Let's go say hi to Kit-go," Mei-Lin insisted, and at this point, Yao was curious to see this person that Mei-Lin wanted to see. Siu-Chun lead them to the side where the lion dancers were, switching with another group of people with furry pants waiting.

Yao followed along, not wanting to leave his cousins out of sight, and as they approached, Yao glanced at the two men that emerged from the lion costume- particularly the one that emerged from the back of the lion.

Yao almost held his breath, taken aback by the man he saw, and he instantly knew he was attracted to him. He must have been around Yao's age, with dark hair that curled slightly down under his ears, and a strong jawline, both being the first thing Yao noticed. His eyes were big and long, suiting his round nose, but his body- his body was something else. He was quite big, taller than Yao (thought Yao was quite short for a man) and he could tell that martial arts has helped the young man achieve the kind of muscles found on his arms and back.

The young man with the wavy hair noticed Siu-Chun as he walked up to him, and handed the lion's body to one of the boys waiting on the side.

"Siu-Si, you came!" The young man said, ruffling his hair slightly to fix it, a smile on his face that just made his face much more charming. "I've been dancing here for over and hour and thought you were staying home tonight! I see you've brought your Miumiu along as well!"

"Hi Kit-go," Mei-Lin replied, smiling oddly, and Yao could see how she rubbed her arms, a bit bashful. The man, who she referred as Kit-go, took notice of Yao, and there was a moment where he looked. Yao noticed his eyes flitting up and down, as if taking in Yao in his entirety, before asking.

"And who is this, Siu-Si?" He asked, thought there was no malice in his voice, and he smiled warmly at Yao.

"This is our cousin from the countryside- Wong Yao," Siu-Chun introduced quickly before Mei-Lin could say anything. Yao bowed slightly, and Kit returned it, a knowing smile on his face.

"Ah, so this is the infamous cousin," Kit replied, amusement in his tone. "Nice to meet you, Wong Yao. My name is So Man-Kit, but you can call me Man-Kit. Siu-Si has told me a lot about you."

"Please, call me Yao," Yao replied, his curiosity perked when he heard the last part. "What did he say?"

Man-Kit laughed, "Just that you were the coolest and he wishes you were his brother."

"I keep this one in line. If only you know about all the trouble he caused when he was Miumiu age!"

"I don't think Biugo would be interested," Siu-Chun mumbled, his voice low and shy suddenly, but Man-Kit didn't notice.

"I know Little lion seems quiet, but he can pack a punch," Man-Kit came closer to Yao, as if to tell him a secret. "Once when he was a little troublemaker, he knocked off a kid's teeth with a single hit!"

Yao was surprised at this bit- Siu-Chun has been a quiet and polite kid so far-, and he glanced over to see Siu-Chun's reaction, who had a light red colour on his ears from embarrassment.

"That boy thought he could push me around- I was merely defending myself," Siu-Chun quickly intervened.

"There were other boys who didn't push you to the point as that kid," Man-Kit grinned, thought he was looking at Yao mostly. "Of course Siu-Si is a good kid now- he's the best student at the school in his year! You look like you could be a fighter yourself- have you ever considered learning Hung Ga?"

"Me?" Yao questioned, and laughed when Man-Kit nodded. "No, I'm really not interested in martial arts."

"Hm...what about lion dancing?" Man-Kit continued, and Yao felt a strong attraction to his grin. "You would be good for acrobatic lion dancing- I've been wanting to do it, but I'd have to be the legs. Nobody is willing to be the head, but if you are interested, I would be willing to teach you some things."

"I have terrible balance," Yao replied, liking the way Man-Kit was maintaining eye contact with him. "An

"It's a shame," Man-Kit slightly frowned, thought it was a playful one. He then said in a smoother tone, "You have the perfect body for it as well."

Thought Yao had only ever had one guy who has ever flirted with him, Yao was sure there was something else to what Man-Kit said about his body. It sounded like he was flirting slightly, thought it could be Yao's attraction to this man that's messing with his instincts. There was no way this man was flirting with him.

"Stop trying to recruit people for your lion dancing," Siu-Chun replied, not catching the moment. "Biugo more of a pacifist than a fighter."

"Ah, I'm sure I can persuade your cousin," Man-Kit finally broke eye contact, looking at Siu-Chun. "If he's related to you, I'm sure he has a bit of a fiery spirit as well. He would like it- it's kind of like dancing if you really think about it."

"Maybe I'll come drop by when Siu-Chun has class," Yao spoke up, keeping his voice light, slightly playful as well. "Then I'll let you know."

There was light twinkle in Man-Kit eyes as he chuckled at Yao's comment, and Yao felt a shift in the space between them- was he always this friendly towards strangers? Or was he actually flirting with Yao? Maybe the first, but it wouldn't hurt for Yao to try.

After Man-Kit talked with Siu-Chun a bit, Yao noted that Chun-Yi would start to become worried if they stayed out for too long, and the cousins started to make their way home, with Man-Kit returning to his troupe to aide the others with the costume.

"How do you know Man-Kit?" Yao asked Siu-Chun as they walked down the street, attempting to avoid bumping into people and ruining the mooncakes.

"Kit-go is an older student that helped with classes when I first started," Siu-Chun replied, the sarcastic tone he carried with Man-Kit turning much more genuine. "He really helped me learn the foundations of Hung Ga and what it meant to practice martial arts. He's currently an Assistant Instructor, and I think he's trying to be a Master. He teaches at the academy full time- he's really passionate about the art. He actually help found the lion dancing department at our school."

There was admiration in Siu-Chun's words, and thought he hid it well with his smooth tone, Yao knew that the young boy held Man-Kit in high regards- maybe even more so than his own brother.

"He seems to be an important part of the school," Yao noted, and Siu-Chun nodded along.

"He's like an older brother for most of us at the academy," Siu-Chun added, and Yao noticed the flicker of emotion in his cousin's face. "If anyone had a problem, whether personal or school-related, he was always there to help without any judgment."

Yao couldn't help but feel envy for Man-Kit- to be admired and held in such regards that people would want to come to them for support and inspire is something Yao wished he could be in his life. Yao lived most of his younger days without that person to confide in- even with his own friends, he had to hide many things about himself for the sake of saving face. He could never be that person back home, with no young relatives that he was close with in his village.

He would like to be that type of person for his cousins, though- within the month that he had stayed with him, he has grown very fond of the younger two, to the point where he would see them as his own siblings.

"He's quite the talker, though," Yao , and Siu-Chun sighed loudly.

"He's like that with everyone," Siu-Chun replied. "He was only asking you to bug me. He even asked Muimui if she wanted to learn Wing Chun at the academy."

"I would do it if Mama would let me," Mei-Lin sighed, thought it felt more absent than disappointed.

It became painfully obvious to Yao that Mei-Lin was more so infatuated with Man-Kit than seeing him as a brother figure as did Siu-Chun. But who could blame her; he was quite the looker, and even Yao was captured by the young man's charm. He hoped he would actually see Man-Kit the next time he dropped Siu-Chun off to class.

"Like you would be any good at kung fu," Siu-Chun responded, setting another bickering feud between the two as they walked into their flat complex. It would have continued if it weren't for Chun-Yi, who had closed the tavern and was waiting for the three to return on the dining table.

"Hey, where did you guys go?" Siu-Keung asked.

"We went to get mooncakes," Yao replied, gesturing to the paper bag in his hand, and Siu-Keung stood up to accept the bag.

"I thought you were going to be with friends tonight?" Mei-Lin asked Siu-Keung, who shrugged. Yao glanced over to Chun-Yi, who gave Siu-Keung a look- he figured that Chun-Yi must have told Siu-Keung to be with the family for the festival.

"No, I'd rather be home tonight," Siu-Keung replied cooly, as if unbothered by his mother's look. "Besides, everyone is going to the roof to set off some fireworks."

"Let's eat before we go up," Chun-Yi said, waving over the table she had set up. "The food looks amazing! Did you help Biugo or did he do all the work?"

"I helped!" Mei-Lin exclaimed, offended by her mother's implication, and she walked over to the table with a huff. "I boiled the taro!"

As the night progressed, the family eventually went up to the rood of the tong lau to meet with friends from the building. The tong lau overlooked a small park nearby, where the firework show was taking place. A few of Mei-Lin's friends from the tong lau had bought some firecrackers up, and Yao stood by to monitor them as they hold a sparkler in their hand until it burns out, eating a mooncake from the tiny platter he had.

He watched Siu-Chun and Mei-Lin argue over another issue, this time concerning the sprinklers, and Siu-Keung hung back to the side of the roof with Yao. The moon hung high up in the sky, white and full, and the celebrations down on the street could be heard. There were other people who were on the roof of their tong lau, yelling words out to one another, and sounds of laughter filled the air.

Yao glanced over at Siu-Keung, who stared out to the sky, staring with intent at the moon. He couldn't read his cousin's expression, but he could tell his mind was elsewhere and not here with them.

"I wonder if Chang'e actually wants to stay up there alone instead of returning to her husband and family," Siu-Keung suddenly said, noticing Yao's stare. "What do you think Biugo?"

"They always say that she wishes to return home as well," Yao replied, unsure about how to answer Siu-Keung

"That's what we think and that's what her husband wishes- who's to say she intentionally wanted to stay on the moon," Siu-Keung replied. "I'm sure she has more freedom up there than here on Earth."

Before Yao could reply to Siu-Keung, Mei-Lin bounded up towards them, sprinklers in hand.

"Yao-Biu! Come hold one!" Mei-Lin insisted as she handed a lit sparkler in his hand, smiling brightly. The white flecks bounced off the stick haphazardly, giving off a yellow light in the dark and lighting up Mei-Lin's face.

"Would you like some?" Yao asked Siu-Keung, showing him the half piece of mooncake Yao did not touch, and he merely glanced at Mei-Lin. He accepted the plate, and Mei-Lin dragged Yao further into where the other children where playing with the lights.

Yao gave one last look at Siu-Keung, as an invitation for him to join them, but his cousin stood there, watching them with a neutral expression. He looked lonely standing there and Yao felt bad seeing him that way while he was with his siblings.

Like Chang'e watching over them on the moon, Siu-Keung watched, alone.


NOTES/TERMS

Names names names
Siu-Si : Lit. Little Lion. I thought it would be a nice pun of a nickname, because Siu (small) is apart of Siu-Chun's name

Kuli - okay, so this is considered to be a derogatory and racially charged term used against people, specifically Asian (both East and South), in the Carribeans, and although some places would use it and it's fine, in the context of the West and North America, it is an offensive term. There is an English equivalent that is mostly used, coolie, and although it means laborer in many Asiantic languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Chinese, it is pejorative, as indentured slaves are looked down upon and seen as inferior due to the work they do in the Carribeans (in Chinese, it translates to Bitter work)

Hung Ga is one of the Southern martial arts style that is considered to part of the three great martial arts in Southern China (along with Choi Lei Fut and Wing Chun, the latter being the most popular forms of kung fu thanks to practitioners like Ip Man and Bruce Lee). For all you Avatar: The Last Airbender fans like myself, Earthbending is actually based off of Hung Ga, with the low stances and the rigid forms.

A/N: Hello, I am very tired, so this may be short, but thank you guys so much for following and reading so far! Also, thank you for commenting on the story as well! It keeps me motivated and everything and I'm glad that people are actually connecting with the story!