Garden of Empress Cassia (2013)
“‘Hi, Mum, has Dad gone out?’ she asked hopefully.
‘Your daddy go Sydney. Uncle Ting in hospital.’ Mrs Lu looked worried. She shook her head slowly. ‘He not live long, Mimi.’ ‘Uncle Ting? But he’s younger than Dad isn’t he?’ ‘His stomach no good, eat too much meat, too much greasy food.’ Mimi hadn’t seen her uncle since she was six years old. She remembered how he had joked with her and recited beautiful Tang dynasty poems, each word rolling off his tongue like a polished pearl. How she wished her dad could be like him.
‘Why didn’t he ever come back to visit?’asked Mimi.
‘Aiya . . .’ sighed Mrs Lu. ‘Your daddy angry. He say Uncle Ting lazy, because he not find good job. Lu family lose face, make ancestors unhappy.’ She sighed again. ‘Maybe they now make peace.’ ‘Will he die soon?’ ‘Doctor say any time. You want something eat, Mimi?’ ‘Later, Mum, I’m going outside to do a drawing for Uncle Ting, okay?’ Mimi took the box of Empress Cassia Pastels from her school bag and went ...out into the street.MoreLess
‘Your daddy go Sydney. Uncle Ting in hospital.’ Mrs Lu looked worried. She shook her head slowly. ‘He not live long, Mimi.’ ‘Uncle Ting? But he’s younger than Dad isn’t he?’ ‘His stomach no good, eat too much meat, too much greasy food.’ Mimi hadn’t seen her uncle since she was six years old. She remembered how he had joked with her and recited beautiful Tang dynasty poems, each word rolling off his tongue like a polished pearl. How she wished her dad could be like him.
‘Why didn’t he ever come back to visit?’asked Mimi.
‘Aiya . . .’ sighed Mrs Lu. ‘Your daddy angry. He say Uncle Ting lazy, because he not find good job. Lu family lose face, make ancestors unhappy.’ She sighed again. ‘Maybe they now make peace.’ ‘Will he die soon?’ ‘Doctor say any time. You want something eat, Mimi?’ ‘Later, Mum, I’m going outside to do a drawing for Uncle Ting, okay?’ Mimi took the box of Empress Cassia Pastels from her school bag and went ...out into the street.MoreLess
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