that we had a vacancy. So strange that Mrs Wu left so suddenly.’
I was dumbfounded. Not only had Mr Chen kept the truth about Mrs Wu’s departure from his mother, but he had lied to her about
me. I wasn’t an orphan. How dare he say that my mother was dead? She wasn’t dead. I was going to go home to her. She wasn’t
dead.
‘You are very pale, Lu Si-yan,’ Mrs Hong said quietly, ‘and so very young. I hope you will turn to me for help if you have
any worries.’
That silky voice wrapped itself comfortingly, coaxingly round me. I looked up at her kindly face and wanted to share everything
with her there and then, but how could I, without revealing that her son and daughter-in-law had lied to her.
I nodded my head and said simply, ‘I shall enjoy reading to you, Mrs Hong. I used to read to my father.’
‘Then after we have finished our tea you shall choose a book and we shall begin.’
I asked Mrs Hong about the river down below. When she told me it was the Yangtse, I realised just how far from home I had
travelled.
‘What are all the fallen buildings?’
‘That’s the old town,’ Mrs Hong explained. ‘It is being pulled down because it is liable to flood when the level of the river
rises. This new town was built and everyone was rehoused here. Those who farmed the land further down have been given jobs
in factories.’
‘My father was a farmer,’ I said. ‘He would have hated to work in a factory.’
‘So should I, my dear, so should I. But the youngsters, well, many of them prefer it. It can be easy money compared to toiling
on the land.’
‘I like to be out in the fresh air,’ I said, and wondered when I might be allowed to go outside and explore.
The books in Mrs Hong’s room, unlike those in the study, were dog-eared and inviting. I chose one at random, sought Mrs Hong’s
approval, then sat down to read. I was nervous at first, certain I would not be up to the task, but as the story unfolded
and Mrs Hong nodded encouragement, closing her eyes to listen more attentively, I relaxed and began to lose myself in the
story. Page after page went by, my voice the only sound to break the peace.
A clock struck suddenly. Mrs Hong opened her eyes.
‘You read very well, Lu Si-yan. Mrs Wu was a trifle monotonous, bless her. We will do this again, but now I am going to help
you with your dusting.’
I was amazed that Mrs Hong would even consider helping me. She had reached her door before I could attempt to stop her, and
began hurtling down the hall as though in a race. Just as she reached the door to the apartment, it opened and she crashed
into it, causing it to rebound into the shopping-laden Mrs Chen. I was so shocked, and at the same time the scene struck me
as so comical, that I hooted with laughter. A brief, hysterical hoot, but it was noted even in the confusion. For a moment
Mrs Chen stood thunderstruck. Then she dropped her shopping, pushed past Mrs Hong and made a grab for me.
‘How dare you mock me!’ she shrieked. ‘Who gave you permission to enter this area of our apartment the minute my back was
turned?’
‘You know very well it was me,’ said Mrs Hong calmly. ‘I am to blame, so please don’t take it out on the poor child.’
‘‘‘The poor child” has been nothing but trouble since she arrived. She needs to understand her place here, while you, dear
mother-in-law, need to understand that old women do not go racing around in wheelchairs with the servants.’
‘You, dear daughter-in-law, need to understand your place here. I am the head of this household and if I wish Lu Si-yan to read to me then so she shall.’
‘We’ll see about that,’ fumed Mrs Chen. ‘Go to the kitchen now, Lu Si-yan. I shall expect to find that you have done everything
I asked.’
She took hold of the arms of the wheelchair, turned it round and pushed Mrs Hong back to her room.
Chapter Fifteen
A Prisoner
A month went by, a month in which I began
I was dumbfounded. Not only had Mr Chen kept the truth about Mrs Wu’s departure from his mother, but he had lied to her about
me. I wasn’t an orphan. How dare he say that my mother was dead? She wasn’t dead. I was going to go home to her. She wasn’t
dead.
‘You are very pale, Lu Si-yan,’ Mrs Hong said quietly, ‘and so very young. I hope you will turn to me for help if you have
any worries.’
That silky voice wrapped itself comfortingly, coaxingly round me. I looked up at her kindly face and wanted to share everything
with her there and then, but how could I, without revealing that her son and daughter-in-law had lied to her.
I nodded my head and said simply, ‘I shall enjoy reading to you, Mrs Hong. I used to read to my father.’
‘Then after we have finished our tea you shall choose a book and we shall begin.’
I asked Mrs Hong about the river down below. When she told me it was the Yangtse, I realised just how far from home I had
travelled.
‘What are all the fallen buildings?’
‘That’s the old town,’ Mrs Hong explained. ‘It is being pulled down because it is liable to flood when the level of the river
rises. This new town was built and everyone was rehoused here. Those who farmed the land further down have been given jobs
in factories.’
‘My father was a farmer,’ I said. ‘He would have hated to work in a factory.’
‘So should I, my dear, so should I. But the youngsters, well, many of them prefer it. It can be easy money compared to toiling
on the land.’
‘I like to be out in the fresh air,’ I said, and wondered when I might be allowed to go outside and explore.
The books in Mrs Hong’s room, unlike those in the study, were dog-eared and inviting. I chose one at random, sought Mrs Hong’s
approval, then sat down to read. I was nervous at first, certain I would not be up to the task, but as the story unfolded
and Mrs Hong nodded encouragement, closing her eyes to listen more attentively, I relaxed and began to lose myself in the
story. Page after page went by, my voice the only sound to break the peace.
A clock struck suddenly. Mrs Hong opened her eyes.
‘You read very well, Lu Si-yan. Mrs Wu was a trifle monotonous, bless her. We will do this again, but now I am going to help
you with your dusting.’
I was amazed that Mrs Hong would even consider helping me. She had reached her door before I could attempt to stop her, and
began hurtling down the hall as though in a race. Just as she reached the door to the apartment, it opened and she crashed
into it, causing it to rebound into the shopping-laden Mrs Chen. I was so shocked, and at the same time the scene struck me
as so comical, that I hooted with laughter. A brief, hysterical hoot, but it was noted even in the confusion. For a moment
Mrs Chen stood thunderstruck. Then she dropped her shopping, pushed past Mrs Hong and made a grab for me.
‘How dare you mock me!’ she shrieked. ‘Who gave you permission to enter this area of our apartment the minute my back was
turned?’
‘You know very well it was me,’ said Mrs Hong calmly. ‘I am to blame, so please don’t take it out on the poor child.’
‘‘‘The poor child” has been nothing but trouble since she arrived. She needs to understand her place here, while you, dear
mother-in-law, need to understand that old women do not go racing around in wheelchairs with the servants.’
‘You, dear daughter-in-law, need to understand your place here. I am the head of this household and if I wish Lu Si-yan to read to me then so she shall.’
‘We’ll see about that,’ fumed Mrs Chen. ‘Go to the kitchen now, Lu Si-yan. I shall expect to find that you have done everything
I asked.’
She took hold of the arms of the wheelchair, turned it round and pushed Mrs Hong back to her room.
Chapter Fifteen
A Prisoner
A month went by, a month in which I began
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