At a river in a small village ,a little child's voice echoed in the evening wind. The sound of water running softly and the chilled wind rushing blew the little girl's short - cropped hair about her face.
" Chicken drums, chicken drums, go into my mouth. It's cold out there, its warm in my belly. Rice balls, rice balls, go into my mouth. It's cold out there, its warm in my belly...little bun, little bun.."
A tiny child of around four sang in a sweet voice as she washed clothes belonging to adults.
" Little Yan!?" A young woman yelled in shock as she came running down the river with a bucket in hand. Yu Yan looked up from the pile of clothes at the rushing woman.
The woman was appalled at seeing the little girl here beside the rushing river ,alone at this hour.
" Did Madam Xu tell you to go wash clothes at this hour?" She screamed angrily.
Little Yan nodded.
" That woman is a real devil. I want to kill her!. I just want to kill her!" The young woman screamed in anger and snatched the piles of clothes from under little Yan's.
Little Yan resisted.
"It is okay auntie, I can do it. I am a big girl now" Little Yan said in her sweet little voice, looking up at the young woman.
The young woman chuckled. Little Yan was no grown up in her eyes. With little Yan's short greasy hair, to her red with cold nose to the tan dirty skin, little Yan still managed to look extremely adorable with her happy smile and her bright eyes which always looked at her with all her attention.
"I know you are a big girl, You can wash clothes like you always do but its too cold tonight and dangerous.Come, I will wash it since I am a bigger girl, alright?" The young woman began washing after pushing little Yan to sit on the side. " Did you eat dinner already?" The young girl asked as she washed the clothes angrily.
Little Yan looked up at the question and took out her feet from inside the river, sat on the side and folded her arms around her knees to warm herself.
"Auntie, do you want to hear the truth, or the lie" Little Yan asked.
The young woman chuckled again.
"Of course the truth. You should always tell auntie Si the truth, understand? no matter what that bitch Madam Xu tell you"
"Bitch Madam Xu?" The little child opened her eyes wider at the exciting curse word.
"Yes, exactly. Are you doubting my words" The young lady continued to smash Madam Xu's clothes on the wet stone.. wringing and dipping them into the cold river. She hit the clothes as if she were hitting its owner.
"Well.. then the bitch has not fed me since yesterday" Little Yan said innocently and auntie Si gasped but laughed prettily. Little Yan's eyes lit up watching the beautiful lady smiling at her words.She wanted to make her laugh again.
After a long while the clothes were all washed.
"Little Yan, Come to my house. Lets eat something delicious today, my master gave me my pay today. I cooked your share as well because I knew you wouldn't have eaten yet." the young lady said with a happy face.
Her house was on the way and Yu Yan had told her that she had not eaten. She would feed little Yan something delicious tonight.
Yu Yan nodded on hearing auntie Si's inviting words. She would not get any food anyways at the orphanage. It was better for her to fill up her stomach before she went back.
"getting scolded on a full stomach is better than being scolded on an empty stomach"
Auntie Si laughed again.
"Yu Yan, wake up."
"Huh?" Yu Yan responded sleepily as she felt herself been shaken gently.
"I am leaving now. I will call you when I land. I called my secretary to give you a few more days of sick leave " Li Jun said rubbing her arms gently.
"Where are you going?" Yu Yan called sleepily.
"San Fransisco. I told you before." Li Jun answered calmly.
"Oh!... yes".
Yu Yan remembered with disappointment. "I remember. A meeting..." Yu Yan said in a sad voice.
Li Jun turned away to check on his travelling bags.He walked around the room.
"I will come back as soon as the meeting gets over. I will not stop to rest. Expect my return in three days time". He said with not much emotions. He planned to fly back and rest inside the plane.
Suddenly, Yu Yan sat up straight.
" No no, you cannot do that. You need to rest a bit before and after the meeting.You only just recovered. I am not sick anymore". Yu Yan said quickly. "After Drinking uncle Kao's medicine for two days I am feeling more healthy than I have ever felt before."
She was even now reluctant to send Li Jun on such a long business trip. Uncle Kao had said it was going to be fine but she could not help but be worried still.
"That's great". Li Jun responded to only the later part of her words. " I feel more relax about leaving you here then. But still expect me back in three days." Li Jun turned around to smile down at her worried face. He walked over.
He sat down close to her and began to kiss her all over her face,eliciting a giggle from Yu Yan. She was just too lovely being worried like that for him.
"You were drolling just now in your sleep and smiling. what did you dream about?" Li Jun whispered hugging her close.He was already beginning to miss her before he had even left.
"I dreamt I was drinking chicken soup with someone I had missed for a long time" Yu Yan said remembering her dream of what had happened in her past.
"Who?" Li Jun asked suspiciously.
"Auntie Si"
"Oh" Li Jun said clearly relieved.
Yu Yan loved talking about auntie Si. The one woman in Yu Yan's life who Li Jun believe was responsible for turning Yu Yan into the kind and warm person she was today.
"I really like auntie Si" Li Jun said softly with a smile.
"Me too. You ate breakfast?" Yu Yan asked going back into wife mode.
"I will eat on the plane. Or should we eat together before I leave" He let her change the painful topic.
" Its okay. I will eat later. You will be late for your flight" She shook her head.
" How can I be late on my own plane?" Li Jun said with a chuckle, shaking his head.
"Right... I totally forgot I married a very rich man" Yu Yan said a little embarrassed. She had expected him to fly to America in the common way.
"... and handsome" Li Jun teased.
" And so humble at that" Yu Yan added rolling her eyes at him.
Li Jun laughed at that.
"You really have to go?" Yu Yan asked despite herself.
Li Jun gave a slightly sad smile and whispered "Stop looking at me with that look in your eyes. I might end up not going"
Yu Yan laughed happily but shook her head just in case he really went and did that.
"Work is work. We can't help it" She said matter of factly.
"It's not even that important " Li Jun wavered.
Yu Yan tried pushing him off the bed but without success.
" Just go. I will wait obediently at home for your return"
"Obediently You say. That would be a dream come true." Li Jun teased.
"Hey?! Haven't I been good lately? " Yu Yan said full of indignation.
"Yes, but for how long?" Li Jun pinched her cheeks lightly getting rid of her pout.
"What an ungrateful bastard. I oath to be bad more often"
"But you love me so much, so it's okay, you wouldn't dare to be too bad." Li Jun teased again pulling her close and looking into her hypnotising eyes.
Yu Yan rolled her eyes but gave him a tight hug, channelling all the love and longing she felt for him. She was going to miss him terribly. Her eyes misted.
Li Jun sighed feeling her sadness.
"I will be back before you know it"
[ Guys Iam soo sorry. The drama in my life has not ended but I have decided to adjust so that I can be regular again.
My grandma was sick, you guys remember right? then my grandpa got a heart seizure instead. ha ha. Grandma could not stay sick after that. hahaha.Doc told us to be prepared as he would not make the night. All family was ready for his passing and we all prayed and prayed for him. He made it and passed the night. It was a miracle really. Then, he wanted to go away from the hospital. So we are keeping him at home and still watching him. Docs said He might pass at any time.But its okay. I feel he will recover. Peace out!]