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Siu and I were classmates in junior high. She was born in a middle-class family. The youngest of three children, she also was her parents’ sweetheart. Sui was not a pretty girl but she had a pair of attractive big round eyes, shining brightly, and sometimes they seemed to be smile at you. So her father gave her a good name – “SIU.” In Chinese, it means “laughing.” |
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In our girlhood, like other teenagers we had our daydreams and fantasies. We always exchanged our little secrets with each other. I liked writing and traveling. I fantasized about becoming a journalist, traveling around the whole world, studying different countries’ going to the dangerous scene to get the top news. It made me feel so exciting and risky. In fact, because my parents had seven children, so they could not afford any traveling expenses for me. Sui loved to read fairy tales, such as “Snow White,” “Cinderella,” etc. So she had a romantic fantasy. She dreamed she would meet a noble, handsome prince, riding a white hose. He would give her a gentle kiss and a rose. Sometimes I teased her, “How about if you meet an ugly one?” She shot back, “Hold your sharp tongue, otherwise it will drive all the nice boys away from you.” |
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After one year, Siu moved to Shanguan (a small city in Guangdong) with her family. I did not hear from her afterward and I thought I could not see her anymore. |
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Fifteen years passed. One day I received a letter from my old friend Jean. She said Siu was living in the same city in which I was working, but she only gave me an address without further information. Anyway, I was so happy I could not wait to meet Siu. |
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I went by bus and reached a two-story building. When I was finding the apartment, a man came in the front yard. His face was wrinkled and his hair was salt and pepper, which made him, looked like an old man. I showed him Siu’s address. He smiled affectionately and led me to the second floor to Siu’s small apartment. When the door opened, Siu stood over there opening her mouth and shaking. I shouted, “Big surprise!” We hugged each other, laughing, even crying. Then Siu dragged the man near and introduced him proudly, “This is my husband Luong.” Oh, my God! I could not believe my eyes. |
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Siu seemed to read my mind. She smiled and said “Lisa, yes, my dream really came true. Luong is my noble prince because there is a great, pure soul in his plain appearance. Real life is a good teacher. It taught me to realize that internal beauty was more important than a fine appearance.” Listening to her, I noticed something had changed in Siu. Instead of being simple and naïve, she had become confident and strong. |
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Then she told me what had happened in her life. In the beginning, her father’s business was doing well. But his elder son hated to follow in the footsteps of his father and went to Hong Kong to follow his own career. The second son was dependent on his father. Since he got married, he took care of his small family more than the business. The old man needed to work very hard. Siu helped her father after school. Unfortunately, her father got liver cancer. Before he died, he urged Siu to attend college, to gain more knowledge and skill. Her mother was so miserable after the death of her beloved husband that she got sick also. Siu’s sister-in-law suggested that Siu quite her course to take care of her mother. The old woman argued fiercely with her daughter-in-law, then had a stroke. Siu’s second brother kept some of Siu’s property, and he moved out with his wife after a week. Siu felt panic and her beloved brother turned so selfish and mean. However, she knew she must face the difficulties bravely by herself. Following her father’s will, she attended college to study an accounting course. |
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