Chapter 39
Breach of Chasm
In a small town, at the heart of the marketplace, a fine young woman was setting up her trades and goods for the day's business.
While others moved on, engaged, or married, the fine woman remained single and chose to be unnoticed by everyone.
An old lady was her only companion, and together they helped each other set up their goods.
They had known each other since they met one fateful night, and from that moment on, the old lady became her beacon, guiding her to live each day.
One afternoon, a man arrived to deliver a parcel to the old lady. The fine woman's eyes were immediately drawn to him. He was tall and unassuming, dressed in poor, tattered farmer's clothing. Yet, despite his humble appearance, he exuded a balance of confidence and humility. In his eyes, one could see an endless, pristine calmness, free from any storm.
He handed the parcel to the old lady, bowed, and left.
The old lady, eager to talk to him more, couldn't help herself and called out: "Hey, come back! You forgot to collect the payment."
The humble man returned, and as he stood before the old lady again, he remained silent, patiently waiting. Suddenly, a rainfall began, showering the entire marketplace.
It was the first rain of the year, a spring rain, and suddenly, the marketplace was in chaos.
The man, looking around calmly, saw a woman trying to cover her dry goods with blankets. Another man whispered his disappointment as the vegetables he had on display got wet, trying to salvage what remained.
In the midst of the commotion, the fine young woman, drenched in the rain but still graceful in her simple maidservant's dress, caught the man's attention. His world seemed to stop.
She hurried to cover a little boy who lived on the streets, a boy who appeared to have nowhere else to go.
The man observed her closely, noting her worn-out boots, her long dark brown hair, and of course, her pretty face, which he caught from a side glance.
From his distance, he couldn't fully understand who she was or what she was doing there, but it seemed she was a native of this place.
As the man considered approaching them, the old lady spoke again: "Thank you. Would you like to sit down and have a snack? We have the best ginseng noodle soup in town, and it's my birthday today. Perhaps you came like an angel to be part of my special day."
The man, still expressionless but humble, responded, "Where can I sit and accept the blessing of the old lady?"
His voice was as calm as water, a response that surprised the old lady, who hadn't expected such formality from a simple man with a stern face.
Intrigued, the old lady smiled and said, "Well, thank the heavens! This good-looking man will join our celebration in a moment."
"Muqin, look what I've brought," the fine woman said.
"Thank you, sweetie. We have a guest today."
"A guest? I didn't know you invited someone for your special day."
The old lady and the fine woman came into the dining area and saw the man sitting there.
The man wasn't looking at them. He was gazing at the soup on the table, but then he slowly lifted his face and saw the fine woman.
Their eyes met, and the man held her gaze for a little longer than he should have. The fine woman noticed and frowned at him.
The man, startled, suddenly stood up, stunned by the sight of her, wanting to speak. However, the moment quickly turned cold, and he found himself unable to say anything.
The man said to himself, "I'm sure she saw me."
Lost in his thoughts, with his ruggedly handsome face, he stole a glance at her and said to the old lady, "It was nice meeting you. I'm leaving."
The old lady, looking puzzled, asked, "Why are you leaving so soon? You didn't even start your soup."
Not wanting to be impolite, the man replied, "I have another parcel to deliver. A delay could get me in trouble."
Not wanting to ruin the old lady's birthday, he added, "If tomorrow is a good day, I'll come and visit you again."
He gave the old lady a kind look and left without waiting for a response.
The old woman, still puzzled, looked back and forth between the fine woman and the direction in which the man had gone.
The fine woman asked, "What? I didn't do anything."
The old lady replied, "If you keep frowning like that, you'll never have a man in your life. You'll end up an old lady like me."
The fine woman smiled and said, "Why not? I'm a fan of yours."
The old lady laughed. "I don't believe that for a second," she said, and then the fine woman suddenly blurted, "Muqin, don't tell me…"
The fine woman quickly covered her mouth, trying to stop herself from speaking. The old lady, with a curious look, tried to decipher what she was hinting at. "Oh, don't even think about it!" she said.
The fine woman laughed. "I didn't know you liked younger men half your age," she teased.
The old lady, not missing a beat, retorted, "I'll snatch him away if you don't notice something special in him! Tomorrow, if he's a real man, he'll come back."
The fine woman brushed off the old lady's teasing and said, "I'm going to change my clothes. I'm all wet. Oh, and here, this is for you."
She left her gift on the table.
"How thoughtful and sweet of you," the old lady said.
The next day, on the bustling business street, the man passed by the old lady's Kowloon noodle house again, walking slowly, as if waiting for a call. The old lady noticed him and stepped into the narrow street to block his way. "What a coincidence to see you again, Mister!" she greeted him.
The man, keeping his cool and expressionless face, said, "I must have passed this way again on my route to deliver another parcel just around the corner."
"Oh, I thought you were stopping by to finish your ginseng soup. It's still cold from yesterday," the old lady teased, reminding him of his unfinished meal.
The man, scratching his head, replied, "I did miss that ginseng soup, but I must finish my work first. Perhaps I'll stop by after my job is done?"
The old lady grinned. "Alright, be sure to come by after your shift. I'll prepare the best ginseng soup for you."
The man nodded respectfully and continued walking. As he passed the Kowloon house, he stole a glance inside, hoping to see the pretty lady, but there was no sign of her. His heart skipped a beat.
The old lady, keenly observing, saw the glance and squinted her eyes. She had an idea of what, or rather, who, the man was looking for.
Later, the fine woman arrived, wearing her usual maidservant dress. The old lady, in a cold tone, asked, "Why are you late?"
The fine woman, not wanting to engage in an early morning argument, replied, "If I'm late, who's early?" She smiled slightly and shook her head as she went to her kitchen duties. She was the cook of the best noodle house in the marketplace.
Customers began to arrive, and orders came in. The old lady shouted, "Two ginseng soups and black tea later!"
The fine woman, expertly slicing onions, suddenly threw an 8-9 inch chef's knife at a nearby post, hitting it with precision among the many blade marks already there.
Her face was serious, and beads of sweat began to form on her forehead. She quickly folded a white cloth into a makeshift rope and used it to swat a nearby ladle. It flew through the air and landed perfectly in her hand. She opened a gigantic casserole, releasing a steamy aroma of ginseng, and used the ladle to gracefully pour the soup into a ceramic bowl.
It was a scene you wouldn't want to miss.
"Order's ready!" she exclaimed.
The old lady kept feeding orders to the pretty chef all day long, and the fine woman executed them flawlessly. Her quick, graceful movements transformed the kitchen into a disciplined training ground. Every blade mark, every move was calculated. She could tell when a knife throw needed improvement or when it was perfect. In her small space, she performed her cooking like a martial artist in training, leaving her sharp skills hidden but undeniable.
At the end of the day, there were always leftovers. After her chores were done, she donned a rugged, faded brown hood that reached halfway to her waist. She never missed a day of feeding the poor and homeless children in the streets.
A man stood outside the Kowloon house as the old lady counted coins. She tilted her head slightly and recognized him.
The man had kept his word. The old lady, in her usual bland voice, said, "A demigod is looking for you, and you might not want to meet him in your dirty clothes."
The man, expressionless as ever, searched for the old lady inside the house but waited outside.
The fine woman, washing dishes, heard the old lady's murmuring voice and asked, "Who?"
"Why don't you find out for yourself?" replied the old lady, sarcastically forcing the fine woman to come out and see who was outside.
As the man began to walk away, the fine woman, still wearing her apron, peeked outside through the window.
The man, as if in slow motion, saw her pretty face. The crisp, fresh air brushed against him, and for a moment, time seemed to stop.
However, the fine woman, unable to see who was standing outside, frowned and, uninterested, whispered, "Maybe it's a ghost."
The old lady looked outside and, seeing the man was gone, said, "You're late!"
The fine woman, growing frustrated, replied, "You keep telling me I'm late today. What's the fuss? And I'll never stop asking, who's early if I'm late? There's only a ghost outside."
The old lady smiled to herself and thought, "This is interesting. How will the rooster meet the angry peacock?"
The fine woman, ready to leave, set out on her daily routine of feeding the poor, blessing them with heaven's grace.
The next day, on a sunny morning, a child ran through the marketplace, chased by a group of gangsters. Terrified, the boy ran as fast as he could until he reached the front of the Kowloon house, where he collapsed in fear.
A man, dressed in humble clothing, was passing by. Without looking back, he extended his foot, tripping the first person chasing the boy. The man faked his anger, saying, "Are you blind? Watch where you're going, or you'll trip again!"
Sensing another attacker, the man turned and stepped on the foot of a second gangster, who yelped in pain. Meanwhile, the man acted as if it had all been accidental, saying, "Didn't you see that I just stumbled?"
Three more gangsters approached the boy, paying no attention to their fallen comrades. They circled the boy, who began to knock desperately on the door of the Kowloon house.
Inside, customers looked on with concern as the commotion outside grew.
The old lady sensed that someone needed help and rang a bell, alerting the chef.
The man, standing at a distance, watched the three gangsters closing in on the boy and thought to himself, "Breaking the rules, are we?" He decided he would intervene to save the boy and then disappear.
The fine woman emerged from the Kowloon house, her expression cold and fearless. She looked at the gangsters as the little boy hid behind her skirt, and the bullies laughed at him.
While the fine woman rolled her eyes, debating whether to teach them a lesson or scare them by faking her identity, she grunted, "I'm the mother. Why are you bullying my child?"
The three gangsters showed no respect. One of them scoffed, "You? Thin and—" but before he could finish, the fine woman swiftly swatted his knee, making him bow before her. She gave him a swift smack on the rear and said, "What were you saying?"
The youngster swallowed hard and cried out in pain, while the man standing in the middle of the street watched silently, secretly hiding a joyful amusement in his cold eyes.
Another gangster lunged at the fine woman, but she quickly grabbed his shirt and hung him on the Kowloon's wall lamp. She slapped him twice and said in a slightly angry tone, "If your mother hasn't done this to you yet, come back anytime. My hands are always free."
The man continued watching, amused by how the fine woman played the role of the little boy's mother. He rested his hand on his jaw, his arched brow making him look like a stand-in Adonis.
After her "slapping session," the little boy hiding behind her skirt giggled in victory. The fine woman held his hand and asked, "Where is the leader of this gang?"
The little boy pointed towards the man standing in the middle of the street, where the two gangsters writhed in pain beside him. The gang leader, running toward the man, pleaded for help.
The fine woman assumed the man was the leader.
The man, with his athletic build and a face as cold as the North Pole, yet with a hint of amusement in his eyes, suddenly grabbed the gangster leader by the ear. Pulling him toward the fine woman, the man handed him over and said, "I must be an accessory to the crime. Here's your main offender." He finally looked at her, offering a sly smile, and continued, "Like a father, I'm telling you to bow and show respect to the mother. Apologize to her child and promise this won't happen again. For the next thirty days, you'll serve her as penance for your bullying."
His voice, calm as a hunting wind, managed to strike two birds with one stone.
The gang leader, enduring the pain in his ear, heard the voice of his "father." He bowed his head to the fine woman and said, "We're very sorry to the boy and to you, Aunt Muqin. I'll fetch water to help with your chores and befriend your child."
The fine woman, her anger softened but not fully gone, was satisfied with his promise.
She then shifted her gaze to the man, her beautiful brown eyes piercing into him. She said, "If these are your children, make sure they remember my child's face. The next time I see them in this situation, I won't just punish them, I'll punish their accessory-to-the-crime father."
The man, receiving that fierce but beautiful gaze, felt a warmth color the gray areas of his life. He replied, "Nothing to worry about."
He paused for a moment, then added, "I only wish my children had a mother like you. Then I could sit in the corner of the house, knowing my kids were disciplined from head to toe."
Praised and complimented for her "mother" role, the fine woman, satisfied, let the matter go, leaving the man and his gangsters behind.
As another day ended, the old lady watched from the windows of the Kowloon house. The crowd, in awe of the scene they had just witnessed, stood there, gawking and forgetting about their busy lives.
The old lady grabbed a staff, banging it repeatedly on a wooden post, and said, "The show's over! Back to your seats, please."
Startled, the crowd quickly returned to their seats, eager to resume eating their noodle soups.
Connect to Chapter 41 Blind date
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