Golden Ring

Chapter 45

40 years later

Inside the school milk shop, a man in glasses was enjoying a shaved ice dessert. The youthful and playful demeanor that once defined him had given way to a mature and noble presence.

"Sir, are you enjoying our food? That's our best menu here," the woman owner approached the man in glasses.

"Krub Ma-Ma'am," the man in glasses replied, offering a smile to the woman owner.

As the man left, the husband-owner pulled his wife aside.

"Do you really not know who that man is?" the husband-owner asked, his expression filled with shock. The woman owner shook her head, indicating she didn't know.

"Why... your expression... Is he a celebrity or something?" the woman owner inquired.

"Ma... Can you please watch the news on television sometimes? He is the most famous bartender in America and also a popular sign language teacher in Pattaya City... I see him every day on the news. Even at 63 years old, he still looks good... But whenever I see him on the news, I feel like a proud father seeing his successful child," the husband-owner explained.

"Por... Don't you think we've never seen that man before? Why do I feel like I've seen him not for the first time, but I can't remember where?" .

...

Li Ming, who had just left the school milk shop, reflected on how he treated his parents as Gun. They hadn't changed; they were still the same as always.

Li Ming was in Bangkok now because his co-teacher had invited him to a celebration party. Before the party began, he took a stroll around Bangkok, his first visit to the city as Li Ming.

"Ai'Por... Can you at least give me a bit of barbecue to eat? You even ate the barbecue on my plate," a man protested, defending his food.

"Ai'Yo... I only had a little bit... Look, there's still some left over," the other man retorted.

"Ohoiii... Can you two stop bickering? We're in a public place, you know," a teenager with glasses intervened.

As Li Ming observed a group of teenagers being loud at a street food stall, he smiled and continued on his way.

"Ai'Sound... Who are you looking at?" Win asked.

"Win.... That man in the glasses... why do I feel like he looks familiar?"

...

"Grandpa Li Ming... Grandpa Li Ming... Tell me the story again," a 5-year-old boy persistently nagged the old man sitting in a chair.

"Pete... Grandson... Grandpa Li Ming needs to rest,"

"But Grandma..."

"You sleep first. When you wake up, Grandpa will tell you stories again," the grandmother instructed.

"Hahhh... Uncle Li Ming... I told you to take care of your body. You're not young anymore; you're old now. Don't let that stubborn kid keep nagging you," AeSal, the little girl Li Ming had cared for before, now grandmother to her daughter son, scold him.

"Hahaha... But AeSal, both of us are stubborn," Li Ming chuckled.

"Hahahaha... Right... Uncle Li Ming, are you still telling the stories about you and Uncle Heart from your other life?" AeSal inquired, listening intently to her Uncle Li Ming's tales. Initially skeptical, she found herself believing him due to the sincerity in his storytelling.

"Uncle Li Ming, that day... when you let go of Uncle Heart... do you ever regret it?" AeSal asked, looking at her uncle.

Li Ming smiled at her. The wrinkles on his skin were more pronounced now due to his age, but his smile remained unchanged.

"No... I never regret it... Because I know..."

"He's still waiting for me..."

The End