Glimpses

The Fishing Village

As the bright blue BMW sped along the coastal highway, Shancai could smell the ocean, it was so close. The sea breeze whipped through her hair, as she excitedly bounced along to the music playing on the radio.

"Where are you taking me, Daoming Si? Are we going to a seaside resort to celebrate?"

"You'll see, Mrs Daoming Si" her husband glanced over and smiled at her. He couldn't help thinking how adorable his wife looked, as excited as a child, with the scarf wrapped securely around her eyes as she clutched on his arm.

"I can't see anything," she whined. "It's been two hours already!"

"Patience, my love," he chuckled at her. "You'll see soon enough."

The car finally came to a stop in front of a pretty little house, and Si went around to the passenger side to open the door for Shancai. He held her hand as she got out of the car.

"Can I take off the blindfold now? Just tell me where I am!"

"Shhh," he told her as he gently led her through the doorway.

A familiar smell hit her nostrils as she walked through the door. Si gently brought his hands to her face and removed the scarf which was covering her eyes. And there in front of her were the two most important people to her, besides her husband.

"Ma! Pa!" she shrieked in delight. "I should have guessed when I smelled the spicy grilled squid walking through the door!" She threw her arms around both of them, hugging them tightly. Si stood watching them with a smile on his face. Mama Dong opened up her arms to him and gave him a tight squeeze. "Thank you for bringing our Shancai home," she whispered. "Anytime Ma," he replied. "I could tell that she missed you, so I brought her here for our third month anniversary. I think she would like for us to celebrate it with you."

Shancai turned to her handsome husband, tears glistening in her eyes. "Thank you Ah Si, I love you," she mouthed at him as he came over to embrace her in his arms.

"Come, come, eat, eat!" Papa Dong told the newlyweds. "Your mama has cooked all your favourite dishes!" Mama Dong beamed at them over the table. "Now, this is supposed to be a vacation for the both of you, so you two just enjoy yourselves and leave everything to me. No buts!" she said as she saw Shancai opening her mouth to protest. "Okay Ma," she laughed, "Come, let's eat!" she said, as they all tucked in to the delicious meal spread before them.

After dinner, Si and Shancai took a stroll along the seaside, listening to the waves crashing along the beach. They stood silently for a while, before Si came up behind her and wrapped her in his arms. "Do you know why I brought you here, Shancai?" he whispered as he peppered kisses along her neck.

"Because you knew that I missed my parents?"

"Yes, and also, I wanted us to come here for the first time as a couple, as free as the sea-gulls flying around in this village, free as a bird with no cares in the world, free to love without any worries and anxieties."

Shancai looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "The first time you came here, it was after that terrible fight we had and you ran away from me. My pride kept me from coming to find you, even though my heart told me again and again that I should. I battled within myself so many times, and yet I lost."

"The second time we came here together, when I asked your parents if I could marry you, but it was under so much uncertainty, and do you remember we had to video call my mother?"

Shancai wrinkled her nose at the recollection. "I think my parents could have fainted from the stress. Your mom was soooo scary and intimidating."

"Also," she smiled, "Do you remember the sleeping arrangements?" Si groaned as Shancai looked at him with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "What would you say if the sleeping arrangements on our trip here now were the same as then?"

Si's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "You've got to be kidding me!" Shancai giggled at him. "You're so vulnerable! I was just joking!"

Si heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, if you're telling me I have to sleep with your dad again, we're packing up and going home tonight."

Shancai slapped his hand, "Daoming Si!"

"Owww why always so violent? Can't you stay still and just let me hug you?"

"Well, if I stay still, I can't do this, right?" She suddenly turned around, leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him, hard, her tongue brushing against his lips. He gasped as his arms tightened around her, pressing her closer to him as he deepened the kiss. "Let's go back, Shancai," he murmured into her mouth. "Gladly," she replied, not breaking their kiss. He lifted her up as she wrapped her legs around him, and he groaned as the kiss grew more intense, "Shancai, what are you doing to me?"

They kissed passionately for a few more minutes before they finally stopped for oxygen, breathing in the salty, sea air. He stared at her disheveled hair and swollen lips from his kisses, and her eyes staring back at him with so much love and desire, that it took all of his self-control not to take her there and then, right on the beach. He had to do something to break the tension. He suddenly swung her around and hoisted her on his back, the sounds of their laughter breaking through the stillness of the night, as he carried her all the way home.

Later that night, as Si cuddled Shancai in bed, he fell into a deep and comfortable sleep, knowing that wherever he would sleep, so long that she was beside him, that was all that mattered.

Shancai could not sleep so soon, so she lay awake as her husband hugged her from behind, gently stroking his hand wrapped around her waist. She couldn't help thinking about what he had said earlier. I wanted us to come here for the first time as a couple, as free as the sea-gulls flying around in this village, free as a bird with no cares in the world, free to love without any worries and anxieties.

The first time she ran here, her heart was broken into a million pieces. She could not comprehend how she had hurt him, and told him that he was not worthy, the deepest blow to his pride. The second time had been under slightly better circumstances, but even then, it was the calm before the storm.

But this time. This time they would be able to build the start of many beautiful memories. The 3rd month anniversary. The 3rd year anniversary. They would bring their children here for her parents to spoil. They would run freely, as free as the seagulls, and breathe in the sea air, away from the hustle and bustle and pollution of the city. They would enjoy the simple things of life, and feast on her mother's delicious grilled squid.

Shancai gently turned around and gazed at her husband's peaceful sleeping face. She caressed his cheek and dropped a kiss on his forehead. He stirred, tightening his arms around her. She sighed contentedly as she snuggled into his warm chest, as sleep slowly overtook her.

This fishing village would always hold many memories for them. Despite the strife and misunderstandings of the past, this was going to be the start of something beautiful ❤️