P R E S E N T

III

Before me there was a guy named Hou Zi in China's life. He was a shit head.

-Matthew Welch

This diary is translated from Mandarin to English with the permission of the Cai family.

Dear Diary,

Today I won in a beauty pageant in our small village. I am happy that I won the beauty pageant. Papa and mama were smiling from their seats.

JUNE 1954

After the pageant mama prepared some of my favorite dishes. The entire village went to our house and dined. I may have won the beauty pageant, but I was empty.

I have a person that I love, but papa does not like Hou Zi. I love Hou Zi, but I love papa more. My heart still longs for Hou Zi...

It is now late at night. I need to sleep now or else papa would get angry because I am wasting the lantern's gas. Then the thunder roared outside.

"China!" I heard a voice. Hou Zi's voice. "China! Open your window! I love you!" Then I heard a pebble hit the glass window. I opened my window. It was raining and Hou Zi was throwing rocks at...

Papa and mama's window.

"Hou Zi! Over here!" I yelled, but he still threw rocks at papa's window.

"China! I love you! Let's leave this village together!" My vision was blurred because my eyes were filled with tears.

Then I heard footsteps running down the stairs. Then the front door opened with a bang. It was papa holding a Chako.

"You!" Papa swung his chako at Hou Zi's arm. Hou Zi said something to papa and cried.

The next day I saw papa coughing and I gave him a tea.

"China, I have decided that." He then coughed and cleared his throat. "You're going to" papa coughed loud as I pat his back. He drank his tea and smiled. "I decided that it's better for you to go to study Medicine with Dr. Chou." he coughs.

I was happy. Incandescently happy.

"Papa..." I was about to cry.

My dream is to help people by finding a way to cure diseases.

This is my dream. I hugged papa and cried.

"Papa, thank you so much!" I cried and hugged papa. He pats my back and says "I'm counting on you, China."

I had a beautiful and at the same time tiring day. Today was my eighth day studying under Dr. Chou. He's been very kind to me and showers me with kind words. His wife and two sons are his inspiration. I wish I had that kind of family with-

"Achi! Stop looking outside the window!" Jin Dan closed the window. "Why did you" I was about to yell at my stupid sister Jin Dan, but Papa was there. Papa hates it when you look outside the window. He'll assume creepy things like "Why are you looking outside the window?! Are you looking for Hou Zi again?!" Or "Are you haunting for boys?!" Then he'll pinch your ears.

I looked at him, terrified. What if he saw me looking out of the window? He was smiling at me with a cane in her right hand and said "My daughter China! Are your studies going well?" I gulped at the sight of the cane... that cane is dangerous!

I hugged Papa and said "Yes papa, Dr. Chou even complimented me and he said that I'm his best student." Then papa broke the hug with a serious face.

"I saw you sitting near the window. Were you looking for Hou Zi?!" Papa asked furiously. He was about to hit my feet with his cane. I ran and hid behind Jin Dan.

"No Papa, I was reading your favorite book..." Her face lights up.

"That's good, good!" He nods and looks around "Where is Jin Zhen?"

"She's in her room sleeping." Jin Dan informs papa.

Papa's face went from sunny to angry.

"SLEEPING?! I WILL DISCIPLINE THAT KID WITH MY CANE." Me and Jin Dan gulped. Papa was murmuring something when he walked out of my room and Jin Dan rushed to go to Jin Zhen's room. No one wants to get a taste of my papa's wrath... and don't forget the cane.

I heard a scream from another room. Jin Zhen's room specifically. Then my door made a bang sound when Jin Zhen opened and ran into my room. She hides behind my back. Then papa came in with his cane...

"Jin Zhen, I will punish you! Pick tea leaves in our backyard now! I want 5 baskets full! If you don't finish it all by this day, then do not ever step in this house!" I heard Jin Zhen groaned and papa pointed her cane at Jin Zhen. "And no looking at boys!" With that, papa walked out and mumbled words in Hokkien.

"It's a good day! Time to pick tea leaves! I love love this day!" She walked out of the room with a frown on her face.

I heard footsteps and there was papa standing at the door. "China, I need you to pick up the goods from the port." I stood up and was excited. I can't wait to see the goods! I went outside and saw Jin Zhen picking tea leaves. I saw her looking at a pale man and I knew it was our new neighbor. They just moved from Netherlands to China.

"Jin Zhen! Pay attention to your work!" I hissed at her as she rolled her eyes. She waved and nodded.

I went to the port with my younger brother Ching Hun. He was the one carrying all the goods. There were only few goods. We were about to exit the boat when I heard a familiar language.

"Do you even speak English?!" I looked around and saw a man with curly hair. He was an English man... "I don't understand you!" The man answered in Chinese. "Fuck! The man who was selling tickets told me that this boat was heading to Hawaii!" The other man with a black hair said. Then the man with curly black hair looked at me. I blushed... he was so handsome. It is a crime to be as handsome as he is. I turned away from his gaze. I exit the boat with my brother.

"What was that about?" Ching Hun asked in Mandarin as I shrugged.

"Hey you!" I heard him speak in English again. I know how to speak English because of Tai laoshi. Papa hires the best teacher in town. "You!" Someone grabbed my wrist and I turned around to see him. He was saying something, but I was lost in his eyes. They were hazel with a sprinkle of green them. "Do not touch my sister!" My brother said in English and pulled his hand away from me.

"China?! So this is who you replaced?!" Hou Zi pointed at the handsome English man. Hou Zi was crying and he punched the handsome English man. "Is this who you've replace huh?!" Hou Zi yelled... my heart really ached to see him crying.

I saw the English man punched Hou Zi. Hou Zi was about to punch, but I blocked the English man. "Please don't!" I begged.

I closed my laptop and looked at the time 10:45 P.M. I yawned and stretched my legs. Tomorrow is going to be an exciting day. Matthew, tomorrow China welcomes you once again.

Dear readers,

Thank you for keeping up with Matthew and China's love story. Sorry for the late update. Belated Merry Christmas to you! The next update will be more interesting. I insist that you tune in. Advance Happy New Year! God bless!

Sincerely,

Joshua