“
Thank you.” Ziyang bowed before heading towards the place the nurse indicated.
We headed down the hall on the first floor and saw a doctor come out of a room.
“
Doctor!”
He turned towards us, questioning.
“
I’m Ziyang. Mei Pang’s daughter. Please, tell me what’s wrong with my Ba!” Ziyang pleaded.
“
I just checked him. He has bone inflammation. The situation’s serious.”
Ziyang became puzzled. “Bone inflammation? May I ask what caused this?”
“
An untreated injury about six months ago. The recent accident has worsened the condition.”
My heart dropped. His sprained ankle when he brought me home! I had thought he recovered, as he
bustled about the house…
“
What is the treatment? I haven’t any money.” Ziyang sighed despondently.
“
Then you can forget the treatment!” The doctor turned away.
My owner started to panic, despairingly emptying me of my burden. My stomach filled with dread. No!
She can’t be!
“
Wait!” Ziyang called out. She thrust me towards the doctor.
“
I’ll give you all my money and my bag also, in return for my Ba’s treatment fee. It’s valuable, a farmer’s
wage of one year. It was bought a few months back, from town.”
As she spoke, she handed me over, but I felt her reluctance. Her fingers gently caress the canvas, subtly
tracing the embroidered flowers.
The doctor accepts. His grip is rough compared with the feminine touch of the girl.
“
You realize that this isn’t enough? But I’ll do what I can regarding your payment.”
I was whisked away to the doctor’s office. Whether Ziyang’s Ba got better, I never knew.
After Ziyang, I had three other owners. The doctor gave me to his daughter. Quite a stylish young lady she
was! I was cared for under the daughter’s watchful eye, which was until she accidentally left me on the public
bus.
Then I was picked up by a plumb middle-aged woman, who yanked and pinched to gauge my condition.
Obviously I wasn’t shabby. My previous two owners took great care of me.
Now, my third owner is walking in the street with me on her arm. She is a friend of that plumb woman. I
have been with her for the past few years. Due to long use, I have become old. The seams of the embroidered
flowers on my face had become frayed, some even escaping their places.
My owner, Mrs. Miao was in town shopping. She walked very briskly and I barely had time to observe the
townsmen.
As I glanced around, my eyes caught a bouquet of flowers resembling the ones on my face. My eyes
travelled up the figure clutching the bouquet. It was her.
Ziyang, whom I seldom thought of nowadays, had grown into a beautiful young lady. Her raven black hair
pulled back into a bun. There was a healthy glow to her high cheekbones. Her brows were arched most precisely.
Gone were the clothes too small for her, in place was a fine black suit. She was now a woman, not the young
girl from long ago.
From the solemn look on her face, I surmised her destination. She seldom surfaced in my thoughts, but I
would never forget the love between her and her ba.
In my mind, I imagined a refined grave, by the Great Wall. The grave of her ba, adorned by hydrangeas
and peonies.
* * *