Post by MYR Admin on Jun 10, 2007 20:58:01 GMT 7
* As this is quite a lengthy chapter, half of the chapter has been omitted, translation only covers some meaningful and vital points Michelle made, thus the chapter may seem irrelevant from one paragraph to another
Chapter 5: My Parents
Quick Stats:
Pages: 35 to 44
Chapter Length: 10 page
Illustrations: 1 page
______________________________________________________
Chapter 5: My Parents
I’ve always felt that my mother is some kind of goddess. She is so beautiful yet she was married at the age of 18 and has never had any proper career except for cooking and minding her child. Anyway, she is so brilliant that she could foresee since twenty years ago that I will one day play Zhou Xuan, thus she decided to give me a similar name since my birth. The year before last, when Manager Leung of Hong Kong dance troupe invited me to take part in the Zhou Xuan dance drama, I felt that my mother’s prediction was even more accurate than the fortune teller below my house and was really impressed. Thus, later in the rehearsal, despite my stomach cramps, imbalanced medulla, and throwing up, I stubbornly withstand them all and lasted to the end – all because I wanted to defend my mother’s fortune telling reputation.
Although I have countless of admiration towards my mother, but there is one thing that I totally cannot understand about her after all these years. I don’t understand why she has always been guilty and regretful about her divorce with my father when I was nine years old. It is as if that her constant mentioning of this matter to punish herself can help improve our already intimate mother daughter relationship and extending it to the next lifetime. The thing is, I have never believed that one should let go of the chance to go after their own happiness just because of his/her blood relationship with another individual. Thus, I have always thought of her divorce with my father whom she no longer loved, and her remarrying her current husband who loves her very much is something right. Furthermore, in this world, we’re all an individual soul and physique, no one is supposed to be dependent on anyone or be in debt with anyone. Therefore, I have never felt that is a must for parents to bring up their children or if a man should pay for a woman’s living.
Such opinions of mine may have been succeeded from my father. He has trained me to be independent and tough since young. Although the time we lived together for the entire lifetime is no more than 3 months, I’ve always felt that my life has never escaped his grasp. If it hadn’t been him who have allowed me to live on my own since thirteen, I’m afraid that I will still be his precious little lady who cannot face any obstacles in life. My father has been roaming around since he was thirteen. It’s no wonder he has always rejected to know of my address when I lived alone in New York, because otherwise I wouldn’t be ‘roaming’. My life was very carefree, simple and happy at that period of time, besides doing some housework and organizing my own life, I basically just study. I anticipate for the monthly USD500 from my father and also the USD200 scholarship, thus I maintained my ranking to be first or second in my school. Even when I went upstage for a speech when ranked first in my whole school during my high school graduation, my father never attended the graduation ceremony thus leading me to be a little upset. However, my best gang, also his wife, Wong Suet Kit, revealed to me that he secretly rejoiced. I concluded that my ability to be self contented and happy life I have today is mostly credited to my father’s concept of ‘bother little about family syndrome’. Thus when Suet Kit complained to me that he has never returned home for two years and did not even call, I told her: “It’s nothing, that is his loss of not appreciating life, you and your son will be happier!” True enough, she is now ‘Miss Plum Blossom World (shi jie mei hua xiao jie)’ again, also New York’s famous lawyer and also Chinese International Association’s president, etc.
I don’t know why those people who don’t know me think that I have a very pitiful childhood, especially those reporters who know of my background will always exaggerate, making me beginning to wonder if I am the little match girl (a Chinese conventional pitiful story of a little girl selling matchsticks). In my memory, besides having ever sold roses in my school’s open day, I have never sold anything that is related to wood. The most important thing is I have never felt that I experienced any hardship during my childhood, thus all those who describe me as very pitiful are very baffling. To date, I still really love my parents, including my stepfather and step mother and every moments and memories they’ve brought to my life. To mention hardship, I feel that whatever physical, soul or mind’s sufferings are not the real sufferings – most people should not be upset by those. The real ‘hardship’ is the suffering of not having hope and worth, when you’ve given all your best efforts and take all the risks but can yet see tomorrow, then that is hardship. But besides the dead, which of us has no tomorrow? Thus, we should all live happily.
My God Father and God Mother
First and foremost, I would like to clarify that my god-mother, Ng Wai Zan and god-father, Zheng Yu Tong, are not related by marriage so that readers will not be confused. The concern for this exists because my god-father has ever witnessed the marriage for a newly wedded couple with the Philippines female president, causing everyone to misunderstand how he suddenly became the Philippines in law. Misunderstanding as such often happens, for example, I used to think that my god-father and my school mate Zheng Zi Kong related as grandfather and grandson, graduated from the State’s Harvard University. It was only later that I heard him clarifying that he actually studied in Harbin Buddhism University, and asked me to clarify this to all.
I got to know my god-mother 8 years ago in New York. I was strolling along the streets when the woman owner of ‘Bride’s Home’, Madame Ma asked if I was interested to participate in beauty pageant. The appeal was that participants can go to Hong Kong and Gui Lin for the Miss Chinese International Pageant, a chance for a free vacation during my summer holidays. Especially after watching Hong Kong series ‘Yi Bu Rong Qing’, I’ve always felt Hong Kong is like a colorful heaven, thus the golden opportunity to visit Hong Kong caused me to be ‘Yi Bu Rong Ci’ (a Chinese proverb: making it harder to reject). The problem was, because being careless and carefree has become my habit, I have mistaken the time for the contest since the first round. I only arrived an hour after the contest has ended. This naturally reminded me of when I went to Texas to participate in the ISEF International Science and Engineering Fair, where I boarded the plane without my model even, thus I somehow felt that this was a hint from God that I will win the first place again. Madame Ma was really pitiful on that day, she did not even give me a glance, and I was extremely depressed but could do nothing thus headed for home. I will call what happened later as a miracle, because miracle is something that happens when one is extremely down and hopeless, a good happening that occurs when you’re happy can only be called a good happening. That day, I received a call, it was a lady who introduced herself as Ng Wai Zan, a committee member of the beauty pageant organization. She represented ‘East Beauty Chinese International’ selection team members and expressed that my lateness on the first round has deeply impressed her with my appearance, thus they’ve decided the crowned winner should stand aside and instead allowed me to represent New York to Hong Kong’s MCI. This kind of decision surely lets many wonder its impossibility; even I myself could not understand why they did not directly crown me as the winner from the very beginning. What is even more unbelievable is that I really won the first place in Hong Kong’s final round. Such results might lead to audience claiming there is some backstage bribery. It is just like how I always await the result of lucky draw in supermarkets, I will always be quite certain that the supermarket staff has secretly exchanged my token that was drawn with another, and glare at them sternly to let them know and reflect on their mistake. (Please note the humor Michelle cunningly inserts)
Back to my god-mother, it was since she set her eyes on me eight years ago that her professional housewife opinion has very much influenced my life. Whether or not to accept a certain film, to change my job position, to date a guy, they’re all discussed and decided in our China-US long distance call. Her importance to me is no less than my god-father, but everyone prefers talking about my god-father because he has accomplished more contribution to the public.
My Godfather is a person who appears cool and calm on the outer but is in fact a warm and enthusiastic person within, the ideal candidate for a leader. I’ve always thought that if he was born in the ancient times, even if he did not make a general, he would at least be a marshal. Whenever I am especially happy or extremely depressed, he would forever be in high spirits, and always advised me to be as happy, thus for these few years, I’ve quite forgotten what it is like to be unhappy. During Chinese New Year last year, we celebrated very joyously as the whole bunch of us feasted on scrumptious Russian dish, and later even danced for quite some time along with Russian music. However, there were some gossip magazines reporters that stealthily took our photos and even asked why we danced, this cause us to be quite baffled. “Should we have read wuxia novels instead of dancing in a ball?” my godfather asked his old time poker buddy, Li Ka Sing. Thus, we then decided that next time, we should even wear the Russian ballet pants which is really tight (even if we don’t have it, we can substitute it with the local’s warm leggings) when dancing on the dance floor, just to show that we are more professional. Even though my godfather has already danced very professionally, but since there are so many people interested to watch us dance, it is better if we demonstrate more professionalism.
Whenever I have a big migraine over a character I portray, my godfather will say, “It’s nothing, act another role”, or when a guy hurt my heart, he will say, “It’s nothing, date another guy.” This has led me to admire him entirely.
Actually, my age is similar to my godfather’s grandson, thus I thought it would be more appropriate if I called him god-grandfather, but later forget about it as that term was rare these days. What I what to point out here is, relationship among beings can’t be classified by age, gender, social status, ethnic or religion. How relationship between two beings is build depends on whether the two has common points to clique on. Just like my very poor godmother, and extremely wealthy godfather - both of them possess a very objective mentality and noble personality. Having maintained our relationships over the many years, we share everything in our life with no boundaries, showing care and sharing laughter, sharing wisdom and happiness, this is indeed one simple yet joyful way of life, also the common principle among my buddies and I…
Chapter 5: My Parents
Quick Stats:
Pages: 35 to 44
Chapter Length: 10 page
Illustrations: 1 page
______________________________________________________
Chapter 5: My Parents
I’ve always felt that my mother is some kind of goddess. She is so beautiful yet she was married at the age of 18 and has never had any proper career except for cooking and minding her child. Anyway, she is so brilliant that she could foresee since twenty years ago that I will one day play Zhou Xuan, thus she decided to give me a similar name since my birth. The year before last, when Manager Leung of Hong Kong dance troupe invited me to take part in the Zhou Xuan dance drama, I felt that my mother’s prediction was even more accurate than the fortune teller below my house and was really impressed. Thus, later in the rehearsal, despite my stomach cramps, imbalanced medulla, and throwing up, I stubbornly withstand them all and lasted to the end – all because I wanted to defend my mother’s fortune telling reputation.
Although I have countless of admiration towards my mother, but there is one thing that I totally cannot understand about her after all these years. I don’t understand why she has always been guilty and regretful about her divorce with my father when I was nine years old. It is as if that her constant mentioning of this matter to punish herself can help improve our already intimate mother daughter relationship and extending it to the next lifetime. The thing is, I have never believed that one should let go of the chance to go after their own happiness just because of his/her blood relationship with another individual. Thus, I have always thought of her divorce with my father whom she no longer loved, and her remarrying her current husband who loves her very much is something right. Furthermore, in this world, we’re all an individual soul and physique, no one is supposed to be dependent on anyone or be in debt with anyone. Therefore, I have never felt that is a must for parents to bring up their children or if a man should pay for a woman’s living.
Such opinions of mine may have been succeeded from my father. He has trained me to be independent and tough since young. Although the time we lived together for the entire lifetime is no more than 3 months, I’ve always felt that my life has never escaped his grasp. If it hadn’t been him who have allowed me to live on my own since thirteen, I’m afraid that I will still be his precious little lady who cannot face any obstacles in life. My father has been roaming around since he was thirteen. It’s no wonder he has always rejected to know of my address when I lived alone in New York, because otherwise I wouldn’t be ‘roaming’. My life was very carefree, simple and happy at that period of time, besides doing some housework and organizing my own life, I basically just study. I anticipate for the monthly USD500 from my father and also the USD200 scholarship, thus I maintained my ranking to be first or second in my school. Even when I went upstage for a speech when ranked first in my whole school during my high school graduation, my father never attended the graduation ceremony thus leading me to be a little upset. However, my best gang, also his wife, Wong Suet Kit, revealed to me that he secretly rejoiced. I concluded that my ability to be self contented and happy life I have today is mostly credited to my father’s concept of ‘bother little about family syndrome’. Thus when Suet Kit complained to me that he has never returned home for two years and did not even call, I told her: “It’s nothing, that is his loss of not appreciating life, you and your son will be happier!” True enough, she is now ‘Miss Plum Blossom World (shi jie mei hua xiao jie)’ again, also New York’s famous lawyer and also Chinese International Association’s president, etc.
I don’t know why those people who don’t know me think that I have a very pitiful childhood, especially those reporters who know of my background will always exaggerate, making me beginning to wonder if I am the little match girl (a Chinese conventional pitiful story of a little girl selling matchsticks). In my memory, besides having ever sold roses in my school’s open day, I have never sold anything that is related to wood. The most important thing is I have never felt that I experienced any hardship during my childhood, thus all those who describe me as very pitiful are very baffling. To date, I still really love my parents, including my stepfather and step mother and every moments and memories they’ve brought to my life. To mention hardship, I feel that whatever physical, soul or mind’s sufferings are not the real sufferings – most people should not be upset by those. The real ‘hardship’ is the suffering of not having hope and worth, when you’ve given all your best efforts and take all the risks but can yet see tomorrow, then that is hardship. But besides the dead, which of us has no tomorrow? Thus, we should all live happily.
My God Father and God Mother
First and foremost, I would like to clarify that my god-mother, Ng Wai Zan and god-father, Zheng Yu Tong, are not related by marriage so that readers will not be confused. The concern for this exists because my god-father has ever witnessed the marriage for a newly wedded couple with the Philippines female president, causing everyone to misunderstand how he suddenly became the Philippines in law. Misunderstanding as such often happens, for example, I used to think that my god-father and my school mate Zheng Zi Kong related as grandfather and grandson, graduated from the State’s Harvard University. It was only later that I heard him clarifying that he actually studied in Harbin Buddhism University, and asked me to clarify this to all.
I got to know my god-mother 8 years ago in New York. I was strolling along the streets when the woman owner of ‘Bride’s Home’, Madame Ma asked if I was interested to participate in beauty pageant. The appeal was that participants can go to Hong Kong and Gui Lin for the Miss Chinese International Pageant, a chance for a free vacation during my summer holidays. Especially after watching Hong Kong series ‘Yi Bu Rong Qing’, I’ve always felt Hong Kong is like a colorful heaven, thus the golden opportunity to visit Hong Kong caused me to be ‘Yi Bu Rong Ci’ (a Chinese proverb: making it harder to reject). The problem was, because being careless and carefree has become my habit, I have mistaken the time for the contest since the first round. I only arrived an hour after the contest has ended. This naturally reminded me of when I went to Texas to participate in the ISEF International Science and Engineering Fair, where I boarded the plane without my model even, thus I somehow felt that this was a hint from God that I will win the first place again. Madame Ma was really pitiful on that day, she did not even give me a glance, and I was extremely depressed but could do nothing thus headed for home. I will call what happened later as a miracle, because miracle is something that happens when one is extremely down and hopeless, a good happening that occurs when you’re happy can only be called a good happening. That day, I received a call, it was a lady who introduced herself as Ng Wai Zan, a committee member of the beauty pageant organization. She represented ‘East Beauty Chinese International’ selection team members and expressed that my lateness on the first round has deeply impressed her with my appearance, thus they’ve decided the crowned winner should stand aside and instead allowed me to represent New York to Hong Kong’s MCI. This kind of decision surely lets many wonder its impossibility; even I myself could not understand why they did not directly crown me as the winner from the very beginning. What is even more unbelievable is that I really won the first place in Hong Kong’s final round. Such results might lead to audience claiming there is some backstage bribery. It is just like how I always await the result of lucky draw in supermarkets, I will always be quite certain that the supermarket staff has secretly exchanged my token that was drawn with another, and glare at them sternly to let them know and reflect on their mistake. (Please note the humor Michelle cunningly inserts)
Back to my god-mother, it was since she set her eyes on me eight years ago that her professional housewife opinion has very much influenced my life. Whether or not to accept a certain film, to change my job position, to date a guy, they’re all discussed and decided in our China-US long distance call. Her importance to me is no less than my god-father, but everyone prefers talking about my god-father because he has accomplished more contribution to the public.
My Godfather is a person who appears cool and calm on the outer but is in fact a warm and enthusiastic person within, the ideal candidate for a leader. I’ve always thought that if he was born in the ancient times, even if he did not make a general, he would at least be a marshal. Whenever I am especially happy or extremely depressed, he would forever be in high spirits, and always advised me to be as happy, thus for these few years, I’ve quite forgotten what it is like to be unhappy. During Chinese New Year last year, we celebrated very joyously as the whole bunch of us feasted on scrumptious Russian dish, and later even danced for quite some time along with Russian music. However, there were some gossip magazines reporters that stealthily took our photos and even asked why we danced, this cause us to be quite baffled. “Should we have read wuxia novels instead of dancing in a ball?” my godfather asked his old time poker buddy, Li Ka Sing. Thus, we then decided that next time, we should even wear the Russian ballet pants which is really tight (even if we don’t have it, we can substitute it with the local’s warm leggings) when dancing on the dance floor, just to show that we are more professional. Even though my godfather has already danced very professionally, but since there are so many people interested to watch us dance, it is better if we demonstrate more professionalism.
Whenever I have a big migraine over a character I portray, my godfather will say, “It’s nothing, act another role”, or when a guy hurt my heart, he will say, “It’s nothing, date another guy.” This has led me to admire him entirely.
Actually, my age is similar to my godfather’s grandson, thus I thought it would be more appropriate if I called him god-grandfather, but later forget about it as that term was rare these days. What I what to point out here is, relationship among beings can’t be classified by age, gender, social status, ethnic or religion. How relationship between two beings is build depends on whether the two has common points to clique on. Just like my very poor godmother, and extremely wealthy godfather - both of them possess a very objective mentality and noble personality. Having maintained our relationships over the many years, we share everything in our life with no boundaries, showing care and sharing laughter, sharing wisdom and happiness, this is indeed one simple yet joyful way of life, also the common principle among my buddies and I…
