Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 1-2 | Page 256

Struggling to Defeat Tremendous Homework
Good Hope Primary School cum Kindergarten, Cheung, Si Ya Elinor - 11
W
hile in search for the True Scriptures, the pilgrims came across a city called Kong City. The city
was full of skyscrapers and busy streets. In this densely populated small area, working parents
barely had time to see their children. The Kong children were pampered by their maids and
hardly knew how to take care of themselves and be independent.
The pilgrims met Emperor and Empress Mollycoddle, a kind king and a loving queen, who invited them to
abide in their luxurious palace. Zhu Ba-jie, the pig, was particularly excited.
Their only daughter, Princess Molly Mollycoddle, was in the middle of a Chinese orchestra performance
when Xuanzang, Wukong, Zhu Ba-jie and Sha Monk went into the hall. Princess Molly lolled back on her
enormous sofa. She didn’t even look up when her father greeted her, “Oh my sweetheart, Molly!”. She
continued to gaze at the performance, ignoring her father. A maid was feeding Molly her lunch, spoonful by
spoonful, while another was holding up her books for her to revise.
“I found four smart-looking people in the street. They will tutor Princess Molly so that she can outperform
other princesses in the World Princess Tournament.” Emperor Mollycoddle said to the two maids, then
turned to Xuanzang, whose jaw dropped open, and asked sincerely, “You will, won't you?”
Xuanzang gaped at Emperor Mollycoddle. “Err…. I'm not sure…”
“Don't worry, I'll be the tutor!” Ba-jie smiled at the thought of being in a room with a young lady like
Molly.
“Excellent!” exclaimed Mr Mollycoddle.
On their first lesson, Molly thought Ba-jie would do all her homework for her, like all her former tutors
did. “What are you waiting for? Do my homework for me!” Molly flopped on her chair when thirty
minutes passed without any progress. “It’s in that cupboard.”
Ba-jietook a stack of exercise books from it and plonked them down on the table.
Silence.
“Well, you should start doing it.” Ba-jie was still gazing at Molly’s face.
“I don’t know how to do it!” Molly whined. “Ah~~~ I guess I’ll go to shower first.” She changed her tone
in a split second.
She clapped her hands twice. Another two maids appeared at the door.
“Help me to shower,” said Molly.
“Yes, Princess Molly,” the maids answered, then immediately went to the bathroom to prepare a hot water
bath.
“I wish I had such a luxurious life like yours,” sighed Ba-jie.
“DO NOT mess around! Finish my homework or you won’t have dinner tonight!” warned Molly.
Ba-jie stared helplessly at the complicated Chinese characters and numerals. “It’s mission impossible!” he
mumbled. His eyelids were beginning to droop… Suddenly-- “Ah! Master will know how to do this!”