Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 123

It was morning now, and the people were starting to pour into the streets. They stopped and stared in
astonishment. Was that really Curly Noodles with that fabulous roof? Everyone rushed to the shop to stare and
gawp. The business that day was twice as busy as usual, and Lee Tang was in the seventh heaven of delight.
The word soon spread, and people all over the country came to get a glimpse of the legendary roof. The noodle
shop was full day and night, and soon Lee Tang had earned more in a week than he usually did in a month. He
was now obviously in the eighth, ninth –or perhaps tenth? –heaven of delight. His shop was cool and fog-free,
and was doing better than ever. People were hurling question after question to him about his amazing roof, and
though he didn’t know how the dragons came to blow out steam or even how the roof was made, he gave such
detailed made-up explanations that everyone thought he had watched Yang Zi build it. He lavished praise on
his friend, and soon everyone was going to Yang Zi’s to beg him to do a curled roof for them. Poor Yang Zi
wasn’t quite so happy, as he had to really make some dragon sculptures this time. But he did a fine job, and no
one suspected a thing. As for the barber, he strutted about proud as a peacock, boasting that he was the one who
had inspired Lee Tang.
Up on the roof, the two dragons exchanged a knowing glance and smiled.