Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 460

About the geese vendors, I didn’t like it because geese were kind animals and they didn’t deserve to be
killed. The geese looked scared and sad and the sight of all that blood made me feel quite ill! Nowadays we buy
chickens and fish in the supermarket that are frozen, but before, you had to buy a live chicken and kill it at home.
My dad loved horses. He would visit the horse tracks twice a week. He spent 3 to 4 hours each time in the
horse races and my mom would get really made at him because he was never around and didn’t spend time with
his daughters and wife. He also liked to ride horses and he would only go horse riding with me and my sister.
‘Dear Lily, are you enjoying my bedtime story?’ I was curious.
‘Yes, Grandma! I love your stories. They are so fabulous and I wish I was there with you!’
‘Let’s continue my story so that you can sleep early.’
‘Ok, Grandma.’
When I was 17, my English improved from poor to so-so. When my father’s business friends came, I would
be able to talk to them and tell them about my daily life in Shanghai. It impressed everyone and my dad was proud
of me so he took me and my sister to France for the first time. It was nothing like Shanghai. It was much colder
and there were a lot of bad people that made me feel unsafe. However, there was good food so after we left, I
decided to go to cooking school and I have since won many cooking competitions. After college, I moved to
Hong Kong and I live with you now.
Shanghai is a place that nobody can forget. It’s a place with many opportunities.
‘ Did you enjoy that story, Lily?’
‘ Yes, I did, Grandma.’
‘ I’m glad you like my childhood, Lily. You have to go to sleep now, ok?’
‘ Yes, Grandma. Goodnight.’
‘ Goodnight, Lily.’