Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 568

The New Tale of Old Shanghai
Ying Wa Primary School, Mui, Moses – 11
Prologue
It is 12:00am. The moon got really bright. Ming was working on his revision on his Chinese examination. As he
revised, he dropped into a deep sleep. As he was sleeping, a mysterious enormous vortex sucked Ming in…
Chapter 1 — The Mysterious Place
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!” The rooster crowed. Ming woke up in an old leather bed. He got up, rubbed his tired
eyes and murmured to himself, “Where am I? I was in year 2017 when I slept!” Beside him was a cute little maid
with butter-coloured hair. He quickly patted his ‘bedmate’ next to him. “Hey, what’s happening now?” She woke
up, startled. “Well, master, don’t you know? Did you get brain-washed? You are in the Old City of Shanghai. It’s
almost time to work, so let’s get up!” She left the room in a rush. Ming thought, “Wha…what? I was revising for
my Chinese History exam last night, than at almost midnight, I slept. How did I end out HERE!? Well, I don’t
know.”
Anyway, Ming went out the room and found myself in a typical Chinese decked room. There were congee,
vegetables and dumplings for breakfast. Ming ate the whole course in no time with the maid’s relatives, as he was
famished the whole night. After breakfast, he asked the maid,” What is your name? What are we doing?” She replied,
feeling annoying,”Uhhh, are you really brainwashed? My name is Cuifeng. Now, we will trade with our neighbours
if we have supplies we need in daily life. Also, we will water the crops. Then, after lunch, we have to help building
the wall surrounding the city. That’s why the wall keeps getting taller and taller.” Ming asked, “Why are you
building the wall? Is there a purpose?” She furiously shrieked at me, “ARE YOU SERIOUS MASTER? HAVE
YOU LOST YOUR MIND? ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM ALZHEIMER DISEASE? WE ARE
PREVENTING THE ATTACKS OF THE JAPANESE PIRATES, WHICH THEIR CAPTAIN IS NAMED
PIKOTARO. THEY SHOOT CANNONBALLS AT US AT AN ANGLE OF 85° SO WE NEED TO BUILD A
WALL. NOW ENOUGH TALKING AND GET ONTO WORK.” She angrily left after that. Ming scratched his
head in bewilderment, but as he couldn’t think of anything, he followed Cuifeng in the direction she went.
Chapter 2 — Work
After a few minutes, Ming finally found Cuifeng. She was trading with a tradesman. Cuifeng told Ming to water
the crops. Ming followed obediently. He didn’t even know what was happening to him! Was there a secret power
that controlled him to follow Cuifeng’s order? It was so strange! Ming didn’t want to obey it, but it turns out to be
impossible.
After lunch, it was time to help with the walls. Ming followed Cuifeng unwillingly. They first fetched a clay
brick, then climbed up the 16-storey ladder to put it around the building of the whole wall. Ming saw every one
of the citizens of the city all helping. He thought, “Together is really the key to success!” At Cuifeng’s house, he had
a fabulous dinner. As he was exhausted, he plopped onto the bed without hesitation after the dinner.
Chapter 3 — The Dream
Inside Ming’s dream, he was floating in 2017, when suddenly the world engulfed itself and it became a wormhole!
Inside the hole was the Sui Emperor from the Sui Dynasty. He was holding a shimmering diamond sword in one of
his hands, while holding a big fat juicy gourd in the other. He told Ming, “This is the Neo Sword. It is made of
refined diamond and who is killed by this sword will be instantly turned into diamond statues. It will be placed on
your bedside table next morning. Good luck with the Japanese pirates. They will come at any time!”