Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4-7 2019 | Page 222

believed him.
Faint noise of the crowd came from the busier part of town, interrupting the tranquil atmosphere by the sea.
I heard that a small fleet of boats docked, people rumoured that they were a small fraction of the emperor’s
magnificent treasure fleet. Ha, as if the heavenly emperor would even bat an eyelid at this insignificant little
fishing village.
“Hello, the person over there? Hello!” Startled, I turned towards the unknown voice. A boy wearing beige
hemp clothing which covered his knees was running towards me. Who was he? And why was he talking to
me? What? I stepped back from the strange boy.
“Oh, please tell me you are a person, not a ghost!” He stopped metres in front of me and covered his eyes. I
could tell he was peeking at me through the gaps between his fingers, it was quite a comical scene.
“Of course I am a person! Who are you? People usually don’t stroll so far from town...”
“Really?” He hesitantly uncovered his eyes, “Um, my name is Yu and I am lost.” A nervous laugh. “I came
from the large group of boats that came today, they’re like really really cool and- oh, I didn’t mean to stray
from the topic. Can you tell me how to get back to the pier and what’s your name?”
“You want to know...who I am?” Was I hearing him correctly?
Yu nodded with enthusiasm.
“I am Zi Yuen, I live here.” I attempted to give a smile, albeit a crooked one; I could only hope it did not
come off as unfriendly.
Yu eagerly rambled away as I led him back to the pier. He came from a family of boat makers, his father was
one of the many workers who helped make the massive fleet. His mother surprisingly was also
knowledgeable in the area. While his family was not crucial members of the crew, the success of the voyage
no doubt depended on the durability of the ships. “As long as there are people to repair the ship, it can be
used forever,” Yu quoted from his father with a rather smug grin. He must be proud of his father.
The market was packed. Besides the usual customers who analysed prices of goods non-stop and
shopkeepers yelling about how their fish was the “freshest and liveliest, caught just this morning”, a large
crowd gathered around the coast, eyeing and pointing at the impressive fleet. They were only causing a
ruckus in my opinion. Burly workers were loading cargo onto one of the medium-sized ships; I scoffed,
how come “treasure fleets” were not fully prepared before they left the capital?
“Aiyah, how come you can forget cargo that the emperor specifically ordered to be brought on the ships?”
A middle-aged official in silky red clothing with a black wushamao scolded a younger man as the two
hurried along. “How do I explain to Master Zheng if we left these here, huh? Consider yourself lucky we
haven’t sailed off the continent yet!”
A sharp voice caught my attention, shivers went down my spine. “Hey! What are you doing here?” Mrs.
Chiu was here. I froze. “Why are you going near the sea again? After all I’ve done for you, provided for
you, you choose to curse me and my family?” I could feel people’s gazes burn holes through my body. Of
all places, she chose to make a scene here? “This is why your parents died. Because you are a curse. Go
home with me, now.” She spat and reached for my arm.
I recoiled from the wrathful contact.
No, I would not surrender any longer.
Yu pulled me away and started running for the docks. I did not know where I had gained the sudden
confidence from, or if I followed Yu out of sheer spite with wild abandonment. Faces in the crowd were