Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4567 | Page 376

Tales of Old Shanghai
King George V School, Kwok, Jonathan – 13
A
long time ago in the old town of Shanghai, people lived and worked together harmoniously. They rarely
fought and quarreled. The old town was quiet and peaceful. Lived there was an elderly Chinese couple. They
were Grandpa Wu, a humble fisherman and Grandma Ling, a hard-working street vendor. They had a son and a
grandson. But the son’s family went out to the sea to hunt for fishes three years ago and never came back. The old
couple, and the town people’s way of life was very simple, until a group of foreigners came.
One morning, a man with a loud bell-ringing, was heard shouting. “Listen, listen, listen! A foreign ship is coming
towards our town,” he announced. He quickly gained the attention of the town people, including Grandpa Wu and
Grandma Ling, who were on the way to their work. “Everyone must stay at their houses,” he added. The crowds on
the streets got panic and rushed home. At home, the elderly couple talked about the coming of the ship. Grandma
Ling asked, “Why is there a ship coming?” After a moment of thinking, Grandpa Wu walked towards the window
and looked over the ocean. Then, he replied to his wife, “I do not know. I really don’t know.” He was worried and
alarmed for he felt something unfortunate might happen to the old town.
Finally, the huge, foreign ship arrived at the port. A group of foreigners who dressed elegantly came out. Some
ladies worn very fashionable clothes, with a hat on their head, while the gentlemen arrived in their formal black
suits. The town people were told that some of them came to visit, and some came to stay.
“I find this place very nice,” said Mr. Raleigh, a retired British general. “Absolutely right!” said Mr. Courbit, a
French businessman. The group of foreigners walked towards the street and called for a taxi. Then, a weary, old
Chinese driver came. “Where to?” he asked. “You bring us to the Palace Hotel,” answered Mr. Raleigh.
Few months later, Mr. Raleigh decided to buy some lands in the south of Shanghai. The people who lived on the
land were not happy about it. They confronted Mr. Raleigh, which later became a fight. Also, Mr. Courbit began to
knock down old historical buildings and develop new tall buildings, bars and shopping malls near the waterfront of
the old town. He even built western-style mansions and gardens in the west. “I find these mansions wonderful,”
said Mr. Lebedev, a white Russian who planned to settle in the old town. “I want to buy one,” he added. Most of
the rich foreigners in town bought mansions too. Because of these many foreigners, the old town became very
crowded and there were many drunken people in the night time. The town people became more and more
uncomfortable about the presence of many unfriendly foreigners.
One afternoon, a seven-year-old boy wandered around a busy street of the old town. He went to a restaurant and
snuck inside it. His tummy growled as he had not eaten for two days. The young boy was so starved that he went
searching for food in the garbage bin. Then all of a sudden, he heard a few heavy steps coming towards him and a
loud voice shouting, “Go away! You filthy young boy!” The scared boy hurriedly ran away from the restaurant.
Afraid that the furious restaurant owner might catch him, he ran as fast as he could.
Suddenly, a drunk man, holding a bottle of whisky, came out from the famous Maxim’s Bar. The young boy
bumped into him accidentally. The drunk man fell on the ground. The young boy helped the drunk man to stand.
“Please forgive me Mister,” he asked. The drunk man, instead of being grateful, pushed the young boy harshly.