MING LAN

Chapter Two: Old Story Is Out

Ming Lan gets her two days leave after calling up her headmaster. I drove her and grandma to her school to sign the leave application form then drove them home immediately to see my Dad. Feeling glad driving my ‘sister’ home. We arrived after a two hours journey.

My Dad’s house is much bigger than grandma’s house, with many rooms. Older too I think. I stop my car in front of the house instead of at the usual garage, and open the door for Ming Lan and grandma, feeling excited. I see Ming Lan looking around the house as she walks into the house.

I see my Dad sitting on his sofa corner with a newspaper with a kind of excitedness in me. I had phoned my Dad about bringing Tan Ming Lan and her grandma home. He must have been anxiously waiting, like me.

In my eyes, my Dad is a handsome man but I am different from him, not fair like him nor with his look. Sometimes I wonder if I am his real son, so totally different looking. He is almost six feet tall, fair skin, big face, still quite handsome, with a big body size as he gets older.

I have darker skin than him, smaller face, deep set eyes with sharp features. I categorise myself as handsome, different kinds of handsome from my Dad.

I lead them to the spacious living room, with comfortable sofa sets where my Dad is sitting waiting for them. He gets up welcoming them. My Dad can still recognise Ming Lan’s grandma as his mother-in-law.

“How is my father-in-law?” he asks when everyone is sitting in the living room.

“Your father-in-law passed away long ago.” replies grandma softly looking at my father in front of her. He stands looking at grandma. His face changes for a while hearing that his father-in-law had passed away. Ming Lan is sitting next to her grandma opposite me, watching my Dad with a serious unhappy face. She does not seem to like my Dad.

‘So, this man is my mother’s husband’. Ming Lan recalls the wedding picture on the wall. ‘What an irresponsible man. He shouldn’t have got married in the first place’. She is angry inside, enduring it.

Everyone sits down and my Dad takes the old photo album on the table and flips through. Naming the individual’s identity. Then he tells his story, half of what I have heard before, a month ago when he relates about his past. Leading me to go out searching for his daughter.

I like her anyway. I have never had a girlfriend before nor close to any girls before. Maybe there is too much inferiority in me.

“Ming Lan, your grandpa was a bank manager and I always go there to keep my money. We became friends. He took me home a few times. I like your mother. She was a beautiful and polite girl. Later I married her. My wife, Keong’s mother, had loved someone else before we were married. She ran away with that man.

“When I was with your mother she came back with a son, two years old. My parents accepted her back. She always created problems and fought with your mother. Your mother went home to your grandpa. I didn’t know she had left me then.

Your mother was not at home when I came back from work. I thought she went home to visit her parents. I too didn’t know that she was pregnant and gave birth to you. I was too busy with my flourishing business and had neglected her.

I was embarrassed to go after her at first, hoping that she’ll come back. I missed her and went to your grandpa’s house but couldn't find her. I was too late. She had left your grandparents house after giving birth to you. Then I don’t know what happened anymore. This Ah Keong, my son, insisted to trace my wife back for me. He found you and your grandma only.”

Ming Lan looks at me and my Dad one after another with no nice expression. She looks different from what I saw at that house. Unhappy face after hearing my father’s story.

“Excuse me. Can we do a DNA test? It will confirm everything. The three of us. Stories cannot confirm everything hundred percent. Stories keep changing from mouth to mouth. I want confirmation. I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be rude here. You have never seen me before. You only know grandma.”

She lets out her real feelings at that time and goes back to being silent, holding to her grandma’s hand. ‘I can’t believe you that easily. You’re such an irresponsible man. You know the house. You can easily go there and see me at least, but you didn’t. I hate you for that. Rich selfish old man!’.

Now, I know why Ming Lan looks like that. My Dad looks at her in surprise, later nods his head. “We’ll go to the hospital tomorrow to do the test.” My Dad said, calmly continuing looking at the pictures in the old album like nothing ever happened. He and his calm attitude.

Her grandma has been quiet all the while. She looks very thoughtful but is still not saying anything, listening, watching my Dad and Ming Lan. One calm, one angry.

Ming Lan does not seem to be interested in the photos at all. Maybe she had suffered loneliness without parents.

I cannot help her in this matter, as I was lonely too after my mother passed away when I was in secondary school. My father kept me going until I graduated and let me take over his business. He had taken good care of me. But, why did he never look up for Ming Lan, that time? I wonder. I would have a companion at home then. Oh, Dad!

I offer to take grandma and Ming Lan to their room upstairs. Showing them the room, I retire into mine. Lying on my back on the bed my mind wanders a lot of things. I woke up when the cook called me for dinner, at the door.

We have dinner in silence which is awkward, something I never picture while driving home earlier. All my excitement is gone too.

My Dad inquired about something from grandma and talked softly. Ming Lan and I keep our eyes on the television movie. She did not smile at all since she was in the house, nor talking. Not even to me. She is still in her bad mood and I chose to leave her alone.

‘I should not have agreed to come here in the first place. It’s better not knowing anything at all. Look at him, like nothing ever happened. So calm. I hate you old man’. Ming Lan thought to herself unhappily.

Early in the morning everyone gets ready and has a light breakfast in silence. Her grandma keeps looking at her grand-daughter. She knows that Ming Lan is unhappy. Normally she has something to say to her, but not today.

Four of them arrived at the hospital very early. There are not many people yet at the hospital seats. Keong, sitting beside his Dad, is waiting for his friend, a doctor working at this hospital. He had called him last night and made an appointment with him. He hopes he does not forget to come early today. They wait quietly for someone to appear.

Ming Lan holds her grandma’s hand sitting still, looking in front. Thinking of possibilities of the test, not daring to think too much. She is still feeling angry towards her father after hearing his story yesterday, hoping that she has nothing to do with him and wants to get away as soon as possible. Blaming the old man for neglecting her and her grandma.

He is a rich man but let them suffer living a hard life.

She is angry indeed. ‘So irresponsible of him. He knows I exist but never cares just because I am a girl. Let grandma and I suffer’.

A man in white appears from behind a closed door approaching Akeong.

“Sorry, Keong. I have to send my son to school first. The traffic is heavy in the morning.” My doctor friend comes apologising, shaking my hand. I just smile at him.

I introduced my Dad and Ming Lan to him. ”Three of us are doing the test today. If possible we need the result early. She is not staying here. Teaching in another district.”

“Oh, that. I’m afraid the earliest to know the result is five days, for accuracy. There’s no point in hurrying such a test. I’ll notify you as soon as the result is out. Be patient.” I nod my head hearing him explaining to us. ‘Five days’.

“Come. Follow me in.” All of us follow him inside. Everyone of us has to fill in forms, then the three of us have our blood drawn.

“Don’t worry. The people doing the test are trustworthy and very professional. I’ll contact you. Uncle, Auntie.” He bows a little. “You have to excuse me. I have patiences to see.” He says before leading us out of the door to the outpatients area.

I bid him goodbye and drove everyone to a restaurant for a heavy breakfast. Everyone is in their own thoughts, not talking yet, eating in silence. I drive them home after I call up my office telling my secretary I’ll be late.

I take Ming Lan and grandma to the living room. Following my Dad in, who takes his usual seat on his sofa. Ming Lan is still like yesterday, gloomy and quiet. Looking calm.

“I hope you can rest well here. I have to go to my office. See you later.” I excused myself and left the house.

I sit at my table in the office and think. I cannot think of anything else other than my father’s story about my mother. That means my mother was the one responsible for Ming Lan’s Mom to run back to her parents’ home. Why is my Dad so weak to let such a thing happen?

My Dad is obviously a weak character. His life was a mess with two wives. His children suffer. Poor Ming Lan. The DNA test will be out after five days.

I better do my work first. I have been away for too long. Oh, there is a stack of papers and files in front of me. Finance companies are always busy. My assistant managers have checked all the forms before sending it to me for approval. I have to double check in case it slips off their eyes.

I take a file and read the content one by one before signing off. I took a look around my office. It is an old setting from my grandfather’s time. My Dad never changed it, afraid to change whatever his old man had set up, maybe. I know he is quite a superstitious man.

The business is doing well so far, with not much problem even during the big economic crisis. Even under my inexperience handling, things are fine as usual. My Dad only adds in his own frame of portrait and mine, lining in a row. Somehow the room gives me peace and comfort, adding in two chairs close to my table. Where I usually have a talk with my manager and secretary concerning work.

I added three potted indoor plants by the window with a yellow light bulb above it. Not much sunlight comes in through that window, only cool blowing wind in the morning, on the second floor. I usually turn on the fan in the morning and the air-conditioner later, when the room gets warmer.

I sometimes stand looking out of the window pondering my lonely life, alone with my father staying in that house. I am still single at twenty eight. I do not find the girls introduced to me attractive enough. Either she is too attractive, chatty or too modest for me.

When I saw Ming Lan, I have a liking for her and keep on wanting to see her, on my mission too. She is an active, extraordinary rural girl to me. I like almost everything about her. I also find her interesting with man’s skill which I do not have. Opposites attract, I guess. Like the magnet.

I leave my office at four, an hour earlier than usual. I want to see my sister, if she is my father’s daughter. It is nice to have siblings even though I am used to being alone since I was a child. I was always alone until now. How good it is to have a grown up sister now. We can be friends. Someone I can talk to, after a day of office work.

My Dad has stayed home, since two years ago, nursing his poor heart on doctor’s advice. He has confidence in me running his business and does not mind it. He does light exercise regularly with me in the evenings, following doctor’s advice on his diet too. He has been a good father and provider for me all these years. I respect him for that.

It is my turn to take care of him. I told him that and he accepted my words. Physically he looks fine but his heart is not strong enough for him to burden and worry about the office work.

Both of us sometimes go for holidays, just the two of us. Maybe it will be better with more people this year, if the test result is positive. I’m looking forward to doing that with my sister and Dad as a family. I’m waiting for the day.

I am glad to see more people sitting around the dinner table. Normally just my Dad and I sit at the big roundtable in the dining area, next to the kitchen. That is the time I share my daily office work and I update my Dad on the business status almost every dinner time.

It seems only I talk as we eat. “I’m happy to see many people at this table. I hope the five of us can be here everyday, eating together, talking over dinner.” I smile as I end saying it. I look at Ming Lan and her grandma who are eating slowly quietly. It is fine. I continue eating.

The test result will be ready in five days. I am feeling impatient. I want to know if she is my sister, as I begin to like her. An independent tough girl. Hard to meet such a girl in this modern world.

I have not told my Dad that I like her, after seeing her for three days at her place. I don’t want to complicate things for anyone. I slowly eat my food watching her eating. So is my Dad.

The more I look at her, the more beautiful she is. She must have taken after her parents. I remember seeing her beautiful mother’s face in the album. My late Mom had taken down my father’s wedding photo frame after Ming Lan’s mother left the house. Only now do I recall seeing her doing that. I was about four years old and I do not remember much.

Mr Ong Kee Teng wants his daughter and mother-in-law to live with him. He wants to make up for his wrong doing, in neglecting both of them twenty five years ago. He is trying.

“Where are you working now girl?” The old man breaks the silence.

“I’m teaching at a primary school near my grandpa’s house.” she said.

“Oh. School teacher. Ever thought of leaving that place to somewhere else? Like here?” He asks her, planning to take her home staying with him. Like he mentioned to Akeong if he ever found his sister.

It would be better if there are more people in the house. It has been too quiet, staying just the two of them day in day out. Akeong does not talk much either. He only sits accompanying his father watching television before both of them go to bed, upstairs. It has been like that since he graduated.

“No. I like staying with grandma. She has taken care of me since I was small.” Ming Lan is turning down his idea.

“You can teach in the city too. Your grandma can stay with you here. It’s the same, teaching anywhere.” He is trying to make Ming Lan agree to stay with him in the city.

“I know. But I love that place. I have known that place since I was a little girl.” Ming Lan is still holding on to her decision not to change schools trying not to be rude at the same time although in her heart she is still angry.

“Eem…. So you’re going back to teaching tomorrow?”

“Eemm.”

Everyone is back to eating in silence. Keong’s eyes fixed on her. He likes her the more he looks at her. He likes everything about her, although she is not friendly anymore these past two days. Keong can only look and think this and that about Ming Lan. He dares not provoke her.

“Take your time eating.” Ong Kee Teng gets up slowly from his chair. Keong helped to pull his chair back, making bigger space for him to stand up, as usual. He washes his hands and mouth at the kitchen sink and walks to his sofa corner, sitting under the slow moving fan.

Three of them continue eating at the round table, finishing their plate of rice in silence. Grandma always looks so calm, Ming Lan with her unhappy look. Keong is always calm like his father.

Sitting in the living room, her grandma tells everyone how her husband came to own that place.

“My husband, Kang Teck Seng, had an offer from one of the bank clients. That guy needed money for some reason and sold him three acres of land. He built that house and we moved in a year later. It is a little further from his working place, the town.

Your Mom was still schooling. My only child. Kang Siew Lan. She was a cheerful girl. Good in studies. Active in sports. Always happy. Your grandpa loved his only daughter very much. Many guys were after her but he did not approve.” She paused.

“Your father liked her too. He kept coming to the house to talk to your grandfather. He asked for her hand in marriage. Your mother didn’t have the chance to further her studies. They got married within that year. Her friends were studying in universities.”

“After a year later, she came back alone and gave birth to you. Making your grandfather sad. She was a young girl and did not know a lot of things. She was not happy staying with her husband, with so many people in the family. She couldn’t eat well either. That’s what she told me.”

“After a year, she entered a university. Your grandpa encouraged her to study.

Much later she worked in the city as a secretary. Her boss liked her. She brought him home to see us and told him about you. Somehow they got married and wanted to take you along. Her husband re-named you with his surname. I didn’t let her take you along as she has to work and there’s no one to look after the baby. They lived in the city but died at a young age in a road accident a year later.”

“Your grandpa was so sad to lose his only daughter. The way she died made him grieved. He became over grieved. Too sad to think of her poor fate. He died in his sleep. I continued to take care of you by myself. You were six years old at that time.” Continues grandma.

“I have never earned money before. I used the money he left for my survival. Your grandfather grew the fruit trees and I sold the fruits for your pocket money. That time fruits had no money value but we survived. Your grandpa did not have much money left after building that house. I sold my jewelleries, one by one to go on with my life. Until you were a teacher and supported both of us. I feel glad for you Ming Lan. Now that you found your own father…..” Grandma ends her story, patting her granddaughter’s hand.

“Grandma. After five days only we will talk about this again.” Ming Lan does not seem happy to be in her father’s house. She sounds angry, unhappy. I don’t blame her for knowing the whole story about her father and mother.

“Excuse me. I’m going upstairs.” She gets up and leaves us just like that.

Both my Dad and I look at Ming Lan walking up the stairs. I want to talk to her. Get to know her. Understands her. Staying under the same roof with her. With little luck it seems now. There are still four more days to go. I’ll think of what to do after that. I want her to stay in this house. How do I tell an unhappy girl that? I have to leave her alone for the time being.

“Keong. Can you please take us back? I want to go home. I have a lot to do at home.” Ming Lan told me directly during our tea time. My Dad looked at her. Then at me. “Go with Ah Seng. I don’t want you to drive back alone.”

“Can I stay there for a few days Dad?” I ask for my father’s permission.

“Up to you. You’re a man now.” He answers me looking up at me.

“You’re welcome to stay.” says her grandma to my surprise. “Let’s leave now. We can reach home before dark.” She continues.

“Go, son. Take care of your sister. I have Nancy here. Don’t worry about me.” My Dad said to me while looking at the others at the same time. Hearing my father, my heart glows and glows. He lets me spend time with my sister whom I like.