Fiction: Group 4
The New Tales of the Pearl River Delta
HKCCCU Logos Academy, Lam, Yan Yuet - 16, Fiction: Group 4
COUNTRYSIDE, JAN., 2025
It is a beautiful river
The nature named her Mother
Dare you drink the water of goddess
A glimmer of hope may shine on you
‘What’s her name?’ you ask
It’s always be Pearl River Delta
ua woke up from his dream, the only way to summon his father. He looked at a drawing— a
man, a woman, and two kids. “The taller one is always me,” Hua remarked. While no one gave
an ear to him, no one even wanted to. The drawing recalled his memory again…
6:00am. Clocks didn’t tell Hua the time—he didn’t have clocks, but the sun. Out of the bedroom, Hua
stretched his legs and looked at the sky. Still got time, he thought. He decided to chill for a while.
10 years ago, his father left him. It’s common in countryside. As the Chinese government planned to save
the clean water, people near the water source were forced to move. The policy broke their knees, farmers
could not farm in rural area. The policy trapped their freedom. Families in farmland could only be the
puppet on the string. “We’re uneducated farmers; we can blame no one.” Father once told Hua. Thus,
Hua’s father had to work in the city – to buy necessities for the family.
Hua became the eldest male in the family. Cleaning, cooking, looking after his siblings – he had to do all of
the chores as his mom was too sick to manage them. Hua never complained. He knew his parents loved
him; he knew the world was money-oriented. “No money, no life.” His father left this message before he
left. He wished, one day, one day the world would change, no one had to suffer from bills, no one had to
abandon their loved ones to earn the evil-smelling dough. Yet how long did he have to wait? No one
knew.
“I’m hungry, Hua.”
“Kay I’m going to cook you breakfast.” Hua turned over, looking at the little shadow. Mae, when will you
grow up? Hua thought. In 10 years? Until I left here? Sorry, I’d no choice.
The fire was warm in the kitchen. The eagerness of freedom was dancing, the inspiration of dream was
sparkling, while Hua was the only one could observe it.
“Mother. I know you are dreaming about our mother, right?” She grinned.
“Why not our dad?”
“He’s a jerk, you know. Although he sends us cash, he has never visited us again for 7 years. And mom, she
left us just to find him. You should admit he’s a fucking jerk!”
“Mae! Who taught you swear?!”
“That bitchy teacher in our school. Who else can it be?”
“You know that’s not appropriate right?”
“How do I know? Did dad tell me? Did mom tell me? Nope.”
H
