Fiction: Group 4
Only in My Memory
Maryknoll Convent School (Secondary Section), Yip, Tiffany - 17, Fiction: Group 4
ing watered the flowers standing on the window ledge carefully. They were an assortment of daisies.
As she closed the window, she couldn't help but look at the bridge on the river. She refrained herself
from sighing, but the wrinkles on her face gave away her sadness.
She was being told during her childhood that the Guangzhu Bridge was one of the biggest achievements of
the short-lived Guangdong Provincial Government. It was made of iron and steel, and the materials were
said to be taken from an old bridge in London. It was the first few modern bridges in the Pearl River Delta.
They said it was one of the strongest bridges in China at that time and she believed.
*
The visit to Grandma's place has always fascinated Gwen. Gwen's grandmother, who is a very wise lady of a
ripe old age, lived in a quiet neighborhood filled with western-styled architectures and pretty roads lined up
with trees on both sides. She had always wondered why someone as traditional as Grandma would live in
such a fancy European street when there are many other traditional buildings in Guangzhou to choose
from.
She remembered when she used to come here as a little girl. Grandma lived on the south of the Pearl River,
and Gwen and her parents on the north, so it had always been a very exciting experience crossing the river
for Gwen. Her father would be driving, and she would look out of the window at the ships sailing quietly
on the river. After she moved to Hong Kong to study in university, coming back and revisiting those
childhood memories became even more exciting for her.
Grandma was a very chatting old lady. Like most people of her age, she loved talking about the past so
much. Every time Gwen visited her as a child, she would hear stories of fighting the Japanese, living through
the establishment of the PRC, and how she survived all the instabilities and prosperities in the past years.
“So there is my Gui Er, all grown-up,” that was the first sentence Grandma said when Gwen stepped into
her flat. Grandma just loved to call Gwen her childhood nickname, so she is fine with it. “You look like my
younger self.”
“Then Grandma must have been a beauty,” Gwen joked. Grandma was extremely witty and easy-going for
an old person.
“Oh come, darling, and let me tell you about my youth. Many boys fell for me, you know,” Grandma
chuckled.
That was Grandma telling her story of meeting Gwen’s Grandpa for the tenth time
, Gwen thought, but she
decided she will just stick with it.
*
She remembered everything.
It was the days of war and terror. She was eighteen, a young, innocent girl wishing onto big things in the
future. Guangzhou was already a relatively big and modernized city back then. Her father was a school
teacher, and her family lived quite a well-off life. She had two elder brothers and an elder sister. Her home
was always filled with books and European antiques collected by her father. She remembered all of these
clearly. And of course, there is a ‘he’ in her story.
*
“…and that is how I ended up with your Grandpa,” Grandma finished her account of their first meeting.
“Are you listening, my dear?”
Gwen was examining the old cardboard boxes she just found. “Of course, Grandma, but I am sorting out
your old stuff for you.” She decided to help Grandma tidy up her house since she had no better things to
do.
Gwen thought that her grandma deserved some response, and so she asked, “Grandma, why did Grandpa
and you worked out so well? You didn’t even know each other before the marriage.”
“Oh, we just tried to understand each other. For example, he has always liked this flat,” Grandma looked
around, smiling. “I preferred the north of the river – I grew up on that side, after all – but he would never
want to sell this flat and I decided to live here for the rest of my life then.”
Cheesy love stories are always lovely to listen to. “Tell me more.”
*
L
