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It was 07:30 and Granma T's household was in disarray.
For Little Ming and Little Fung it was the start of the new
school term. The hustle and bustle had been caused by them
getting all their things together at the very last minute.
Just where were their pens, pencils, books, PE kit, plimsols, lunchboxes?
Eventually shining like new pins in their recently acquired uniforms with bags fully ladened Ming and Fung set off across the yard. By the entrance, the workmen were lined up to say goodbye and wish them luck.
They would miss their two young helpers but could not resist passing teasing remarks as the children left:
"Umm don't we look smart!"
"Gosh it is going to be quiet today."
"We shall get much more done though."
Out in the street, Mai Ling had the car running ready to take the children to school. Most days the children sat in the back- quiet and contemplative or furtively finishing homework and asking questions. Today there was something amiss, a tension prevailed. LM was clearly worried:
lm: We are bound to be asked to write about what we did in the holidays.
lf: Surely Ming, we can't write about the ransom and all that took place.
lm: No, Miss Chow King would never believe what happened, she would complain that it was all too far fetched.
lh: No, we can't tell her about you going to the zoo, leaving all that money in a litter bin, returning home, studying that old map and after many attempts eventually solving the problem.
lm: I suppose we could ignore all of that and only write about returning the lost plaque to Mr. Cheung, how he rewarded us and gave an enormous street party.
lf: Oh, what a stupendous party it was. Surely Miss Chow King heard about all those celebrations and the fireworks.
lm: Then she will have heard about us....getting the microscope and telescope.
lf: Surely everyone now knows that Lung Sing -disguised as a refuse collector, was arrested by GranmaT's workmen posing as statues. How they grabbed him when he retrieved the money and made the fatal mistake of stopping to count it.
lm: Yea, but who knows about how Lung Sing was interrogated by Mr Cheung back at the yard?
lf: Least said about that the better, but he soon 'coughed up' about his father and who did what and why.
lm: What I don't understand is why Inspector Chang only appeared when everything had been 'sewn up'. Why had he apparently allowed Granma T to take charge of the whole operation?
lf: NO, you were right at the very first. I think it is better if we tell an entirely different story. Let's write about a day playing on the beach like everyone else.
In class, after registration, Miss Chow King introduced the first task of the term.
"Instead of writing about our holidays I thought we would do something different. I want you to imagine you had a really scary adventure during the past few weeks - maybe you really did! Write about an adventure you would like to have had if you had the chance. Right, start thinking."
Little Ming and Little Fung were sure that Miss Chow King gave them a knowing wink!
What were they to do now?
In the meantime......
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