The Final Chapter

CHAPTER 6

TIME TO LEAVE

Two days later Wen Hsiu and Ling Hua had all their arrangements in order and they were finally ready to leave for home. That morning saw the Restaurant’s waiters helping Ling Hua and Wen Hsiu loading their luggage into Mr Lu’s car.

Wen Hsiu and Ling Hua’s journey from the Restaurant’s front door to Mr Lu’s car was delayed by each waiter standing in line to greet their friends and bid them a safe journey. Wen Hsiu shook hands with some of the waiters, others got a pat on the back as they wished each other well.

Mr and Mrs Lu first had a leisurely chat with Ling Hua before they went to Wen Hsiu.
"Thank you, Wen Hsiu. We hope to see you again soon." Mrs Lu said as she handed him a nicely tied bundle of cloth. Wen Hsiu could already smell the freshly made steamed pork dumplings inside. He thanked Mrs Lu and gave her a warm hug before he bowed to Mr Lu. Mr Lu patted him on the shoulder.

"I’ll never forget how you showed us true Gongfu." Mr Lu said with a smile.

Eventually the car left for the airport, leaving the Restaurant in peace for many years to come…

The Fifth Chapter

CHAPTER 5

MARTIN

It is 23h00 in Seattle. The street is quiet except for the lone alley cat slowly making its way to the nearest garbage can. All the shops are closed in this particular street and the lights inside the buildings are off, except for one place.

It is at this hour a keen observer would be able to hear the sound of a punching bag being beaten. The sound, one would find, emanated from a karate studio in that very same street. The studio is closed, and the students would only return in the coming afternoon.

The muscular man, now clad in only his white gi trousers, was flinging one destructive attack after another at the bag. The punching bag, hanging by its chain, did not swing around much, but rather got indented with the force of each hand, forearm and foot-strike that had found its mark. The bag was definitely in a better condition to absorb the force of these blows than a human body would be.
Martin knew the effects of each attack very well. Had this been a human being, the unfortunate victim's organs would be shattered beyond repair…

He had just spent a considerable amount of energy on the last set of attacks and was just about to raise his ki again for another set when his cellphone’s ringtone reached his ears.
Martin answered. The voice on the other side sounded vaguely familiar. The proposal it brought sounded better. The money would bring him closer to paying off the pile of bills that lay on his desk in the studio. The fight itself promised to be one worthy of his power…

Three days after Martin had received the telephone call the staff of the Chinese Restaurant were enjoying a leisurely day off in the closed Restaurant. It was New Year’s day after all. Everyone was dressed exceptionally neat for the occasion and Mr Lu handed out red envelopes to each of the waiters, kitchen staff and finally to Wen Hsiu and Ling Hua.

Ling Hua, who was usually very reserved, had decided to lighten up and have a cup of rice wine while joining her students in a game of mah jiang.
Wen Hsiu went to the door to welcome some friends of Mr Lu who had come from Pretoria to join in the celebration. Just as the last guest walked in a terrible sensation took hold of him…
His body began feeling heavy and immobile. He fought off the feeling and immediately looked at his mother. Her expression confirmed it. They have sensed a really powerful chi. It was emanating from far, but still strong enough to be sensed by them both.
Wen Hsiu went to Ling Hua and, after making sure that no one would overhear, asked her what they were to do.

"Leave it." Ling Hua replied. "If it is necessary for us to do anything we will know soon enough."
While everyone was happily eating, a Westerner, wearing a business suit, let himself in for Mr Lu did not deem it necessary to keep the door locked. His entrance was met with a couple of puzzled stares.
Mr Lu greeted the man and kindly pointed out that the Restaurant was closed.
"Oh, I know." the man said in a friendly voice. "I was only sent here by Mr Geldenhuys to invite you to meet him. He feels sorry about the whole mess and wants to apologise to you in person."
"He can come here by himself then." Wen Hsiu said from the table.
The man did not seem affected by this remarked.

"The boss is very busy, but he did ask me to take you to a place nearby where he will meet with you and Wen Hsiu."
Ling Hua and Wen Hsiu immediately understood.
"You don’t need to bother Mr Lu." Wen Hsiu intervened. "I’ll go and apologise on your behalf for your absence."

Wen Hsiu got up and led the man outside. He did not need to understand English very well to know that the man wanted to know what about Mr Lu. He just motioned to the door and said: "We go."
The drive in the man’s car was very brief. When Wen Hsiu saw the soccer stadium drawing near he felt his suspicion confirmed. They were not going to meet at a Restaurant to make peace. This was, in fact going to be the decisive battle in their war.

The great surge of chi was becoming stronger now. Wen Hsiu was convinced that they were approaching the source of the strong energy signal.

When the car stopped the man told Wen Hsiu to get out and wait while he fetched his boss. The knowledge that this was merely a ruse was of little consequence to him. He knew very well that he will soon meet with the most powerful fighter that he had ever encountered in his life. He was able to leave at any moment, but amidst the fear that Wen Hsiu was feeling, he also felt excited and curious. He wanted this battle.

Wen Hsiu walked to the stadium. Judging from his premonitions the mysterious fighter was inside the stadium, most likely standing on the field and- also sensing his presence…
When Wen Hsiu reached the empty stadium he jumped over the rail and walked across the field to a young Caucasian man in the distance. The man’s blonde hair waved restlessly in the wind. He looked on Wen Hsiu with a calm interest. His long track pants and shoes suggested that he was familiar with physical exercise. His white sleeveless shirt revealed two lean, muscular arms. Wen Hsiu realised the wind blowing stronger the closer he got to the man.

"I’m glad to say I’m pleasantly surprised!" the man boomed across the field.
"I never thought I would ever meet anyone like you. This fight is going to be interesting, but don’t be mistaken- you are not strong enough to beat me!"

"Never lost a fight before, huh?" Wen Hsiu asked and pulled his fists to his hips. He charged up his chi and with one powerful surge he released a powerful shockwave against the wind that seemed to blow in all directions from where the man was standing. The blonde man’s smile faded. The chi that he had sensed earlier was not this man’s full power. As he got ready for combat he sensed the rise in power. A powerful storm blew around them as they quietly looked at each other. Soon the time will arrive when a victor will be decided…

"I must warn you." Wen Hsiu said as they stood looking at each other. "If you go through with this you may be killed. I cannot allow your boss to hurt my friends. You can walk away from this now."
The man stared at him in silence.

Wen Hsiu suddenly got jolted into action as the man shot towards him in a powerful leap from were he had been standing. Martin went straight for his face with a flying knee strike. Wen Hsiu immediately bent over backwards, arching his back as Martin flew over him. As soon as Martin’s feet hit the ground Wen Hsiu had to side-step a lunge punch that was meant for his back. By the time his kick was on his way to Martin’s ribs Martin had already pulled back his fist, putting his elbow in the way. Wen Hsiu pulled his foot back after it had collided with Martin’s forearm and launched a new attack.

This time it was a roundhouse kick aimed at Martin’s head. Martin went straight into the arc of the kick and stopped it with his forearm while shooting a fist into Wen Hsiu’s ribs. Wen Hsiu’s body was able to absorb the impact without any serious damage, but the punch had knocked him off balance. Before he could fall over Martin grabbed hold of his kicking leg and swung him around like an athlete during the hammer throw.

Wen Hsiu was flung head first towards the stands. During his brief flight, however, he managed to flip himself over in mid-air and struck the back of a plastic chair feet first. The chair’s back snapped on impact. Wen Hsiu was able to land on his feet, though, and leapt over the rows of seats back onto the field.

Martin saw Wen Hsiu speeding towards him, preparing to shoot his heel into his chest in a flying sidekick. He timed the kick and, in a violent spinning motion swung his heel towards the approaching body. Both kicks had hit. Martin’s spinning kick struck Wen hsiu’s back while Wen hsiu’s heel struck Martin in the face.

Martin was sent rolling across the field while Wen Hsiu landed on all-fours.
The two fighters immediately got up and flew at each other…

Ling Hua’s concern was visible by now. Mr Lu had noticed her standing alone by the restaurant’s window. He got up from the table and went to his friend.
"I’m sure Wen Hsiu is fine." he said as he tried to get Ling Hua’s attention.
"One rule remains the same for all fighters." Ling Hua said, staring into the distance without showing any emotion. "There is always somebody stronger…"
Mr Lu’s expression became serious.
"It might be, but I haven’t met anyone like Wen Hsiu before." he offered.
"I’m sure he has met that person today." Ling Hua replied.

The two fighters were trading punches at machine gun rate now. Wen Hsiu was able to avoid a large number of punches by twisting his body and ducking as quickly as the attacks came. Many of his counter attacks were also deflected by Martin’s blocking and evaded by his ducking.

Both fighters broke away to give themselves space for kicking attacks. Two powerful front kicks struck their targets simultaneously, instantaneously winding both combatants.

Martin seemed quicker to recover and sped towards Wen Hsiu. By the time Wen Hsiu was able to react Martin had already seized a handful of his hair in a vice-like grip. Martin pushed down with all his might, driving Wen Hsiu’s head to the ground. Wen Hsiu’s hands reached the ground just in time to prevent his face from being driven into the ground. Cursing, Martin pulled him up again. Wen Hsiu lashed out with a desperate backhand strike as he came up. Martin caught his arm, though and pushed his head down again, immobilising his arm behind his back. Wen Hsiu stopped his fall with his one free hand and immediately rolled over. Being only able to turn his body around halfway, Wen Hsiu swung his leg around. It struck Martin in the midriff. Wen Hsiu’s fingers found the bicep of the arm that was holding his in place and dug into the muscle like a tiger sinking its fangs into its prey. Martin felt his arm go numb. He immediately let go of Wen Hsiu’s hair.

"So…" Wen Hsiu spat. He was now more furious than he had ever known himself to become.
"You like to pull hair?!"

Wen Hsiu dashed towards him with arms waving wildly. Martin kept his guard up, prepared to block any blow that might come.

He should actually have watched Wen Hsiu’s feet, though, as a powerful front kick had soon struck him on the chin, knocking his head upwards. Martin slightly lifted off the ground from the impact as Wen Hsiu’s fingers now clenched around his windpipe. He instinctively squeezed down with his chin to prevent his larynx being crushed. He kept both hands around Wen Hsiu’s wrist as he tripped over Wen Hsiu’s leg that had snuck up behind his and he felt himself being driven into the ground. Martin quickly planted his foot into Wen Hsiu’s stomach, and while holding onto his wrist, used the momentum of his fall to execute an improvised sacrifice throw, sending Wen Hsiu flying over him.

Wen Hsiu was completely surprised by this attack and landed hard on his back. He rolled away just in time to let Martin’s fist smash into the ground where his face had been.

Wen Hsiu was now standing a couple of paces away from his adversary. He had now realised that his anger had left him careless earlier. Calming himself, he sunk his chi to his abdomen. He put his weight on one leg and slightly extended the other. His hands floated forward to complete the posture known as "playing the lute". He was pretty much beaten up, but this state of calm had him ready for the next assault. Fists and feet did not seem to have much effect on his foe. They were barely evenly matched in strength. Wen Hsiu was sure that a change in tactics was necessary.
"I can tell that you are tired." Martin said as he calmly lowered himself into a fighting stance that closely resembled a boxing crouch. " This is going to be over soon."

He flashed a sadistic smile and threw a couple of feint jabs in Wen Hsiu’s direction. Wen Hsiu stood motionless, keeping the posture that he had adopted.
Martin charged with full force. He lashed out with a kick towards Wen Hsiu’s stomach. He knew that this would cause Wen Hsiu to lower his hands, opening up his face. Wen Hsiu’s one hand did go downwards and in an arc scooped Martin’s leg up as he twisted his body to let the kick pass harmlessly. Martin was caught off guard by this tactic and Wen Hsiu’s palm thrust to his chest sent him falling on his back.

He got up once again. Wen Hsiu remained motionless, keeping the lute playing posture. Martin flew at him again, this time attempting to break his guard with a powerful side kick. Wen Hsiu now effortlessly sidestepped the kick and hit Martin in the back with a side kick of his own. Martin spun around to face Wen Hsiu, who, once again did not follow through with any further attacks.
Wen Hsiu faced him again, holding the same posture. Martin attacked with another side kick. Wen Hsiu pivoted on his leading foot, knocking the kick aside with his forearm and countered with a spinning back kick. The kick struck Martin on the shoulder, causing him to fall over.

Martin was now seriously annoyed with this pattern of attack and defence. He got up and raised his fists. Charging towards Wen Hsiu he grabbed hold of Wen Hsiu’s leading hand, pulling it down while he punched towards his face. Wen Hsiu simply rotated his wrist in a full circle, shaking off the grip while he side-stepped the punch. Martin quickly spun away from Wen Hsiu to prevent being caught by another counterattack. Having obtained a position of safety he shot towards Wen Hsiu with a quick jab to his head. Since it was too far for the jab to make any contact Wen Hsiu did not respond. The second punch, though, was a real threat to his solar plexus and warranted a downward parry with the lead hand as he retreated. That got followed by another high punch. Wen Hsiu immediately registered the vital spot opening up and, sweeping the punch upward with one arm, exploded into Martin’s exposed lower ribs with a one-knuckle fist. This punch, using the middle joint of the index finger as a weapon, focussed a lot of force into a small area and could easily penetrate any protective layer of muscle the opponent’s torso may have had.

The crack of a rib giving in and Martin’s doubling up preceded Wen Hsiu’s vertical back fist strike with the same hand to Martin’s nose. The blow stunned him long enough for Wen Hsiu to lift his arm up again to open up his ribs to an elbow strike.
As the wind left his lungs Martin became aware of his feet leaving the ground as Wen Hsiu executed a perfect hip throw, sending him plummeting to the ground.
Martin got up and, without any thought, flew towards Wen Hsiu, wildly swinging a series of punches. Wen Hsiu caught hold of one of his arms and twisted it so that the arm straightened.
Wen Hsiu’s knife hand strike on the extended arm came suddenly. Martin howled in pain as the bone snapped.

Wen Hsiu broke away and lowered his hands.
"It’s over now. Go and leave us alone." Wen Hsiu said as he turned to walk away.
"You think it’s that easy?!" Martin roared. His wild rage seemed to act as a painkiller. With an ear-shattering yell he lunged towards Wen Hsiu. Wen Hsiu turned around and raised his guard to meet the attack. He saw Martin’s one leg moving to pass the other and immediately took a lightning quick step to Martin’s’ side. By the time Martin’s leg had straightened into a powerful, but misdirected roundhouse kick Wen Hsiu’s heel already struck the knee on which Martin was standing. The sudden dislocation of his knee left Martin dropping to the ground like a sack of bricks.
Screaming with pain and helpless rage, Martin desperately tried to get himself up, but two of his limbs now refused to obey him and his ribcage made each effort burn like a fire inside him.

Wen Hsiu quietly looked at him. Martin grimaced from the pain. He decided to give in and lay still.
"Finish me." He sighed. "You won…"
"You are finished." Wen Hsiu replied. "I hope, when you heal, you will not choose to hurt people."
"Your people will be okay." Martin said, managing to smile through the pain and exhaustion. "I never cared for what Geldenhuys wanted with them. I only wanted to fight a worthy opponent- and there was the money..."

"Looks like you’re not getting paid." Wen Hsiu laughed sympathetically.
"You think?" Martin quipped.

Wen Hsiu walked back to the spot where he had first found Martin upon his arrival. Martin’s sports bag was still lying there. He picked it up and brought it back to where Martin was lying.
Wen Hsiu’s chi was flowing calmly through his battered body, filling him with a sense of calm and compassion that he had known ever since Ling Hua took him in as her own.

"You have a phone in here?" Wen Hsiu asked as he put the bag down.
"Yeah." Martin replied. He was now seeming distracted, looking at the sky.
The phone, held by Wen Hsiu, came into view. Wen Hsiu looked at him, slightly embarrassed.
"I think you must phone for an ambulance. I don’t know the number…"
Martin smiled, slowly and painfully taking the phone.
"Thanks." He said and dialled the number…

Ling Hua, Sujen and Mr Lu had become too anxious to enjoy the party in the meantime and had decided to go and look for Wen Hsiu. A quick stop at Geldenhuys’ office to ask where Wen Hsiu was got them a reply that Geldenhuys did not know what they were talking about, which earned Geldenhuys a flight out of his third floor office window to a certain death, which in turn earned them very polite directions from his bodyguard to the soccer stadium couple with an even politer request not to break his fingers.

Wen Hsiu was quietly listening to Martin’s story while he waited for the ambulance. Martin offered to phone him a taxi, which he declined. He rather asked that Martin phone the Restaurant. When Martin obliged Dennis answered. He told Martin that Wen Hsiu’s mother already went looking for him. Upon hearing this Wen Hsiu assured him that his mother will find him. All this having been done left the two martial artists with an evening long enough for them to get to know each other.
Martin, it turned out, was originally from South Africa. Having moved to America to work for a one year contract period at a hotel had been worth it for him. The position of cook paid well by South African standards. In his spare time he studied Karate. He actually did well enough at that to open his own school. The problem, however, was that he did not get that many students and the bills began piling up…

"So- what are you gonna do now?" Wen Hsiu asked.
"Dunno…" Martin said. "Maybe take a job as a mercenary- or look for the next tournament for prize money…"

He gave Wen Hsiu a curious look. "What do you want to do?"
"Be a farmer." Wen Hsiu abruptly answered.
Martin kept quiet for a while. This guy was something else…

The ambulance eventually came and, as Wen Hsiu said goodbye to Martin as he got lifted into the ambulance, Mr Lu suddenly appeared. Wen Hsiu wanted to introduce Martin, but the ambulance door had already been shut and Martin got taken away.
Ling Hua and Sujen followed at Mr Lu’s heels. The two women simultaneously went on about how worried they have been and fussed about the bruises Wen Hsiu was now sporting.
Wen Hsiu sighed. It had been a long night. He desperately needed some sleep…

The Fourth Chapter

CHAPTER 4

YOU STILL WOULDN’T LEARN…

The Restaurant enjoyed a peaceful week since the incident at the office building. By now the waiters had less spare time during business hours and found themselves having to wake up early in the morning to train under Ling Hua’s strict tutelage. Wen Hsiu trained on his own in the mornings, and at night. The waiters enjoyed watching him perform his patterns and did their best to imitate him.
Like all waiters in the Restaurant Wen Hsiu had one day off. He used that opportunity to walk around the city and to marvel at all the contrivances that he had never encountered at home.
It was after a night of vigorous training that Wen Hsiu was kneeling next to a zinc basin filled with water. He quietly cleaned himself with soap and a washcloth as he chatted with his mother sitting on the other side of a make-shift curtain.

"We’ll have to leave soon." Ling Hua said.
"Great." Wen Hsiu sighed. "I am getting worried about Father having to take care of the farm by himself."

"Don’t you like it here?" Ling Hua asked. She knew of many young men that went to seek their fortune abroad who never wished to return to their home country.
"The rooftop is too small to practice kongfu…" Wen Hsiu muttered.
"You won’t meet many people if you stayed on the farm." Ling Hua said quietly, waiting to see if her son grasped what she was getting at.
"We have good people at home." Wen Hsiu replied, oblivious to his mother’s hint.
"The people round here look a lot like you…" Ling Hua probed. "Do they not interest you?"
"Aiya!" Wen Hsiu sighed. "The people here are so much different from us. They want to possess so many things. Money is even more important than other people to them. How did they ever become this crazy?"

Ling Hua sighed.

" After the Way was lost, the Power came. After the Power was lost, then came human kindness. After human kindness was lost, morality came. When morality was lost, ritual came…"
"I understand…" Wen Hsiu said, grasping his mother’s message. He had now finished drying himself and was wearing loose black cotton trousers. He lazily made his way to his futon in the corner of the room to lie down. When he passed the window a sudden sense of shock took hold of him…
His body spun in a sharp reflex movement as the windowpane shattered, scattering shards of glass across the floor. Wen Hsiu heard the loud crack of the concrete wall on his right as it got struck by a very small, but solid object travelling at lightning speed. His eyes were already on the window when he came to a stand-still. Poised, he scanned as much of the area beyond the window that was visible to him. Whoever fired the projectile, even if he was out of sight, was probably waiting to take a second shot…

Wen Hsiu lept to his futon in one fluid movement and picked up a small knife that he had kept close at hand for when he felt like enjoying the odd orange or apple for breakfast.
He looked at his mother. She too, seemed alert. She jerked her head into the direction of the staircase that led to the rooftop. Wen Hsiu nodded and, avoiding the line of fire from the window, headed for the stairs…

The moonlit rooftop gave Wen Hsiu a good view of the city. As an added bonus, the door from which he emerged was facing the direction from which the shot came. If the shooter was holding his position, Wen Hsiu’s silhouette would be obscured from view by the doorframe. As Wen Hsiu carefully approached the edge of the roof he scanned the tall building on the opposite side for signs of a sniper lurking on the roof or behind any of the windows…

A couple of minutes later he was certain that the roof was clear. Wen Hsiu’s eyes went to the windows. The building, part of which was a block of apartments had a large number of closed windows that were closed with lights on. Wen Hsiu immediately ruled these windows out. He looked at all the open windows and eliminated those with the lights on.

Wen Hsiu’s simple process of elimination now left him with four windows that were open and dark. The windows were all in about the same area from which the shot could have come.
The sniper was patiently waiting. Sooner or later, he reckoned, the Kung Fu guy was going to be stupid enough to pass the window. He could not believe that he had actually missed that first shot…
Still, he was certain that he was able to remain hidden until he could get another shot. His instructions were clear- he was to make sure that the Kung Fu guy was gone for good.

Suddenly there was movement in the room of his targets. The curtains were closing. Whoever drew the curtains shut was doing a good job of staying out of sight. Still- the lights were kept on…
It was not long until the sniper could make out a silhouette behind the curtains through his telescope.

 He took the shot.

This time he had hit his target for certain…
It was so silly, he thought to himself. What did he try to accomplish by closing up the curtains?
Wen Hsiu saw the flash from one of the windows as the shot went off. Fearing that his mother might be hit he began to panic. Then his ears picked up another sound-
"What are you waiting for? Go get him!"

Wen Hsiu could immediately tell that his mother was alright and took a couple of steps back before rushing to the edge of the roof. His sprint to the edge ended in a tremendous leap that sent him flying across the street.

As soon as he crashed through the window he was on top of a black leather clad man wearing a balaclava. He had immediately dropped his hunting rifle in shock as he got topple over and lost consciousness after the sharp pain from being punched in the face was immediately followed by the sting from his head being slammed into the floor.

Ling Hua smiled. That boy was amazing. She knew that if she could use the pillow to draw another shot, Wen Hsiu would be able to locate the sniper and surprise him. He really did not have to show off like this, though, she thought to herself and laughed quietly.
"What happened? Are you okay?"

Mr and Mrs Lu, accompanied by Dennis and A Kun were at the door.
Ling Hua opened.

"We are fine, thank you." She replied. "I’m more worried about that Gwai Lo… He is not going to be that well…"
When Geldenhuys got to his office the next morning, he was greeted by the sight of a lifeless black leather-clad figure on his desk. He was about to grab his cellphone and call his bodyguards when Wen Hsiu took hold of his arm and threw him to the ground in a fluid spinning motion. Wen Hsiu closed the office door before he returned to Geldenhuys, who was busy getting up.
A kick in the face sent Geldenhuys rolling across the floor. He kept still now, warily eyeing the monster in front of him. Wen Hsiu kept quiet. He did not move a muscle, but seemed poised to strike at any second.

Wen Hsiu looked at the man who was now transfixed on all-fours.
"You still would not learn…" Wen Hsiu said. He was amazed at how well the English sentence had come out.

Herman laughed. Part of it sounded nervous- another part stupified.
"What are these Chinks to you?!" he blurted out his question, almost mocking Wen Hsiu in the face of his own imminent death.
"They are people, no less than you." Wen Hsiu replied.

"I bet I can pay you more than they ever will if you worked for me" Herman began suggesting as he got up.

Wen Hsiu’s attention seemed more focussed on the fact that Geldenhuys was on his feet again rather than the offer that he was trying to make. Geldenhuys realised as much when Wen Hsiu’s side kick struck his abdomen -knocking the wind from him- and he collapsed.

When Geldehuys eventually did raise his head he saw that the Sniper had come to. He was now standing quietly in front of him.

"What do you want?" Geldenhuys snapped.
The Sniper took a while before he spoke.
"Ever heard the saying- ‘do unto others as they do unto you’?"
Geldenhuys gave him a look that said that he had better start making sense within the next second unless he wanted to be knocked unconscious again.
"What?!" he spat, holding his hand on his aching belly.
The Sniper explained: "I know this guy- Definitely one of the deadliest people walking the earth. He is a master of Karate. Only problem is- he is not easily persuaded to fight."
"Why does he study karate, then?" Geldehuys asked.
Geldenhuys shook his head. He did not want to spend too much money on this project, but now it went beyond profit. He wanted revenge at any cost.
"Tell your friend-" he said as he began visualising the Kung Fu guy being brutally beaten.
"R 150 000,00 is his if he can break this guy."
　

　

The Third Chapter

CHAPTER THREE

"LAY OFF"

The days have passed quite peacefully for the little restaurant and its staff. Customers came in, ate and left without fear of gangsters and the waiters eagerly undertook their Gongfu training.

Meanwhile one of the waiters taught Wen Hsiu and Ling Hua to use QQ to chat with other Chinese via the Internet using a cell-phone. Never having had any interest in such things before Wen Hsiu took notice of the pass-time, but preferred working and practicing Gongfu. He had picked up the skill of waiting tables in a very short time and was quick to earn a bit of extra cash in tips.
It was just after the lunchtime rush that the stubble-headed fighter and his companions showed up again. Wen Hsiu was quietly meditating behind the bar counter when he was alerted by an alarmed gasp. When he got up he noticed the waiters being rounded up by the group of thugs pointing pistols at them.

"Where is the Kung Fu guy?!" Ronnie yelled over the group gathered in front of him. His cohorts were surrounding Mr. Lu, the waiters and Ling Hua. Mrs. Lu was not in the restaurant, but had decided to go shopping when the restaurant had quieted down.
"I’m here." Wen Hsiu called over the bar counter.
It was at that moment when the thug standing closest to Ling Hua looked into Wen Hsiu’s direction. If he had kept his eyes on her he might have been able to tell why he ended up lying unconscious on the floor. Ronnie turned to look in her direction when he heard the body drop to the ground and got blindsided by a flying chopstick.

Wen Hsiu’s improvised projectile struck the nerve point just below the thug’s ear and caused him to drop like a bag of bricks.

The waiters took advantage of the ensuing chaos and charged at their captors. The remaining four assailants were disarmed and neutralised before anyone of them could fire a shot. Wen Hsiu joined in the fight and within seconds the thugs were all lying lifeless on the floor. Wen Hsiu took the guns and threw them into the nearest storm drain opening in the kerb outside. Then he went back in and carried the bodies out- one by one. When the last unconscious thug was lying on the pavement outside he went back into the restaurant.

The people outside looked on in shock and amazement as Wen Hsiu emptied a bucket of water over the thugs. When they all got jolted back into consciousness Ling Hua and he clapped their hands loudly and waved them off with an angry "Gu-ne gu-ne!". The thugs promptly jumped up and ran.
Wen Hsiu heard the restaurant’s telephone ring as he came back in. Mr Lu promptly answered it with a well rehearsed "Chinese Dragon Restaurant- good afternoon."
When he eventually put the phone down Wen Hsiu could easily tell that it was bad news.
"They said that they have my wife…" Mr Lu said, his face now pale with shock.
"They said… that the thugs had a contract with them that I had to sign… They would have released her then…"
Ling Hua looked at her friend. She wanted to apologise so badly, but then again, how were they supposed to know…?

"Wen Hsiu!", Dennis called.
Wen Hsiu had already disappeared into the streets, however…

Ronnie’s day had been going from bad to worse. First the Boss refused to pay anyone because of the stupid Restaurant owner’s refusal to sell. Now, his idea of subduing everyone at gunpoint had backfired. The Boss had actually just told them to deliver the contract and the message, but he had reckoned that they would need the extra protection… If the Boss found out he would be finished…
Ronnie had no idea where he was going as he wandered down the street. His cohorts followed him sheepishly. They may not be the most intelligent people in the city, but they knew just as well that it was better not to show up at the Boss’ headquarters now…

The thugs were completely unaware of being followed….

Wen Hsiu had only a little bit of trouble finding the thugs. He had to ask one of the people outside the Restaurant which way the men had run. His English was perhaps not the best, but it was enough to get the lady to point toward an alley. Wen Hsiu set off in that direction and soon found the thugs, now seeming to wander about aimlessly.

"Where is the Chinese lady?!" Wen Hsiu boomed across the alley. The thugs turned around in shock.
One of the thugs wanted to give him the old "I don’t know what you are talking about", but was stopped by Ronnie.

"Hey man!" he said. "I’m sorry. I don’t need to get beaten up again and my boss is going to kill me anyway so I don’t need anymore of this, okay?"
"If you help me save the lady I help you." Wen Hsiu said after carefully searching his mind for the correct English words."
"Really?" Ronnie asked. "I mean- I know you are good, but we are not exactly friends…"
"Are you really sorry?" Wen Hsiu asked.
"Yes." Ronnie replied. "I am really sorry."
"Tell me where your boss is," Wen Hsiu replied. "I make sure boss hurts nobody. I must help lady, but I can also help you…"

"Dude, where are you from?" one of the thugs asked.
"China." Wen Hsiu answered.
"You don’t look like a Chinese…" the thug remarked.
"Yeah, okay!" Ronnie said. "He is our pal now so no disrespect!"

Ronnie led Wen Hsiu to the office building a couple of blocks away.
"I’m sorry, but we are not going in there with you…" Ronnie apologised before leaving.
Wen Hsiu thanked them and went inside.

According to Ronnie the Boss’ office was on the third floor. Wen Hsiu headed up the stairs.
Sujen was in a locked room. After her kidnappers brought her to their boss she was forced to stay in an empty office. The door was locked and she knew very well that it was guarded by an armed thug. The Boss had refused to let her go until she has signed a paper she could not fully understand. Although the English writing was not clear to her, she knew very well that they had wanted her husband and her to give up their lease on the restaurant.

After having been slapped in the face by a thug and threatened with death at gunpoint she was given the paper to sign. Sujen, however, was not prepared to jeopardise her family’s livelihood just yet. She calmly told her assailants that her signature would be worthless without that of her husband.
It was shortly afterward that she was taken to this room and left with the paper which was still not signed. She had no idea what more they have intended for her in order to get her co-operation, but she was certain that these Gwai Lo would not spare anything with her…

Herman Geldenhuys was getting anxious. It had been an hour since he had sent Ronnie with the papers and the Chinese did not answer the phone since the last call. He was considering killing the woman he had in his custody, but eventually decided against it. Although he did not care for these yellow bastards and loved the idea of hurting and killing them he knew that it would give him a lot of unwanted attention. Right now he had their fear for their friend’s safety to help him get that gook’s signature. If she wound up dead he would most likely receive a lot of unwanted attention.
Three armed men were sitting around in his lavishly furnished office as he quietly sat behind his desk. One of them sat by the door behind which there was a woman that was soon to become their entertainment if Ronnie does not show up within the next ten seconds…

Wen Hsiu’s trip up the stairs was quiet. On the third floor he became more cautious. Ronnie never told him which office his Boss was using. He cleared his mind and all his senses became amplified. Now he slowly and quietly moved from door to door, scanning the environment for he slightest noise, vibration or visible occurrence that might put him on the right track.

It was not long until his body picked up the chi emanating from somewhere up ahead. Wen Hsiu was no stranger to chi, the lifeforce of living beings. Having received extensive training from Ling Hua he was not only able to sense the chi of other living beings, but he was also able to discern between human and animal chi- and that of plants. Apart from that he was mainly trained to gather large amounts of chi and channel it into devastating attacks.

As Wen Hsiu approached the door ahead of him he could hear the footsteps of someone getting up from a chair and walking somewhere behind the closed door. Next came the sound of a man’s voice. The building seemed abandoned except for this room. Wen Hsiu was certain that this was the place…
Sujen’s quiet contemplation of her fate got interrupted with the opening of the door. The looks on the men’s faces told her that they were not going to kill her, but that she was going to find out what their idea of fun was. They pinned her arms behind her and raised her from where she had been seated on the floor. She squirmed and screamed as a third thug approached her. The Boss stood in the door, watching them with a sadistic smile on his face.

The door to Geldenhuys’ office broke open with a loud crash before the men could put their sadistic plans into action.

Geldenhuys was able to look behind him just as he began his brief flight into the thug in front of him. The blur of a person moving at phenomenal speed was the last thing the two men saw before they each got knocked head first into adjacent walls.

The two men holding Sujen found security in the fact that they had a hostage and gripped her even firmer.

As Wen Hsiu approached one of the thugs most probably decided that he was going to need both his hands to be free to protect himself and he let go of their hostage. He felt Wen Hsiu’s foot pushing his innards into his spine before his body doubled up with an ill-bearing crack and he collapsed to the ground.

The last thug standing weighed his options and, after careful deliberation as Wen Hsiu quietly eyed him, pushed Sujen toward him. Wen Hsiu gently caught the woman as the thug ran out of the building.

Wen Hsiu held the woman’s shivering body tightly while he quietly scanned the office around him. When his eyes fell on the Boss that was slowly coming to he hoisted the man up and firmly grabbed as much of his shirt’s fabric in an iron fist. Wen Hsiu was in no mood to try to convey his thoughts in English. He quietly pointed toward Sujen with his free hand, eyeing the Boss with a furious stare. Then he brought his hand between the man’s face and his, waving a raised index finger in a prohibiting gesture. The Boss turned pale.

Wen Hsiu then clenched his hand into a fist, putting it close enough to the Boss’ face that it became the only thing visible to him at the moment.

Geldenhuys felt his legs going numb with fear. This man was no ordinary human being. He would normally tell anyone who dared to treat him in this manner that they should watch themselves, but this young man was definitely not the type to be intimidated. He was certain that one wrong move would land him in hospital…

"Lay off." Wen Hsiu snapped in English before he shoved the man across the office into his desk.
Wen Hsiu took Sujen by the hand and the two of them walked out of the office without any trouble.
Sujen stopped him at one of the doors in the passage and she went in to collect her grocery bags.
Wen Hsiu’s face lit up in a warm smile that showed nothing of the fierce warrior Sujen had seen earlier as he offered to help her carry the bags.
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　

The Second Chapter

CAPTER TWO

CHINESE GONGFU!

The family eating at the table were probably tourists passing through, Wen Hsiu reckoned. A young Caucasian girl in a pink dress was sitting with her younger brother, happily pointing at the pictures on the restaurant’s walls and telling her mother to look. The father was a small built man. He explained as much as he could about the restaurant’s décor and showed the clumsy boy how to hold his chopsticks.

The man soon became thirsty and looked around for a waiter. His eyes fell on Wen Hsiu.
He called out to him in a language that he had never heard before. Wen Hsiu could hear that the man was being polite, though and smiled. He shrugged and tilted his head with a puzzled smile.
"I’m sorry…" the man repeated in English. "Do you work here?"
"Yes…" Wen Hsiu responded quickly in the first bit of English he could muster.
"Canwepleasehavsummoredrinks?" the man asked.
The question was impossible for Wen Hsiu to grasp.
"Some drinks, please." the man replied slowly.
Wen Hsiu immediately understood as some of the few familiar English words in his vocabulary reached his ears and triggered an old memory from a classroom in Hong Kong. He smiled, waved and looked at the table. He did not know the brands of the cans that were on the table, but he quickly took in the colours and shapes on the cans and rushed to the fridge. The man at the table watched him with a puzzled expression as he headed off.

"Hmmm…" he remarked to his wife. "I wonder where he is from…"
When he returned to the table and placed matching cans on the table before removing the empty cans the customer’s "thank you" assured him that his assumption was correct.
The waiter responsible walked up to Wen Hsiu as he dumped the cans into the refuse bin in the Kitchen.

"Thanks." he said. "Did they order anything else?"
"Only another round of drinks…" Wen Hsiu relied.
"Thank you. I’ll write it up." the waiter said.

Two of the waiters rushed to the door to meet the second group of guests for the day. Six men entered the restaurant. The apparent leader was a muscular man with a very short stubble on his head and a menacing look on his face. His jeans and black sleeveless shirt gave him the look of a biker. The studs on his belt and armlets did not do well to make him appear like a peaceful, law -abiding citizen. His companions seemed to have shopped at the same place for clothes as he.
The stubble-headed man pushed the waiter aside and yelled at the customers: "Nobody eats here! Get out now! Restaurant is closed!"
This immediately warranted some worried stares from the table. The family seemed reluctant to leave, though.

Ronnie was actually getting bored with the whole thing. He loved a good fight- even if there was no good reason for it. Having been in prison for counts of assault and attempted murder only made him more accustomed to the worst that life could throw at him. His boss told him to make sure no one supports the Chinese Restaurant- he was going to make sure it is done in the most violent and messy way possible.

A young white man dressed in a Chinese long sleeved shirt and trousers stood up from one of the tables at the back. "Jeez", Ronnie noticed. "He’s even wearing those funny Chinese slippers!"
"No! You make mistake!" the young man said in a most ridiculous Chinese accent and a smile that looked even more ridiculous. "Restaurant is open."
"You trying to be funny?" the man roared.
The waiters all gathered in together now.
"Please! Don’t wreck our shop!" Mr Lu called.
The Taekwondo instructor got the message loud and clear.
"We go outside?" he asked the stubble-head.
The waiters and the thugs soon squared off on the pavement outside the restaurant. The stubble-head stepped forward and sank into a boxing crouch. His hands, were not clenched into fists, though, but rather relaxed and semi- open. As one of the prize-fighters of his mixed martial arts club he was more than ready to teach these gooks about fighting...

Mr Lu looked out the window. He was really worried. The waiters were no masters of the martial art that they have just taken up and he still felt that knowledge of a martial art was simply not enough right now.

"That man is not very strong…" Ling Hua remarked as she sipped her tea without bothering to turn her head. "I hope for their sake they stop this foolishness before they get hurt…"
The customers now joined Mr. Lu by the window. It did not matter who people were or where they came from- a fight was always guaranteed to attract attention.

The Taekwondo instructor stepped in. He threw a blurry combination of kicks at the stubble-head.
Ronnie closed his body to attack by bringing his forearms together in front of his chest and abdomen. He took the Chinese man’s side kicks on his forearms and ducked underneath a high roundhouse kick. While the kick missed his head he lunged into the Chinese. He wasted no time tackling the Chinese guy into the ground and sitting on top of his chest. He raised his fist…
Within a quarter of a second he was going to beat this Chink into a pulp…
Ronnie’s plans got rudely interrupted by his arm suddenly going numb and getting twisted and straightended. His hand was caught in a paralysing grip and was awkwardly bent up, preventing him from making a fist. The pressure on his hand somehow caused his elbow joint to extend to the brink of snapping. He howled in surprise.

The waiters looked on in surprise. None of them saw how Wen Hsiu had managed to close the space between him and the fighter before he grabbed his arm. Now the large muscular man was being immobilised by this lightly built young man that they have just met.
"Help me!" Ronnie cried.

Holding the stubble-head’s hand firmly Wen- Hsiu shot his heel into one of the thugs’ abdomen. A rib snapped loudly as the man’s body lifted off the ground upon impact and fell over.
With a violent twist of his body Wen Hsiu swung the stubble-head like a rag doll and sent him flying into his next assailant. The other thugs have maneuvered around him and now moved in all at once. Wen Hsiu disappeared in a blur of movement and the three remaining thugs were knocked over in a second by invisible attacks before he appeared again. He was poised in a low crouch with his elbow still in the position where it was when it struck his last assailant’s midriff while his other arm was extended to his side, his palm out in a warding off posture.

Mr. Lu felt his legs shaking. His jaw dropped. "So that is…"
Ling Hua finished his sentence: "… Chinese Gongfu."

Early the next morning Wen Hsiu was up on the rooftop with his mother. The building which housed, amongst others, the restaurant, Mr Lu’s home and also the room in which he and his mother slept, had a staircase leading to the roof. Here Mrs. Lu hung the washing on a line and it was also the place for early morning exercise. His movements matched that of his mother in perfect unison as they practiced the taolu, or gongfu pattern, together. He had long since mastered the art of gathering in energy and focusing it in sharp, powerful blows. His balance was faultless and his movements smooth and fluid.

When they have finished Ling Hua looked at her son with a warm smile. Not once after the incident has he shown any sign of anger, neither did he boast about his abilities. That was Wen Hsiu’s nature- Work is done and forgotten without any reward being sought. She was so proud of him.
She did feel, though, that he might not be fully aware of what was in store for them.

"Wen Hsiu…" she called before the lad could run off to the room.
"Yes?" Wen Hsiu asked, sensing his mother’s concern.
"Please remember- a lot of the people here carry firearms. I want you to remember that. You must be careful about getting into fights here…"
Wen Hsiu nodded and headed down the staircase.
Firearms were something that Wen Hsiu had only heard about once. His surrogate father, Gao Shang once told him a story of the Boxer Rebellion-
"They were all so convinced that their Gongfu would withstand these terrible weapons…" Gao Shang sighed as he stared into the night. "Pipes filled with gunpowder that exploded, burying pieces of metal deep inside a man’s body- destroying all organs in their way. They never stood a chance…"
"Could the monks not evade the pieces of metal?" an eight year old Wen Hsiu asked.
"No" Gao Shang replied. "Those pieces of metal flew much too fast to even be seen…"

The Restaurant’s chef was happy to see Wen Hsiu as he walked in. He called him over and led him to a very thoughtfully set table. Wen Hsiu’s eyes widened as he saw the food. The table had all of his favourite dishes: seafood soup, pork dumplings, fried beef with Chinese spinach and a steamed bun.
"It’s for our Champion." the chef beamed. "I hope you like it."
Wen Hsiu could not believe the generosity. He thanked the man and stood motionless, still coming to terms with the surprise.

"Come on!" the chef urged him on. "Eat up while it’s still warm!"
"Thank you." Wen Hsiu said again and sat down to eat.
Wen Hsiu was halfway through his meal when the waiters arrived. The Taekwondo instructor was first to greet him. He apologised for not introducing himself and the others earlier and Wen Hsiu soon learned that the Taekwondo instructor’s name was Dennis, or at least that it was his English name. The others were introduced without delay: Jimmy was a handsome looking young man who smiled as he bowed, George was a bit more muscular, John nodded quietly. The last one to introduce himself was a quiet, small built man who could not speak much English. He was A Kun.
"We’ve all decided…" the Taekwondo instructor said. " that we do not want to practice Taekwondo anymore. Will you please teach us Gongfu?"
"I don’t know." Wen Hsiu said. "I’ll ask my mother."

Ling Hua did not agree to let Wen Hsiu teach the waiters Gong Fu. She took that task upon herself. Wen Hsiu might have meant well, but she knew very well that there were risks to sparring with her super-powered son.

In one of the remote parts of Johannesburg one of the city’s shadier entrepreneurs was sitting behind his desk listening to Ronnie’s excuse.
"One man?!" he asked in a most unnerving calm tone.
Ronnie felt uneasy as the man stared at him. "Well- yeah! He knew Kung Fu!"
"Kung Fu?" the man asked quietly…
　
　
　
　

The Second Chapter

The First Chapter

CHAPTER 1

WELCOME TO SOUTH AFRICA

The busy airport was noisy and full of people, much like Hong Kong…
Wen Hsiu was raised in the country, but he had been to the overpopulated city enough times to be accustomed to crowds. Yet, it all felt so strange. Wen Hsiu could not really say why he felt so strange in this foreign place. It was not the crowd. It was not the fact that he was carrying two suitcases, one in each hand, and a large, seemingly overstuffed backpack, on his back.
Not one to ponder anything for too long Wen Hsiu concluded that being in a foreign country was just supposed to feel strange and he left it at that- and continued his walk with the elderly Chinese lady next to him.

"It really wasn’t necessary to come along, Mom." Wen Hsiu said as his mother and he slowly searched the bustling airport for a familiar face. "You know I can take care of myself." Ling Hua smiled and shook her head. The bright Caucasian lad, who had never seemed to realise that he, with his brown hair and blue eyes, was not actually her biological son, was probably right, but somehow she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was not right to just leave the poor citizens of this country alone with him...
And besides, she had not seen Mr. Lu in a long time…

"Hi, Mr. Lu!" Wen Hsiu greeted excitedly and waved. Ling Hua turned her head to see where he was looking and saw the familiar face of an elderly Chinese man smiling at her from across the airport’s waiting area.
The elderly woman and young man, who was carrying all the luggage, rushed to greet their old friend. After exchanging brief greetings, regards from relatives and quick updates on current affairs Mr. Lu led his friends to his car. The grey Volkswagen Beetle’s hood was opened first to allow Wen Hsiu to place the two suitcases inside. There was no room for the backpack, though and it ended up sharing the back seat with him as they drove away from the Airport.
"So… " Mr. Lu ventured to ask. "What do you think of South Africa?"
Hua looked at the tall buildings outside the car’s window. In all her years she had never felt the need to travel outside her country. Now, she realised, she was witnessing just a small part of the many things this world had to show of which she had known nothing. Having been raised on a farm and living her life as a farmer’s wife while not travelling in all her life except for this time made the sight of a foreign city quite overwhelming to her. It was so much different from Hong Kong…
"The city seems very quiet…" she remarked.

Mr. Lu laughed softly. Yes. Compared to the bustling city and narrow streets of downtown Hong Kong Johannesburg seemed quiet. He himself had once lived in a house in Polokwane before moving to Johannesburg. The thought of one man owning so much floor space was something that did not occur often to somebody that had been born and raised in Hong Kong and who had been living there for a long time thereafter.

"So… Young man…" Mr. Lu said, looking in his rearview mirror. "You know English, right?"
"A little…" Wen Hsiu said, seeming oddly cheerful.
"Wen Hsiu had been doing so well in school. It is a pity we had to take him out of school so early to help out on the farm. Still- he remembers a lot of English words. I’m sure he’ll catch on quickly…"
Mr. Lu was of course surprised to hear this. He has heard about Ling Hua’s adopted son, but never heard that he had been found by her husband when he was just a baby.
"He grew up with us on the farm since Gao Shang found him." Hua continued. "He was just a baby then. We had no idea where he came from or why he was there. We had no children and neither of us could just leave him so…"

Wen Hsiu himself could only remember growing up on the farm a couple of kilometers away from urban Hong Kong. As a young boy he was constantly made aware of the fact that he did not look anything like his classmates. It was only the first couple of years that were troublesome, though.
Ling Hua was quick to notice the boy’s inner strength, and not to mention the tremendous external strength...Every once in a while some of it was revealed- whether it was eight year old Wen Hsiu chopping wood like an adult, ten year old Wen Hsiu almost single handedly winning a soccer game or just the sight of a young boy carrying two full buckets of water to tend to the crops like it was no trouble at all…

A seasoned martial artist, Ling Hua realised the boy’s potential and immediately began teaching him her family’s style of Gongfu. By the time the boy reached his teens he had developed skills far exceeding her modest expectations and now the most significant difference he had from his peers was an unusually muscular frame. By now the nineteen year-old lad could outrun a horse, leap over a grown person’s head and lift twice his body weight. In sharp contrast to all that the boy was known throughout the village for his gentle nature and kind heart.

"I’m glad you could come." Mr. Lu sighed. "Even though I don’t know how you’ll be able to help me." Ling Hua had read Mr. Lu’s last letter telling her about thugs terrorising his restaurant. Her husband, Gao Shang, knew her and their unusual son long enough to know that they would be able to help. Before they knew it friends and neighbours had the flight to South Africa arranged and wished Ling Hua and Wen Hsiu a safe trip as they set off to help their friend in peril far away. This, Ling Hua often reminded Wen Hsiu, was due to the most valuable thing they owned, a good heart. Ling Hua was never known to pass up the opportunity to lend a hand if it came to her attention. This was a trait that Wen Hsiu shared and the strong, yet compassionate youth was quick to find a place in the hearts of those who knew him.

"Those thugs sound like nothing but a bunch of bullies that need to be taught a lesson…" Ling Hua assured Mr. Lu.
"It has been getting worse." Mr. Lu said. "At first they would show up and threaten me after the restaurant had closed, but now they even show up during business hours and scare away my customers! And all of that because I don’t want to move out!"
Wen Hsiu listened quietly while he looked outside.
"Why don’t you call the police?" he asked.
"It’s no use here." Mr. Lu complained. "The police do nothing about it and usually demand money before they even show any interest. Besides, it is more likely for you to get locked up if you call the police here…"
"Why don’t you come back to China?" Wen Hsiu asked.
"Heh Heh!" Mr. Lu laughed. "I have not gathered enough money just yet. Besides, what will my family say if I traveled all the way here and go back with nothing to show for it?"

Ling Hua shook her head. She did not understand how people could trouble themselves so much over money. On their farm they had all they have ever needed and never wanted anything else. Life is so peaceful and the people are all easy going. There was no need to take whatever another had by force. Mr. Lu, on the other hand, had always dreamed of making lots of money and Ling Hua could clearly remember the day he had proudly announced that he was going to leave China to open a restaurant in South Africa. Many of the people envied him for being able to do that. Ling Hua, however, was more worried about the risk in which he would be placing his wife. Still, she knew very well, Mr Lu was not the kind of man that would be content with living the simple life that her family had known for all these years…

When they eventually arrived at the Chinese Dragon Restaurant Mr. Lu’s wife Su Jen came out to greet them, accompanied by two staff members who helped them unpack.
The cheerful short lady was introduced by Mr. Lu and welcomed them inside. She greeted Wen Hsiu with her best English "Hello."
Wen Hsiu gave her a surprised stare before asking politely in Mandarin: "Please say again."
"Oh!" Mrs Lu laughed- this time being her turn to be surprised. "I didn’t know you speak Chinese!"
Ling Hua intervened. "This is my son Wen Hsiu. His English is still not very good."
Sujen’s jaw dropped. "So you are Wen Hsiu! I’m so pleased to meet you. My friends in Hong Kong told me about you…"

Mrs. Lu prepared lunch for their guests and happily sat around the table. Wen Hsiu was uneasy about the Restaurant being so quiet during this time of the day. He knew that they were not closed.
He could also not see any waiters in the front shop.
"With it being so quiet the waiters have decided to take up Taekwondo. Now they use all this spare time to practice. Hopefully it will help us deal with the thugs." Mr. Lu explained.
"Why does it have to be a foreign martial art?" Ling Hua scolded. She frowned to show her disapproval. "If they are Chinese they must learn Chinese Gongfu…"
"I hear Chinese Gongfu is not really effective for self defence." Mr. Lu replied. "Besides…" he added before Ling Hua could reply. "If it helps you to take care of yourself in a fight you should use it- foreign or not."
"I’ve never seen Taekwondo before." Wen Hsiu interjected. "May I go and see?"
"Sure" Mr. Lu replied. "through that door over there, into the kitchen and through the next door."

Wen Hsiu was soon behind the Restaurant in the delivery area. It was a large enough open space that was fenced. A gate, which was opened only for deliveries, provided access from the outside.
One of the waiters, dressed in a white Taekwondo uniform, was counting loudly. Four other waiters were lined up in front of him. On each count they kicked in unison. Wen Hsiu watched how they repeatedly performed side kicks this way and then roundhouse kicks.

The instructor noticed Wen Hsiu watching them and stopped the class.
"Can I help you?" the instructor asked in his best English.
Wen Hsiu gave a puzzled look and then decided that whatever the man was trying to say, it would probably be best to introduce himself.
"Hi!" he greeted in Chinese. "I’m Wen Hsiu."
The five men now gathered around him in disbelief.

"You’re Wen Hsiu?!" one asked in clear disbelief.
"From Hong Kong?" another followed.
"Are you Chinese?" another one asked.
"I guess…" Wen Hsiu replied, knowing that he could definitely not speak enough English to match his Western looks.

"So…" Wen Hsiu ventured to change the subject. "This is Taekwondo, huh?"
"Yeah…" the instructor said. "We are training to take care of the thugs."
"Why do Chinese people practice a foreign martial art?" Wen Hsiu asked.
"What do you think we should practice?" one of the younger men asked.
"Chinese Gongfu, of course!" Wen Hsiu replied in disbelief.
"Chinese Gongfu?" a young man laughed. "Are you serious?"
"Of course!" Wen Hsiu replied, still not believing their response.
"Well…" the instructor said. "Gongfu looks nice in movies, but it’s no use in a real fight."
"It’s only of no use if you are a beginner..." Wen Hsiu said. "…, but it contains thousands of years of experience and has a response for every conceivable attack."
"Would you like to show us?" one of the young men asked, readying himself in a fighting posture.
"You’ll get hurt." Wen Hsiu replied.
"Hey!" Mr Lu’s voice came through the door. "We have customers!"
"Quick!" the instructor called. "Let’s change!"

Within moments the waiters were dressed in their uniforms- red Chinese shirts with black trousers. They attended to their first table without delay. Wen Hsiu sat at one of the vacant tables, quietly observing the people walking outside. The restaurant’s glass windows provided him with a good view of the street outside. Music played softly and Mr Lu and Ling Hua sat at another table, playing chess and chatting idly.