Leo waited for Dong Xian outside the restuarant.

Dong Xian walked into the restuarant. He saw a poorly-clothe elderly man at the first glance.

The lady boss, "Welcome! We have a guest from abroad. What would you like to have?"

Dong Xian did not shift his focus. "Anything", he answered. That is him!

Lady boss, "Oh, there is no anything. Out shop is famous for spicy sliced fish soup ... if you order fish slices, we'll provide complimentary splicy soup... Would you like to have that?"

"Yes, anything." That was all Dong Xian said. His Dad was just there, working on a bowl of soup rice, didn't look at him. Dad was haggard.
Lady boss, "Any wine for you, Sir?"

Dong Xian nodded, "Yes." He walked towards the elderly man and chose to sit at the table near him. He has cancelled all his appointments that afternoon, just to see someone he hated? Mixed feelings flowed inside him.

The lady boss's daughter served Dong Xian with the wine. She placed a wine glass on his table.

Dong Xian remained focused, "Please give me another cup." "What", she answered, "Yes. All right."

Was he there because he hoped to see his sister, Dong Xi? They were separated since young.

Dong Xian finally spoke, "Mister. Do you want to join for a drink?"

"Drink?" There is a sparkle in the elderly's eyes, "Thank you!"

Dong Xian filled a glass for him, witnessing him gobbled down the contents. The mixed feelings in him remained.

"Wow, so comfortable. The decade of dirt in the throat has been dissolved!" The elderly was happy, "Thank you!"

Dong Xian filled the glass again, "What do you do for a living?"

"Me?", the elderly answered, "What can I do at this age? Just taking care of children ..."

The lady boss added, "What did you say? Have you taken care of children? In reality, you are just a poor beggar, with no where to go... Today, you are in luck. Some tourist treated you to a drink."

The elderly rebuted, "You shut up! There are always these days in life." He started searching for a cigratte in his pockets.

Dong Xian took out his cigrattes, "Here..."

The elderly took one. He took another and placed behind his ear, "Thank you." Dong Xian lighted the elderly's cigratte. The elderly inhaled, in bliss.

Dong Xian asked, "Mister, do you have children?" He left his lighter on the table.

The elderly, "No"

Lady boss, "Who said so?"

The elderly, "That was a long time ago. After my wife passed away, I sent my son overseas to study."

Lady boss, "What study? You gave him up for adoption! ... Is that considered as sending him overseas to study?"

The elderly, "Sent him overseas ... just like overseas study. You ignorant woman."

Lady boss, "How do you know his adoptive parents will send him to school?"

Dong Xian asked, "Did you send your daughter for overseas study too?"

"He has been with gambling. He don't have time for his children. Once he hear that Americans will adopt abandoned children, he gave away his children happily", Lady Boss added.

Dong Xi was given away too! Dong Xian's heart sank further.

"You ignorant woman! Children in the States have good food, good clothing and good education, isn't that ideal? ... Bring me another bottle of wine!" He turned to Dong Xian, "Please have a cup. I can't just drink yours. Sorry."

"Oh yes, the spicy sliced fish soup. I'll bring you that", the lady boss hurried into the kitchen.

Dong Xian asked, "Over the years, have you missed your children?"

"What if I missed them? They have been given away and now, they are others' children", the elderly answered.

The answer is NO!?! "Even if they are given away, they are still your children!", Dong Xian added. Being the father, "After giving your children away, shouldn't there be some longings, some guilt?"

The elderly, "What can I change? ... That is their fate. That is my fate too. I can only forget all those. Don't continue this boring topic", he raised his wine cup, "Come, let's drink."

Boring topic! Dong Xian's face changed, "The relationship between parents and children, can you just forget like this? Can you say severe means that have been severed? ... Can't forget, can't put down ... can only continue life while hating one's parents ... Can you understand that torture? Can you?", Dong Xian burst out.

The elderly opened his eyes to look at the well-groomed gentleman.

"If I tell you, that child, can't tell others that he has been abondoned, can't open his heart to others ...", Dong Xian paused, inhaled some air, "Work very hard in studies and in work ... he didn't, couldn't feel happiness in his life ... not even for a minute...", Dong Xian roared, "Will you still consider this as an BORING TOPIC? WILL YOU???"

The elderly, lady boss and her daughter awed at Dong Xian's sudden outburst. The elderly wondered ... if he, if this gentleman is ...

Dong Xian felt his eyes turning red, but refused to tear in front of him. He fought hard for control. He will not cry in front of the man who has abondoned him.

The elderly, "I..."

Dong Xian added, finding difficulty to talk, "I just wanted to see, to know how you are getting on now ... that's all. I don't think we shall ever meet again... " He took out an envelope full of notes and placed it on the table. "Bill!" Please get the payment from the contents of the envelope. Dong Xian left for the car.

Dong Xian was at the car door. "Wait a minute!", the elderly chased.

Dong Xian boarded. The elderly reached the car door, "Wait a minute ... young man, if you are ... we can talk..."

Leo looked at the elderly, looked at Dong Xian...

Dong Xian roared, "Start the car!"

The car speed away from the scene.

The elderly chased, "Wait ... wait for me!" This can be seen from the rear view mirror.

Stoned to the back seat, Dong Xian is still fighting for control... tears fell, wet his face, on his shirt. Mist formed on his glasses. He took them off angrily. He tried to wipe off the flowing tears, but they kept flowing. Finally, he broke down. He sobbed.

Standing at the pier near the lighthouse, in the salty wind, his tears dried. He just met his father, then, he realised... he finally realised the feel he felt was not hatred, that was ... was longing, for he missed his father, like a child who miss his father. Dong Xi was given away too, that hurted him.
Looking at his father's photo and information ... that was in the past, but could that be a void contract? could that? ... he torn the piece of paper and let wind blew the pieces away ...

A child who has been forced to learn early, to grow up early ... still needs to be consoled, need someone to talk to ... just five minutes, five minutes will do ... he dialled on his mobile phone. That line was engaged ... he keyed an email to Zhen Yin:

From: Shin Dong Xian
To: Xu Zhen Yin
Subject: To my other half
... Zhen Yin, I am now by the seaside. I just met my father...
I hated him my whole life. Today, after seeing him, I realise that is not hatred. That is longing.
I am thinking, now, if now, if only you can be by my side, without any interruptions ... just five minutes, five minutes ...