Spilled Water by Sally Grindley Read Free Book Online Page B

without crying, Lu Si-yan,’ he said. ‘They make me cry so much I could flood the Yangtse with
     my tears.’
    I giggled self-consciously. ‘I’ll try,’ I said.
    He passed the onions to me.
    ‘No tears, then,’ he said. ‘I shall be watching.’
    I cut the top off a first onion, peeled back the brown skin, then sliced down to the root. As I chopped it all into small
     pieces, tears welled up in my eyes and one escaped down my cheek.
    ‘Oh, my poor Lu Si-yan,’ wailed Xiong Fei dramatically. ‘Please don’t cry. You will make my heart break. You failed the test,
     by the way. I will do the onions. You do the ginger.’
    I had more fun preparing that meal than I had had for a very long time, though we were careful not to attract Mrs Chen’s attention.
     Xiong Fei told me that he was an art student. He cooked for the Chens to pay his college fees, and had been with them for
     six months. He arrived, cooked, then left, three times a day, seven days a week.
    ‘Have you met their son?’ I couldn’t help asking.
    ‘Never. I’ve only met Mr Chen once, and that was when I applied for the job. Mornings and evenings I cook for five people,
     including the domestic, but I go before anyone sits down to eat. Lunchtimes I cook for two or three. If nothing else, little
     silk swallow, you will eat well while I am here.’
    ‘Have there been other servants?’
    ‘You have replaced an old housekeeper, Mrs Wu, who had been with the Chens for eighteen years. Two weeks ago, Mrs Chen told
     Mrs Wu, without any warning, that her services were no longer required.’
    That made me feel terrible. ‘Do you know why she was sent away?’ I asked.
    Before he could answer, Mrs Chen strode into the kitchen, looked challengingly at Xiong Fei, and asked me why the table hadn’t
     been set.
    ‘You are rather slow today, Xiong Fei,’ she said. ‘I hope you are not being distracted from your work.’
    ‘Not at all, Mrs Chen. Lu Si-yan and I are getting along very well,’ he replied, fixing her directly with his eyes.
    Mrs Chen was clearly unsure how to take this but, after a moment’s hesitation, she smiled sweetly and said, ‘Good, I’m glad
     to hear it.’
    She moved next to him, took him by the elbow, and continued, ‘I would like to make it quite clear, though, that I will not
     tolerate gossip. Is that understood?’
    ‘Yes, Mrs Chen.’ Xiong Fei and I both nodded.
    ‘Then I shall expect lunch to be ready in fifteen minutes’ time.’
    As soon as she had left the room, Xiong Fei picked up a knife and made stabbing noises towards the door.
    ‘Grrrrr, I hate her,’ he growled through gritted teeth. ‘Pawing me like a pet dog. If I didn’t need the money so much, I would
     tell her what I thought of her and her miserable job.’
    He turned back to his cooking, muttering angrily to himself. I went into the dining room to set the table. How many for, I
     wondered – two or three? If it was three, who else was coming? Was I supposed to lay a place for myself, even though I would
     not be eating with them? Perhaps I should lay only one place, for Mrs Chen herself. I returned to the kitchen, where Xiong
     Fei was putting on his coat, ready to leave.
    ‘I don’t know how many place settings to lay,’ I said, wishing so hard that he could stay.
    ‘Always two unless Mrs Chen is lunching out.’
    ‘But I’m to eat separately, she told me.’
    ‘The other place is for her mother-in-law. She lives here too.’
    ‘I haven’t met her,’ I said.
    ‘She’s a lovely old lady,’ said Xiong Fei. ‘Not at all like Mrs Chen. See you this evening, Lu Si-yan. Good luck.’
    I went back into the dining room and laid the table for two people. What should I do next, though? I wondered. Was I supposed
     to bring in the food? Should I wait to make sure that everything was all right?
    Too late. There were voices outside. The door opened and a tiny, frail old lady in a wheelchair entered the room. Behind her
     was Mrs Chen.
    ‘What