Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society Read Online Free Page A

formed a secret brotherhood in the twelfth century to right the wrongs of those who were unjustly accused.
    The woman came and sat next to me. ‘This book is based on a famous novel written by Shi Nan-An six hundred years ago during the Ming dynasty. It has been adapted for children and has lots of drawings. We have many young customers your age.’ She smiled at me so kindly that I felt brave enough to speak.
    ‘I know you!’ I burst out. ‘Are you the leader of the acrobats who performed at Du Mei Park yesterday?’
    ‘You’re right!’ she smiled warmly. ‘Here comes one of my boys now!’
    There were the lilting tones of a bamboo flute and the boy who had given me his card pushed through the crowd. I hardly recognized him without his satin costume, but I remembered his face. His eyes were laughing and I saw that they were different colours: one dark brown and the other blue.

4
    New Friends

    The boy held out his hand. ‘ Ni hau (), how are you? You’re the girl who keeps coins in her ears! I was hoping to see you again. I’m David Black and this is my teacher, Wu Nai Mai (), Grandma Wu.’
    My heart pounded but I managed to get up from the bench. First I bowed to Grandma Wu, then I shook David’s hand.
    ‘I’m Ye Xian but my English name is CC.’ I tried to keep my voice steady. ‘Your show was marvellous.’
    ‘It wasn’t too bad, was it?’ David replied, with a big grin. ‘I see you’re reading one of my favourite books, Warriors from the Marsh of Mount Liang. ’
    ‘It’s my favourite too!’ I said.
    ‘I like it because the Mount Liang warriors dared to stand up for their beliefs,’ David said. ‘Ifyou read just one book in your life, it should be this one!’
    ‘I wish I could be a Mount Liang warrior,’ I said.
    ‘You can be! Grandma Wu, do you think members of our society are as brave as the warriors of Mount Liang?’
    ‘We try to be,’ Grandma Wu said. ‘Many of the fighting techniques I’ve taught you are named after characters in this novel. Why don’t you show CC some of your kung fu moves?’
    ‘I have a better idea!’ David said. ‘May I invite CC to the academy this Sunday? That’s the day of my match.’
    ‘I don’t see why not.’ Grandma Wu turned to me. ‘David’s going to fight the junior boxing champion of Shanghai in an exhibition match at noon this Sunday. He’ll be using classic kung fu moves such as Wu Song’s “Stepping backwards to ride the tiger” and Liu Kui’s “Two-handed axe”.’
    ‘I’ve always wanted to learn kung fu,’ I said wistfully. Everything was happening so fast that I felt confused. Just an hour ago, I was at the bottom of an abyss. My life seemed full of darkness and my heart was aching so much that I yearned to die. But hope must have been lurking somewhere all along. I had a sudden longing for the place I used to call home when my mother wasstill alive. Were my worries truly over or would Grandma Wu turn me away too, just as Father had done when he slammed the door behind me?
    Some of my pain must have shown on my face. ‘What is it, CC? Is something troubling you?’ Grandma Wu looked at me with concern.
    Her tone was so sympathetic that tears came to my eyes. ‘My aunt left for Nan Tian Island early this morning. I had a quarrel with my stepmother this afternoon and my father threw me out of their house. I don’t know where to go tonight…’ My voice broke and, to my embarrassment, I started to weep again.
    Grandma Wu put her arm around my shoulders. ‘Don’t cry! You’re among friends. Let me get something straight, though. Did you say that your aunt left for Nan Tian early this morning? It so happens that I was born on that island and grew up there. What’s your aunt’s name?’
    When I told her it was Ye Jia-ming () her eyes opened wide. ‘What a small world! I do believe that you and I have yuan fen () together. Just like the poem says:
    People With yuan fen are destined to like one another Friendship