Quote:
Originally Posted by
hubber28
Very kick ass story. Really makes my mind wonder off in life of Jackson for the mere few minutes via reading. :S13:
TS, pls pls dun stop!!
My mind also wanders off when i’m writing it ! haha.
I’m glad you enjoyed the read.
Cheers
James
The quiet night was punctuated by only the sound of vibrating phones and curt replies.
Everyone is trying to figure out what is going on.
Hong ran over to us and I could see he was missing a shoe.
Hong : The Rajahs were hit too… they think it was us….
Declan : It’s not us….
Hong : They know… because the monks called and accused the Rajahs of hitting them shortly after they called us….
Jackson : what ??
Hong looked at Declan and added.
Hong : Malu Malu and the white snakes are ok…
Jackson : is it them then ? the Malu Malu and the white snakes or whatever….
Declan : it cannot be…. Malu Malu and the white snakes don’t have enough men for something like this….it is not their style… they are businessmen first… if it isn’t making them money… chances are they will not be involved…
Hong : whoever these people are…. They hit the 3 groups that has the most men…
Jackson : why ??
Declan : we’ll have to figure it out…
Jackson : Well… if this is the first…. I’m pretty sure it’s not the last….
Declan : why do you say that… ?
I pointed to the group of attackers that had been rounded and dumped in the centre of the open field in front of the farmhouse.
There’s 7 of them on the ground, plus the 2 in the castle, a total of 9.
Jackson : This place is filled with people at all times…..there’s so much going on…..How many men do we have on active duty at any one time… ?
Declan : 60 on weekdays… 45 on weekends….but at any point in time, we have at least 120 men on the estate…
Jackson : who in their right mind would send 9 men against so many… ?
Hong : bloody hell…. Fucking cunts….
Jackson : what are we going to do with them… ?
Hong : I’ll fucking kill them…
Declan : No wait… let boss make the decision….
Hong : Those that are conscious are not talking…. They communicated with each other in a language I don’t understand….
Declan : tend to the wounded for now…. Kamal is sorting things out at the guard house….. Our aerial drones are not up at night…. but our cameras are fine….we will find out how they sneak in…
The door to the farmhouse opened and Yiling stumbled out barefoot and still holding onto the bottle.
She looked around her and exclaimed in surprise at the amount of people present.
Yiling : I hope I didn’t make that mess in the farmhouse…??
…………………………………………………………
I didn’t sleep that night.
I paid a visit to the house with the ambulance and it was abuzz with activity.
Kamal was right there and together with another doctor, they attended to anyone that needed help.
I had several cuts and bruises but thankfully I don’t need stiches. My wounds were cleaned and Kamal told me to go home and rest.
Kamal : go home… we’ll call you….
He immediately went on to attend to another guy who has 3 fingers bent out of shape. A guy with a tattooed back had his Thai inscription tattoo rearranged by several cuts and slices across his back.
Another had a broken nose and a bruised eye so bad he could open it.
I drove home to Ang Mo Kio and by the time I laid down on my bed, it was coming to 5.30am.
I could not close my eyes. My heart was still thumping so fast I might as well be on a threadmill.
What the fuck just happened ?
There I was talking to Cindy when people just rushed in.
When I was working in the landscape shop, the worst that could happen was a customer returning with a pot of plant and demanding a refund. Not 2 man rushing in with daggers and trying to kill me.
I’m afraid of course but I have never felt more alive.
The thrill is similar to the moment right before the plunge of the roller coaster.
This is definitely not your typical 9 to 5 desk job.
Unable to sleep, I went out for coffee and breakfast.
I attracted several stares with the bruises on me and even the coffee shop uncle where I was a regular asked if I was ok.
Jackson : I’m ok… got robbed… but I’m fine….
I drank a few cups of coffee and ate a bowl of noodles.
I kept staring at my phone, willing it to ring.
It finally rang at 11am and I was asked to head back to the castle for a meeting at 12pm. It was Declan.
Jackson : Ok… I’ll be there before that…
23rd May 2015
Saturday
11.40am
The estate feels different when I arrived.
I parked my car at the usual spot and I could see 2 large SUV blocking the entrance up
Binjai hill.
Every single house is manned and at least 4 men are out and about at the entrance of each house.
Groups of 2 patrolled the perimeter of the estate. I hitched a ride on a buggy heading up to the castle and thanked the guys who drove me there.
Upon stepping in, I realised how serious they are taking this unprovoked intrusion when I saw Cindy in the living area with a pistol strapped around her waist.
She saw me looking at the gun and I quickly looked away.
Cindy : Thank you for helping yesterday Jackson ….
Jackson : You are welcome….
Cindy : your top is stretched and torn….there is also blood on it….. I will buy a new top for you….
Jackson : It’s ok… it’s really ok…. Don’t need… it’s a old top….
Cindy : No…. I insist ….. I forget to look at the size before I threw it away….. what is your size…. ??
Her expressionless face, the cold voice and the manner in which she asked it is just creepy.
Candy appeared and her smile and voice is like the icing on a cake that you just want to dip your finger into before putting it into your mouth.
Candy : are you asking Jackson’s size ? … hur hur hur….
Candy was wearing a white singlet that barely covered her cage sports bra underneath. If this were any other day, I would be happy to ogle at the tight strap of the rifle that is resting tightly down the centre of her chest. The strap sliced diagonally down her petite body like that of a school girl carrying a sling bag only in her case, it was a rifle.
A fucking rifle with a modified barrel.
The sleeveless top revealed bruises on multiple spots on her arms and shoulders as well.
Cindy : Yes…. He seemed reluctant to tell me his size….
Jackson : Just get whatever size you are wearing minus 2… should be around there…. Are you ok Candy … ?
Candy adjusted the heavy rifle and I could not help but notice how the strap is rubbing against her full breast. I wonder if she really know how to use that thing she’s carrying.
Candy : yeah… I am… just some bruises….
Cindy : why didn’t you ask if I’m ok … ??
Jackson : you looked ok compared to Candy….
Cindy : That’s because you have not seen the bruises on my body….
Cindy made the action of trying to removing her top and I quickly stopped her.
Looking sincerely into her eyes, I added.
Jackson : Cindy….. please… I mean well….. I hope you are ok…. And please stop removing your clothes around me….
Candy laughed and said she’s heading up to the attic while Candy just remained standing in the middle of the living area like she was trying to blend in with the furniture.
I quickly made my way into the study where the rest of the guys are already present.
Yiling is no longer her drunk self and she’s as sober as she can be, not to mention she looked fucking pissed as well.
With her hair down and still a little damp from what I presume to be from a recent shower, she was wearing a long sleeve work top in a dark shade of red. A waist pleat skirt in beige ended just above her knees, a modest length compared to the one she was wearing the night before.
A pair of T-strap peep toe platform heel in a shimmery shade of silver really brought out the sexiness of her feet and toes.
The door to the study shut and it was straight to business.
Kamal brought everyone up to speed about what happened the night before and how the intruders got in.
Kamal : They came in from the back…. Near the cookhouse….the cameras there caught them cutting through a side fence. … we believe they have moved into a neighbouring property and have been observing us for a while…..
Once they made their way past the cookhouse, their ultimate target was to get to the castle and to Yiling.
The alarm was first raised by the perimeter guards of the castle. There was no attempt for the intruders to make contact with Yiling’s men initially. They just ran.
Kamal and Declan tried to warn everyone and get the estate on alert but as if a switched had been flipped, the intruders started attacking.
I could fill in the rest of what happened in the farmhouse after Kamal’s phone call since I was there.
Kamal : 26 of our guys needed medical attention….. 1 seriously injured and currently warded…. We’ve established that the men are all foreigners…. They all speak a form of dialect that is commonly used in the south of Thailand, near the border with Malaysia….
Kamal paused and see if anyone had any question before going on.
Kamal : We’ve beefed up security at the estate and at all our outpost island wide…. Our logistics hub and warehouses are ok….but whoever hit us… knows how we work and operate…..
Yiling was playing with her gold plated letter opener again as she drew imaginary circles on the table with it.
After a short pause Yiling asked about the others that were hit.
Yiling : Rajahs and the Monks…. Are they ok… ?
Hong : The monks have a restaurant that has been burnt down…… news reported a gas leak…… and they have 3 guys warded in the hospital but generally in ok condition….. they manage to get one of the guys but he is not talking either….. The Rajahs…..sigh….ermmmm
Hong scratched his head a little, probably thinking of the right words to use.
Hong : The Rajahs have 8 injured… 2 warded in serious conditions….and they claimed all 6 intruders got away…..
Yiling : do you believe them… ?
Hong : my source told me they ermm….. they are probably somewhere at the bottom of a fish farm by now…..
Yiling : and you would think they have half a brain to find out more from them…. The amount of information you can get from these people….
Hong : I believe they tried… but as you know… the Rajahs…. Patience is not one of their virtue…..
Yiling : Your source…. What else did he say….
Hong : err.. they rounded the men up… spent 10 minutes to see if they are willing to talk and apparently all kept mum…. … 10 minutes is pretty long…. For them….
Yiling : arghhhhh!!! Stupid Rajahs….. !! what about the one guy the Monks caught…….
Hong : Yes…I have spoken with them, they are willing to release him to us…. Seven and I will go pick him up….
Jackson : where are the men now… ? I mean the intruders….
Yiling turned to me and said it’s none of my concern and that they are no longer on estate ground.
The tone she adopted didn’t feel like this was up for negotiation, so I kept quiet.
What surprised me though was that she remembered everything I said to her during her drunken state the night before. The report about the homes, what I saw and what I did.
Yiling : Jackson …. For the 3 homes that are still operational…. Keep to the routine…leave the one that has shifted out….. keep doing it for another month…
Yiling has been supporting those homes for a while now with not only food deliveries, but financially as well. She got wind that something weird is happening but has no way of verifying. Some of the original home directors were gone and the new ones that took over are not very cooperative.
Mr Ho is the only one she has dealt with but even he seemed to have withdrawn himself significantly.
Cutting the homes off will make a big impact of the resident’s lives and it’s not a decision Yiling is willing to make lightly.
Jackson : Ok…
Turning to Aaron, Yiling wanted him to check on the warehouses, especially those located at the east to make sure none of the goods are missing.
Yiling : Those on transit by General Min Kaw…..and General Ngyuen ….
Aaron : they are fine…. Loaded this morning and reaching international waters anytime soon…
After Yiling has done allocating the work she wants done by each of us, she asked Hong to contact the other families.
Yiling : No point gathering everyone just to meet and talk about this…. I suggest bringing forward the annual dinner…. We can trash it all out on that night after doing what needs to be done….
Hong : ok… I’ll get back on the dates….
Yiling : And Jackson ….
Jackson : yes ?
Yiling : Time to pay Xiaoyu a visit…..
Jackson : I think so too….
After the meeting is dismissed, I went back to the farmhouse to start clearing up the mess. It took me 2 hours to wipe the place down and make a list of things that needed to be replaced.
Looks like we won’t be having steamboat for a while.
I tried the number Kamal gave me earlier for the fruits distributor, Ah Orh.
He answered and I told him I wanted to make some changes to the collection days, I won’t be picking up on Thursday since the 3rd home I delivered to is empty. So I will see him as usual on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
With Monday and Thursday free, I blocked booked Xiaoyu’s lesson for the next 3 months.
If shit like this is going to happen again, I should pick up some skills to at least defend myself.
26th May 2015
Tuesday.
2pm
It’s the 2nd week that I’m delivering stuff. I waited for about 3 minutes at the loading and unloading bay before I saw Mr Ho coming out to attend to me.
Mr Ho : Hi Jackson …. Not as much things today ….
Jackson : is it ? hahhaa.. still looks like a full truck ahhaa.. going to take a while to unload….
Mr Ho : I’ll get you a trolley… I’m sorry…. Everyone is busy , I don’t have anyone to help you today for the unloading….
Jackson : No problem… I can handle it on my own…
Mr Ho : What happened to your face anyway….
Jackson : Nah… I fell … and got some cuts here and there….
Mr Ho : I see…. I see….
I opened the tailboard and looked around the home. I noticed new cablings on the ceiling. The new white electrical casings are a stark contrast against the well weathered ceiling.
Pretending to wipe my sweat, my eyes followed the direction where the ducts are running and I saw 4 cameras I never noticed before. As if to reinforce my new observation, I saw a older camera with it’s outer casing that has already turned yellow that only points at the main gate being reinforced with another by it’s side.
With the new cameras, the coverage area has increased. Not only that, a wall that the property shared with the temple on the side has been knocked down and fenced up with those flimsy orange nettings.
From the home, you can now walk directly across into the temple ground without exiting the gate.
Mr Ho pushed the large trolley over to me and I asked him where should I put the deliveries.
Jackson : you want me to bring it up to the kitchen for you ??
Mr Ho : oh no no no… no need… just leave it over there in that room…. I’ll have my guys bring it up in a while…. No worries…
Jackson : Ok sure…
I took my time to unload the truck and 30 minutes later when I loaded up the last box of cabbage onto the trolley, Mr Ho appeared around the corner like magic.
Mr Ho : Oh you’re done already…. Thank you so much…
Jackson : no problem….eh Mr Ho, Don’t mind, can I use the washroom… ?
Mr Ho hesitated for a second before he quickly recovered.
Mr Ho : of course… come come…. The washroom on the ground floor is spoilt sorry…. We’re still trying to get it fixed….
Jackson : is ok… I just need to pee… still can hold it in… hahah
We entered the creaky old lift and Mr Ho brought me all the way up to the top floor.
Mr Ho : just over there…
Jackson : Thank you.. thank you….
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as I walked past the elderly going about their daily activities.
I saw Nancy doing her twirl with a Chinese fan and she danced her way over to me, asking me the same question she did the first time we met.
Nancy : hello….. Jackson right….
Jackson : Yes…. Hello…
Nancy : do you want to dance today… ?
Jackson : Hahaha… no thank you… I’ll pass….
She took my rejection in stride and twirled in the other direction back to her spot while humming the melody of a old classic song.
I used the bathroom and left after saying goodbye to Mr Ho.
Arriving at the 2nd home, I was met with the same hostilities.
Jackson : Yo Steven….. ho seh bo… ?? ( how are you ) need my help to unload ???
Steven : hi… no my staff can manage.
He took a look at the truck and I gestured across to the coffee shop and asked if he needed a drink.
Steven : I’m fine…. Take your time…
Jackson : ok…I’m going to have my lunch…
Steven : sure….
I went back 20 minutes later and the truck is emptied and spotless.
Steven stood near the tailgate as if drawing an imaginary line across the ground that I should not cross and waited for me to leave.
Jackson : Ok… see you next week…
He relaxed visibly as I got into the truck and started the engine.
After I got back to the estate, I reached behind the backseat and removed a old phone I stuck on Velcro tapes with it’s camera running that I pointed at the rear view mirror.
Hitting playback, I smiled when I say at least 5 different man in medical scrubs unloading the truck.
28th May 2015
Thursday
9am
It was my first lesson with Xiaoyu.
I was nervous of course after seeing what she can do.
When I got there, I was surprised to see Candy there as well.
Both Candy and Xiaoyu were there stretching.
Candy must really like white, or she likes teasing the eyes of men.
Her white sleeveless yoga top is loose fitting and it kept sliding off her shoulder, revealing the white Nike sports bra she was wearing underneath.
A pair of white leggings with pink trimmings running down the sides of her legs covered her bottom so tightly that just the sight alone is enough to make any straight male hallucinate about seeing something extra.
Xiaoyu : good morning Jackson…..
Jackson : good morning….
Xiaoyu on the other hand was wearing a full workout suit. Her black tights plastered itself tightly against her body as well and I have a hard time trying to make out if she is indeed post op or pre op.
It looked like there is a bulge from certain angles and I was afraid to be caught staring.
Removing the jacket she was wearing, I could see the well defined muscles on her arms and shoulder.
The girls wasted no time on formalities. I did my own stretching and was immediately taught the basics and principles of what Xiaoyu will be teaching me.
It’s not a play lesson.
It’s not an introduction class for company team bonding.
The girls made it clear right from the go that if there is one thing I’m going to pick up from them, it’s violence.
Pure, unadulterated violence.
Regardless of how I’m approached or attacked, I was to turn the situation around. I must be able to defend myself and strike at the same time. That is the principle I must remember.
Xiaoyu : are you following so far ??
Jackson : yes yes… I am… I’m a fast learner….and I have a good memory….
Xiaoyu : I’ll be the judge of that….. if there is one thing I hate, it’s people wasting my time …. So make sure you pay attention.
Jackson : I will… I will…. let’s start….
Xiaoyu went to a shelf and pulled out a rubber knife.
She threw it over to me and I grabbed it.
Xiaoyu : there are parts of the human body…. That cannot be strengthened….. no matter what you do….. it doesn’t matter how well built your opponent is…. These spots will always be vulnerable….
Jackson : ok …
Xiaoyu : your eyes… ears … nose…. Your jaw…. Your throat…. Your groin… your knees….and… Achilles tenon … when you hit… these are the spots you go for….
Jackson : ermm.. ok… I’ll try….
Xiaoyu : don’t try….remember it…. It will save your life….
Jackson : ok ok… chill man… it’s my first lesson….
As if determined to get me in the right frame of mine to start training, Xiaoyu added.
Xiaoyu : For every lesson…. If you accomplished…. What we set out to do…. I’ll give you a blow job….
Jackson : What !!… hell no…
Xiaoyu : If not…. you’ll give me a blowjob…
Jackson : I fail to see how this benefits me…
Turning and pointing to Candy who is on the ground stretching her legs with her feet apart and laughing, I asked.
Jackson : how about Candy… ? how does she fit in all these…
There was a 3 second pause in all activity in the gym before Xiaoyu nodded her head in enlightenment.
Xiaoyu : Oh…. Oh….. oh .. I see… you want Candy…. To be giving you a blowjob… is that it…
Jackson : No!! I don’t mean that….
Candy : hahah…. Hmmmm…..
Xiaoyu : tsk… tsk… tsk…
No point explaining myself further, I exhaled and decided to see if Xiaoyu is really as good as she say she is.
Striking without warning, I tried to stab Xiaoyu with the rubber knife and all she did was a basic technique, deflecting my stab and striking me under my chin at the same time.
Jackson : arnghhhhh!!!! Fuck !!
I felt as if a dentist had just played colouring on my jaw with his tools as I knelt down on the ground while holding onto my jaw.
Xiaoyu : again….
By then end of a 3 hours lesson, I was totally drenched, my arms and limbs were on the verge of breaking and I was literally hammered, thrown around and utterly humiliated by Candy and Xiaoyu.
The only part I sort of enjoyed though was when Candy’s legs were over my body and I could smell how sweet her calves were while she pulled my arm to the brink of dislocating my shoulder as I tapped repeatly on the floor.
The part I did not enjoy most was when I was locked into submission by Xiaoyu with her straddling me. I shit you not, if she decides to rape me right there and then, I would be just like the JAV porn actress who is crying while spitting ‘yamete’ on the ground in some rape scenario.
Heading back to the farmhouse for a shower before lunch, I realised I could hardly lift my arms to shampoo my own hair and muscles I did not know I have were aching.
I did a quick survey of the garden and noticed several spots that needed some work but I was aching too badly to do it.
29th May 2015
Friday.
6pm
I wrapped up the delivery to the last home of the week and I called Declan to check if there is anything else for me.
It’s the end of the month and I want to head up north to visit my grandpa.
Declan : go ahead…. When will you be back… ?
Jackson : Sunday evening….
Declan : enjoy yourself… drive safe…
I went to the bathroom, checked that my passport is in my travel bag and filled a bottle of water for the long drive up.
I started my car engine and I barely turned out of Binjai hill when the engine sputtered to a stop.
Jackson : ahhh.. fuck fuck fuck !!! no…. NO!!!! …
It’s a old car that’s turning 15 years, it occasionally acts up a bit but it has never died outright before.
I pulled the handbrakes and go down to take a look.
Tyres are ok, I opened the bonnet and pretended as if I knew what the fuck I was doing when I don’t. No smoke, no fire.
Jackson : crap… I don’t even know where to start….
As if things could not get worst, the SUVs blocking the road started reversing to open up the driveway and I heard the roar of a super car engine coming out of the castle ground.
Jackson : oh please…. Not now….
A red Lamborghini Aventador followed by a BMW Z4 and another black volvo SUV convoy rolled down the road before stopping behind my dead ride.
I looked at the car plate of the Lamborghini YL 1 Q and there’s no prize for guessing who’s behind that wheel.
I gestured to say my car is dead and she honked at me 3 times as if I’m a inconsiderate motorist blocking her way on purpose before I saw the door of the car she is driving open up.
I saw a glimpse of her flawless long legs as Yiling stepped out in her Louboutin heels. She was wearing a chic wrap dress in black. Her hair is tied up and styled in a tight bun and if her make up gives a hint of her mood, she looks fucking pissed and angry even before getting blocked by my car.
Wherever she is going that evening, it’s not for leisure.
Yiling : aRGHHHH!!!! MOVE YOUR CAR !!! I’m late !!!
Jackson : I can’t… it just died….. you don’t happen to have a tow truck do you… ?
Walking briskly over to my car with the open bonet, Yiling stopped at the driver seat before shouting at me again.
Yiling : How long have you been driving on fumes !!!! aRGHHH!!!
I looked at the fuel gauge and realised I’m empty. Shit.
It’s been a while since I last topped up the car. I’ve been staying over at the farmhouse so often that it totally slipped my mind.
Jackson : shit.
Yiling clenched her fist slightly below her chest level as she shouted again, unable to control that temper of hers.
Yiling : ARHGHHHH!!! JACKSON!!!!!…
Jackson : hey.. hey… hey… relax…….. in mankind’s history…..shouting has never solved any problems before…..
Yiling stomped the ground angrily before turning her attention to the closest house.
One of the men had just showered and was hanging his laundry on the porch dressed only in shorts and singlet.
Yiling : GO PUSH THAT CAR OUT OF MY WAY…..NOW !!!!!!
The man dropped the pants he just washed and shouted into the house in dialect.
Man doing laundry : oei… oei.. oei… zho gang liao…. Lai eh !! ( come come come… time to work ! )
8 men in various state of undressed and lounge wear dashed out of the house and without a word ran over to my car.
Even without asking me, a half naked man with tattoo of a leaping koi on his back got in, released the handbrakes while a man with several scars on his abs and thighs shut the bonnet.
The rest of the man, one with a toothbrush in his mouth, started pushing and in less than a minute, they got my car out from the middle with enough space for Yiling’s convoy to pass through.
I stared wide eye and I have to admit. I’m impressed.
Yiling, standing with her arms folded decided to ridicule the statement I just made earlier.
Yiling : It’s never about the shouting Jackson …. It’s about who…. Is doing the shouting….
With that, she turned and walked with a swag fit for a young queen and got into her car.
The engine roared as it went passed me and I saw Aaron roll down the window of the BMW as he slowed down.
Aaron : here’s a tip…… don’t talk to her when she’s driving the red car…
Jackson : why… ?
Aaron : it’s her angry car….. hahaha…
He drove away and I was left standing by the road. I could hear the roar of the supercar engine even though Yiling is quite far away by now.
Noise pollution man. Noise pollution.
What is with these people and cars. Noisy cars.
Man doing laundry : Oei brother… your car leave there ah…. !!
Jackson : Ok ok… thank you … thank you….
I scratched my head and was about to think of an alternative, maybe call a tow truck or something when my phone rang.
It was Declan.
Declan : Hi Jackson ….. Boss just called me…. I understand you have a car problem…
Jackson : Yes…. It’s out of petrol…. i don’t suppose you have your own pterol pump inside the estate do you…. Hahahah…
Declan : We do have a small stockpile of POL but it’s for emergencies only….
Jakcson : What is POL ?
Declan : Petrol, oil, lubricant….
Jackson : you’re joking right….
Declan : haha… I’m not…… but Boss is aware you are heading up to visit your grandfather…. So she offered you her spare cars in the garage…. Anything except the Pagani Zonda….
Jackson : What is a Pagani Zonda…..?? I know Bagette…..Croissant …. And Ciabatta….
Declan : Never mind…
Jackson : Well, just lend me anything that runs…. Honda… Toyota…Kia… Mazda anything….
Declan : ah…. Sure… we have the last one… come up to the castle…
I took a buggy up to the castle and the gates were opened. I followed the road up and turned to the garage that is slightly below ground level. One of the garage door opened up and my jaws dropped when I saw the black colour car staring at me.
Declan walked out from behind and handed me the keys.
Jackson : What is that… ?
Declan : Maserati…Gran turismo…. It’s quite new…. Boss only drove it shopping once……. So don’t scratch it… she might really kill you….
Jackson : wait.. wait.. don’t you have anything else… you know…like normal cars… more low profile….
Declan stared at me for 2 seconds before adding.
Declan : It’s black….
Jackson : I don’t mean that….
Declan : you said Mazda… anything….…..Maserati…. sounds close enough…..
Declan tapped my arm and started walking away.
Declan : Besides…. A car is just point A to point B…. who cares about the brand and names eh…. ? hahaha
I looked at the key in my hand and the sweet looking ride in front of me and all I could think of was the long wide and open highway I would be taking in Malaysia as a smile slowly broke on my face.
Jackson : Hell yeah….
I opened the door and my initial euphoria immediately took a plunge. It’s like I’m on top of Everest and I suddenly started falling do deep so fast that I’m almost at the bottom of the Mariana trench.
Aside from the driver seat, the whole car is filled with shopping bags of different lingerie brands.
From Agent provocateur, La perla bordello, to fleur of England to Victoria secrets and La senza.
Jackson : Jesus.
I opened the bags and it’s filled with a variety of lingerie with their tags still intact.
Jackson : Oh god… no… no…. no….
I opened the boot and it’s also filled with heels, lingerie and several dresses.
There’s even sanitary pads and tampons in there.
I immediately called Declan and ask if I could unload those stuff in the garage.
Declan : Oh… no no… don’t touch boss’s stuff….she has a peculiar way of organising her purchases… so… don’t touch anything…. Just drive the car…. Point A to point B…. remember… ? have fun….
Ok fine.
Jackson : fuck…
Point A to point B. I need not be bothered about the rest.
I was so affected by the lingerie that I did not notice the ridiculous cover she put on the steering wheel. It’s pink with black lace, like a fucking g-string for a steering wheel.
Jackson : jesus….
I adjusted the mirrors and seat before pulling it out of the castle ground.
Keeping well within the speed limit, I got to the immigration and got stuck in the weekend jam for about 45 minutes.
Rolling up to the immigration counter, I rolled down the window and handed over my passport.
Officer : roll down all your windows please sir….
I did just that and he gave me a cursory look before looking at me again.
That’s it.
I’m dead.
A fucking pervert driving a car full of female lingerie.
Jackson : I know how this must look like from your perspective but I have a perfectly good explanation for them…
He scanned my passport, tapped on his keyboard before turning back to me and pointing to the cashcard machine, indicating that I should pay for the toll.
Officer : It’s ok…… I don’t judge…….enjoy your trip….
As the gantry opened for me to pass, I saw 4 officers slowly converging at the checkpoint up ahead on my lane.
I put the car into drive and thought to myself.
Between explaining who I work for and her peculiar habits, it would be easier to just admit I’m a crossdresser.
………………………………………………….
I slowly cruised over to the checkpoint and was waved to stop my car and pop the trunk.
I pulled over and got out
Here we go.
The 3 male officer looked at the contents of the car and said nothing and the female officer was the one who did the talking.
Female officer : hi Sir….. just a routine inspection…..
Jackson : go ahead….
I know its just a nicer and more professional way of saying ‘ you look like a fucking pervert with too much female clothes in your possession, so we have to take a look ‘
Female officer : that’s a lot of shopping bags….buying gifts for your wife ?
Jackson : I’m still single ….they belong to my boss….this car belongs to my boss as well…
Female officer : I see… does your boss know you took his or her car ?
Jackson : Yes she knows…. She lent it to me over the weekend…
Female officer : I see….
I saw one of the male officer whisper something to another and both of them were trying to hold back their chuckle.
They probably said something in the likes of ‘ crossdresser ‘ or something.
They were about to commence a more detailed search of the vehicle when a senior officer came walking towards us.
He’s old, mid fifties, and I could see everyone tensed up a little. Definitely someone in charge.
Walking right up to me, he looked at the car registration number YL 71 U.
He gave a nod to his staff and they backed off immediately and dispersed.
His name tag says his name is Tang.
Tang : This is Yiling’s car….
Jackson : yes it is……. I work for her…
He nodded a couple of times with a smile before looking at the insides.
Tang checked his phone and looked at the latest message he received before adding ;
Tang : alright……. You may go…
I looked at him with an eyebrow raised before getting into the car
Jackson : woah…..
There was no small chat or any unnecessary talk.
That was it.
I cleared the Malaysia immigration without much issue and when I hit the expressway, I relaxed a little and stepped on the gas to see what that car can do.
I felt the acceleration push me back into the car seat and I laughed out loud in the vehicle and shouted in glee.
Jackson : hhahhahahahahahha…… woooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!
Yiling’s playlist of old school Jazz kept me company on the long drive up north and I must have asked myself the same question a dozen times.
How does she do it ?
How ?
I dropped my grandfather a text around 5am and told him I’m reaching soon.
He’s already up and about by then.
He called me and say he will meet me at the coffee shop he frequents.
I dimmed the headlights of the car when I turned into the parking lot in front of the coffee shop, sliding diagonally into the space. I could see my grandpa waiting for me with a smile on his face.
I ran forward for a hug and he laughed.
Grandpa : hahha… come… they are making the 1st brew of the coffee….
Jackson : did you lose weight ?
Grandpa : a little….but I’m fine…
I chatted and caught up with my grandfather for almost 3 hours at the coffee shop over breakfast of eggs, toasted bread, coffee and fried noodles.
He wanted me to grab some sleep at the motel I always go to first but I insist on taking him to the supermarket.
Grocery shopping is something I enjoyed doing with my grandfather from a young age.
I remembered visiting supermarkets and looking at the variety of things on the shelves. I like to read the labels and look at the pictures on cereal boxes. We didn’t use a trolley, it was always a basket, because we could not afford that much stuff to fit in a trolly.
Rice is cheaper in larger packaging but we always went for the 1kg or 2kg pack. Water it down over a pot and we would enjoy a meal of porridge with canned beans and pickled vegetables.
Even when I got older, supermarket trips remained a sacred and special bonding time between my grandfather and me. When we travelled, we would make it a point to visit the supermarkets and look at the different things being sold overseas.
We could spend hours in the supermarket, marvelling at how different the products are in different parts of the world.
Every now and then when my grandpa sees something interesting, he would ask me over and point at it with the same knowing smile. Interesting as in something he knew I would like. Old school biscuits with peanut butter fillings, plain butter crackers. The long rectangle chocolate wafer that you can buy in loose quantity from provision shops, and basically anything with foreign looking words on it but with a picture of chocolate fudge in between 2 slices of crackers.
My grandfather on the other hand, likes cuttlefish and chewy sotong. Toasted, grilled, or even coated with sugar, he likes them all. He just loves the chewy texture.
I remembered sharing a large squid with him cook right by the sea in Korea. Both of us were shivering from the cold sea breeze while trying to juggle 2 cups of coffee and the piping hot squid that we kept laughing.
In the end, he dipped one long slice of squid into his coffee and chewed on it while holding only onto the coffee cup.
There is nothing I would not give to go back to that carefree period of travelling with my grandfather.
The basket I was holding only held 2 packets of crackers after 30 minutes and I looked at my grandfather peering a little too closely at the labels of a pack of chips.
He’s well past 65 and approaching the 70’s. He gets breathless after walking for too long and everything he does, it’s at half the speed I remember.
Looking at my grandfather shuffle slowly along the aisle of the supermarket, I was hit with a sudden fear of not being by his side when he leaves. Should anything happen to him, I’m a 800km drive away.
He picked something out and waved it at me. Since he did not look at the label at all, it tells me he has already seen this in previous visits and he was just waiting for me to be here to share with me.
Grandpa : eh Jackson….. this chocolate wafer….. looks nice… got try before ??
I did but I said no, because I knew if I said yes, he would not buy it.
Jackson : It looks good…. From Germany one…. Let’s try…
He immediately went to look at the price to see if it’s on promotion but I took it from him and put it into my basket.
Grandpa : I check expiry date first…
Jackson : No… you are checking the price….
He stated to nag about the need to save money and I told him I’m doing ok.
I’ve been saving a lot and I broached the subject of him coming back to get a more detailed look at his condition.
Grandpa : Aiyah…. No need…. You see… I here…. Fresh air….good food…. I ok…I’m ok… no stress….. got computer… I learn how to read news on internet….
Jackson : I don’t care… I insist… you have to come back….
Grandpa : don’t need… don’t need…. Don’t waste money…
Jackson : my new job comes with very comprehensive insurance for staff and family members…. It’s covered… everything…
Grandpa : really ? so good…
Jackson : yeah.. look at the car my boss lent me….
Grandpa : your boss make you do her shopping ?? you not shy ?? buy woman’s clothes….
Jackson : I didn’t buy them….let’s not talk about that….. I want you to come back…. You’ve been away a few months….. I hardly even go back home…. There’s nothing for me to go back to….
I could see him thinking about it and I quickly added that with accommodation provided, I mostly stayed over at work.
Jackson : not to forget food is provided as well….
Grandpa : let me think about it…
After combing through the whole supermarket, we barely filled the basket I was carrying. He kept saying he didn’t need a lot of stuff and if he did, he can always walk to the provision shop around the corner.
Grandpa : ok you whole night driving, better go sleep…. We have dinner later….
Jackson : ok…
After I dropped my grandfather off, I started to rearrange the boot space and stuff more of Yiling’s stuff into it. The bags are all taking up too much space, and I could not resist doing something about it.
I removed the lingerie form the bag and with a suitcase from the supermarket, threw her purchases into it.
I flattened the bags and boxes neatly and set them aside. With the reclaimed space in the car, I went back to the supermarket and loaded it up to the brim with groceries and daily essentials.
I can do what Yiling did but on a smaller scale.
My grandpa was taking a nap when I got back but the staff were kind enough to help me unload the groceries into the nursing home.
After a 6 hour nap, I went back to pick up my grandfather for dinner.
Over a meal of simple Tze Char dishes of hotplate beancurd, stir fried vegetables and steamed fish, I begun to share more about my work and what I did recently, I left out the fighting part for obvious reason, and of course, the lottery ticket.
Grandpa : I don’t know man… your boss…. She seemed temperamental….
Jackson : hahaha… nah…. I think she’s just stressed out…. I try not to think about it… and just do my work….
Grandpa : Are you enjoying yourself… ?
Jackson : not too bad so far…
I showed my grandfather pictures of the garden I did and I told him when he’s back, I will bring him over so he can see it for himself.
After the dishes were cleared, I ordered 2 bottles of beer to chill with my grandpa by the coffee shop.
Grandpa : do you drink a lot on your own… ? don’t drink so much… it’s bad for you…
Jackson : Nah…. Not really… no one to drink with me when you are not around…
Grandpa : you are not young anymore Jackson …. It’s time you get a girlfriend….
Jackson : please la… worry about yourself…. If I want to get ah…. From here line up all the way to customs hahah
Grandpa : si Ginna !!…. I talk serious with you…
Jackson : I’ll get a girlfriend…. After you are well….
Before he could retort, I quickly added.
Jackson : If you are not well to see my girlfriend…. To see me get married… to see me become a father…. I do for fuck… hahah
He kicked me on my plastic chair and I laughed while trying to balance the beer in hand.
After we’re done with the first bottle, my grandpa finally agreed to go back to Singapore for a couple of weeks.
Jackson : Really !!! you serious….? Don’t you dare lie to me
Grandpa : yah la… yah la… but only for a couple of weeks….i’ve grown to like this place….
Jackson : alright…. Swee… haha… leave everything to me…. I will make the appointments…. And I will drive you back…. Or you want to leave right now ??!!
Grandpa : No no… not now…. I very busy one ok…. I got plans with my friends here…… I also learning how to do powerpoint…. You know what is powerpoint or not…. ?? I can put our holiday pictures, then it will flip flip flip…. Si bei swee one…
I laughed and topped up my grandfather’s beer.
Jackson : Then you do and show me la… haha
Grandpa : you wait and see… her her her…. you confirm impress ah…
My phone vibrated and shook the entire wooden table.
I looked at the caller ID and I knew immediately it’s work related.
It’s Declan.
Jackson : Hi Declan…. Everything ok ??
Declan : Hi Jackson ….. convenient to talk ??
Jackson :Yeah sure…
Declan : I just want to tell you that the annual dinner….has been brought forward…. And it’s going to happen tomorrow evening….
Jackson : Tomorrow…. Sunday ?? Do you need me to be back… ?
Declan : It’s ok…. Don’t need…. But it’s an annual affair…. It will be good if you can see and get to know who’s who in the game….. it’s going to be a particularly interesting dinner too given what’s happened….
Jackson : I see….
I looked at my grandfather who could tell it’s work and he gestured for me to go ahead.
Jackson : Ok… I will be back at the estate by noon tomorrow…
Declan : ok… I will let Boss know…. do you have a suit… ?
Jackson : What…? Do I need one ?
Declan : yes… Boss is particular about dressing on one day of the year…. And it’s this dinner…
Jackson : Yes I do… but it’s back at home…. No problem… I’ll grab it before I head down….
Declan : See you tomorrow….
I hung up and my grandfather immediately asked me to stop drinking.
Jackson : it’s ok…. I’ll grab some rest before I leave…. Probably early in the morning….
Looking at his old watch, my grandpa added.
Grandpa : It’s coming to 8pm…. Better stop drinking already….go back and sleep…. Come pick me up to go back next month….
I could see the stubbornness in him starting to show and I nodded.
After sending my grandpa back to the home at 9pm, I got back to the motel.
I got up at 2 am, took a shower before making my way back home to Singapore.
It was coming to 10 am by the time I got back home in Ang Mo Kio.
My butt is aching from the long drive.
I grabbed my suit, shoes and tie before driving straight down to Bukit TImah.
For the first time, I did not have to park my car and change into a buggy. The SUVs blocking the road parted for me and before I got to the gate of the estate, it was already swinging open.
Arriving at the garage, one of the perimeter guards opened the garage door for me to park Yiling’s car.
I called Declan and asked what should I do now that I’m back at the estate.
Declan : ok….go grab your lunch…. And it’s unlikely we would get to eat anything until everything is over…. Kamal, Seven and Hong they are all at the cook house….
Jackson : Ok sure… what about the car keys…
Declan : Hold on to it for now…. Pass me later…
I put the clothes and shoes in the farmhouse and joined the rest of the guys at the cookhouse.
Hong waved for me to join them at their table after I grabbed a serving of chicken rice and old cucumber soup. I’m starving.
Hong : come come come… eat… eat more….
Kamal : I thought you won’t be back in time….
Jackson : I didn’t want to miss the dinner…. Have to see what is it about…
Seven gestured to me and he looked like he was asking if my grandfather is ok.
Jackson : He ok thank you…. Finally managed to convince him to come back for a checkup …. Most probably next month or something….
Kamal : good la….good…
I scooped a spoonful of rice into my mouth when I caught Kamal knocking onto Hong’s knees with his and they exchanged looks.
Hong : I know… I know… wait la… let him eat first…
Jackson : yes… ? what is it ??
Kamal : Hong ask something to ask you… hahaha
Hong : Cheebye la… ( curse ) I can ask on my own…
Kamal : He shy…
Jackson : Huh ?? what is it ??
Hong cleared his throat and I could tell this is a prepared speech, sort of anyway.
Hong : Jackson … you know…. dinner….
Jackson :Yah ??
Hong : Like those 7th month dinner….. got those auction right…. Bid for things one…
Jackson : yeah… what about it…
Hong : ok… the dinner tonight… there is also an auction….
Jackson : Ok…
Hong : we don’t have that many items… but each family….is supposed to present their own item…. And conduct their own auction for it….
Jackson : Oh…..
Hong went on to explain that the money raised, will be for charity.
It’s usually a pretty casual and sometimes rowdy event. If you have attended one before, you would know.
Plenty of , Huat ah, Huat ah, towkay ah…. Huat ah and stuff like that. The auction will be conducted in a smattering of different languages injected into Hokkien.
Hong : My Hokkien no A1 also got A2 la… you know me ah…. But this year… a bit different…
Jackson : how so… ?
It appears that the usual politician that attends the dinner as a guest of honor is busy. It’s such a last minute event it’s a miracle they managed to scrape it together.
Given how hard it is to get everyone to agree on a common date to meet, we jumped at the first date that all family rep is available.
Hong : the usual MP….is not available…. He’s a very nice and friendly guy….i can piak Hokkien with him… very relax and chill kind of guy you know….
Jackson : ok … so…. There is a problem with the new VIP that is attending….
Hong : Not exactly a problem… just that… he’s more serious…. You know… more… intense….
Kamal : He’s Welly Chin…I’m sure you’ve heard of him…
Jackson : Oh… the guy tipped to become the next prime minister anytime now….
Kamal : yeap….
Jackson : wow… how the hell did you all manage to invite him… ?
Hong : Actually we didn’t….. Our usual member of parliament Mr Teng is unable to make it…. But he says his colleague Welly is available and interested to meet everyone….
I scooped another mouthful of rice into my mouth and added in between chews.
Jackson : Smart… he’s a smart guy….
Hong : How so ??
Jackson : If he’s going to be leading the country soon… he needs to know who he’s dealing with on all levels…. This is a good time for him to meet and cop a feel….
Hong : Why would he be interested in us anyway…. We do small business one…. River water don’t touch well water… you know the saying….
Jackson : Not true…. A good leader must know the cards he holds…. You never know when you might need to play them….
Kamal : hahaha… why would he even want to be associated with us….. ??
Seven did a twirl of his fingers on the side of his temple and chuckled as if I’m crazy.
Jackson : It’s not about association, see this from another perspective….. you never know if one day he needs our help….
Hong : Eh brother… I think you never sleep enough…. Hahaha… drive too long…. Smell too much of boss Lingerie in the car si bo…. !! hahahah
Everyone laughed and so did i.
Jackson : You won’t believe the kind of looks the customs officers gave me man..
Hong : Please la… that is nothing…. Seven had to go buy sanitary Pad for Boss once when we were out…. Hahaha…Kamal had to go get nipple tapes….and me… I got to go buy tampons for her when we were travelling once….. and I don’t even speak Japanese ….hahah
Kamal : yah… ahhaa.. and he did the finger, poke inside backside motion in the convenient stall …..hahah
Jackson : that’s disgusting… hahaha….
Hong : aiyah… they get the message la… anyway… back to the issue on hand…. With this Welly Chin….
Jackson : yeah…. Yeah… I was saying….
Hong : Yah I know… you say he wants to come for the dinner on purpose….
Jackson : exactly… to meet all of us…. And most important of all…. To let us meet him….
Hong : Why…. ?
Jackson : to let us know he’s the one in charge…. For one….
Kamal : what else… ? ahaha.. ask for our votes in the next election ah ? hahahah…
Jackson : maybe… you never know…
Hong : well…. No matter how I see it…. There’s no way a future prime minister would want to meet people like us…
Jackson : let’s put it this way….
I drizzled some chilli, black sauce and ginger over my chicken rice and gave it a good mix before adding.
Jackson : When shit hits the fan….there might be some things you need to do and you don’t want to get your hands dirty….. hahah
Kamal : You watch too much movies la Jackson …. Hahah
Jackson : hahaha… I think so too….
Hong : So ok…. The thing is I’m usually the one doing the auction…because I’m thick skin and all but this time round… with such a serious politician attending…. I’m not so sure I can….
Kamal : He nervous as fuck la… hahaha….
Hong : So I was hoping you can do it instead…. Proper English…and shit… you know…. what you educated people usually say instead of me…. KNN here… CB there ( curses & vulgarities ) …
Jackson : ok… I don’t mind… what do I need to sell….
Hong : 3 statue…. Fu, Lu, Shou , … the 3 stars statue….
Jackson : ohh… ok… Prosperity, status, and Longevity …. Can … can…. No problem…
Kamal : You sure ah Jackson … you fuck this up… ahhaha Boss might really shoot you…hahah
Jackson : okok…wait… how much should I get for the statues ?
Hong : It’s not about the dollar value…. As long as you can sell it….
Jackson : can sell one la… I can sell anything….
Kamal : just remember… you are selling to other families…not to us…. And Boss cannot put in her own bid….
Jackson : Oh…. I was about to ask you guys to chip in and support …
Hong : I wish I could… anyway, there’s a common understanding among everyone that this is about ‘face’ , so we would always bid for something from the other families but this time round, given the tense situation and everyone seemed to be out for blood…..
Kamal : We don’t even know what the others are selling…. It’s going to be a shit show if someone brings the same thing as us….
Jackson : sounds fun hahahah… do I get a cut after selling….
Hong : it’s for charity you fuck…. the VIP will choose which charity it goes to… Welly Chin’s choice..….
I finished up my rice and started on my soup.
Jackson : Ok… ok… I’ll do it…..
Hong : Simple ….. ok… everyone likes 1688, 1388, you know…. as long as have a lot of 8 , people will bid for it….just keep saying a lot of good stuff…. Use the word ‘ Huat ‘ ( prosper ) a couple of times…. And you should be fine….
Jackson : Orh…
Kamal slapped Hong on his arm a couple of times.
Kamal : Relax…. Relax… breathe…. You don’t need to do it…. Haha…
Hong’s phone rang and he announced to the table that it’s Yiling.
Hong : Hello….yes….harrr….arr…. err….wait wait… Boss…. Jackson is doing the auction… ok… ok…. Great… thank you….
Jackson : what did she say….
Hong : Nah… nothing…. Don’t worry……. It’s just that you will be sitting at the main table with Boss instead of me…
Jackson : oh….who else will be at the table… ?
Kamal : The heads & Representatives of the other families….
Hong : Don’t worry… just chill… enjoy your food…. And when it’s time for the auction… go up and sell the statue…
Jackson : ok…
Hong : It’s a serious thing ok…. This whole dinner and auction…. Please don’t fuck it up…
Jackson : introducing the triads….. and conducting an auction for the future Prime Minister….. what can possibly go wrong…. ?
…………………………
After lunch, I went back to the farmhouse intending for a short nap, however, passing by the smoking area, I almost fainted to see the state it was in. The cigarette butts are everywhere and overflowing from the bins.
In the end I spent an hour tidying up the smoking area and the garden.
Some asshole has been stepping off the path as well, mowing down an entire row of plants. It appears as if taking another 5 steps to the smoking point is too much to ask for.
I received a call from Declan at 4pm.
Declan : Get ready Jackson …. We’re moving out at 5pm…. It’s at the Ritz… You will take Kamal’s car… We will all set off from the garage by the castle….
Jackson : Ok…
31st May 2015
Sunday
4.45pm
I slipped on my shoes and made my way towards the castle with my coat in hand. It’s been a while since I last wore my suit.
When I got to the castle , I was blown away by how good Hong, Seven and Kamal looked all dressed up. Gathered in the living area, Yiling’s lieutenants looked remarkably different from usual.
Jackson : woah…. Clothes maketh the man …. Hahah
Aaron came around the corner in a Tux reminding me of a typical villain in a James bond movie. Ok, to be fair, everyone looks like a villain that day.
Declan is looking like the godfather of crime with his charcoal decked double breasted suit while holding onto a walking stick with the silver jaguar handle.
Kamal finally shaved himself clean instead of leaving visible stubbles around his chin and above his lip. With his hair neatly gel and slicked back, he’s beginning to look like a proper doctor.
I could see how comfortable he was in that Tux, clothes he probably wore quite frequently in a different life.
Hong and Seven on the other hand, are already wiping perspirations off their brows despite being in the air conditioned living area.
Jackson : wah Declan… very gangster leh… hahaha…
Declan : swee bo ?? hahaha
Hong checked his watch only to get teased by Kamal not to show off his Rolex.
Kamal : Very uncle ok your Rolex…. Don’t need to show off… haha…
Hong : fuck off la… haha
Helping myself to a glass of water prepared by the dining table, I adjusted my pants a little. I don’t remembered it to be so tight. Must be the good food I have been having these few months.
Aaron came over to me, gave me a head to toe look as if he was judging me for my choice of clothes before adding.
Aaron : I heard you are doing the auction…. You sure you are up to it… ?
Jackson : You’re welcome to do it if you like…
Aaron : haha… shit jobs like this….. Boss don’t bother me with them… haha… you know the term SaiKang ( jobs that no one want to do ) .. ? hahah
Jackson : well…. If I keep doing all the jobs no one wants to do… one day… I will be the only one who knows how to do them…
Aaron : it’s harder than it sound…. So get so cocky …
Jackson : I’m never cocky….
Aaron : I heard Boss lent you her car….
Jackson : Yes she did….
Aaron : any idea why she did that ??
Jackson : what do you want Aaron ??
Aaron : Nothing… you get to sit with Boss at the table….
Jackson : your point is… ?
Aaron : are you happy ??
Jackson : Please don’t take this the wrong way… but I think I have problem communicating with you….
Aaron : Perhaps that’s because you spend too much time with others who are not on the same wavelength ….
I watch Aaron’s eyes drift to Hong who was doing the god of gambler walk with his coat behind him while Kamal hummed the tune as Seven clapped.
Jackson : Nothing wrong with having a bit of fun…
I was about to walk away when Aaron blocked my path with his body.
Aaron : Look Jackson ….if I were you… I would push the ball back to Hong’s court…. Let him do his job…. Just think…. Use your common sense…
He wanted me to think why would Hong push this over to me. There is potential for this task to go awfully wrong especially with such a hot politician coming.
Aaron : He’s just looking to save his own ass I tell you…. Anything goes wrong… it’s you…. Not him…. I’m surprised you don’t see it…
Jackson : Hong don’t strike me like that kind of people…
Aaron : If people are that easy to read… there would be no back stabbing in this world isn’t it… ? hahha
Aaron went on to say that if I do this, it goes well, Hong would get the credit, if not, I would get the blame. I fuck it up, all the family would know me, I would be on their radar.
Aaron : say something wrong during the auction…. Offend someone … I don’t know… the Rajahs… the thieves….. who knows what they would do to you…
Jackson : hmmmm…. Ok …
Aaron : let’s not forget if you make boss look bad…. She would surely hate you….
Jackson : hmmmmm….. makes sense….
Aaron : so …. What do you think…. You still want to do it… ? if you are too embarrassed to tell Hong you want to chicken out… I can tell him for you… hahah…
Jackson : hmmmm…….but I already told Hong I would do it…
Aaron : You can always change your mind….
Jackson : Not my style…. But thanks for the advice anyway…
I tapped Aaron’s shoulder and gently pushed him aside before heading over to join the others.
I could hear an audible smirk from behind me and I resisted the urge to shake my head. What a character he is.
It’s obvious Aaron wanted the seat beside Yiling at the table yet he is unwilling to take on a task that allows him to do that. What is it with these people ?
Before I got to the guys who were clowning around, I saw the body language of all of them change and the smiles and silly laugh disappeared without warning.
All eyes looked behind me at the same direction and I could feel my own heart skip a beat as I slowly turned around.
Candy stepped out of a room beside the study looking absolutely ravishing in a long sleeve vintage looking black lace dress that covered most of her body, that is if you could call sheer see through lace a cover.
I swallowed a gulp of saliva as she took out a pair of earrings from her clutch purse before putting them on. With exception of her bust area which is covered by what appears to be a black tube that is part of the dress itself.
Her flat tummy and slim waist curves in a seductive manner before the opaque material of the inner lining gave way to a pair of thighs that would make boys with leg fetish get on their knees.
A pair of peep toe platform heel gave Candy the additional height boost that if we were to kiss, she won’t need to tip toe.
Candy smiled bashfully at the attention she is receiving but she knows she is not the star of the show. Looking towards the back and holding her bag in front of her, she waited for our boss to make her entrance.
Jackson : woah…
I exclaimed under my breath when I saw YIling stepped out in a shade of red that screams power and confidence.
The sleeveless red dress comes with a cape of sort that when Yiling is not walking, falls perfectly around her arms and shoulders like a cardigan. The elegant and slim cut dress flows down her body before ending just below her ankles.
If she remained still, all I could see would be the sexy cleavage of her toes with it’s nail painted red. Her red peep toe platform is as high if not higher than that of Candy.
Everyone was just staring at YIling as Declan walked over to her side and offered her his hand.
This would have been a sweet party night out if not for the fact that I saw Xiaoyu and Cindy join us.
I’m sure they would have looked amazing in dresses all dolled up and all but they were not.
They were dressed in black pants and long sleeve top, the large shoulder slung bags they were carrying cannot be possbily holding shoes or makeup.
They are dressed for work. Exactly what kind, I don’t know.
Yiling : all ready ??
We nodded as Yiling made eye contact with each of us.
The convoy that left the estate is quite a sight to behold.
No, we did not take any super cars.
Hong and Seven lead the convoy with a black Volvo SUV. Kamal and I will be in the second one, a similar car. Yiling, Candy and Declan took the black Prosche Cayenne while Cindy and Xiaoyu brought up the rear in a white BMW X6.
I thought that was it but no.
When we reached the bottom of Binjai Hill, 3 other sedan cars lead the way before I saw another similar black Porche Cayenne join us from one of the houses outside the estate.
Jackson : my god… how many of us are going….
Kamal : we already have 30 men at Ritz…. A total of 80 will be there including us…
Jackson : are we expecting something to happen… ?
Kamal : I hope not…. don’t worry… we’re safe… the minister and his guards will be there….. they have swept the place twice already….
Jackson : I assume Xiaoyu and Cindy will not be joining us in the hotel eh…
Kamal : No.. they will be near… in case we need their help….
Jackson : I seriously doubt it…
The Ritz is no stranger to high profile security events. Upon reaching the hotel, I could see traffic being diverted into 2 lanes. Regular guest still go about their usual stuff while the lot of us head directly to the basement after passing through the 1st checkpoint.
The cisco guards on the outside are kept to a minimum and one would have assumed they were just doing regular traffic management duties for a business conference.
We were directed to the 2nd basement and the sheer scale and security of the dinner slowly began to sink in.
Jackson : holy shit….
The carparks on the left have been completely blocked off.
Security personnel here in the basement are armed with automatic weapons and everyone is required to step though a security scanner before entering the ballroom.
All vehicles, even though having been checked once at the carpark entrance, needs to be driven and parked offsite by valets.
Us being the organisers, we are the first to arrive.
The eyes of the men charged with guarding Welly Chin are all dark and cold. Their stares looked blank and no one is facing a random direction even though they are standing at staggered positions.
Each of them has their eyes on a specific quadrant and their fingers are resting near to the trigger of their weapons.
Welly Chin is not our prime minister yet but from the looks of things, it seems the die has already been cast by the powers to be.
Clearing the checkpoints itself proved to be a hassle already. Some of the men were unhappy at having to empty their pockets. Some were deliberately rude at the guards trying to stir up some shit.
There was a small commotion upfront with a few guys until Hong walked over and they quiet down.
Hong : if you don’t want to be here… you can jolly well fuck off…!!
His loud voice echoed in the basement carpark and if this was a public space, curious bystanders would gather at the outburst. Heads will turn to see what is happening but not here.
Not in this basement.
Welly’s personal guards remained fixed and focused. I emptied my pockets and cleared the checks with no issue and Kamal waited impatiently for the guards to return his armoury key.
I have only been inside the grand ballroom of the Ritz once for a wedding.
2 large tables took up the prime spot in the ballroom facing the stage.
Each table fits 12. 1 for us, 1 for the VIP
An imaginary circumference of about 3m formed a semi circle walkway around the main tables while smaller tables meant for grunts like us filled up the rest of the ballroom.
Buffet spreads are arranged along the perimeter of the ballroom for the men of each family while those at the 2 VIP tables will have their meals served.
Jackson : who pays for all of these…?
Kamal : Boss of course….
Jackson : This must cost a bomb….
Hong asked me to help him move the statues onto the stage from the storeroom. It had already been delivered the night before.
Hong : careful … careful…. Don’t break it…
Jackson : It’s quite heavy…. Where did you get this… ?
Hong : secret…hahha…. Good stuff ok…. Look at the colour and level of details….got money also cannot buy one ok… hahah..
After Hong and I were done arranging the 3 star statues on stage, we saw another 2 guys presumably from a rival family carry something up as well.
It’s a longevity peach about the size of a basketball but plated in gold. Their eyes didn’t look friendly at all as they looked at our statues.
After they were gone, Hong told me he recognised them as men from the Malu Malu.
Hong handed me a cloth and told me to help him wipe the statues down a little because they are a bit dusty.
I carefully dusted the figurines and I saw a tall and grave looking man come on stage before setting down a gold plated dragon.
Hong : hi King…. How’s things…
King : good… good…
He didn’t look like he was interested in a prolonged conversation.
Hong : that’s King,
Jackson : King ? of which gang ??
Hong : No… no.. he’s not the leader… just one of the elder within the white snakes…. He’s also one of the biggest distributor of paper products in the country…
Jackson : paper products…. Like toilet paper and kitchen towels… ?
Hong : no la… those joss paper and incenses….
Jackson : Oh… oh… I see….
The thieves arrived with a statue and Hong gripped my hand nervously, praying they are not auctioning the same thing as us.
Thankfully it’s a statue of Guan yu.
The monks came up with a sleeping buddha about a metre long with it’s head in solid gold.
After I was done polishing the 3 star statue, I heard Hong cursed silently below his breath.
Hong : fuck…. fuck… fuck… ji bai hong gan liao…. ( we’re fucked this time )
The Rajahs.
3 men with tattoos on the left of their face that starts slightly below their ear and down to their necks came onto stage. Each of them carried one of the trio of the 3 star statue.
A staring incident immediately occurred between us and them. I am not a staring expert and half a second in, I knew I’m losing. The menacing look smells like trouble already.
Hong didn’t know what to do too.
Yiling : Jackson ….
Yiling called out from the bottom of the stage with her arms folded and diffused the situation.
Jackson : yes… ?
Yiling : If you are done… join me at the table… we will be starting soon….
Jackson : ok…
Hong asked them Rajahs to put their item down and clear the stage.
The ballroom had started to fill up
Looking at the grand ballroom in front of me, I could see the men working for the different families scattered around their tables. We are the only ones in suits, the rest of Yiling’s men are at least in shirt and pants. Most of the other families came in jeans and polo tops. Some even in berms and sandals.
A few did not even bother to cover up their tattoos.
The language that filled the air is coarse and crude. Curses were traded between gang members and a couple of times, a fight almost broke out as voices were raised.
Yiling’ men were quick to intervene, putting themselves in between the warring parties and separating them apart. They too were not spared the mocking and taunts by the rowdy crowd but they knew it was YIling’s show that night. They have a job to do and they better do it properly.
The hotel staff all looked wary and a little scared.
I could see a waitress on the verge of tears as a table of heavily tattooed men in sleeveless tops shouted at her to top up their beer.
Taking the seat beside Yiling, I could see her sending a few text messages out before folding her arms impatiently.
Jackson : you ok ???
Yiling : yes…
She replied without looking at me before deciding to ask me about my grandfather.
Jackson : He’s ok… he finally agreed to come back for a checkup…
Yiling : good.. good…
She took a sip of her champagne before asking if I know what to do later.
Jackson : just sell the statues…
Yiling : ok….
Gesturing towards the stage with her chin while keeping her arms folded, Yiling reminded me that the Rajahs have the same item.
Jackson : that sucks…. Who is going first… ?
Yiling : everyone draw lots… but for us as organisers…. We go last….
Jackson : oh….ermmm… I mean as long as I sell it it’s fine right…
Yiling shot me a menacing look with the corner of her eyes before turning to look at me.
Yiling : Are you out of your mind…. No way are you getting a lower price than the Rajahs…
Jackson : I was hoping you won’t say that…
6.45pm
Most of the men have already settled down and Yiling was well into her 3rd glass of champagne.
I could see 2 men walking towards us.
Yiling spoke softly while keeping her arms folded.
YIling : The white snakes…. Ben and King…. They rotate their leadership regularly through an internal election….very low profile in recent years…. Only the older generation bothers to keep in touch with events like this… the younger chaps… they don’t really bother….
I know King, the same guy that came up the stage with their item.
Ben walked with a typical gangster swagger and he looked really familiar. His flowery top has 2 buttons undone and he took the seat beside me. Ben angled his body to face me before lowering his dated shades with his middle finger.
Ben : Xiao Peng you !!…… ( my young friend ) ….
Jackson : Hi… my name is Jackson ….
Ben : I not talking to you…. I talking to her… hahahha …. Xiao Mei mei ( little girl ) …. Hahaha… don’t like that leh…. So dao ( proud ) …. Hahahahah…..
Yiling ignored Ben’s tease and sipped her drink before folding her arms and changing the way she cross her legs.
He laughed as he made himself comfortable sitting too low in the chair while asking for a glass of beer. Turning towards Yiling , Ben tried to talk to her again in a teasing manner.
Ben : Mei nu !! …. ( pretty girl ) … hahah your boss very shy….
Ok. Weird characters are to be expected. Yiling looked at Ben from the corner of her eyes and ignored him in the same manner any girl would from the advances of a sleazy old man in the street.
Ben was not at all offended and in fact he found it funny and kept laughing.
There’s something about Ben I could not put my finger to. His overall look, his feel, the vibe he is giving off.
I did a double take again at Ben and it finally strike me why he looked so familiar.
He looked like a Hong Kong actor. Anthony Wong.
Ben : Kuar SIMI !! ( what are you staring at ?? )
Jackson : You look like an actor….
Ben : I’m more handsome than him ok !! hahaha….
Jackson : yes.. yes… I think so too….
Ben took a sip of his beer and looked at Yiling again who was obviously not interested in talking to him. I don’t blame Yiling, the way Ben is behaving is like a dirty old man leering at her body. Turning his attention back to me, he added.
Ben : You new one ah… never see you last year….
Jackson : yes…. Just joined… this is my first dinner….
Ben : first dinner ?? hahaha good good…
Tapping himself on his chest, Ben shoved a fistful of peanuts into his mouth and added.
Ben : hahahha… chomp.. chomp…hmmm…. haha… I introduce you to everyone ok… don’t worry…. I like to take care of Xiao peng you… hahahahah ….. look look look….. over there…
I could see 3 peculiar looking men walking over to us.
Ben : From Malu Malu… haha… you see the first one…
The man in the front of the column has a head of red hair with the part near the root in black. It’s obvious he has dyed it a while back.
In the typical uncle chilling at coffee shop after work fashion, Ben shook his leg violently while his fingers kept feeding peanuts into his mouth.
Ben : KNN… ( curse.. ) this kind of red hair…. Red hair…. Ang kong kong ( shade of red ) …bloody hell…. This era still got people choose this colour…. his name….. his name is Elmo…
I burst out laughing and turned to Yiling who shot me a dirty look as if I shouldn’t have laughed but she herself fought to control a chuckle.
Jackson : sorry… sorry…
Keeping his serious face, Ben went on as if he was David Attenborough narrating for a documentary program.
Ben : The one behind him…. You see… KNN… the eyebrow almost touching in the middle one…. Head long long… sharp sharp…look like fucking alien… that one…… that one is Ernie…
I laughed again, unsure if Ben was fucking with me.
Yiling coughed and I could see she was trying hard not to laugh as she sniffed and dabbed her nose with the back of her index finger.
The last guy looked normal. No red hair, no unibrow, however he walked with his legs apart, swaggering like a typical gangster in the nineties. Ben’s disdain for him is obvious from the way he spoke.