Chapter 3
The next day, Yaya went back to Uncle Ma’s house. She was about to climb over the window when she, surprisingly, found the lunch box she had left behind. A frown covered her young face. She took the lunch box from the window sill and found it empty. She exclaimed, "The biscuits are all gone!" Then she grinned at the thought of having discovered Uncle Ma’s little secret.
Suddenly, a low voice sounded from above her: “Is that yours?”
Looking at the little girl running away, he couldn't help but smile, and whispered, "Just as cute as you used to be!”
Startled by the sudden noise, Yaya raised her gaze from the lunchbox in her hands to the room and saw a man with malt sugar skin in a dark grey shirt, a little moustache on his chiseled chin, and eyelashes that looked like a fan covering half of his round-like-a-mint eyes.
“Uncle Ma, your eyes are so pretty, like cool mints.” After three seconds or more of silence, Yaya came back to her senses. To her frustration, her face flushed red. She turned around and ran home.
After three days, Yaya finally couldn't stand it any longer so she packed her backpack and went back to Uncle Ma’s.
This time, Yaya stood in earnest in front of the carved door. She stood on the tip of her toes and rang the electric bell on the right wall.
She waited and waited for the door to open but it did not. Not willing to give up, she rang the bell again. Suddenly, she heard a loud bang coming from inside the house. Yaya went up and pressed her ear against the door to try to hear clearly what was going on inside.
Uncle Ma opened the door hurriedly, and before he could say anything he saw the little girl who had been at the window the other day. She was about eight or nine years old. She had a thin brow-length fringe, shoulder-length dark brown hair, and wore a light blue shirt under a denim jumpsuit, and a pair of black canvas shoes. With a big smile on her face, she said, “Hi, Uncle Ma!” He saw her tilt her head and she asked, a little confused, “Are you okay? There was a loud noise just now.”
Uncle Ma, his face stiff with anger, said, “What is it?”
Yaya bowed down slightly and said seriously, “I’m sorry, Uncle Ma. I shouldn’t have sneaked into your house the other day. I hope you can forgive me.”
He didn’t say anything.
Yaya spoke again, “I think you’re a very nice and handsome uncle.” Before she could finish, she saw her mom’s silhouette slowly approaching from a distance. She quickly left running towards home. She turned back and yelled in Uncle Ma’s direction, “I hope next time you’ll welcome me. I’ll bring my mum’s handmade biscuits again!”
Looking at the little girl running away, he couldn't help but smile, and whispered, "Just as cute as you used to be!”