Lion Boy and Drummer Girl by Pauline Loh

Author:Pauline Loh
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-981-47-8511-2
Publisher: Epigram Books
Published: 2019-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 33

AN UGLY FIGHT

Ying Ying intended to go to the office to call a carpenter to repair the shattered window, but she found herself heading towards the music room and to her flower drum. She sank down quietly next to its comforting curves. Now that she was sure nobody could see her, she dragged her hand over the unshed tears in her eyes and drew a shaky breath.

She felt…as if the bottom of her universe had been kicked out and she was back in the corner, cowering as her mum and dad argued. They had thought little Ying Ying would not understand or remember the horrible words they threw at each other, but she recalled them with the kind of black-and-white clarity that only young children possess.

She knew the women her mum had been referring to—the rich, middle-aged patronesses who had sponsored her father’s productions when he was still trying to make something out of Lion Legends. To this day, she could recall their claw-like nails as they drew her stiff little body towards them, cooing, “Lung Ge, so this is your Silver Girl? Who am I to you then, hmm?”

Then there was Uncle Ang with his wandering eyes and hands, who could not be satisfied with the wife who waited at home for him with hot meals every evening.

What stunned her the most was her own reaction to Ricky’s tattoo. She beat her clenched fists despairingly against her head. From the beginning, I knew he was a ladies’ man, to be shared by many women but never loyal to one. He’s a lion dancer—they are all the same!

Ying Ying could not bear to think about the mystery woman who had inspired Ricky’s tattoo. Could it be Jessica of Leopop News? Or maybe it was the rookie reporter from LeoWorld at Large—was her name Adeline? It could be any of the PR executives, hair stylists and make-up artists they had worked with during Ricky’s debut.

Ying Ying growled to herself. He’s been here only a few months, and he is already so sure of a girl that he had her name tattooed on his bum? Maybe he plans to get tattoos of girls all over his body until he looks like a street directory! Annoyed with herself for her petty jealousy, she chewed angrily on her lip.

The door cracked open with a squeak of rusty hinges. Ying Ying scrambled to her feet and bent over the shadowy ranks of drums, as if she were doing an inventory check.

“Ying Ying?” Ricky’s voice hovered behind her. “The fight wasn’t Prome’s fault. I sent him an ISOS to create a distraction because I didn’t like the nosy reporter.”

Ying Ying kept her back turned. When she spoke, her voice was as cold as ice. “You’ve done nothing but create trouble since you got here. You should just go to America. Get a degree. For once in your life, make your parents proud of you. Do you have any idea how many people wish they were in your shoes?!”

Ricky sighed.

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