"I miss the old man," said Ning. "We got on so well. Let's go this afternoon to see him and if he doesn't mind, let's stay one or two nights."
I was quite excited at the prospect of staying by the river, so after having obtained Head Nun's permission, I set off with Ning in the afternoon. Head Nun insisted on giving us a small parcel of food for Lao Lo which she said we could all share.
Lao Lo was busy cleaning some fish when we arrived. His face lit up when he saw Ning. Dropping the fish, he came forward to greet us. "Welcome, welcome," he beamed. "It's good to see you again, Ning. Is this your good friend, Da? Look, I caught some fish from the river this morning, why don't you both stay for dinner, there's enough for the three of us." Just as we expected he would, Lao Lo later invited us to stay for a few days, and we gladly accepted his invitation.
Lao Lo was delighted when we gave him Head Nun's food parcel - I didn't realise she had packed so much - there were dried noodles, rice, mushrooms, dried fruits, fruit juice and some dried vegetarian stuff.
"Do you notice anything new, Ning?" Lao Lo asked. Before Ning could answer, he proudly said he had bought some old kerosene lamps which he had used to light up the hut at night. "I hope both of you will be comfortable here," he said, looking a trifle worried.
"We love it here," Ning and I chorused. I really did - it was like going back to the old days when people camped by the river and lived off the land!
Lao Lo was a good cook, as we found out. He started a small fire outside the hut and grilled the fish he had caught. For my vegetarian food, he stir fried some of Head Nun's mushrooms and dried vege stuff - it was delicious!
Lao Lo was also a good storyteller. After we had finished dinner, we sat outside his hut enjoying the cool night air. He told us stories of his childhood days when he worked as an apprentice in a small furniture shop, where he acquired his carpentry skills. He told us of his first love, a young girl who lived in the village with her well-to-do parents. Unfortunately, they did not approve of him as they said he was too poor for their daughter.
"Isn't she lovely?" he said, fishing out from his pocket an old photo which she had given him. She looked very pretty indeed in her colourful costume.
"What happened to her, Lao Lo?" Ning asked. Lao Lo looked away sadly, his eyes beginning to mist. "Her parents moved away with her after some time and ....and a few years later, I heard that she had ... she had died of malaria."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir," I said, patting him on the shoulder.
"That was a long, long time ago, friend," said Lao Lo, getting up. "Look, I think it's time you two went to bed. Come on, I've got a nice big mattress for you to sleep on."
We followed him back into the hut and settled down. It was some time before I could fall asleep. I listened to the bubbling river, to the wind whistling in the trees, to the soft cry of night birds. I felt wonderfully happy.
(To be continued)
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