The Mighty Fall

2: Feng JianYu

2005

Chinatown

Chicago, USA

"Just come out..I know you're there....!"

Dayu gasped, peeking at his father from behind the table. His father was still hunching over the table, not giving any hint that he's talking to him. But, who else was hiding in the room beside him? Nobody. Of course, his father was talking to him.

Dayu took a deep breath, then he walked out from behind the table, pursing his lips as he met his father's eyes.

Feng JiSang sighed as his ten year old son, walking towards him sheepishly. He took off his spectacles and stopped what he was doing, folding his hands in front of his chest; trying his best to give his son a stern glare.

Dayu pursed his lips more. He'll get scolded again, that's for sure.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school? I thought I saw you getting on the bus this morning...!" Feng JiSang began, "you slipped out again..?" It was not a question. It was a statement.

Dayu bit his lip and then he hurriedly explained, "I was not planning on skipping today! Really! Honest..! But..I heard that you received something very special yesterday..and-" Dayu's eyes grew bigger and bigger as he saw what was in front of his father.

"That's...The book of Origin..!?!" Dayu whispered, his big eyes sparkled as he stared at the book unblinkingly, "that's the special thing that arrived yesterday, right!?" Dayu was breathless with excitement, "Wou...!!!"

"Stop right there." Feng JiSang growled, snapping Dayu out of his excitement; pulling him off the air into the ground with a 'thud'.

Dayu stopped, "baba..!" Dayu looked at his father, batting his big eyes, and pouting his lips pleadingly.

Feng JiSang took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. His son might be the most infuriatingly coquettish kid in the whole universe. Then he exhaled as he gave his only son a very stern look, again. But, as soon as his eyes met Dayu's pleading eyes, he knew he was defeated.

"What am I going to do with you!" He muttered to himself resignedly, "go get an apron and wear gloves..." he motioned towards the hygiene counter where the aprons and gloves were kept.

Dayu gasped pretending to be surprised , as his face bloomed with a real full bloom joy, "thanks, Baba!" Dayu almost ran to the counter. He put his bag there and then he took a working apron and a pair of gloves, wearing them as he walked back to his father. 

Feng JiSang had lost count, of his son skipping school and sneaking to his work place like this.

He's one of the curator for the Chinese American Museum of Chicago, and whenever he received some new artifacts or relics, his son would know about it. And he would skip school to go to the museum so that he could have a look at the artifact.

Dayu, had always had this deep interest in artifacts and relics. Perhaps it was because of his Feng JiSang's  influence; because he had been exposing Dayu to his passion for artifacts and relics since he was born. Other fathers would read fables and Disney stories for their kid, as bedtime stories but JiSang would recite stories about history and the relics and artifacts related to it. So, when his son became obsessed with such thing; he couldn't really complain.

"Your Ma is going to grill your father again tonight.." feng JiSang sighed, giving Dayu one of the magnifying glass, and making a space for Dayu beside him.

Dayu nodded, "yeah..She's going to grill us both, Baba..." Dayu replied, "I wonder how long we would be grilled tonight..." he mumbled half heartedly because he was already paying attention to the artifact on the examination table, in front of him.