Her thick lashes lift as Mummy Lulu takes a sip of her jasmine tea. “Who’s the Tai Sui for 2023?” She replaces the cup on the marble top of the table and crosses her legs, exposing thighs with varicose veins in the high slit of her blue qipao.
To music from the plucking of the guzheng from somewhere, Sifu Sabrina adjusts the collar of her beige qipao and smoothens its front. “General Pi Shi,” she answers. The feng shui doll is wearing short hair permed with a wave, harking to the dizzy days of Old Shanghai. “His sensitive directions are north and west.” The female sifu hefts a ceramic pot and re-fills Mummy Lulu’s cup, decorated with dragon motifs. “Zodiac animals offending him are Rabbit, Rooster, Horse, Rat, Dragon. As usual, lots of prayers by these folks.”
Ten minutes ago, Sifu Sabrina stumbled upon Mummy Lulu in the spick-and-span Starhill Gallery. “Hey, we’re both wearing qipao!” they exclaimed together. They decided to talk shop in a nearby tea house, whose entrance is disgorging a sweet fragrance.
Mummy Lulu picks up a spring roll with ivory chopsticks and starts to eat, talking with her mouth full. “Isn’t the praying of Tau Sui just a money-making activity for temples? I’m skeptical—quite skeptical—that there’re 60 deities—God knows doing what in Heaven—taking rooster duties affecting a person’s endeavours.” Mummy Lulu raises her eyebrows, dark eyes in a squint. “Tell me, who discovered Tai Sui? When? How?”
“Forget it!” Mummy Lulu snorts. Previous year has been horrid for me. Bad luck and a few misfortunes. And I was not in conflict with him. So why should I thank this bugger?” A scowl crimps Mummy Lulu’s expression. “General He E, if I remember correctly.” The scowl fades away. “But I’ll be happy to welcome the new Tai Sui. Though I’m not a strong believer in him anyway.”
“Come on, at least, General He E let you survive 2022!” Sifu Sabrina throws her head back and laughs. “So, when are you leaving KL?”
Mummy Lulu takes out a tooth-pick from a plastic container. “I can only leave on the 23rd. Papa-san Yap asked me to welcome Cai Sen at the nightclub on 22nd, first day of CNY. He read on the Internet that Cai Sen will arrive on that day at 1:40 am from the East. This bloke’s a die-hard in traditional customs.” Mouth agape, the mama-san picks at her teeth, then closes it. “Your office closed for how many days?”
“Five. You aware that the best days to restart work are 25th, Wednesday, that’s the fourth lunar day, and 27th, 6th lunar day? So, I’ll be back on Friday. Will be in Penang with my niece.” Sifu Sabrina sips her invigorating tea and her eyes turn rounder, prettier. “I want her to pray to Wenchang Wang. He’s also in the Tai Por Kong Temple. The God of Literature, they call him. Always carry a spectre in one hand. Students who pray to him have better examination luck. I heard some hacks suffering from writer’s block also go kowtow to him.”
Mummy Lulu brings her cup to her wrinkled lips and upends it. “First time I’ve heard of Wenchang Wang.”
“Yes, unknown here. But in Taiwan, this deity rivals Confucius in popularity. Got two temples dedicated to him. Both in Taichung City.” Sifu Sabrina looks at her wrist watch. “Finish drinking? Then, shall we scram?”
/end
