by Wai Chim
Professor Law turned his attention to me. I was burning with shame and anger but I did my best to explain. ‘I’m sorry. Please, it’s not Guo’s fault. I – I came to the university without telling anyone. I wasn’t supposed to be here. And then I wasn’t supposed to leave the room but I did.’ My cheeks were wet and my vision began to blur. ‘Please, please don’t punish Guo. It’s my fault, it’s all my fault.’ My final pleas came out as loud sobs so I wasn’t sure if anyone understood me.
The professor lowered his voice but it was still firm when he spoke. ‘Little girl, while it’s admirable that you are standing up for your brother, whom you clearly love, you are a child. Your brother is the one who is supposed to be responsible and in charge. He should know better.’ He turned to Guo and waited.
‘It’s true, Mei. It’s my responsibility.’ Guo put his hand up to my cheek to wipe away my tears. ‘You’re my responsibility and you always will be, no matter what. I’m your big brother.’
‘Guo, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble, you have to believe me.’
Guo nodded and gave me a small smile.
Professor Law sighed loudly and rustled under his stacks of papers until he pulled out an old telephone. It didn’t even have buttons on it, just a large plastic dial. He picked up the handset, twisted the dial a few times and then pressed the phone to his ear.
‘Yes, Miss Wu? This is Professor Law. I need to get the Health Department to the university grounds at once. There have been diseased animals about. Yes, the whole building as well as the dorms will need to be disinfected. I’m not sure, I guess we quarantine the birds. Maybe there’s a humane way to dispose of the animals, if they must.’
My crying had died down to sniffles but I felt my throat tighten as the meaning of Professor Law’s words sunk in. Dispose of the animals?
Guo looked worried. ‘Wait, professor. There’s no need for that. The chickens, they’re our pets, they don’t have diseases.’
But Professor Law shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Lin. You village folk might think that chickens can be pets, but here in civilised society, we know they’re riddled with diseases. We simply can’t take these types of risks, especially in a university.’
‘You can’t!’ I spluttered, jumping to my feet. ‘Little and Lo do not have diseases. They roll around in the dust every day to clean themselves.’
Professor Law cocked an eyebrow and his mouth curled upwards into a sneer. ‘They clean themselves in the dirt?’
I groaned. Pa had warned us that sometimes city folk were completely clueless when it came to farming. I looked helplessly at Guo.
Cap cleared his throat. ‘Professor, if I may interrupt, I believe you have this all wrong.’
‘I beg your pardon?’ His eyes widened even more behind the thick lenses of his glasses.
We all turned to Cap. This was the first time he had spoken since the professor had brought us into his office.
‘You see, I was born in the city too. Before he was a general, my father was a city official.’ I stopped myself from rolling my eyes at Cap’s boasting. ‘I understand the diseases birds can carry. And chickens from those dirty villages, why, they’re the worst!’
I was ready to clobber him but kept my clenched fist down by my side. Professor Law was nodding in agreement.
‘But, you see these chickens, they’re not village chickens at all!’ Cap winked at me.
What was Cap up to?
‘Surely,’ he went on, ‘you know the TV show Bet You Can’t? Contestants take on crazy bets to win money.
Professor Law nodded impatiently. ‘Yes, yes. My mother and I watch it together all the time. But, son, what does any of this have to do with these chickens?’
Cap smiled broadly. ‘Why, I thought you’d recognise them by now. The birds you’ve captured are the famous Tic Tac Toe Champion Chickens!’
Guo and I gawked at each other.
Tic Tac Toe Chickens?
Chapter Eleven
Cap stood and took a proud step forward, tilting his head up to meet the professor’s gaze.
‘That’s right, Little and Lo, the famous Tic Tac Toe Champion Chickens. In their two years on the air, they have never lost a match.’
The professor raised another eyebrow. ‘The Tic Tac Toe Chickens are both hens. One of your birds is clearly a rooster.’
But Cap didn’t blink. ‘Everyone knows that roosters are impossible to train. Lo is Little’s travelling companion. The two are always together when they’re not on camera.’
He turned to me and Guo. ‘Mei and her family are some of the best-known chicken breeders in southern China. They have bred and trained some of the most famous chickens in the country.’
I was surprised. Cap was good, but I wasn’t sure if it would be enough to save my chickens from ‘disposal’. I gulped and silently prayed that Cap’s crazy plan would work.
But Guo almost gave us up, right then and there. ‘Look, Professor, this boy is just a friend of Mei’s and he tells some good stories, but I can assure you that the chickens—’
‘The chickens,’ Cap cut him off, ‘the chickens are in need of a good rest before the show tonight. And today’s events have been traumatic enough for them as it is. Listen!’ He made a show of cupping his hand to his ear.
I craned my neck towards the door. Professor Law was listening too.
But aside from a few snorts, there was nothing. I knew that meant Little and Lo had fallen asleep.
‘There’s nothing,’ the professor said, reaching for his phone again. I felt myself sinking in the chair, wanting to disappear into the floor.
But Cap wasn’t anywhere near finished. ‘Exactly!’ he said, throwing his hands in the air. ‘Usually before a show, they’d be full of energy. But they’re completely exhausted.’
Guo rolled his eyes as he stood up. ‘Cap, that’s enough! Professor, I’m so sorry, I—’
But this time, it was the professor who interrupted him. He held up his hand for silence before turning his attention to Cap. Cap stood tall, his arms folded over his chest, his jaw set. Guo sat back down and I sucked in a breath.
‘Show me,’ Professor Law said, lowering his hand.
Cap shifted a little. He swallowed. ‘I beg your pardon?’ he squeaked.
‘Show me. Show me the famous Tic Tac Toe Chickens.’ The professor snapped his fingers in the air and leaned forward in his chair. His face was an unreadable mask. ‘Go on, bring them in.’
I sat there motionless, unsure of what Cap was going to do. Guo was biting his lip anxiously.
With an unusual slowness, Cap spun around on his toes, swivelling his neck until he caught my eye. ‘Come on, Mei. Let’s show him.’ And he gave me a big goofy grin.
My hands were shaking when I stepped out of the office. Lo let out a throaty caw when he saw me and started to beat his wings up against the sides of his prison. It was too cramped for him to spread out and Little had to squish herself up in a corner to stay out of his way.
I picked up the cage, and closed the door behind me. I sure hoped Cap knew what he was doing.
‘Over here.’ Cap pointed to a spot in front of the desk and I set them down. Lo was flapping about with such force I was scared he was going to knock the whole cage over.
Eventually, Lo calmed down enough for Cap to open the small gate. With surprising gentleness, he coaxed Little out of the cage.
Professor Law was leaning forward at his desk, a look of amusement dancing in his eyes.
‘I need a clean space and a big piece of paper,’ Cap explained. I looked over at the professor’s desk cluttered with books and sheets of notepaper.
But Guo was already on the case. He pushed a few of the piles of books together to create a makeshift table. Eager to help, I looked around the room and spotted an old dusty whiteboard leaning against the wall. I showed
it to Cap.
‘Can we use this?’ My stomach flip-flopped a little with both nervousness and excitement.
Cap nodded and I went to help Guo lay it out across the books.
Suddenly, Cap smacked himself on the forehead. ‘Oh, and one more thing! It’s very important. I can’t believe I almost forgot.’ He turned to the professor. ‘We need light. Lots of it. Like in the TV studios.’
As one, we turned to the single window in the room. The blinds were drawn shut. Professor Law got there first. He yanked on the cord so the blinds flew up.
Bright white light flooded the room and I had to shield my eyes with my arm.
Cap grinned broadly. ‘We can begin.’
I didn’t know where Cap had gotten the idea. I’d never seen the TV show Bet You Can’t and had never heard of the Tic Tac Toe Chickens or knew how they played the game. Little was clearly nervous as Cap handed her to me. Her small white body trembled against mine.
Cap drew a hasty noughts and crosses grid on the board with an erasable marker. I watched as he wiped his hands on the sides of his shorts, and realised he was nervous too.
He dug into his pockets, rummaging around until he pulled out his pocket watch. ‘Just need to check the time,’ he muttered quietly as if to himself. ‘It might not be a good time for them to perform.’
Professor Law cleared his throat as he waited. Cap leaned way out of his seat, stretching towards the window as he peered closely at the cracked glass. I could see him twisting around, trying desperately to catch the light.
Finally, a shimmer of light appeared along the far wall. Little saw it and squirmed in my arms. Cap snapped the watch shut.
‘It’s perfect.’ He was now perched quite awkwardly in his seat, one leg cast wide to the right, his elbow digging into his thigh as he held the pocket watch in the palm of his hand. The other hand gripped the side of the chair for balance to keep it from toppling over.
He put on a big goofy grin, trying to make it look like he was sitting in the most natural position in the world.
Professor Law gave Cap a serious nod. ‘Well, that’s a relief. We wouldn’t want to ruin a show with poor timing.’ The professor had his hands folded over one knee as he waited patiently for the show to begin.
‘Well, why don’t you go first?’ Cap said.
The professor nodded and leaned over the makeshift board. He frowned and then made a big X in the middle spot of the grid.
‘Great, it’s Little’s turn.’ Cap motioned for me to set the chicken down. Guo had secured the board with more books so it would stay put with Little on it. She gazed up at the ring of human faces around her, enjoying the attention.
With one clean flick of the wrist, Cap opened the watch and a sparkle of light flitted through the room. It caught Little’s eye and she swivelled her head around. Cap angled the light into the top left corner of the grid. The surface of the whiteboard was slippery and Little struggled to find her footing. But by using her claws and perching herself on her tippy-toes, she was able to move about, though a little clumsily. She made her way over to the light and pecked perfectly in the middle of the box.
‘That’s her move, in the corner! Right there.’ Cap practically squealed in delight and pointed at the board. ‘Professor, if you wouldn’t mind, please.’
Professor Law was smiling now as he drew a dainty O in the spot Little had pecked. He followed that with another X in the opposite corner to Little’s O.
Cap quickly angled the light towards another corner and Little was on it in an instant, pecking furiously.
‘She’s a clever girl, isn’t she?’ Professor Law said as he drew another O. He cast me a sidelong glance.
And then he winked.
I blinked a few times and stared at him in disbelief. But the professor had turned back to the board and was studying it closely.
The match ended in a tie. The professor was grinning from ear to ear now, a mischievous glint in his eye. ‘Well, shall we try again?’
He hastily scrubbed away the marks on the whiteboard and redrew the grid. This time he let Little make the first move. The chicken went straight for the middle square. After several more moves, the match ended in another draw. They had another game with the same result.
I could see sweat gleaming from the professor’s shiny head now. His glasses had slipped down his nose and the tip of his tongue poked out of his mouth as he sketched another grid on the board. Little scrambled across and pecked the middle square. Professor Law drew her mark and then his own.
Cap’s eyes lit up. I knew he could see a special pattern for a win. And, sure enough, as Little had her next turn, I knew the combination he was going for.
The professor sketched in Little’s O and then drew his X. Cap’s eyes were dancing with excitement as he moved the light into the next spot. Yes, we were certain to win now.
As expected, the professor tried to block off one of the lines, but because of the combination Cap had set up, there was still another row to finish for the win. I leaned way out of my chair. As we all watched, Little pecked the final square, completing three Os in a row.
‘Wahoo!’ Cap pumped his fist up in triumph.
BAWK! BAWK! CAW! CA-CAW!
Lo’s cries startled all of us, especially Little. He was bashing his wings against the cage, furious at having been neglected for so long. Cap spun around in his seat in surprise, knocking over the board and sending Little crashing to the ground. She started screeching and running in circles around the stacks of books. Cap leaned over to grab her, but as he did, the watch slid out of his grasp.
It smashed onto the floor and the glass face shattered into a hundred itty bitty pieces. Metal springs and sprockets bounced along, some of them rolling out of sight. Guo looked on in horror and I felt my heart breaking.
Cap’s eyes widened and he sank down, scrabbling for the scraps of his precious pocket watch. His lower lip was caught between his teeth and I could tell that he was biting down on it, trying not to cry.
I clasped my hands over my mouth and turned away, burying my face in Guo’s shoulder. My brother put an arm around me. Poor, poor Cap.
Despite Cap’s efforts to be brave, a throaty wail escaped. He held up the tangled clump of chain in his hand and could no longer choke back his sobs.
I looked up and saw that Professor Law was by Cap’s side. I couldn’t see his face, but he placed a gentle arm around his shoulders. Cap leaned against the professor’s shirt, weeping loudly. They stayed that way for a few long moments, a bit like father and son.
There was a light knock at the door. It opened and a young woman poked her head in. She took a step back in surprise, a questioning look in her eyes.
The professor turned to her. ‘Yes, Miss Wu?’ His voice was soft and his eyes no longer looked like scary orbs behind his glasses. They were gentle and loving.
‘The Health Department called and wondered if you still needed the quarantine.’
Professor Law scoffed. ‘Of course not. These aren’t ordinary chickens after all. They are the famous Tic Tac Toe Champion Chickens and deserve our very best care. Quick, get them some of our finest grains.’
Cap looked up at the professor and smiled, the last few tears sliding down his face. He let out a loud hiccup.
I let go of the breath I didn’t even know I’d been holding. Guo reached out and squeezed my hand. He was relieved too.
Miss Wu looked confused. ‘Do you want me to call the kitchen?’
Professor Law stood up, shaking his head earnestly. ‘No, no, that won’t do at all. We can’t feed champion chickens kitchen slop. Quick, what’s their favourite food?’
‘Noodles,’ I piped up. ‘They like noodles.’
‘Ah yes, of course.’ The professor’s face was no longer unreadable. He was smiling with the excitement of a boy. ‘Miss Wu, go down to the wonton shop and
order two big bowls of noodles for our special guests. Make that five bowls – I’m sure you kids are hungry.’ Cap’s face brightened at the mention of food.
‘And Mr Lin,’ he added. Guo snapped to attention. ‘I believe you’ll need a few days off to finish your assignment as you’ve been so busy caring for our famous friends.’ Guo’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
‘After all, that’s the reason you’ve been falling asleep in my class, eh?’ the professor said, winking at me again.
This time, I winked back.
Guo was blushing now, his tongue twisting around for words. ‘I . . . I didn’t mean to . . .’ But the look on his teacher’s face stopped him from finishing his apology. Professor Law was grinning from ear to ear.
‘Thank you,’ my brother whispered.
Satisfied, the professor nodded and scooped Little into his arms. He cuddled her like a puppy. I smiled, happy that my brother had been given the extension he needed, although quite confused by the professor’s sudden change of heart. Professor Law was a very, very strange man but judging by the way he cooed at Little, maybe he wasn’t all bad.
‘Excuse me.’ Miss Wu cleared her throat. ‘There’s one more thing, actually.’ She turned to Guo and me. ‘Someone has arrived to see you.’
My heart fell.
Jin.
Chapter Twelve
Jin was waiting for us in the dorm room. He was all smiles when Guo and Cap entered, greeting Guo with a big warm hug and shaking Cap’s hand when Guo introduced him as my friend.
I shrank behind them, barely managing to balance the large chicken cage in my arms. What would Jin say? Would he be angry? Guo and Cap made way in the narrow room. I swallowed nervously and stepped inside.
But Jin’s smile was gentle, his good eye warm and inviting. I thought even his glass eye looked friendlier than usual.
‘Mei, it’s good to see you.’ He glanced at the chickens poking around their cage. ‘And Little and Lo too.’
