Young Master Liem

Chapter 18 Starts over again

After reading the cigarette ad Cap Bal Tiga, Wan Siang was interested in going to a stall that sold cigarettes. Apparently in the stall was also taped the same advertisement as the one on the monument.

“You buy what Koh?” Ask The Seller.

“Cigarette Cap Bal Three, how to get a bike?”

“Engkoh buy five packs of cigarettes, exchange five packs of them with one lottery coupon, then the coupon every month is raffled at Kudus. If lucky will be notified and the cost of going back to Kudus to take a bicycle gift borne by NV Bal Tiga Nitisemito. In addition, you will also be invited to tour the cigarette factory.”

“Then I buy five packs, who knows can bike.”

“Please, please Koh, good luck.”

Wan Siang filled out the lottery coupon form and handed it to the shop owner, for the bike draw this month. The prize is really good, the new Simplex bike is equipped with lights and pumps.

After that Wan Siang invited the Sweet One to Uncle A Seng's house. His house in Gang Cilik, Chinatown of Semarang, not so far from Gang Warung.

Uncle A Seng was playing with his son. He was so happy to see Wan Siang coming, then he threw a strange smile at the young man when he saw him holding the Sweet One.

“Tumben you came, not a woman again,” said Uncle A Seng.

“If it is not taken, later he is lost, I am the bother,” replied Wan Siang with a flat face.

“Hahahha...ya bothered, because sweet nyari like this is difficult you know,” as long as Uncle A Seng.

Sweet so blushed embarrassed insinuated so by Uncle A Seng, did not dare to comment an item two words.

“Uncle, I got an idea for our new venture.”

“Wah, what is it?”

“Today I bought five packs of Cap Bal Tiga cigarettes, but the pack I exchanged for one lottery coupon so I could get a bike. These are all cigarettes for Uncle.”

“You want a lottery effort? Good that too. Kamsia* make the cigarette.”

“Not. Uncle see no, cigarettes are always selling? If you want a business that is always a lot of buyers yes, businesses that have to do with cigarettes. No matter the hard times, everyone always buys cigarettes. No matter rich or poor. This means that the business in this field will run and not be affected by the times missed.”

“True, cigarette business is not subject to the times missed, because it does not sell abroad. The buyers are all here. But do you want to make a cigarette factory?”

“Not really, make a cigarette factory it takes a huge capital. I'm not as rich as Nitisemito. But we can offer cooperation to those big companies.”

“Cooperation in what form?”

“We provide tobacco raw materials. We are looking for good tobacco with good price too, surely they want to cooperate with us.”

“You know, cigarette factories usually exist in Kudus, Rembang and surrounding areas. If the tobacco garden is a lot in Temanggung.”

Suddenly Wan Siang remembered the Ciam Sie he had obtained from the Gang Lombok temple, about the windfall coming from the east and west.

“I just remember, yesterday I used to go to the Gang Lombok temple, according to the temple guards, I will get a good windfall, but the fortune comes from the west and east. Kudus is located in the east, while Temanggung is in the west. Maybe this is indeed a new path for us, which we can obviously try.”

The look on Uncle A Seng's face turned joyful and excited.

“Then I try to go to my friend who is in Temanggung, maybe he knows about tobacco plantations in the area.”

“If there is an acquaintance in Temanggung, even better, Uncle. Later if our business is smooth, we hire again our men from the gambling house first. We start again from the beginning.”

“Good, good! Take it easy, Uncle A Seng is ready to help. Besides Uncle also needs money to feed his wife's children,” said Uncle A Seng while lifting his son up high.

“Uncle definitely need money a lot, because many children, many wives also!” sindir Wan Siang's. The two Chinese men laughed.

***

Wan Siang felt even more excited than before. Now in his mind there was already a new ideal, becoming a tobacco tauke. It is said that tobacco tauke can benefit twenty percent from the sale of tobacco from farmers to cigarette factories. Moreover, the cigarette business is good and not affected by the sluggishness of the world economy.

Because of that spirit, Wan Siang's life pattern also changed. He wakes up early and trains his body by exercising. Wan Siang trained in silat techniques that he had previously learned. He realized, to be able to change everything, the first thing that must be changed is yourself first.

For a long time he did not drink wine, so his sanity increased. He began to read again books of knowledge to sharpen his brain. Wan Siang was preparing to become an even greater person. Being healthier and smarter is important in the life changes that it will go through.

Seeing the changes of Wan Siang that are getting more extraordinary from day to day, the Sweet became more admiring. The man is not the same person as in the gambling house. By his own will, the Sweetie provides water and fruits after Wan Siang exercise. At that time Wan Siang was bare-chested, and the shape of his chest was sturdy and sturdy, his muscles were well formed. Make the Sweet Heart swish.

“Koh, this is water and fruit, let it be fresh,” said the Sweetie.

“Thank you, why are you so considerate now?”

“I want to support Koh Wan Siang, now Engkoh is much better than before. I'm happy.”

“Indeed I was how?”

“Here Engkoh used to like to get drunk, now never again. Koh Wan Siang is also better with me.”

“Oh yes, if I get better, do you want to be better as well as me?”

“Yes Yes Koh. Anyway I want to be a supporter of Engkoh, if Engkoh needs something from me, just say.”

Wan Siang smiled, his increasingly intelligent brain was spinning. Think about what she wants from Sweetie.

“I haven't sung and talked to you for a long time, I want you to sing and sing again like first.”

Singing and storytelling were the habits of the Sweet One long ago in Wan Siang's room. But the Sweet One was somewhat forced to do so, because he had to obey Wan Siang as his employer.

“But if you refuse it is also okay. I am not your employer now ,” said Wan Siang.

“I want Koh.”

Wan Siang was somewhat surprised by the statement of the Sweet.

“Really? You didn't have to this time, you did?”

“I willing Koh, I would if it makes Engkoh happy.” The Sweet said with a smile, so that Wan Siang did not have to question his willingness anymore.

***

The relationship between Si Manis and Wan Siang also seemed to start again from the beginning. The resentment and compulsion that the Sweet One once felt when he felt sold by his father had disappeared, changing with the relationship based on the willingness from the bottom of his heart.

Wan Siang was so, his experience of knowing the compassion he got from the Sweet who wanted to take care of him when he was down. Then the compassion in his heart turned into affection, finally the affection was now in the heart of Wan Siang. Not the affection of a brother to his sister, clearly different from his feelings for Siaw Cing.

The Sweet decided to sing and tell a story again for Wan Siang, as his bedtime delivery. He lay by Wan Siang's side, began to sing the songs he was singing, also telling the story of Andhe-andhe Lumut, about a prince who was looking for a wife.

The Sweet sang the song as the prince's mother introduced the beautiful girls who tried their luck to be chosen to be the prince's wife.

The mother sang introducing:

My son Andhe Andhe Andhe moss.

(My son the Andhe Andhe moss).

Temuruno ono putri kang.

(Let there come down a princess who wants to meet).

Ngger, sing ayu rupane.

(A girl boy, a pretty face).

Krenthing Abang eliku kang dadi asmane.

(Red Klenthing is his name).

The prince replied:

Duh mom, kulo dereng purun.

(O mother, I don't want to).

Duh, mother kulo mboten mudhun.

(O mother, I don't want to go down yet).

Nadyan ayu sisane the Yuyu Kang - Kang.

(Although beautiful the rest of Yuyu Kang-Kang).

The beautiful women were rejected by the prince because all the women wanted to be kissed by Yuyu Kang-Kang, the demon guard of the river in the form of a rice field crab, as a condition in order to cross the river to get to the prince's palace. The kiss left a mark on the cheeks of the beautiful girls. The prince could see the sign and rejected the beautiful girls.

Then came the Yellow Klenthing. The mother sang again:

My son Andhe Andhe Andhe Lumut.

(My son is Andhe-Andhe moss).

Temuruno ono putri kang.

(So there's a princess who wants to meet).

Kerene, ngger, kang olo rupane.

(Here comes my boy, whose ugly face).

Yellow kang kang dadi asmane.

(Klenthing Yellow is the name).

The prince replied:

Duh, mom, kulo sampun purun.

(Oh my mother would).

Duh, mother kulo purun mudhun.

(My mom wants to come down).

Nadyan olo princess niki kulo's.

(Even if it's bad, that's my choice).

Eventually the prince's choice fell on the Yellow Krenthing, the only girl Yuyu Kang-Kang would not kiss, even though her face was not pretty. With an heirloom dagger, the Yellow Clenthing could defeat Yuyu Kang-Kang and finally get to the prince's place without being kissed by the demon. With the same keris, the river water can be sorted so that it can pass through the Yellow Klenthing.

Wan Siang loved the Yellow Klenthing story and the song Sweet sang, as if he was the king who listened to the story of 1001 Nights from Shehrazad, a woman who was good at telling stories.

The story of Yellow Klenthing is indeed very famous among the people, aiming to educate their daughters to maintain purity and avoid striped men. Because the virgin child is considered valuable. Especially if the child has a good level, of course the value is even higher.

“Sweet, where did you learn all the stories you told me?” Wan Siang asked.

“From dad and mom, they like to tell me stories before going to bed,” replied The Sweetie.

“So not from reading?”

“No Koh, I can't read.”

Wan Siang understood very well how uneven education at that time. What can get education is the rich people, while among the natives, only people from the priyayi class only. Commoners like the Sweet are mostly uneducated and illiterate. Maybe it was also the desire of the Dutch East Indies government, did not want the natives to be smart. Educated people are also directed to help the government, by working as low-paid state servants.

That prompted Wan Siang to do something for the Sweetie.

“If I teach you to read write, do you want?”

“Mau Koh, but I don't know if I can.”

“You can definitely. You're good at memorizing, that's also intelligence. Basically your mind is smart.”

The Sweet noticed Wan Siang who was looking at her with a look of affection and hope. Wan Siang has restarted his life in a better direction, he also wants the Sweet to be able to develop in a better direction.

Remarks:

Kamsia: thank you.