The Child

Day 3. Month 3 of the Year 5628.

The sun sets as the sky darkens.

In a village between 4 mountains.

Inside a small house at the end of the village.

"Will she and the child be okay mother? I'm afraid that something might happen to them. Should I just go inside and accompany Ai Li?" said a young man nervously.

"Just be patient. She's fine and the old midwife said this will be an easy labor. You know how tough and stubborn your wife is right Long Chen? If you get in there you might just get punched in the face hahaha." an old woman laughed.

"But mother, how can I not be worried? Look at father. He even sweating heavily and even he is worried." Long Chen eyed his sweaty dad.

The old woman looks to her husband beside her and said "Why are you more nervous than our son? This is not your first time waiting for a child old man."

"Even though this isn't my first time but that child is my first grandchild. How can I not be worried Yan Hua?" the old man wiped his sweat with a cloth.

Yan Hua shakes her head and said "Don't worry. It won't be long for us to hold our first grandchild Long Zhao." She smiled then pats his son hand and said "The child and Ai Li will be fine. Just don't worry too much and wait patiently."

They all look at the door that contained muffled sounds of a women screaming and breathing hard. They waited while hearing the midwife told to the women to push out the baby. Many curses and orders were said during the labor. The young man walked back and forth in front of the door.

Not long after that the door to the room opened. "She's fine and the baby's fine." said a young midwife with a weird face. Three of them rush towards the young midwife and ask nervously "Why? Something happen?". The midwife said "You need to look for yourself."

All of them enter the room to see a young woman with a baby in her arms. They walk to her sides and Long Chen look to her wife and they both look at each other with smiles. Long Zhao then ask "Is it a baby girl or a baby boy?" while looking between the young mother and the old midwife in front of the bed.

The old midwife with a weird looking face said "It's a boy. But...". She alternately looks between all of the family faces and her assistants that Yan Hua worriedly ask "Why? What's wrong? Is the something wrong old Min?". All of them look towards the old midwife.

Old Min then said "He's fine and healthy but he's too quiet. He did not cry when he got out. I tried to pinch or slap his bottom but he still did not cry." She paused while look toward the young mother and continues "I might be mistaken but your child might be mute."

All of them shocked. They suddenly realized that there is no sound of crying when the door was opened. No words uttered while the room got quiet that not even a sound heard from anyone even the midwives.

"It's fine. As long as the baby is healthy and the mother is fine. The baby will be protected and loved even if he is a mute." said Long Zhao while patted his son back.

The young mother look to her baby son. She stares and gently smile to the small and sleepy baby in her arms and said "Your name will be Long Hao" then kiss the baby forehead.

"I like that name Ai Li." smiled Long Chen after kneeled and kissed his wife.

~~~~~

Three years passed.

The boy got bigger but still quiet.

All of them thought that the boy is a mute but one day the young mother heard that her little son called her.

"What did you just said? Long Hao? say it again." said Ai Li excitedly.

She and the old couple sat in front of the little boy with excited faces.

"HAHAHAHAHA I KNEW IT! I knew that my grandson is not a mute. He's just special HAHAHAAHAH!" laughed the old man.

Yan Hua frown toward her husband and said "Quiet down old man. You might make him cry with your loud voice." She then look to the boy and smiled "I was worried that he might get bullied by the villagers. Some of the villagers even asked me if the boy is a mute or not when I brought him outside."

"Hmph! They think that they can bully my grandson? They dare to do that and I might just cut off their head." said Long Zhao furiously.

The boy tilt his head sideways while watching his mother and the old couple talk in front of him. He then ignored them and walks away in search of his toys.

They then heard the sound of someone running towards their home. BAAMMM!!! The sound of the front door slams open as a man enter the house hurriedly.

"Where is Hao Long? Is it true? He's not a mute?" asks Long Chen as he walks towards his wife while searching for his son.

Ai Li pats her husband chest and said "It's true. He's not a mute but why are you here? I thought that you said you won't be back for a while to hunt? Where did you heard about this?" questioned her.

"How can I go hunting when it is about my son? and I know about this from old man Zhang. He said that he heard father shouted 'He's not a mute!' many times while he walked in front of our house." said Long Chen.

"See old man? Now the whole world knows our grandson can talk." glared Yan Hua.

"Hey at least he's not a mute." the old man scratched his head with a embarrassed smile.

Long Chen saw his son playing with his horse toy and walk toward him. He pick up Long Hao and said "Son, can you call me dad? Can you say it? Say dad, or dada."

The boy touch his dad face and said "Da."

The house got noisy after that.