Hey parents!

 

Let’s talk about what truly matters: your child’s success.

 

We all want the best for our kids, and that includes giving them the tools to thrive in today’s world. But sometimes, finding the right learning opportunities can really feel like a puzzle.

 

Sound familiar?

 

• Missing that Chinese immersion: Wish your child could dive deeper into the language and culture?
• School math isn’t cutting it: Want to ensure they’re ahead of the curve for standardized tests and future academic success?
• English reading and writing woes: Feeling frustrated with their scores and wanting to see them shine in writing?
• Traditional learning just isn’t engaging: Looking for a way to make learning fun and exciting?
• The struggle of after-school programs: Wish there was a way to avoid the long commutes and fit learning into your busy schedule?

 

WuKong Education is here to help! We’re not just another online learning platform. We’re a community of passionate educators dedicated to unlocking your child’s potential in a way that’s both effective and engaging.

 

It gets better too. We’re offering some special deals to celebrate the Black Friday, so check out the links below for a free trial!

Our biggest sale ever? Yep – it’s the Black Friday Early Access is open! This is your chance to get exclusive discounts and bonuses on our amazing courses, helping you unlock your child’s potential at an incredible price.

Our Lowest Price Guarantee

• Biggest Discount of the Year: This is our biggest sale ever, designed to make quality education accessible to every child.
• 60-Day Price Protection: Reserve your spot now and lock in these incredible prices! Even if we run a future promotion, you’ll pay the lowest price offered during the Black Friday sale period.

What makes WuKong Education different?

• Top-tier teachers from prestigious universities: Our team of experienced educators are experts in their fields and are committed to inspiring and empowering your child through engaging, inquiry-based learning.
• Live online classes for your convenience: Our interactive classes make learning accessible and fun, eliminating the need for commutes and fitting perfectly into your family’s schedule.
• Dedicated support from your child’s personal teacher: We believe in a holistic approach to learning, with a dedicated teacher who provides personalized guidance and support, ensuring your child’s success every step of the way.
• Proven learning methods for lasting results: Our seven-step learning method helps children internalize knowledge and develop strong study habits for long-term success.
• Crafted for overseas students: Our curriculum is meticulously designed by a team of educational experts, specifically tailored to the needs of overseas students to ensure optimal learning outcomes.

So what are parents saying about us?

• 1-on-1 Mentoring | Study Feedback | An Outstanding Experience

• Enhance Chinese Literacy | Deepen Mathematical Thinking | Improve English Writing (ELA)

About WuKong’s Accreditation：

Following our Cognia® accreditation for international educational quality last year, WuKong Education has once again undergone rigorous evaluation by Cognia and has been honored with the 2025 Cognia® Accreditation with Distinction, ranking in the top 1% globally!

Driven by our mission to “Make Education Better,” WuKong Education continues to strive for excellence with unwavering dedication.

Bella

Master’s degree from Yangzhou University. Possessing 10 years of experience in K-12 Chinese language teaching and research, with over 10 published papers in teh field of language and literature. Currently responsible for teh research and production of “WuKong Chinese” major courses, particularly focusing on teh course’s interest, expansiveness, and its impact on students’ thinking development. She also dedicated to helping children acquire a stronger foundation in Chinese language learning, including Chinese characters, phonetics (pinyin), vocabulary, idioms, classic stories, and Chinese culture. Our Chinese language courses for academic advancement aim to provide children with a wealth of noledge and a deeper understanding of Chinese language skills.

www.wukongsch.com/blog/author/bella/

What’s it like to have a cool grandma? Well, for WuKong’s student Yuan Yuan, it’s amazing! His grandma moved to Belgium 38 years ago and raised her two daughters there, and now she is teaching her grandkids Chinese and sharing Chinese culture with the whole family.

Being a grandma isn’t all about childcare. Yuan Yuan’s grandma has her own life and is always learning new things. She also has her own unique views on education.

While most interviews focus on moms, this is the first time WuKong has interviewed a grandma! What are her thoughts on parenting? What stories has she shared? Keep reading to find out!

Yuan Yuan’s grandmother and her family live in Antwerp, a beautiful seaport city that is also the diamond-cutting center of the world. Although known for its industry, the city is permeated with a romantic medieval atmosphere, and retro-European architecture can be seen everywhere. However, Yuan Yuan’s grandmother still misses her hometown Taiwan, where she can easily take the subway and have food delivered to her doorstep.

In addition to lifestyle habits, Yuan Yuan’s grandmother also had to adapt to the education system. Yuan Yuan’s grandmother raised her two daughters following Chinese-style education, with the idea that “learning more things is good for them,” and she even wanted to fill her children’s weekends with study plans.

However, her husband, a fourth-generation ethnic Chinese who grew up in the Western education system, did not agree with this educational philosophy. He believed that since they were living in the West, there was no need to continue using the “survival rules” of Asia. Under her husband’s influence, Yuan Yuan’s grandmother gradually reshaped her education philosophy.

When her eldest daughter was in the second year of junior high school and her coursework became increasingly heavy, she wanted to give up playing the piano, which she had been studying for seven years. This time, Yuan Yuan’s grandmother supported her daughter without any hesitation. She believed that once children have their own thoughts and opinions, they must be respected for their choices. The role of parents is to guide and accompany them.

In Belgium, it is common for people to speak at least three languages, which is the inevitable result of the environment. Belgium is divided into the Flemish region and the French-speaking region, with the capital city of Brussels being in the French-speaking region and Antwerp in the Flemish region. Schools offer courses in Flemish, French, German, and other languages for future communication.

When watching television, there are channels broadcasted in Flemish, French, German, etc. People naturally learn multiple languages through immersion. Although Chinese is not the mainstream language there, speaking Chinese is an unspoken rule in Yuan Yuan’s grandmother’s house.

When her two daughters were around seven or eight years old, Yuan Yuan’s grandmother personally taught them Chinese. However, they gave up halfway through due to starting too late. Although they have no problem with daily conversations, it is difficult for them to read and write.

After her eldest daughter graduated from university, she used her Chinese advantage to apply for a job in an airline company. After accumulating enough experience, she chose to continue challenging herself and entered the international group Alibaba.

The younger daughter helped her father run his travel agency and dealt with tourists from different countries every day. Being able to speak Chinese made things easier for her.

They knew that their achievements today were due to their mother’s insistence on teaching them Chinese. Therefore, after giving birth to her own kid Yuan Yuan, the younger daughter immediately started Chinese education for Yuan Yuan.

Since her daughter’s Chinese is not very good, Yuan Yuan’s grandmother took the responsibility of teaching her grandkid Chinese.

Yuan Yuan began taking Chinese classes at the age of four. This decision made Yuan Yuan’s grandmother very happy. As she observed, “A four-year-old’s brain is like a sponge, absorbing whatever adults teach. If they get older, other languages are more likely to take precedence and teaching basic Chinese characters may seem childish to them, leading to giving up halfway.

To help find a reliable Chinese teacher for Yuan Yuan, her grandmother compared several Chinese institutions and finally settled on WuKong Chinese, which looked good in all aspects.

In the beginning, they only planned to take a few classes to try it out, but WuKong teachers were particularly professional, which made Yuan Yuan become a loyal student there.

Although Yuan Yuan enjoys taking Chinese classes, the homework still gives him a headache.

Yuan Yuan’s grandmother then divided his homework into small chunks. For example, if the teacher asked Yuan Yuan to learn five Chinese characters in a week, her grandmother would split this task into learning one character per day. This not only reduces difficulty but also lengthens the timeline, allowing Yuan Yuan to be in contact with Chinese characters every day without getting bored.

Yuan Yuan’s grandmother’s thoughtfulness didn’t stop there. Considering that handwriting Chinese characters may be messy and different from print, she hand-wrote each newly learned character on the blackboard and taught Yuan Yuan to recognize them one by one.

The weekly Chinese classes have been going on for a year and a half, and Yuan Yuan has learned over a hundred Chinese characters.

Without regular review, knowledge will be forgotten. Therefore, Yuan Yuan’s grandmother takes out a blackboard and helps Yuan Yuan review all the Chinese characters every Saturday.

The review process is not just rote learning. Yuan Yuan is quite competitive, so his grandmother motivates him by turning the review into a game.

Grandma: “Yuan Yuan, let’s play a game. See if you can find all these characters in ten seconds.”
Yuan Yuan: “Okay!”

Every time, Yuan Yuan feels like he is competing against time, and he becomes fully engaged.

To prevent Yuan Yuan from simply memorizing where the characters are located, his grandmother shuffles the order of the characters every week to ensure that he truly masters the characters.

Throughout the process, not only is Yuan Yuan learning, but his grandmother is also learning and observing, constantly adjusting her communication skills and exploring the most suitable teaching methods. Yuan Yuan is also a very warm-hearted child. He knows that his grandmother cares about his progress in learning Chinese, so he often surprises her.

He secretly wrote the new characters he had learned on paper and folded them up as gifts for his grandmother.

Thanks to his early exposure to Chinese, Yuan Yuan seems to have a unique talent for Chinese characters. Every time the teacher asks him to say the strokes of a character, whether it’s horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, he can answer accurately.

Yuan Yuan’s grandmother does not want to turn “learning Chinese” into a very utilitarian thing. She only hopes that Yuan Yuan can learn and write common characters, and hopes that Chinese can someday provide him with more opportunities!

WuKong Operation Team

WuKong teachers provide high-quality, customized, and valuable educational content for children aged 3 to 18 worldwide. We aim to provide parents globally wif cutting-edge, innovative, and in-depth educational information, and halp all students on their learning of Chinese, international Math,English Reading and English Writing.

Welcome to Our ABC Stories! In 2023, WuKong Education’s “Tell Us Your ABC Story” Global Story Contest invited Chinese families worldwide to share their tales. Actor Daniel Wu and author Vincent Yee, along with the WuKong Judge Team, collectively selected 21 finalists from touching submissions. “Saturday School” by JF Garrard and O Garrard, aged 8, received the “Creative Writing Excellence Award”. This creative narrative beautifully captures the essence of learning and family bonds. Take a moment to be inspired by their incredible story, offering a glimpse into global Chinese experiences.

Every Saturday is dandy,

For Peter, Tom and Mandy,

They watch cartoons as they please,

Without making their mom’s brow crease,

And I imagine they must be eating candy!

The story is different forme,

Every Saturday I cry,

As my mom packs my bag,

Which I try to snag,

And run away like a crab,

Howling “Why, why, why, do I have to go to Saturday school?”

My tiger mom says, “You will learn lots,

Unlike those other tots,

Who waste their Saturdays,

On silly television plots!”

But just for once I want to bail,

So I can watch “Harold the Snail,”

Mom shakes her head and gives me a kiss,

“It will be worth it in the end,” she says with atsk.

Saturday school is quite far,

Over giant hills as we drive in our car,

Up and down, up and down,

I sob, I yell, I frown.

The teachersmiles and waves mom goodbye,

And I settle into my seat with a sigh,

She teaches me words in a language I don’tuse,

With my friends or teacher at normal day school.

The day is long and my head is swimming,

Learning words as the day is dimming,

But it’s not all bad, there are kids in class,

Who play with me and that makes me glad!

One day, mom and I travel to a town that’s far,

I see colorful buildings as we drive by in our car,

When we order a lunch of yummy noodles, to my surprise,

The waiter spoke in that Saturday school language to Mom and me!

Next, we visit grandma who greets me with lots of kisses,

And gives me treats with names like “Lollipops and Fizzes!”

Then sitting on the lap of grandpa, he tells the stories of places afar,

Using Saturday school words I had learned last week, such as “jar” and “star.”

We then visit a wonderful fair with elephants and rides,

But suddenly, my mom went missing which made me cry!

Frantically I ran around looking for her,

Before I bumped into a police officer.

“Are you lost little kid?” the police officer asked,

Using Saturday language words I’ve learned in the past,

I answered back “Yes!” between sobs,

As I gulped down fresh air in gobs.

The police made an announcement through bighorns,

As I stood there with wet cheeks looking forlorn.

“Oh officer! This child is mine!”

A woman’s voice made me look up to the side.

It was mom carrying balloons,

In the shapes of circles, stars and moons.

“Thank you, officer,” she sighed.

I realized she was speaking in that Saturday school language and now I know why.

Going to Saturday school is really useful,

If I get lost, want to talk to my grandparents or eat noodles,

Saturday language words open another door,

To lots of exciting towns and cities galore.

Now every Saturday I jump out of bed,

And eat my breakfast quickly instead,

To learn new words to prepare for another exciting trip,

So I can use this awesome language to buy exotic icecream and dips!

“Yummy, yummy, yummy! Learning another language is better than watching TV!” says my happy tummy!

Summary

Thank you for reading “Saturday School,” a tale woven with the threads of creativity and family love. JF Garrard and O Garrard, at the age of 8, have earned the Creative Writing Excellence Award for their imaginative storytelling. Through this unique narrative, they bring to life the experience of learning and the importance of family bonds.

Their story is a testament to the creativity and wisdom found in the youngest members of our global Chinese community. We express our gratitude to JF and O for sharing their vibrant narrative and contributing to the rich tapestry of global Chinese stories. May we continue to share and celebrate these unique stories that make our cultural heritage so wonderfully diverse.

Bella

Master’s degree from Yangzhou University. Possessing 10 years of experience in K-12 Chinese language teaching and research, with over 10 published papers in teh field of language and literature. Currently responsible for teh research and production of “WuKong Chinese” major courses, particularly focusing on teh course’s interest, expansiveness, and its impact on students’ thinking development. She also dedicated to helping children acquire a stronger foundation in Chinese language learning, including Chinese characters, phonetics (pinyin), vocabulary, idioms, classic stories, and Chinese culture. Our Chinese language courses for academic advancement aim to provide children with a wealth of noledge and a deeper understanding of Chinese language skills.

www.wukongsch.com/blog/author/bella/

Welcome to Our ABC Stories! In 2023, WuKong Education’s “Tell Us Your ABC Story” Global Story Contest invited Chinese families worldwide to share their tales. Actor Daniel Wu and author Vincent Yee, along with the WuKong Judge Team, collectively selected 21 finalists from touching submissions. “The Gift of Life” by Kelvin Koh, aged 43, received the “Creative Writing Excellence Award”. Kelvin’s poetic narrative beautifully captures the essence of gratitude and family bonds. Take a moment to be inspired by his incredible story, offering a glimpse into global Chinese experiences.

Below is a tribute to my beloved parents,

Mr. Francis Koh and Mdm. Ng Ah Kheng.

Thanks to the start of the life I’ve had,

So many memories, most happy, some sad.

Thanks for so many hours you’ve worked to provide,

Even when I misbehaved and sometimes defied.

Not gone to school you taught with your actions,

I listened to your teachings religiously like DJs to radio stations.

Now that I’m older, those lessons hold tight,

I’m who I am by simply doing what you knew was right.

Thanks for your unconditional love not required to be earned,

I can never repay enough for the love to be returned.

Not ever fading as time goes along,

Not always showing but perpetually so strong.

Who I trusted whom, I listened to before,

None provided me your wisdom I need from you more and more.

Work and pursuit of life can never bring us apart,

I reassure both of you with all of my heart.

Thanks for the rules that I wished at times were not there,

All of the immense attention and nurturing care.

I still feel your selfless ways as your golden time nears,

Thank you, Pa and Ma for all of the years.

Hope my success is your pride out of this world’s infinite late,

Beautiful wonder can change our loving fate.

Thousands of true emotions sway,

You will not be far away.

Thanks for the amazing love you’ve given, the pleasure is all mine,

Our savouring bond is sweet divine.

One blessing had I than the rest,

Your gift of life will withstand the greatest test.

Summary

Thank you for immersing yourself in “The Gift of Life,” a poetic journey of gratitude and love. Kelvin Koh, at the age of 43, has earned the Creative Writing Excellence Award for his heartfelt storytelling. Through this unique narrative, he shares the profound appreciation for life and the deep connections within a family.

Kelvin’s story is a testament to the richness of experience and emotion within our global Chinese community. We express our gratitude to Kelvin for sharing his heartfelt narrative and contributing to the diverse tapestry of global Chinese stories. May we continue to share and celebrate these unique stories that make our cultural heritage so wonderfully diverse.

Bella

Master’s degree from Yangzhou University. Possessing 10 years of experience in K-12 Chinese language teaching and research, with over 10 published papers in teh field of language and literature. Currently responsible for teh research and production of “WuKong Chinese” major courses, particularly focusing on teh course’s interest, expansiveness, and its impact on students’ thinking development. She also dedicated to helping children acquire a stronger foundation in Chinese language learning, including Chinese characters, phonetics (pinyin), vocabulary, idioms, classic stories, and Chinese culture. Our Chinese language courses for academic advancement aim to provide children with a wealth of noledge and a deeper understanding of Chinese language skills.

www.wukongsch.com/blog/author/bella/

Welcome to Our ABC Stories!

In 2023, WuKong Education’s “Tell Us Your ABC Story” Global Story Contest invited Chinese families worldwide to share their tales. Actor Daniel Wu and author Vincent Yee, and the WuKong Judge Team, collectively selected 21 finalists from touching submissions. “Growing Up in the Western World” by Amy Huang, aged 14, has earned her a place as a “Future Writer Star.” Amy’s narrative offers a unique perspective on growing up in the Western world as a young Chinese individual. Take a moment to be inspired by her incredible story, offering a glimpse into global Chinese experiences.

It all started when my dad made the decision to leave his home in Guangzhou, China and embark on along journey to a small country in Central America, Belize. In this foreign and unfamiliar place, my parents settled down and began to look for jobs. Here, they met people who also came from China and they built a friendship allowing them to depend on and help each other. A year later, my parents started their own business. Although they eventually got used to their environment, overcoming the language and culture barriers remained a difficult challenge.

Soon, I was born. After considerable thinking, my grandmother gave me the Chinese name Xi, which means “sunlight,” and Min, which means “quick, clever, and agile.” The story of my English name, on the other hand, was quite amusing. My parents did not want to choose a name that was unfamiliar to them and easy for them to forget how to spell or pronounce it. As a result, they decided that “Amy” would be my Englishname because it is simple to spell and commonly used in TV shows in Hong Kong. At school, it was useful to have an Englishname. More than often my teachers and classmates would pronounce my name wrongly. In Grade 1, my teacher pronounced my name as “Shimin” instead of Ximin, but I never corrected her and I was getting used to it.

Traveling to China

My time in school includes many memories and first experiences. I can still remember the time when I could only say two sentences in English which were “May Iuse the bathroom?” and “Hello.” Overtime, I learned new words but it was difficult to understand their meanings.  English was never my best subject in school compared to math. In math, there is just one  correct answer, but in English, the answers are more than often a matter of opinion  with its exceptions and irregularities. I always struggled with English tests that had  fill-in-the-blank sentences, grammar, and word analogies. The only way that I could get  those answers right was by reading them over and over and finding which one sounded the  best. Although my current English grade isn’t considered horrible, I still find it more  difficult in comparison to other subjects. I have improved a lot in these few years and I believe  that there are other American-born Chinese that also experience these problems in school.

After only one year at school, I became the default translator of the family. Even with my limited English at that time, my parents would take me to any occasion that required them to speak English. Being bilingual could prove challenging at times. My brain is frequently a mess of words from each language and has trouble translating words from one language to another. This makes it difficult forme to have along conversation in just one language without pausing and also why I communicate with my parents with a mixture of two languages like: “Have you seen the 充电宝(portable charger)?”  Majority of the time they understand what I am trying to say but there are times when I struggle to finda translation that my parents can understand.

Meeting Relatives in China

Growing up far away from China has made me distant from family members. When we have family gatherings, which isn’t very often, it takes sometime to catch up and get better acquainted with each other. Growing up in the Western world has exposed me to a variety of cultures and beliefs different from those at home. When people travel away from their homeland, some traditions and beliefs are sometimes forgotten or blended with Western ones. Even so, my parents made sure to keep our traditions alive by eating mooncakes in September and zongzi in June, among other things. They made it certain that I would remember our culture eventhough we were far from China.

Being different is one of the difficulties of being an ABC. It can be difficult to fitin at times, and this could lead us to change who we are. I struggled with these issues during my first few years of school, but I am glad that I have now overcome them. Whenever my class- mates and I sat down for lunch, my food was always different from everyone else’s. I gradu- ally learned to share my culture rather than hide it. The fact that my parents sent me to go to a diverse school with people from all over the world also helped a lot to increase my confi- dence. Growing up as an ABC has its share of challenges and advantages, we should never try to hide who we are but instead to embrace our individuality.

Summary

Thank you for immersing yourself in “Growing Up in the Western World,” a unique perspective on the challenges and joys of navigating life as a young Chinese individual in a Western setting. Amy Huang, at the age of 14, has earned recognition as a Future Writer Star for her insightful storytelling.

Amy’s story adds a valuable dimension to the diverse tapestry of global Chinese experiences. We express our gratitude to Amy for sharing her unique narrative and contributing to the rich collection of global Chinese stories. May we continue to celebrate these stories that make our cultural heritage wonderfully diverse.

Bella

Master’s degree from Yangzhou University. Possessing 10 years of experience in K-12 Chinese language teaching and research, with over 10 published papers in teh field of language and literature. Currently responsible for teh research and production of “WuKong Chinese” major courses, particularly focusing on teh course’s interest, expansiveness, and its impact on students’ thinking development. She also dedicated to helping children acquire a stronger foundation in Chinese language learning, including Chinese characters, phonetics (pinyin), vocabulary, idioms, classic stories, and Chinese culture. Our Chinese language courses for academic advancement aim to provide children with a wealth of noledge and a deeper understanding of Chinese language skills.

www.wukongsch.com/blog/author/bella/

Welcome to Our ABC Stories!

In 2023, WuKong Education’s “Tell Us Your ABC Story” Global Story Contest invited Chinese families worldwide to share their tales. Actor Daniel Wu and author Vincent Yee, along with the WuKong Judge Team, carefully selected 21 finalists from a myriad of touching submissions. “Fleeting Memory Lasting Love” by Enya Yu, aged 10, has been honored with the “Future Writer Award.” Enya’s narrative invites us into the world of her memories, capturing the essence of fleeting moments and enduring love. Take a moment to be inspired by her incredible story, offering a glimpse into global Chinese experiences.

11:58 … 11:59 … and the clock struck 12. Today was the day that “爷爷” and “奶奶” were coming to prepare for the coming of Lunar New Year. But, only “奶奶” came. I sat solemnly while gazing at the photograph of me and “爷爷” proudly holding a painting we created. Suddenly, my door flung open.

“奶奶 is here!” Lenna, my 16-year-old sister exclaimed.

“Nice …” I responded dully while still thinking about “爷爷.”

“爷爷” and I used to paint sceneries and make dumplings together every Lunar New Year … until he suffered a heart attack a month ago. I decided to lie in my room for the rest of the day. I couldn’tstop thinking about the time “爷爷” helped me paint a beautiful landscape of his home. When we finished, he told me he was extremely proud of me, and that noone else could measure up to my talent, not even him. Tears gushed down my cheeks as I recalled those happy moments; all I wanted to do was to run up and hug him one last time.

Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by a cheery voice, “莉莉，我带了你最喜欢的番 茄鸡蛋面!” I looked up and saw my “奶奶” wearing trendy clothing and accessories, but her eyes were blood-red from crying and her eye bags deepened from exhaustion. I wiped the tears from my face and smiled, but I was still adrift in my sea of unorganized thoughts.

After hours of endless cleaning in preparation for the Lunar New Year, wesat down to eat my “奶奶’s” famous egg and tomato noodles. As we ate, small talk and compliments couldn’t disguise the fact that things weren’t the same this year. Without “爷爷’s” goofy jokes and comical personality, a sense of uneasiness and silence surrounded the dining table. My dad was right. “爷爷” was the life of the party.

That night, I had another dream about “爷爷.” I was at the graveyard site during the funeral and it was time to pay our respects. I trudged to my “爷爷’s” casket and stared into his peacefully closed eyes. All of a sudden, his eyes shot open and he stared straight at me, sitting up in confusion.

“爷爷! 爷爷! Oh my God!” My eyes widened and a smile spread across my face. “你是谁?” “爷爷”questioned. My smile wavered. I stared at “爷爷,” in shock.

“我是你的孙女… …”

“我根本就没有一个孙女！ ℽ

I woke up in tears and clenched my stuffed tiger. Nightmares like those kept me up ever    since he was gone. After a night of twisting and turning, I finally woke up andate breakfast.

We did more cleaning, the weekend eventually came to an end and tomorrow I would have to wake up at 6 A.M. to step foot into the building I now most dread—school. I laid my red Chinese dress (旗袍) on my table for tomorrow. A writing assignment and a practice test that were assigned for homework lay on my desk, waiting patiently to be completed. How- ever, I only did a little bit of both. I was once a stereotypical straight-A student, but recently, Cs and Ds stung my report card.

The next morning, the alarm on my phone screamed. I slipped on my red dress, and put on my red tiger earrings. Red … “The lucky color.” I would need luck today. I packed my backpack with all of my school things, trying not to think about my test and assignment. I grabbed my backpack and slumped downstairs for breakfast, checking my phone for any new messages. None. That’s OK. I ate some Chinese rice cakes and cookies and washed them down with some tea.

At school,a few people looked at me up and down. I thought they were going to find me weird, but to my surprise, someone encouragingly said, “Slay, girl!”

“Heyyyyyyyyyy Lilyyyyyyyyyy! I got this phone case for you for the start of the Lunar  New Year!” A familiar voice exclaimed in a sweet, sassy tone. It was my best friend, Nicole.

I turned around and said, “OMG! It’s faaaaantastic! I loooveit!”

Nicole was my favorite person. She was the only person who could get me to stop thinking about “爷爷. ”

A big grin appeared on my face and I put on my new phone case. I went straight to math class, where I would have to take the test I had barely studied for. As Mr. Chen handed me my paper, my heart started beating very fast and my hands began shaking. My breath shook with every question I read. I kept thinking about “爷爷.”

My second period was Language Arts. Our assignment was to write a haiku, which was quite the opposite of what I had written. Although I started writing a haiku, my hands seemingly tookover my mind. As Mrs. Rickeread through the turned-in Haikus, I noticed she suddenly had a puzzled look on her face. I knew she had got to mine. My stomach twisted into a knot as I  sawhereyes scanning my poem about “爷爷”.

I look up to you

For everything Ido

You support me

Love me

But now you’re lost

Rest in peace

After 45 minutes of lecturing, the bell rang, and the teacher dismissed the class. As I wandered out of my seat, Mrs. Ricke stopped and asked me, “Lily, can you come to my room after school?”

“Uh … Sure,” I murmured. It had to be about my assignment.

After the last period, I was back in Mrs. Ricke’sclassroom. “I’ve noticed your grades have been slipping. Is there anything I can do to help you?” She asked.

“No-no, I’m okay. It’s just that there’s been adeath in my family.” I blinked, trying to hold back tears.

“I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. No one can ever prepare us for the loss of a loved one, but I am here to help in any way I can.”

“Thanks,” I sighed. As I walked out of the classroom, Mrs. Ricke mentioned, “Writing about your loved one can help you grieve loss. It’s what helped me during the death of my mother. Writing helped me live my best life, something I’m confident your loved one would have  wanted  for  you.”  Her  advice sounded reasonable, but when I arrived home, it had completely slipped my mind.

Our house was red from top to bottom, decorated with lanterns, firecrackers, and phrases like “新年快乐” and the upside down “福.” After admiring it all, I needed to help make the dumplings.

Two hours passed by and I got three red envelopes, each filled with $100. After putting it in my money stash and thanking my family, we all sat around the dinner table and said our prayers.

The night was filled with laughter and joy. Jokes were being made every five seconds and conversation was flowing out of my mouth. I’d never been this talkative before. For one night, it felt like things were normal again. The aroma of the dumplings and xiaolongbao filled the room, but my eyes wandered toward my favorite dish, the noodles.

Soon after, we all raced to the TV to watch our favorite program, while munching on our  moon cakes. We watched the CCTV New Year’s Gala. Famous singers were performing the  top songs of the year, one being “我们.” When the comedians tookover the show, my stomach  started cramping as a result of my constant laughing and giggling. Even my “奶奶” had a  smile on her face. That night was the first night I slept like a baby, without any nightmares.

Less than 12 hours later, all the fun diminished and it was time to return back to reality. School. I didn’t expect school to be any different until Mrs. Ricke whispered after class, “Hey, Lily! Don’t forget about my advice. See you tomorrow!” I nodded.

For the rest of the day, I thought about her advice. Writing … could it really help? Later on, I went to bed, but I lay awake thinking about Mrs. Ricke’swords, so I decided to try out her advice. I sat down and started writing the piece you are now reading. Despite my doubts, writing helped me process some of my ambiguous feelings. As my “爷爷” would always try to say in English to all of my work, “Your writing is a piece of art.” “爷爷,” although I’ll always miss you, I know that you are now in a better place, and I hope you know Iloveyou. You were the best Grandfather I could ever ask for.

Summary

Thank you for immersing yourself in “Fleeting Memory Lasting Love,” a poignant exploration of memories and enduring love by the talented 10-year-old writer, Enya Yu. Enya has received the Future Writer Award for her remarkable storytelling.

Enya’s story adds a charming chapter to the collection of global Chinese experiences. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Enya for sharing her unique narrative and contributing to the rich tapestry of global Chinese stories. May we continue to cherish and celebrate the diverse narratives that make our cultural heritage so vibrant.

Bella

Master’s degree from Yangzhou University. Possessing 10 years of experience in K-12 Chinese language teaching and research, with over 10 published papers in teh field of language and literature. Currently responsible for teh research and production of “WuKong Chinese” major courses, particularly focusing on teh course’s interest, expansiveness, and its impact on students’ thinking development. She also dedicated to helping children acquire a stronger foundation in Chinese language learning, including Chinese characters, phonetics (pinyin), vocabulary, idioms, classic stories, and Chinese culture. Our Chinese language courses for academic advancement aim to provide children with a wealth of noledge and a deeper understanding of Chinese language skills.

www.wukongsch.com/blog/author/bella/