9 Struggle!

Back to my home, after Mr. Bao left the house.

"Father, who is that man?"

"That's the owner of the shop that become our restaurant, son"

"Why he's asking money from us, father?"

"He thinks the fire in the restaurant is our fault because we not put down the fire in the stove perfectly"

"That's impossible father! I know you put it down until no more spark can be seen in the stove. That man must lie to you"

"We can't do anything about that son, he brings the fire investigator with him, which support his accusation about the cause of the fire in our restaurant"

"He must bribe that officers, father! He extorting our money with that fire as the reason"

"It's only a possibilities son, our kingdom has strict laws about bribing officers and that officer seems like an honest man"

"But why he asks the money now? Can't he see that father still injured? Can't he wait for couple weeks later? That man is an evil person, father"

"Please son, maybe he afraid if he does not ask now, he will not get any compensation later"

"But that fire is not our fault, father"

"Yes, but what we can do about that? We have no witness, if the helper return with us, maybe he can testify that the fire in the stove already been put down completely"

"They can investigate the cause of the fire, not just believe what witness said, and jumping on conclusion like that"

"It's what I ask son, but it comes to the deaf ears. We, common people, can't force our want to people from higher rank"

"That's unfair, father"

"Let it go, son. What more important is how we going to make a living from now. For a couple months I can't do anything because of my injuries"

"I can cook to replace you, father"

"You can't son, you're not experienced enough to cook. Once you fail to make a good dish, your customer will go away and never come back"

"Little Ben, you don't have to worry about making a living, that's parent duty to make a living for their child. Your mother will try to find a job in other restaurants to support our living. You accompany your father and help him when he needs your help, okay?"

My mother who's listening to our conversation finally speaks up.

"Sorry for troubling you, wife"

"Husband, it's a wife duty to support her husband when he needs help. Besides that, you still owe me an explanation about why you do such reckless action, barging into the restaurant that under fire. I almost faint when see you doing that"

"I'm sorry, wife, but that's an important item that I get from my cooking master when I'm finished learning how to cook. Get it from our bedroom and handed it to little Ben"

My mother goes to the room to take the box that my father mention, she handed it to me after she takes it from the room.

"Father? What is this?"

"Open it, son"

I open the box as my father's order. When the box opened, there's a set of kitchen knives inside that box.

"Father…this is your kitchen knives?"

"Yes, I got those knives from my master, now I want you to have it little Ben. It's my treasure which I want you to inherit it"

My hand is shaking when I heard what my father said. This kitchen knives set is something that my father loves it dearly after my mother and me. He never let anyone else touch it, including me. Now his beloved knives are handed to me.

"Father…this is too precious. I can't accept it"

"Son, if not you, who else is suitable to accept it? You are my student in cooking. Although it's a little premature, that knives sooner or later will yours. Just take it and use it for practicing, you will be the one who cooks for me and your mother start today. I'll judge how good your cooking is, you'll pass as a cook when I said your cooking is good"

"Yes…Thank you, father"

So, since that day, I'm the one who cooks for lunch and dinner for my father and mother, practicing what I've learned from my father in these three years.