My grandfather was never found.

My maternal grandfather was a merchant. He traversed from North to South of China (including Hongkong) to trade with the local traders of the different towns. Each trip took a few months to complete; but he would always keep (give and take a couple of days) to his scheduled date to return home. He also scheduled to spend the various festivals at home with the family.

He did not return home as scheduled, after a trip to Hongkong.

Grandmother sent a couple of male relatives to look for him. They returned with a rumour that grandfather was killed by brigands during that fateful trip to Hongkong.

My grandmother, a brave, sprite lady did not believe in the rumour. She wanted proofs and confirmation on what happened.

She decided to go to Hongkong to look for him.

She also decided that when he could be found, she would persuade him to settle down in Hongkong with the family. She felt that she could no longer take the of anxiety over awaiting for his return from his business trips. Travelling during those days was not without danger - storms at sea caused shipwrecks, while relentless spells of rain led to landslides. To top it all, brigands waylay merchants, robbing and killing them mercilessly.

My grandmother sold the family's business (a lychee orchard and a transport service --consisting of few boats that ferry people and goods across a river in a certain part of Guanzhou) and brought her younger sister (my late grandaunt), a bonds maid, my mother, my 2 uncles & my 3 aunts to Hongkong to look for my grandfather.

A clansman who was living in Hongkong, helped my grandmother to buy a home to settle down with the family. He also helped to put up newspaper advertisements to appeal to the public to help look for my grandfather. The same appeal was written on notices which my grandmother & her sister pasted on the walls of the market place and anywhere that had heavy human traffic. The maid and my mother minded her younger siblings and the home.

My grandfather was never found.