Summary: Written for “Hop Sing’s Chinese New Year Challenge 2026,” honoring the year of the Fire Horse.
Rating: G/K
Word Count: 1,350
Author’s note: If I’ve butchered the Chinese, someone PLEASE let me know so it can be fixed? Thanks!
Tiānyì
Hop Sing finished the supper dishes, and sighed as he set the plates away, hesitating a moment as he noted the one plate that hadn’t needed washing in more than two weeks now. Sadly, the Chinese man squeezed shut his eyes to breathe through the pain of his grief. Marie Cartwright and he had been allies; allies in the work of keeping the Cartwright men safe, fed, and cared for.
He firmed his lower lip from trembling. Well, then. So be it. Now it was his job alone. For her sake, he would do his best.
He squared his shoulders and glanced around his domain, making sure everything was spotless and ship-shape for morning, and hung his dishtowel over the wash bucket he used to scrub dishes.
Straightening his tunic, Hop Sing entered the dining room and scanned to be sure he’d tidied all of that area as well, making sure the two younger boys had brought in everything from the table. Most of the plates had been half full, he’d noticed. No one, not even young Mistah Hoss, had totally recovered his appetite yet. The Boss barely ate. Barely slept. Barely took notice of the world around him.
Three times. Three times this good man had lived through pain of this intensity. Hop Sing shook his head sadly. How many times must a man suffer such a loss before he has fulfilled his destiny to balance his yīnguǒ bàoyìng? Hop Sing could not help but feel the Boss must be helping to provide justice for the actions of many, not just of his own. Such a good, decent man who lived with jīdé in mind, living a good, virtuous life in order to accumulate good fortune and honor, should not have to suffer so. He must be assisting in erasing the zàoniè of others, trying to mitigate the pain their life choices and behavior had caused.
Hop Sing came to himself as he felt a cold breeze around his feet and frowned. Coming around the corner of the dining room, he noted the great room was empty, but the front door was nearly wide open, shifting on its hinges back and forth in a light wind from the out of doors.
As he headed for the door to shut it, he suddenly realized: no one was home tonight but the little ones. Hoss was always careful about closing doors, since he’d learned young that the Boss didn’t like Numbah Two Son’s constant entourage of animals following him into the house. But the littlest one…
Glancing around himself again, Hop Sing noted the banked fire in the great hearth, and closed his eyes listening a moment. Sure enough; there were the stentorian snores of Benjamin Cartwright’s middle son. Even at the young age of eleven, that child’s snoring was prodigious!
So… Little Joe, then.
Quickly, the houseman hurried onto the porch, squinting into the darkness. It was now past nine o’clock, long beyond the five-year-old’s bedtime. But in the two weeks since Missy’s death, the child had struggled to rest. In daylight hours, the child would come to Hop Sing, or to his next older brother for comfort. At night, all was different. Usually, it was the bed of Numbah One Son that the child crawled into. The terrible pain of the father was too hard for the little one to bear when his own was so fiery and fierce. Numbah One Son’s calm, protective energy soothed the child. Reassured him and anchored his terrible thoughts to keep away the dreams.
But Numbah One Son was out tonight, gone on a night ride to try to calm his own troubled thoughts. Mistah Ben… Hop Sing shook his head sadly. Likely up at the gravesite, again. So much molten pain in this family’s suffering of the loss of Missy.
Hop Sing stood on the porch, listening, wishing the Moon was full so that he could better see. But he soon heard it. The soft sobbing. And, as he’d expected, by the corral.
Quietly, the Chinese man walked toward the child, standing there shivering in nightshirt and his boots, not wishing to frighten him. “Little Joe,” he called very softly, “why you out here alone?”
He received no answer, until, once beside the child, the little boy turned and buried himself in the apron of the houseman. Sighing sadly, the houseman squatted, drawing the little one into his arms and cuddled him close, whispering comforting words in his own language.
Finally, the worst of the storm seemed to pass and Hop Sing smoothed the curls back from the child’s forehead, smiling tenderly at him. “You tell Hop Sing what wrong, yes?”
Mournfully, the reddened, swollen eyes gazed into the man’s black ones with a pain so huge for a little one to bear.
“I… I wanna hate him… but I can’t,” the child whispered. “An’ I don’t know why! Makes me mad!” But the child looked more upset than angry, Hop Sing thought, perplexed. Was it his own limited English? Or was this something the child was having trouble articulating?
“Hate no good. Hate who?”
“…Sable.”
With a sudden pang, the man understood.
As though both heads were tethered to the proud stallion walking restlessly around the corral, Hop Sing’s and Little Joe’s eyes turned to the dark sorrel with the three white socks and the white blaze alone in the corral.
Sable.
Missy’s horse.
The horse who had slid and stumbled in the mud as Missy Cahtlight galloped into the yard. Who had awkwardly but safely got to his feet afterward… and whose rider had not.
“Ah.” Hop Sing hesitated, then reached down and picked up the child. Automatically, the little boy’s legs wrapped around his waist. “Why you wish hate horse?” asked the man, gently, knowing full well the answer.
“He killed my Mama!” the boy cried angrily, his green eyes flaring with emotion.
“You sure?” asked Hop Sing, calmly.
Confused, the child’s anger grew. “Yes!”
Hop Sing nodded, thinking. “So… wet ground no matter?”
Joe blinked. And frowned. He looked at the Chinese man.
“Ride too fast on bad ground no matter?”
“You sayin’ it was her own fault?” demanded the boy, hotly.
Hop Sing pursed his lips, carefully choosing his words. “Hop Sing say… no fault. Is tiānyì.” At the child’s confused look, the man struggled to think of how to explain. “Tiānyì. Fate. Is fate. Not fault. Fate.” Again, he used the hand not holding the child to smooth back the curls. “Honorable motha love Sable velly much. Sable love her. Not hate. Love. Fall no matter. Love matter.”
“But if he hadn’t’a thrown her –“
Firmly, Hop Sing shook his head. “No. Could fall down stair. Could drown in river. Could get velly sick. No matter. If Missy fall down stair, you hate stair and never use again? If drown in river, nevah drink water again?” He shook his head firmly. “No. Is tiānyì. She no want you hate Sable. Not hate any horse. She want you love. Jus’ be careful, more careful than Missy.”
Troubled, the child tiredly rested his head on Hop Sing’s shoulder, staring into the corral at the stallion. Hop Sing knew the thought of hating a horse, any horse, would undo this child completely. He prayed he had found the right words to help.
“He looks sad,” the child whispered, finally.
Hop Sing nodded. “Is true. He miss honorable Missy, too. Missy his friend.”
Little Joe Cartwright drew in a shuddering breath, and let it out, deflating a bit. “I’ll bring him a carrot.” Sleepy now, he raised his head to look blearily into the Chinese man’s eyes. “Will you give me one, Hop Sing?”
The man smiled and nodded. “We do tomorrow. Now bedtime. Fatha be angry you not asleep, angry at little boy. Angry at Hop Sing! Not good. We do, tomorrow. Yes?”
Hop Sing was pleased to see the little boy smile sleepily as he nodded.
His heart aching for the little one, Hop Sing cuddled him close and walked back to the house.
Fin
Pat, you hit all the feels with this story – how each family member was grieving, including Hop Sing, and how he kept the household running with his love for the family. You deftly breathed a greater depth into this ‘secondary character’ revealing his great wisdom and love for his ‘adopted’ family. This is such a tender moment between Hop Sing and Little Joe, and it will allow a healing that will last a lifetime. Thank you for sharing this story. I enjoyed it very much.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Robin; I appreciate it very much. You’re right: Hop Sing would know all of his family,and know how they were trying to deal with this grief. I’m so glad it hit the right notes for you! Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment. It means a great deal. Pat D in PA
Pat D in PA, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and agree with your view of Hop Sing’s place in the Cartwright family and in Little Joe’s life especially. I also think the powers that be should have shown more depth in many of the interactions between Hop Sing and the Cartwright’s (all the actors would have handled it well) and brought their relationship more to the forefront. DJK :>)
Oh, man, DJK, how I *wish* there had been more depth permitted to Hop Sing’s involvement! Victor was soo good and managed to create a truly beloved subordinate character, as important to the series as Roy Coffee and Paul Martin, and loved as deeply. I always especially loved the interactions between Lorne and Victor… well, except maybe the pilot… ROTFLMAO! Thank you so much for being kind enough to read and comment; it means a great deal. Pat D in PA
What a touching story, Hop Sing helped poor Little Joe understand how to manage his gri. I loved this story.
I’m so glad you enjoyed my little story, sharon! Hop Sing knows ALL his boys… all the way up to Ben. Many thanks for taking the time to read and comment. Pat D in PA
Loved this special moment between Hop Sing and Joe! He might not have been blood, but Hop Sing was an integral part of the Cartwright family. Losing a mother is a confusing time for a child…for all of them actually…and it’s a comfort to know Hop Sing was there to help them through it.
Very tru, wx4rmk; losing Marie had to have shaken ALL of them so badly, including Hop Sing. I, too, am glad he was there as another steadying factor in Joe’s life. Thanks again for taking the time to read and comment. Pat D in PA
Aww, a very sweet and touching story with Hop Sing helping and comforting a young Little Joe. Nicely done.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Melissa! A very dear member of the family, our Hop Sing. 🙂 Thanks so much for reading and commenting. Pat D in PA
Such a beautiful and heart-warming story. I love your depiction of Hop Sing’s relationship with young Joe during this very tough period., the deep understanding and compassion that helped Joe resolve his own conflicted emotions.
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m very glad my little story was enjoyed. And you’re so right; Hop Sing’s compassion was always there, even in his threats to return to China! 🙂 All the best, Pat D in PA
An excellent and touching glimpse into the budding relationship between Hop Sing and Little Joe at this difficult time. It seems quite reasonable that the boy would have blamed the animal as the cause of his mother’s death, but Hop Sing’s examples of the stairs and water were on a level Little Joe could understand and very helpful in resolving his feelings.
Thanks so much for your insightful comments, Puchi Ann; I’m so glad you liked it. I hoped I was able to give Hop Sing the words needed to distill down nuggets of information for Little Joe at this very hard time in the child’s life without sounding contrived. Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Pat D in PA.
Greatly enjoyed this look at Little Joe during this trying time. You portray his relationship with Hop Sing exactly as I myself picture it, and the way the show hints at too, in my opinion. I’m always so excited to see a new story from you and this hit all the right notes for the challenge, and as a satisfying read overall. Also enjoy the respectful nods to Hop Sing’s heritage, done with a deft touch. He’s a whole, wonderful person here, and I applaud you for that. Brava!
Thank you so much! I love the character of Hop Sing and believe he was never given the ‘weight’ he deserved in the series, so much more than a two-dimensional source of humor. Thanks so much for reading and commenting, my friend! Pat D in PA
Hop Sing is a wise man indeed, and this is a sweet and tender portrayal of his relationship with LJ, especially during this pivotal time in his young life. 🙂
I so VERY much agree… Hop Sing was an amazingly wise man, filled with warmth. I’m glad you enjoy this little story; thanks for letting me know! Best to you, Pat D. in PA
Sweet 💖
🙂 Thank you so much. I always felt there had to be a very special bond between Hop Sing and Joe; I’m glad you found the story enjoyable. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. Best, Pat D. in PA
That was a wonderfully heartwarming story. And while difficult to understand “heavens will” will be done. Thank you for the gift of the story and for helping me learn a new word.
Thank you so very kindly for taking the time both to read and to comment, Cindy. I appreciate it very much, and am glad you enjoyed my story. Best to you!