A strangers reunion

Stories are what make us human and each

individual has their own unique experiences.
As for Qiu Yen, "Will you marry me" were the
words that made her stay in Singapore to start
a family, adding a new chapter to her story.
By: KHOO AI LI

permanently in Singapore until the day she

met her other half, Mr Lim and then giving
birth to her now 18-year-old son.
Qiu Yen first started off as a worker in a
sewing factory located in Clementi district and
lived at the workers hostel together with her
friends. Life isnt all beer and skittles back
then. With no prior work experience, it was
hard to adapt to the lifestyle in Singapore.
Packing her bags to return to Penang had
crossed her mind countless times when she
was seeking an easy way out. However,
encouragements from her peers kept her going.
In the blink of an eye, she had spent three
years sewing clothes for a job and since then,
has decided to try an alternate route for a
living.

First impression
I remember it was year 1993 when I was
working in a bakery shop in Yishun as my
second job in Singapore

The hands of the wall clock stroked to notify

her the end of her shift. She would always
spend at least a good fifteen minutes sweeping
and mopping the shop before leaving.
LOVE IS WHERE THE HEART IS: Huang
Qiu Yen, 48, is happily married with one son
and continues working in Singapore at Toast
Box, Orchard.

Qiu Yen first arrived to Singapore to work

with two of her best friends from high school
when she was 19 years old, referring to it as a
norm for people to leave to Singapore in
search for a job. Without knowing what the
future had in store for her, she took a leap of
faith and followed her friends to Singapore
with only her passport, a floral pouch with
$500 in it, and a few pieces of clothing.
Initially, she did not think about staying

But not on that pouring day.

Qiu Yen had received a call from her

roommate an hour earlier to help her grab
dinner for their eight-year-old neighbor. She
made a trip to the nearest market located at
Chong Pang market for fried wanton noodle.
Just as she had made her way across the traffic
light, she slipped and fell on the wet concrete
ground.

"I fell down and it was so embarassing!"

shared Qiu Yen, as she laughed at the thought
of her awkward moment.

He was very supportive, constantly reminding

me to carry on and that tough times wouldnt
last long

Just then, like an angels hand, Mr. Lim

offered to help her up on her feet while she
stood up carefully. Though it was not love at
first sight, it was only because of that day that
the pair had been aware of each others
existence.

Working as a taxi driver in Singapore, Mr.

Lim would always make the trip to pick Qiu
Yen from her workplace. These actions might
be seem as trivial to some but meant a lot to
lessening of Qiu Yens workload.

To be conti nued
Growing fonder
After the unusual encounter, their relationship
started to develop from being strangers to
friends and in time, a couple in love.

Qiu Yen started to notice Mr. Lim patronising

the bakery shop -- not because he wanted to
see her but it was just that she never took
noticed of him before.

One day, when he came in the shop, I showed

my appreciation by giving him free bread and
we started to exchange conversation.

Mr. Lim gradually became a regular in the

bakery and both of them became an official
couple during the year 1994.

In order to earn extra income for herself and

her family, Qiu Yen took on two part time jobs
simultaneously. One as a fruit seller, and the
other at the same bakery shop in Yishun. Life
got easier after she met Mr. Lim; it was him
who made her stay when she was at her lowest.

Mr. Lim showed Qiu Yen the best of

Singapore and where she could finally call it
home. They devoted their life with each other
through marriage which marks the beginning
of another new chapter in their lives.

Till now, Mr. Lim will sometimes reminisce

about their first encounter with each other and
when asked about what he felt about that
incident, he briefly responded, They always
say well never know who well meet in the
next moment and I am just more than glad to
have (met) her in my life