Huiyi is a social worker taking care of foreign workers in the country. She feels sorry for many of them and when she realises the worker has to satisfy their needs in a jungle brothel, she decides to go take a look at the condition to see what she can do to make this better. Unfortunately for Huiyi and her husband James, the workers did not need better conditions, they just need her to lie down on the mattress.
Huiyi : I feel quite sorry for them to be honest. They stay in the dormitory the whole time, some of them don’t even get weekends off. They wake up at 5am, by the time they get back, it’s just a quick wash up and sleep.
James : mmmmh
Huiyi : Do you know some of them never left their dormitory for the entire length of their contract? As in like it’s a jail term. They just stay within the construction site until maybe the last week. Then they go out, do a bit of shopping, pack up and they return home.
James: mmmmhh
Huiyi : Some of them were crying…and…
James :mmmh
Huiyi : Tsk! are you listening to me or not
James: Yes…yes i am…
Huiyi : why do you sound so uninterested?
James : what do you want me to say?
James was trying to reply some work email when my wife kept going on about her day interviewing a group of foreign workers.
Huiyi : don’t you think we should show some compassion? These people are human beings, not machines. They deserve better treatment, better living conditions. I mean, have you seen the state of their dormitories? It’s appalling. And the way they’re exploited—it’s like they’re invisible to everyone else.
James : Yes…yes…i get it…
But what exactly do you expect me to do about it? I’m not a policymaker or some kind of activist. I’m just trying to get through my own work here
Huiyi crossed her arms, her frustration bubbling over.
Huiyi : You could at least care! You could at least acknowledge that this is a problem. Instead of just sitting there with your ‘mmmh’ and ‘yes, yes.’ It’s like you don’t even see them as people.
James rubbed his temples, clearly torn between his wife’s passion and his own exhaustion. With multiple deadlines due the following week, he really isn’t in the state to start a debate about this.
Huiyi’s eyes softened as she looked at James, her frustration giving way to a familiar ache in her chest. She couldn’t help it—she cared too much, always had. It was both her greatest strength and her biggest flaw. She saw the world through a lens of empathy, often to the point of naivety. If someone told her a sob story, she believed it without question. If someone needed help, she gave it without hesitation, even if it meant stretching herself too thin. Her heart was an open door, and sometimes, people walked right through it without a second thought.
Huiyi : I just… I can’t stand seeing people…suffer, uncomfortable…or…or…
James : dear…
Huiyi : They’re so far from home, working so hard, and no one seems to care.
James went over and sat down beside Huiyi, putting his arm around her shoulder.
He knew this side of Huiyi well—the side that would give the shirt off her back to a stranger if they asked. It was one of the things he loved about her, but it also worried him. She was too trusting, too quick to believe in the goodness of others. It made her vulnerable.
Huiyi : do you know…they the workers visit jungle brothels?
James : what the fuck?
Huiyi : exactly…i manage to pry some information from one of the worker i was talking to…
James : seriously…
Huiyi : It’s really cardboard, mattresses, in the middle of the forest clearing, poor thing…even if they need to have sex, they deserve better conditions.
James stared at his wife in disbelieve.
James : dear! We don’t even get to have enough sex and you are worrying about others?
Huiyi : tsk! it’s different.
James : I want to have sex twice a week!
Huiyi : TSK! James! stop it…
James : And i’m only getting like twice a month…
Huiyi :arnghhh…i don’t want to talk to you…you very irritating.
James : I want to have sex tonight…
Huiyi stuck out her tongue at her husband and went to the bedroom. She removed her blouse and lingerie, changing into her running gear.
Sticking her head out the window, she saw the distant dark clouds and reckon she has enough time to get in a 5km run before it starts pouring.
5 minutes later, when she emerged from the bedroom, James shot her a look before reminding her that he wants to have sex that evening.
Huiyi : Tsk! i’m going for a run!
James : I don’t mind having sex immediately after your run…i like you when you are…
Huiyi : arghhhh!
Huiyi threw a box of tissue at James as she sat down on the floor to put on her socks and running shoes.
James : It’s going to rain.
Huiyi : not so soon…
James :where are you running? there’s no place to run around here
Huiyi : hello? This is punggol, they’s a ton of running route, i’m going to the water way…
Before James could utter more rubbish, Huiyi quickly shut the door behind her.
She did a bit of warmup at the void deck and start jogging along the track.
About 3km later when she got to the quieter part of the waterway flanked by thick forest and vegetations on both sides, she saw a foreign worker loitering at the edge of a cluster of trees in a suspicious manner. Then he suddenly disappeared into the forest.
Huiyi slowed down her jog and stopped at the spot where the worker disappeared.
She looked at the rubbish littered on the floor and common sense would have told her to leave the area. However, her inner curiosity got the better of her. She hesitated for a moment, glancing around to ensure no one else was nearby, then cautiously stepped off the path and into the dense foliage.
As she ventured deeper, she began to hear faint murmurs and the occasional rustle of movement. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she pressed on, driven by a mix of concern and determination. The forest seemed to close in around her, the trees forming a canopy that blocked out much of the fading daylight.
Finally, she reached a small clearing and came face to face with a topless foreign worker.
He was shocked to see Huiyi and he was about to run away when Huiyi stopped him.
Huiyi : Hey..hey wait…wait! I’m…i’m a social worker. what’s your name?
Raja initially looked at Huiyi with suspicion, but his gaze quickly turned to one of desire as he took in her stunning figure, her smooth, long legs, her shapely backside, and her full chest.
Huiyi : what’s your name?
Raja : I’m Raja.
Huiyi : Hi Raja…i’m actually a social worker…
Raja : social worker?
Huiyi : yes…
An awkward silence ensues and Huiyi decided to do something that can only be described as unfiltered stupidity.
Huiyi : are you…here to…ermm…you know…find…
Raja : I come here…find woman…inside…
Raja pointed deeper into the forest, directing Huiyi’s gaze in the general direction.
Huiyi : I understand…this…this is not a good environment, nor is it right. This is a residential estate, there are many people here…you all cannot do this here…if the police know…they will come and catch all of you…
Raja : NO..NO police..no police…
Raja got a little worked up and Huiyi tried to calm him down.
Huiyi : Raja hey…Raja, calm down…
It took a couple of minutes before Raja could quieten down and listen to Huiyi.
Huiyi : Can you…show me where…is the place?
Raja : show you?
Huiyi : Yes…i promise…i won’t tell anyone…i just want to see the condition of the place…can?
Raja : just see?
Huiyi : Yes…just see the place…
Raja hesitated, his gaze lingering on Huiyi a moment longer as he felt the erection in his pants get harder.
Huiyi reached out her hand and touched Raja’s, reassuring him it’ll all be ok.
Huiyi : just a quick look…i promise…ok?
Raja grinned.
Raja : ok…
11700 words
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