Three same-aged children were playing near a construction site .

It was almost evening time and the kids were tired . Just as they were getting ready to go home for dinner, a person slowly descended from the sky .

The person landed before the three of them and introduced himself, "I'm your tooth fairy and I'm omnipotent . I've received your prayers and I will ask each of you a question before blessing you with an ability . "

The children exchanged glances before one of them took a step forward . "Are you really the tooth fairy?"

The tooth fairy smiled . With a wave of his hand, the kid in doubt floated into the air .

The fairy gestured with his finger and the child made two turns before landing safely on the ground .

This, however, wasn't enough to clear the children's doubts .

The tooth fairy pointed to one of them, asking, "What's your name?"

"I'm Xiaohong," he answered with a smile .

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" the tooth fairy continued .

"I want to be a magician . I visited a circus last week and the magicians were simply amazing!" he answered as his smile widened .

The tooth fairy laughed and whispered something in his ear before adding, "This is the power I'm blessing you with . "

Xiaohong nodded and walked over to a side .

The fairy then pointed at another child . "And what's yours?" he asked .

"I'm Xiaohuang," he answered excitedly .

"And what would you like to be when you grow up?"

"I haven't thought of that, but I might want to become a scientist or a doctor . How about the president?"

Again, with a smile, the fairy whispered something in his ears . "This is the power I'm blessing you with . "

Xiaohuang smiled and joined Xiaohong at the side .

"And you, lastly, what's your name?"

"I'm Xiaolan . I want to be a policeman . I want to protect my mommy . Daddy is a cop too and he . . . tooth fairy, can you bring a person back to life? I want my daddy back . . . " Xiaolan spoke up, tears welling up in his eyes before generously flowing down .

The tooth fairy whispered in his ears, "Only G.o.d can do something like that . I'm going to give you the power to make liquids disappear . Remember not to tell the adults . " 

With a wave of the tooth fairy's hand, Xiaolan's tears stopped falling .

The fairy stood up . "I've given you your powers so the rest is up to you, little ones . "

Before they could react, he rose into the air slowly .

Floating above, he took out a memo and wrote: I don't want mommy to know about my bed-wetting incident .

Below these words, he added the children's names .

He then crossed them out with a pen before flipping over to the next page .

On it was the same sentence and a few names . He sighed before disappearing into the air .

Looking at the other two children, Xiaohong started, "What powers did he give you two?"

"We're not supposed to tell," Xiaohuang replied .

"He only said not to tell the adults," Xiaolan corrected, scratching his head .

Xiaohong smiled . "I guess it's okay for us to share . I'm able to make liquids disappear . "

"Aye? I have the same power," Xiaohuang added .

"He gave us the same power?" Xiaolan asked, baffled .

"But we have different dreams . You want to be a cop and have a bigger wish but why were we given the same ability?" Xiaohong questioned .

"I think we're going to miss dinner if we continue talking . We might even get a beating . It's already night time," Xiaohuang reminded .

The three of them parted .

That night, Xiaohong's house .

"How's the preparation work coming along, husband? We're moving tomorrow . The school's going to close down soon so let's just transfer him to another school," Xiaohong's mother said .

"Aye? Why?" Xiaohong asked in confusion .

"Why are you interrupting, kiddo? Have you calculated how much we can get from this demolition, wife?" Xiaohong's father responded .

"What about Xiaohuang and Xiaolan? Will I see them again?" Xiaohong chimed in again .

"Everyone's going to move . Eat your dinner and don't talk . The compensation is decent since they're going to be building a large-scale sports stadium . Let's move further away and get a tutor for her . He's been playing too much recently and his grades are slipping," Xiaohong's mother added .

After dinner, in the loft .  

Xiaohong finished up his a.s.signments and looked over at a gla.s.s of water on the table . It was half full .

He wondered if he really had the ability to make the water disappear .

He stared at the gla.s.s and willed the liquid within to vanish .

Indeed, in the next instant, it disappeared .

He continued staring at the empty gla.s.s in disbelief .

20 years later, behind the curtains of a big opera house .

A man in a suit said to Xiaohong, "It's been over a year, my great magician . Don't you have something new to offer other than the same few tricks?"

"Yes, I'm trying hard to come up with something," he replied .

"You've been saying this for almost half a year now . You know that I'm not the only one rus.h.i.+ng you, right? The audiences are sick of your shows . 18-year-old gifted magician, five years of world touring and earth-shaking performances . Why, then, have your performances remain stagnant the moment I signed you on?"

"I will come up with a new program . Today, in fact . It has all been taken care of . Please do not worry," Xiaohong rea.s.sured .

"No, please don't feel pressured . Your few tricks are really amazing, but sooner or later, people are going to get bored of them . When you first came in, the seats are always fully booked, but what about now? I'm sure you're aware of the current situation," the man in suit continued .

"I've thought it out . I'll be performing a sealed room escape . Fill a metal pot with water, dump me inside and . . . " Xiaohong relayed nervously .

"Water, water, water . Can't you do something without water? Something more interesting perhaps? Close-up magic, maybe? You're a world-cla.s.s magician so you should know these, right?"

"Ye . . . yes, I do, but can I perform that tomorrow instead? Just . . . just let me do my thing today and . . . and I'll change it up tomorrow . . . " he stuttered .

The man in the suit walked over to a side, took out a suitcase and tossed it on the floor . "This is what the previous magician left behind after getting fired . See if there's anything you can make use of . You're going on stage in half an hour . "

Xiaohong shook his head vigorously . "No, no . Please just let me perform the water trick once more . Last time, I promise . Tomorrow I'll . . . "

The man interrupted, "Yes, as for the water bucket, come with me, the few of you . Let's move it out . Listen up, my great magician . Give us something different today . Protect your reputation . " 

Xiaohong stared blankly at the man and the three burly fellows moving his water bucket away .

He knelt on the floor and remained silent for a brief moment .

He looked at his watch before opening up the suitcase .

Rummaging through it he spotted a hat, a rod, a colored ribbon, and a red ball .

He also found a water gun and opened it up happily, only to realize that it was empty .

Hhe sprawled across the floor, tears streaming down his cheeks .

It's over, he thought .

It was something he hadn't expected at all .

Just then, a bunny girl entered the waiting room . "You have 10 more minutes, Madam . Boss had me come over to check on you . Are you ready?"

Xiaohong raised his head, his tears vanis.h.i.+ng instantly .

With a soft, trembling voice, he replied, "Got it . Leave for now . "

The bunny girl nodded before pointing at Xiaohong's face . "Your makeup is running, Madam . "

Xiaohong waved his hand . "I'll get it fixed, no worries . "

The bunny left the room and closed the door .

10 minutes later .

The red curtain opened up .

There was nothing on stage except for a suitcase .

All kinds of tools were spread across the floor .

One minute, two minutes .

The audience looked attentively at the stage, antic.i.p.ating a surprise .

This famous magician was the only one whose tricks haven't been exposed .

Yet, nothing happened even after a long time of waiting .

Doubtful whispers started off stage and never stopped until the man in the suit ran out with a microphone .

"I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, the performance is over . Our magician isn't feeling well today . Please stay tuned for the circus' performance . "

Silence took over the theatre for a few seconds before bottles and all other kinds of trash were thrown onto the stage .

A few kilometers away, as he drove on in his own sports car, Xiaohong mumbled, "How are you guys doing, Xiaohuang and Xiaolan?"