微故事: C9的回本笑聲 / Calculating Joy: A C9's Laughter (tonkabean)

微故事: C9的回本笑聲(東加豆)

外國人阿 Mark 跟著大笑瑜伽的朋友來到香港的一間班房。裡面坐著十幾個中年女人。朋友指著她們介紹：「穿紅衣的是黃師奶，藍衣的是陳師奶，綠衣的是吳師奶。」幾個女人手舞足蹈地笑。
 
阿 Mark 一頭霧水：「師奶？這是一種職業？一種宗教？還是一種大笑瑜珈的姿勢？」
 
幾位女士一聽，臉上閃過一絲複雜的尷尬與不悅。在香港，「師奶」雖指家庭主婦，卻常常被貼上目光短淺、愛貪小便宜與市儈的貶義標籤。
 
朋友笑著解釋：「就是 married woman who runs the home like a CEO but gets no salary and no title。」
 
阿 Mark 認真地說：「Oh, so it's like an unpaid executive director?」全場師奶大笑：「Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha，Very Good Very Good，Yeah！」笑聲一起，剛才的尷尬好像沒有發生過。
其中穿綠衣的阿珍沒有笑。她心裡在算數：這堂課兩百元，如果笑不夠兩百次，就虧本。於是她把大笑瑜伽當成公司盤數來跑，像發動引擎般精算著笑聲：「Ho、Ho、Ha、Ha、Ha……」
 
阿珍突然覺得喉嚨乾涸。導師走過來提醒：「笑，要從丹田出，不要從喉嚨硬擠，不然，聲帶會受傷。」
 
阿珍一聽，又在算：「聲帶受傷了要買藥，買藥即是要成本，成本上升即是盈利減少，不行，一定要學習腹式大笑！丹田位置究竟在哪？」
 
導師張大嘴巴，伸出舌頭，舉起爪子：『Wa...!』阿珍跟著做，自然感受到腹部的位置。
導師又示範仰臥地上，笑了一聲，聲音低沉。阿珍跟著躺下，第一次感受到丹田的震動。
 
阿珍立即就嘗試，伸出舌頭獅子式的大笑，接著又仰臥在地上練習。阿 Mark 覺得她認真又有趣，向她豎起一隻大拇指。
導師派了一張小紙條，說不是每個人、每個時候都能用蠻力笑的。上面只寫了幾行：有疝氣、出血、心口痛、剛做完大手術、嚴重腰背痛、懷孕的，都要溫和一點，有頭重或頭痛的，也別太用力，笑是釋放，不是發功。
阿珍把紙條摺好，放進買餸的環保袋。
 
離開課堂前，Mark 很得意地跑去說：「Bye Bye，黃師奶、陳師奶、吳師奶！」
 
三個女人剛收起的笑容，又變回第一幕那張有點不悅的臉，然後互相看了一眼。
 
然後，那陣大笑又來了。
「Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha，Very Good Very Good，Yeah！」


 完

備註：什麼是「師奶 / C9」
在香港，「師奶」讀作 C9（C=師，9=奶），是極具本土特色的稱呼。最初源自「師母」，即師傅的妻子，後演變為家庭主婦的代名詞。在大眾傳媒渲染下，常被貼上貪小便宜、愛八卦、眼界小的貶義標籤；但在真實生活中，她們更是家庭的資源管理者 — 精算街市菜價、掌握社區情報，撐起高物價下的一個家。如今，越來越多C9走出刻板印象，學習瑜伽、創作、做義工，在照顧家庭的同時，也找回自己的名字。
 

Micro-story:  Calculating Joy: A C9's Laughter  (by Tonkabean)

Foreigner Mark followed his laughter yoga friend to a classroom in Hong Kong. Inside, a dozen middle-aged women were sitting.
 
His friend pointed and introduced them: "The one in red is C9 Wong, the one in blue is C9 Chan, the one in green is C9 Ng." The women were laughing and waving their arms.
Mark was confused: "C9? Is it a job? A religion? Or a laughter yoga pose?"
 
The women heard it. A flash of complicated awkwardness and displeasure crossed their faces. In Hong Kong, "C9" means housewife, but it often carries a derogatory label - narrow-minded, penny-pinching, and mercenary.
 
His friend smiled and explained: "It's like a married woman who runs the home like a CEO but gets no salary and no title."
 
Mark said seriously: "Oh, so it's like an unpaid executive director?" All the C9s burst out laughing: "Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha, Very Good Very Good, Yeah!" With the laughter, the awkwardness just now seemed to disappear.
 
Only Ah-Chun in green didn't laugh. She was calculating in her mind: This class costs $200. If she doesn't laugh 200 times, she will lose money. So she treated laughter yoga like a company account, calculating her laughter like starting an engine: "Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha, Ha..."
 
Suddenly Ah-Chun felt her throat dry. The teacher came over and reminded her: "Laugh from your belly, don't squeeze it from your throat, otherwise your vocal cords will be hurt."
 
Upon hearing this, Ah-Chun calculated again: "If my vocal cords are hurt, I need to buy medicine. Buying medicine means cost. If cost goes up, profit goes down. No, I must learn abdominal laughter! Where exactly is the belly? How?"
 
The teacher opened her mouth wide, stuck out her tongue, and raised her claws: "Wa...!" Ah-Chun followed, and naturally felt her belly.
 
The teacher then demonstrated lying on the ground and laughed. The sound was deep. Ah-Chun lay down too, feeling the vibration of her belly for the first time.
 
She immediately tried it, lion laughter with her tongue out, then practiced on the ground. Mark found her serious and funny, and gave her a thumbs up.
 
The teacher handed out a small slip of paper, saying not everyone can laugh with brute force at all times. It only had a few lines: People with hernia, bleeding, chest pain, just had major surgery, severe backache, or pregnancy, should be gentle. If you have heaviness in the head or headache, don't force it either.
 
Laughter is release, not forcing your body.
 
Ah-Chun folded the paper and put it into her grocery eco-bag.
 
Before leaving, Mark proudly ran over and said: "Bye Bye, C9 Wong, C9 Chan, C9 Ng!"
 
The smiles the three women had just put away turned back into that slightly displeased look from the first scene. Then they looked at each other.
 
And then, the laughter came again.
 
"Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha, Very Good Very Good, Yeah!"
End
Note: What is "C-Nine / C9"?
In Hong Kong, "C-Nine" is pronounced as C9, a highly local term.
It originally comes from "C Mo" (師母), meaning the wife of a master, and later evolved into a synonym for housewife.
Under the portrayal of mass media, it is often labeled with derogatory stereotypes — penny-pinching, gossipy, and narrow-minded. But in real life, they are the resource managers of the family — calculating market prices, mastering community intelligence, and holding up a family in a city with a high cost of living.
Today, more and more C9s are stepping out of the stereotype, learning yoga, creating, doing volunteer work, and while taking care of their families, they are also finding their own names again.
日期 Date： 2 Nov 2026
圖 Illustration: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)
文 Written by: 東加豆 (Tonkabean)
 
我除了寫微故事，還製作有聲書，希望我們能互相認識。
喜歡我的文章嗎？盼得到您的支持、點讚，或分享我的文章，讓我知道創作的路上有你陪伴。
Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audiobooks. I hope we can get to know each other.
 
Do you like my stories? I hope to have your support, likes, or shares. Let me know that you are with me on this creative journey.


關於我 /About me ：https://tonkabean.me/
 
故事選集 / Story Collection
https://tonkabean2016.blogspot.com/
https://matters.town/@tonkabean/collections




 

Micro-story: Tired and Joy Hiding in the Room  (by Tonkabean)

 

Here, there is only an online Laughter Yoga Zoom room. In this room, there are only "Tired" and "Joy."

It is Tired’s first time here, while Joy has already come for the third time.

Every day, Tired is busy with work, one task after another, never letting go of a single moment. Indeed, Tired feels exhausted. That is why Tired came to this room today and met Joy.

This is not the first time Joy has seen someone like this. The last person Joy met was also called "Tired."

Joy believes that life should not be this exhausting. As long as you are in a good mood, happiness will follow. Joy demonstrates in front of the camera. Because the online room is "de-socialized," stripping away embarrassment and peer pressure, Joy freely makes silly faces and laughs, completely uncaring of what others think.

Tired does not believe it. How can one laugh without something funny?

Joy continues to encourage Tired, emphasizing that laughter is simply a "physical action." You do not need to wait for a reason to laugh—once the body moves, joy will follow.

Moved by Joy’s words, Tired starts a new life. Every morning upon waking, Tired gives herself a smile, choosing not to be drained by work anymore, but to cherish time and life.

Tired is no longer tired. Her life is now full of passion and enthusiasm, and she gradually turns into a "Joy."

Tired feels that all these changes did not come from the outside, but from deep within.

Joy truly believes in this inspiration.

---

Because of the previous success, Joy says the exact same words, expecting this new "Tired" to also become "Joy." But this time, it is different.

This Tired says, "Why is it that whenever people hear the word 'tired,' they think it is a bad thing? Why doesn't anyone ask me *what* I am tired from?"

"Being tired is not necessarily about negative emotions, feelings, heavy burdens, or a bad environment."

"Let me show you."

Tired opens a magic mirror.

Joy sees Tired’s past work in the mirror. She sees a very hardworking Tired, striving and never giving up easily. Tired often faces difficulties and challenges, but overcomes everything through hard work.

Fatigue, confusion, and perseverance go hand in hand. Every time a task is completed, Tired feels satisfied and happy, gaining many new skills and knowledge.

Joy realizes that this Tired's life is also full of passion and enthusiasm.

Tired says, "You only see the downside of being 'tired.' But I see how blind 'joy' can be even worse."

"For fear of being tired, people may run away and give up halfway. In search of joy, they often confuse true 'happiness' with mere 'entertainment'."

"Short-lived pleasures and desires can easily become habits. Once these habits take over, even 'Joy' will eventually turn into 'Tired'."

"Willpower and determination can be lost. That is terrible, because problems at home and work will keep coming. Willpower and determination do not just happen; they require effort and self-discipline. Unless, of course, you choose to live in a world of endless entertainment."

Joy listens quietly to Tired.

Tired also looks into Joy’s magic mirror, watching the body on the screen—free of pretense, breathing in perfect harmony.

Emotional happiness, physical happiness, and experiential happiness are all things we long for.

"So, let Tired and Joy coexist."

End

Date： 26 Oct.,2026

Illustration: Ai-Bean

Written by: Tonkabean

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audiobooks. I hope we can get to know each other.

Do you like my stories? I hope to have your support, likes, or shares. Let me know that you are with me on this creative journey.

https://tonkabean.me/支持與鼓勵/

About me ：https://tonkabean.me/

Story Collection

https://tonkabean2016.blogspot.com/

https://matters.town/@tonkabean/collections

微故事: 被笑聲借宿的人 / The Man Who Was Borrowed by Laughter (Tonkabean)

微故事: 被笑聲借宿的人 (東加豆)

阿丹的身體像一棟年久失修的老房子，門窗緊閉，住著一個全年無休的警衛——他的大腦。

五十五年來，警衛盡忠職守，把所有不必要的情緒擋在門外。

笑？ 奢侈品。

哭？ 違禁品。

阿丹以為這樣就能安穩度日。

直到那天下班回家，太太望著頭髮蓬鬆的他，皺了皺眉。他走進浴室看著鏡子的自己，又皺了皺眉。

據說：壓力會讓頭皮油脂失衡、毛鱗片剝落，無意識的手指在焦慮時抓出來的傑作，它是身體提前敲響的警鐘，頭髮蓬鬆是問題。

問題是，阿丹忽略了，他忽略了她。她說過 N次了，他的身體有一半是她的。

太太二話不說，連推帶拉地把阿丹再次拖進了大笑瑜伽班。

是的，再次。上一次是四個月前，再上一次，還要再前的三個月。阿丹始終覺得這項活動大有問題，但當太太要他解釋，他的舌頭就像打了死結。也許這世上本就太多難以言說的事——好人被當成騙子，壞人反而理直氣壯。他想說的話，始終找不到適當的出口。

他還沒坐定，導師已經喊出（Inhale）。

第一次吸氣，他沒甚麼感覺，大概還未準備好。

第二次吸氣，微微有些異樣，大概還未投入。

第三次吸氣，阿丹的橫膈膜突然叛變了。

那股被壓抑了五十五年的震動，像個發酵已久的租客，一腳踢開肋骨大門，自顧自地（Ho Ho Ha Ha）起來。阿丹嚇壞了，他試圖用理智壓制，結果橫膈膜震得越厲害，笑得越猖狂。

那不是他在笑，是（笑）這個東西反過來借用了他的喉嚨，像個不速之客，在他這副老骨頭裡面四處遊走，逐條骨頭罅都踩勻。

導師說："笑瑜珈是一種以身體活動為主的運動，無需任何智力投入。" 這句話像在他腦裡按了一下開關，因為此刻他的笑，完全不經大腦。

回到家，阿丹還在笑。

"你做咩成日笑？" 太太想起這句話。因為以往只有阿丹才這樣問她。

科學研究證實，笑瑜珈可以增加人體細胞的氧氣淨供應，進而帶來愉悅感。它還有助於大腦細胞釋放一種名為内啡肽的特殊激素，而内啡肽也被稱為（快樂激素）。

但她更願意相信，是這聲叛逆的笑，從他身體深處挖出了一口井，井水湧上來，淹沒了那個全年無休的警衛。

他放棄了控制。

那棟差點倒塌的老房子，窗戶自己打開了。風吹進來，帶著隔壁各式各樣的笑聲。

阿丹沒想到，這一借，就沒再還了。

完

Micro-story: The Man Who Was Borrowed by Laughter (by Tonkabean)

 

Ah Dan's body was like an old, run-down house. All the doors and windows were shut tight, with a guard who never rested—his brain.

For fifty-five years, the guard did his job well, keeping all unnecessary emotions out.

Laughter? A luxury.

Tears? Contraband.

Ah Dan thought he could live safely like this.

Until one day, he came home from work. His wife looked at his messy, puffy hair and frowned. He walked into the bathroom, looked at himself in the mirror, and frowned too.

It is said that stress can mess up the scalp's oil balance and damage the hair cuticles. It is the work of unconscious fingers scratching during anxious moments. It is a warning bell that the body rings early. Messy hair is a problem.

The problem was, Ah Dan ignored it. He ignored her. She had told him so many times—half of his body was hers.

Without another word, his wife pushed and dragged Ah Dan back to the laughter yoga class.

Yes, back. The last time was four months ago, and the time before that was three months before that. Ah Dan always felt there was something wrong with this activity, but whenever his wife asked him to explain, his tongue tied itself into a knot. Maybe there are just too many things in this world that are hard to say—good people are treated like liars, while bad people act as if they are in the right. He could never find the right words.

Before he could even sit down, the instructor called out, "Inhale."

The first inhale—he felt nothing. Probably not ready.

The second inhale—something felt slightly different. Probably not into it yet.

The third inhale—his diaphragm suddenly rebelled.

That vibration, suppressed for fifty-five years, kicked open the door of his ribs like a tenant that had been brewing for too long, and started going "Ho Ho Ha Ha" all by itself. Ah Dan was scared. He tried to use reason to control it, but the more he tried, the harder his diaphragm shook, and the wilder he laughed.

It wasn't him laughing. It was "laughter" itself that had taken over his throat, like an uninvited guest, roaming around his old bones and treading into every single gap.

The instructor said, "Laughter yoga is a body-based exercise. It doesn't need any brainpower." Those words pressed a switch in his head—because right now, his laughter was completely bypassing his brain.

Back home, Ah Dan was still laughing.

"Why are you laughing all the time?"—his wife remembered this question. Because in the past, only Ah Dan used to ask her that.

Scientific research shows that laughter yoga increases the oxygen supply to the body's cells, bringing a feeling of well-being. It also helps the brain release a special hormone called endorphins, also known as the "happy hormone."

But she preferred to believe that this rebellious laughter had dug a well from deep inside his body. The water surged up and drowned that guard who never rested.

He gave up control.

The old house that was about to fall down opened its windows by itself. The wind blew in, bringing all kinds of laughter from next door.

Ah Dan never expected that once this laughter had borrowed his body, it would never give it back.

End

日期 Date： 20 Oct., 2026

圖 Illustration: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)

文 Written by: 東加豆 (Tonkabean)

我除了寫微故事，還製作有聲書，希望我們能互相認識。

喜歡我的文章嗎？盼得到您的支持、點讚，或分享我的文章，讓我知道創作的路上有你陪伴。

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audiobooks. I hope we can get to know each other.

Do you like my stories? I hope to have your support, likes, or shares. Let me know that you are with me on this creative journey.

關於我 /About me ：https://tonkabean.me/

故事選集 / Story Collection

https://tonkabean2016.blogspot.com/

https://matters.town/@tonkabean/collections

微故事: 按鈕下的呼吸 / Breathing Beneath the Button (by Tonkabean)

微故事: 按鈕下的呼吸 (東加豆)

 

我望着日曆。十四號，岳母生日，要買蛋糕。十六號，外父覆診，要請假。二十號，子女家長日，要出席。二十二號，公司季度報告，要交。每一格都是「要」，沒有一格是「想」。

妻子昨晚對我說：「你知不知道你吃飯時，夾了六次菜，次次都是同一碟。你連自己吃什麼都不知道。」我聽完，沒有反應，因為我真的不知道。

晚上九點五十五分，五分鐘後，我期待的大笑瑜伽就開始了。

白天，我是公司的「PPT機械人」—— 寫 PPT ➔ 改 PPT ➔ 說 PPT。夜晚，我把門半掩，打開Zoom，印度導師喊「Ho Ho Ha Ha」，來自世界各地的學員在方格裡攤開雙手，張大嘴巴，隔着螢幕，笑聲卻穿牆過壁，深深地呼吸。

導師說，人平時呼吸，每次只吸入約半公升空氣，叫做潮氣量。我盯着螢幕，忽然覺得，我連呼吸都活得那麼吝嗇——對公司、對家庭、對自己，統統只用最低限度。

我本來是為了笑而來的。但笑著笑著，我發現自己對呼吸的認識，原來如此淺薄。原來我連呼吸，都沒有真正呼吸過。

當我笑到沒有氣，身體卻告訴我另一件事。肺底原來永遠留住三公升空氣，裡面全是二氧化碳。只有主動用力呼氣，才可以逼出一點五公升。大笑瑜伽的自願笑聲，就是一種延長呼氣，將那些死氣逼出來，換入新鮮氧氣。

我一邊笑，一邊懷疑：呼出的二氧化碳裡，有半公升是來自上司的。

我每次笑到肚子都抽搐，都覺得整個人輕了，不是錯覺。

今晚，導師說：「打開鏡頭，跟身邊的人眼神接觸！」我興高采烈準備按下「開啟視訊」——突然，右上角一個新加入的方格亮起。那張臉，我每天早上九點都要面對的——我的上司。

他雙手交疊在胸前，下巴微微抬起，嘴角帶着一絲似笑非笑，眼神像在審視下屬。

我再看他今天發來的訊息。同一段話，他發了訊息，又發電郵，還在群組連發三條語音。幾乎所有人都知道，箭靶中間的圓圈就是我。

這一刻，我看著螢幕上綠色的按鈕，手指比上班時還要僵硬。

如果打開鏡頭，我唯一的避風港，會不會從此淪陷？

完

Micro-story: Breathing Beneath the Button   (by Tonkabean)

 

I looked at the calendar. The 14th: Mother-in-law’s birthday—buy a cake. The 16th: Father-in-law’s medical checkup—take leave. The 20th: Parent-teacher day—attend. The 22nd: Company quarterly report—submit. Every single box was a "must," not a "want."

Last night, my wife said to me, "Do you know that during dinner, you picked food from the exact same dish six times? You don’t even know what you’re eating." I had no response, because I truly didn't know.

At 9:55 PM, five minutes to go, the Laughter Yoga session I was looking forward to was about to start.

By day, I was the company’s "PPT robot"—write PPTs ➔ edit PPTs ➔ present PPTs. By night, with my door half-closed, I opened Zoom. An instructor from India shouted "Ho Ho Ha Ha," while participants from all over the world spread their arms and opened their mouths wide in their video boxes. Across the screen, their laughter broke through walls as they took deep breaths.

The instructor said that when people breathe normally, we only inhale about half a liter of air each time, which is called Tidal Volume. Staring at the screen, I suddenly realized I was living so stingily even with my breathing—giving only the absolute minimum to my company, my family, and myself.

I had come here just to laugh. But as I laughed, I realized how shallow my understanding of breathing really was. I hadn't even been truly breathing all this time.

When I laughed until I ran out of breath, my body revealed another truth. The bottom of the lungs always holds three liters of air, all filled with carbon dioxide. Only by exhaling forcefully can we push out 1.5 liters. The voluntary laughter in Laughter Yoga is actually a prolonged exhalation, forcing out that stale air and bringing in fresh oxygen.

As I laughed, I wondered: among the exhaled carbon dioxide, half a liter probably belonged to my boss.

Every time I laughed until my stomach cramped, I felt lighter all over, and it wasn't just an illusion.

Tonight, the instructor said, "Turn on your camera and make eye contact with the person next to you!" Excited, I prepared to click "Start Video"—when suddenly, a new box in the top right corner lit up. That face, the one I had to face every morning at 9:00 AM—my boss.

With his arms crossed over his chest and his chin slightly raised, a faint, ambiguous smirk played on his lips, his eyes searching like he was reviewing a subordinate.

I recalled the messages he sent today. For the exact same note, he sent a text message, an email, and three consecutive voice messages in the group chat. Almost everyone knew that the bullseye in the middle of the target was me.

At this moment, looking at the green button on the screen, my fingers felt stiffer than they ever did at work.

If I turn on the camera, will my only safe haven fall apart forever?

End

日期 Date： 28 September 2026

圖 Illustration: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)

文 Written by: 東加豆 (Tonkabean)

我除了寫微故事，還製作有聲書，希望我們能互相認識。

喜歡我的文章嗎？盼得到您的支持、點讚，或分享我的文章，讓我知道創作的路上有你陪伴。

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audiobooks. I hope we can get to know each other.

Do you like my stories? I hope to have your support, likes, or shares. Let me know that you are with me on this creative journey.

關於我 /About me ：https://tonkabean.me/

故事選集 / Story Collection

https://tonkabean2016.blogspot.com/

https://matters.town/@tonkabean/collections

微故事: 早餐前的早餐 (東加豆)/Micro-story: Breakfast Before Breakfast (by Tonkabean)

微故事: 早餐前的早餐 (東加豆)

 

離婚後，阿米的世界只剩下兩種顏色。他每天走進同一家咖啡館，點一碗燕麥粥和一杯脫因咖啡。菜單上其他的菜式、誘人的圖片都像灰塵般模糊。他只知道：吃了就有氣力，有了氣力就能上班，上班了就有錢。

直到某天，他鼓起勇氣，參加了他一直瞧不起的大笑瑜伽。

為什麼阿米會瞧不起大笑瑜伽？他自己都不知道，也許是一大堆人自己和自己哈哈大笑，像什麼樣？

為什麼他現在又想參加大笑瑜伽？他想，全世界一百幾十個國家，那些數不清的數字，難道那些人會是傻的嗎？不可能的。

他帶著幾分荒謬的妥協，接著打開視頻參與線上課堂，跟著帶領員大家 Ho Ho Ha Ha，抬起雙手，伸展身體。阿米覺得冇所謂，隔著屏幕，有沒有發出聲音都沒有人會知道的。這種心態真不好，但他依然每天參與線上大笑活動。

日復一日，某天他突然很想大笑，然後他真的爆笑了，他分不出真假，也懶得管，因為課堂說大腦對笑沒有測謊功能，真假都照單全收，身體照樣療癒。

阿米終於感受到，自己和方格裡的同學們，正做著同款表情、同款弧度，像一群散落各地的鏡像。在笑聲裡，胸腔空了又滿，直到橫膈膜劇烈震盪過後，像被重新洗滌。這種（呼出廢氣）的過程，讓他覺得自己不再只是機械地呼吸，而是重新獲得一個身體。

幾天後，他再次坐在咖啡館。當湯匙舀起燕麥粥，他竟嚐到一絲蜜糖的甜。他低頭一看，果然多了一勺蜜糖。他不記得自己加過，也不確定是不是手誤。或許，是身體替他做了決定。那一刻，他看著面前的一碗糊狀物，不再淡而無味。原來，當你願意（笑），生活的感知也會悄然改變，內心被編寫的程序，彷彿被系統洗刷了一遍。

阿米差點想低頭問那碗燕麥粥，是否一直等待這場笑聲降臨。但念頭才到喉嚨，他就吞回去了——算啦，剛才笑那三十秒，已經讓斜對面那桌幾個女人交頭接耳，要是再對著一碗糊狀物深情款款，她們大概會直接幫他預約精神科。

年復一年，阿米的身體的確好轉了，心情也平穩了許多。但前妻沒有回來，工作沒有升職，世界也沒有因此變得不一樣。他只是每天清晨先做完一場暢快淋漓的大笑瑜伽，讓乾涸的心靈先飽餐一頓，才開始一天的第一頓固體食物。

他只不過是，不僅能嚐到一碗燕麥粥的味道，還會在意餐牌上其他早餐。

完

 

Micro-story: Breakfast Before Breakfast (by Tonkabean)

 

After his divorce, Ah mi’s world was reduced to just two colors. Every day, he walked into the same café and ordered a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of decaf coffee. Other items on the menu and their tempting pictures were as blurry to him as dust. He only knew one thing: eating gave him energy, energy let him work, and working brought in money.

Until one day, he gathered his courage and joined a Laughter Yoga session—something he had always looked down on.

Why did Ah mi look down on Laughter Yoga? He didn't really know himself. Maybe he thought, *what does it look like for a big crowd of people to just laugh by themselves for no reason?*

But why did he want to join now? He thought about the hundreds of countries and the countless people doing it around the world. *Could all of them be foolish? Impossible.*

With a sense of ridiculous compromise, he opened his camera and joined the online class. He followed the leader and everyone else, clapping "Ho Ho Ha Ha," raising his hands, and stretching his body. Ah mi thought it didn't matter—behind a screen, no one would know if he actually made a sound or not. It wasn’t a great attitude, but he still showed up to the online laughter sessions every day.

Day after day passed. Then one day, he suddenly felt a strong urge to laugh, and he burst into real, hearty laughter. He couldn't tell if it was fake or real, and he didn't care to figure it out. The class had taught him that the brain has no lie detector for laughter; it accepts both real and fake, and the body heals just the same.

Ah mi finally felt that he and his classmates in the screen squares were making the exact same expressions, their smiles curving at the exact same angle, like a group of mirrors scattered across the world. In the midst of the laughter, his chest emptied and filled again. After his diaphragm vibrated intensely, he felt completely washed clean. This process of breathing out the stale air made him feel like he was no longer just breathing mechanically, but truly reclaiming his body.

A few days later, he was sitting in the café again. As his spoon scooped up the oatmeal, he actually tasted a hint of honeyed sweetness. He looked down and saw an extra spoonful of honey in his bowl. He didn't remember adding it, nor was he sure if it was an accident. Perhaps, his body had made the choice for him. At that moment, looking at the bowl of mush in front of him, it was no longer tasteless. It turned out that when you are willing to laugh, your perception of life quietly changes. The old programs running in your mind feel as if they have been completely reset by the system.

Ah mi almost wanted to look down and ask the oatmeal if it had been waiting for this laughter to arrive. But the moment the thought reached his throat, he swallowed it back. *Forget it,* he thought. *Just laughing for thirty seconds earlier had already made the women at the next table whisper to each other. If I start staring passionately at a bowl of mush, they’ll probably call the psychiatric clinic for me right away.*

Years went by. Ah mi's physical health did improve, and his mood became much steadier. But his ex-wife didn't come back, he didn't get a promotion at work, and the world didn't magically change because of it. He simply practiced a hearty session of Laughter Yoga every morning, letting his dry soul feast first, before starting his first solid meal of the day.

The only difference was, he could now taste the flavor of his oatmeal—and he had finally started to care about the other breakfast choices on the menu.

End

日期 Date：21 Sept 2026

圖 Illustration: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)

文 Written by: 東加豆 (Tonkabean)

我除了寫微故事，還製作有聲書，希望我們能互相認識。

喜歡我的文章嗎？盼得到您的支持、點讚，或分享我的文章，讓我知道創作的路上有你陪伴。

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audiobooks. I hope we can get to know each other.

Do you like my stories? I hope to have your support, likes, or shares. Let me know that you are with me on this creative journey.

關於我 /About me ：https://tonkabean.me/

故事選集 / Story Collection

https://tonkabean2016.blogspot.com/

https://matters.town/@tonkabean/collections

微故事: 當獅子遇上愛情 (東加豆) / When a Lion Falls in Love (by Tonkabean)

微故事: 當獅子遇上愛情 (東加豆)

從前，有隻雄霸山林的獅王，愛上了一座果園主人唯一的女兒。那女孩常在月光下唱歌，獅王聽得如痴如醉，終於鼓起勇氣上門求親。

果農嚇壞了，卻不敢當面拒絕。他顫聲說："大王，我女兒膽子小，最怕你那鋒利的爪子。你若肯把爪子剪掉，我就考慮看看。"

獅王為了愛情，二話不說就把爪子全剪了。

幾日後，獅子又來提親。果農看了看牠，又說："還是不行，你那牙齒太尖了，我女兒見了會發抖。你把它拔掉吧!我立刻把女兒嫁給你。"

沒有人會想到這頭凶猛的獅子，二話不說就把鋒利的牙齒拔掉，就是為了（愛情）這個詞。

果農見牠沒了爪也沒了牙，知道牠暫時傷不了人，便說："好吧，你進來，我把女兒叫出來。"

獅王滿心期待、毫無防備地走進果園。這時果農迅速抄起一根粗木棍，一棍一棍地朝牠身上狠狠揮去。

獅王想抓，抓不住；想咬，咬不動。按常理，大腦此時該啟動（戰鬥或逃跑）機制。可牠沒了武器，逃也無路。在痛楚與背叛感交織中，這隻百獸之王突然張大嘴巴，伸出舌頭，雙手懸空如爪，發出了響亮的咆哮聲，繼而化作一陣瘋狂的腹式大笑。

果農的木棍懸在半空，徹底懵了。他不知道，獅王正經歷著大笑瑜伽所說的（身體動作引發心理情感）的轉化。當心靈承受巨大創傷，那強行的身體律動反而繞過了認知系統，直接用最劇烈的方式把一切吐出來。沒理由，不需要理由。

一頭沒牙沒爪的獅子，在滿園月光下，對著施暴者搖頭擺尾，獅子後來怎樣呢？

當然是平安無事。不然，我們又怎會天天做獅子大笑呢？

*這個故事有一部分是我自己創作的，靈感來自一個經典童話。

完

 

Micro-story: When a Lion Falls in Love (by Tonkabean)

 

Once upon a time, there was a mighty lion king who ruled the forest. He fell deeply in love with the only daughter of an orchard owner. The girl often sang under the moonlight, and her voice enchanted the lion. Finally, he gathered his courage, went to her house, and asked for her hand in marriage.

The farmer was terrified, but he didn't dare to say no to his face. Trembling, he said, "Your Majesty, my daughter is very timid. She is scared of your sharp claws. If you are willing to clip them off, I will consider it."

For the sake of love, the lion clipped off all his claws without a second thought.

A few days later, the lion came back to propose again. The farmer looked at him and said, "Still no. Your teeth are too sharp; they make my daughter shake with fear. Pull them out, and I will marry her to you right away!"

Nobody would have ever thought that this fierce lion would pull out all his sharp teeth without hesitation, just for that one word—**Love**.

Seeing that the lion now had no claws and no teeth, the farmer knew he was harmless. He said, "Alright, come on in. I will call my daughter out."

Full of hope and completely off guard, the lion walked into the orchard. Suddenly, the farmer grabbed a thick wooden stick and began to beat him, blow after blow, with all his might.

The lion wanted to scratch, but he couldn't. He wanted to bite, but he couldn't. Normally, his brain should have triggered the **"fight or flight"** response. But he had no weapons left, and there was nowhere to run. Trapped in a mix of intense pain and betrayal, the King of Beasts suddenly opened his mouth wide, stuck out his tongue, raised his paws in the air, and let out a loud roar—which instantly turned into a wild burst of belly laughter.

The farmer froze, his stick hanging in mid-air. He was completely bewildered. He didn't know that the lion was experiencing what we call in Laughter Yoga: the powerful connection where "bodily expression generates emotion." When the mind suffers a huge trauma, the forced physical movement of the body, bypasses the cognitive thought system. It allows the body to release and throw everything out in the most intense way. No reason, no conditions needed.

Under the moonlit orchard, a lion with no teeth and no claws wagged his tail and shook his head, laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face. What happened to the lion afterwards?

Of course, he was completely fine! Otherwise, how could we all be doing the "Lion Laughter" every single day?

*This story is partly my own creation, inspired by a classic fairy tale.

End

日期 Date：14 Sept 2026

圖 Illustration: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)

文 Written by: 東加豆 (Tonkabean)

我除了寫微故事，還製作有聲書，希望我們能互相認識。

喜歡我的文章嗎？盼得到您的支持、點讚，或分享我的文章，讓我知道創作的路上有你陪伴。

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audiobooks. I hope we can get to know each other.

Do you like my stories? I hope to have your support, likes, or shares. Let me know that you are with me on this creative journey.

關於我 /About me ：https://tonkabean.me/

故事選集 / Story Collection

https://tonkabean2016.blogspot.com/

https://matters.town/@tonkabean/collections

微故事: 阿強的橫膈膜 (東加豆) / Micro-story: Ah Keung's Diaphragm (by Tonkabean)

微故事: 阿強的橫膈膜 (東加豆)

阿強是個出名悲觀的人，說話又直接。太太阿珍出差前，塞給他一本大笑瑜伽手冊，說："遇到壞事時，試試笑。筆記說，身體分不清真笑假笑，笑著笑著，想法就會跟上。"

第三天，阿珍從印度打來電話："老公，屋頂那盆太陽花還好嗎？"

阿強說: "全部太陽花死了!"

阿珍又生氣又難過，太陽花死得突然，丈夫說話又那麼直接，早知還是放回露台吧!屋頂，屋頂，屋頂從來都是危險之地。過了半天，平靜過後阿珍又生氣，她對丈夫說："難道從來都沒人教過你說話的藝術嗎？你說話不能婉轉一點嗎？

阿強不解地問: "事實就是太陽花了，這還能怎麼說呢？"

阿珍深深吸一口氣，然後長長地呼氣說：“你可以一步一步告訴我啊。比如說，你先告訴我太陽花搬到屋頂曬太陽了。等我到了德里，你再說它曬太久開始發黃了。等我到了孟買，你再說它已經枯萎了。這樣我至少有個心理準備。"

"你學了大笑瑜伽，Ho Ho一秒半也好，至少給自己時間想清楚，不要一開口就殺死盆花。" 阿珍繼續說。

又過了半天，即是晚上，阿強打電話給阿珍說："今天太陽花搬到屋頂曬太陽了。"

"妳現在到了德里是嗎？...太陽花曬太久了...開始發黃。"

接著，阿珍聽不清楚阿強在說什麼，只聽到電話傳來一陣陣的由喉嚨發出的 Ho Ho Ha Ha...。

阿強連忙說："不好意思...不好意思...因為腹部突然收縮，他的身體搶先笑，橫膈膜自己動了。"

阿珍說："我明白...我明白，導師筆記第十五章（笑聲與壓力：生理上的對立）——當橫膈膜劇烈震盪時，交感神經會被切換到副交感神經，意思是，即使你不想笑，身體也會自己選。而且，你先選擇了笑！對的，對的，我明，我明。

阿強說："我想解釋太陽花的事，但還沒開口，笑聲就搶先跑出來。我越急，身體越不聽話；太陽花…Ho Ho…死了…Ha Ha！"

霎時間，阿珍沒有再為太陽花而生氣，因為阿強的笑聲彷彿生出了太陽花。

阿珍拿著電話，等。

她忽然問："我媽呢？她昨天說來我家為太陽花澆水。"

阿強張開嘴說："妳媽說天氣好，走上屋頂去了。"

完

 

Micro-story: Ah Keung's Diaphragm (by Tonkabean)

 

Ah Keung was known for being a pessimist who spoke too directly. Before his wife Ah Jane left on a business trip, she handed him a Laughter Yoga manual and said: "When something bad happens, try laughing. The manual says the body can't tell the difference between real laughter and fake laughter. Laugh, and the thoughts will follow."

Three days later, Ah Jane called from India: "Honey, how are the sunflowers on the roof?"

Ah Keung said: "All the sunflowers are dead!"

Ah Jane was angry and sad. The sunflowers died suddenly, and her husband was so blunt. She should have left them on the balcony. The roof, the roof, the roof was always a dangerous place. After a while, Ah Jane got angry again and said to her husband: "Has no one ever taught you how to speak? Can't you be a little more tactful?"

Ah Keung asked: "The truth is the sunflowers are dead. What else can I say?"

Ah Jane took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, then said: "You could tell me step by step. First, you could tell me the sunflowers were moved to the roof to get some sun. When I get to Delhi, you could tell me they were turning yellow from too much sun. When I get to Mumbai, you could tell me they had withered. That way, I'd at least have some warning."

"You've learned Laughter Yoga. Even half a second of Ho Ho would give you time to think before speaking. Don't kill the flowers with your first sentence," Ah Jane continued.

Later that evening, Ah Keung called Ah Jane and said: "The sunflowers were moved to the roof to get some sun today."

"Are you in Delhi now?... The sunflowers got too much sun... they're starting to turn yellow."

Then Ah Jane couldn't make out what Ah Keung was saying. All she heard was a series of Ho Ho Ha Ha coming from his throat through the phone.

Ah Keung quickly said: "Sorry... sorry... My abdomen suddenly contracted and my body laughed first. My diaphragm moved on its own."

Ah Jane said: "I understand... I understand. Teacher's notes, Chapter 15 — when the diaphragm vibrates intensely, the sympathetic nervous system switches to the parasympathetic nervous system. It means even if you don't want to laugh, your body will choose to. And you chose laughter first! Yes, yes, I understand."

Ah Keung said: "I wanted to explain about the sunflowers, but the laugh came out before I could speak. The more I tried to control it, the more my body wouldn't listen. The sunflowers... Ho Ho... are dead... Ha Ha!"

Suddenly, Ah Jane stopped being angry about the sunflowers. Ah Keung's laughter seemed to have given birth to new sunflowers.

Ah Jane held the phone and waited.

She suddenly asked: "What about my mother? She said she was coming to water the sunflowers yesterday."

Ah Keung opened his mouth and said: "Your mother said the weather was nice, so she went up to the roof."

End

日期 Date：24 August 2026

圖 Illustration: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)

文 Written by: 東加豆 (Tonkabean)

我除了寫微故事，還製作有聲書，希望我們能互相認識。

喜歡我的文章嗎？盼得到您的支持、點讚，或分享我的文章，讓我知道創作的路上有你陪伴。

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audiobooks. I hope we can get to know each other.

Do you like my stories? I hope to have your support, likes, or shares. Let me know that you are with me on this creative journey.

關於我 /About me ：https://tonkabean.me/

故事選集 / Story Collection

https://tonkabean2016.blogspot.com/

https://matters.town/@tonkabean/collections

Micro-story: The Pigs Who Couldn't Lie (by Tonkabean)

 

On this farm, a new rule was made: No pig is allowed to lie. However, reports showed that lying is a pig’s natural instinct. Hearing this news, Kiki and Fifi were deeply worried. Their brother, Pipi, was always lazy and only did 70% of his work. For example, if he was supposed to change the trash bags three times a day, he would only do it twice. If he was supposed to guard the farm five times, he would only go three times. Whenever he was caught, he always made up excuses. That was just Pipi’s work attitude.

Rules were rules, but obeying this one changed the farm in a strange way. The whole place fell into a dead silence. Every pig became as lonely as a heavy, unmovable stone. Their facial muscles became completely stiff. Forcing them not to lie was like forcing them not to speak. It was deeply depressing.

In this quiet farm, Kiki noticed a very skinny pig. He was so thin that he barely looked like a pig. Because he was too skinny to be sold for money, he ended up doing various chores for the farmer, yet he carried an amazing amount of energy.

Fifi felt sorry for the skinny pig and began to watch him. But to her surprise, he didn't look miserable at all. She even doubted her own eyes—why did the skinny pig always seem to be smiling? She couldn't help but walk closer. He really was laughing, and he was doing it out loud! She thought, If there's nothing wrong with my eyes, then my ears must be playing tricks on me!

It turned out that the skinny pig loved to laugh. He loved laughing even more than he loved eating! Gradually, he had much less fat than the other pigs, and he wasn't as lazy as them either. He began to share his Laughter Yoga. Especially when the new rule was announced, the pigpen was filled with emotional stress. The skinny pig wrinkled his nose and let out a big, 'Ho Ho Ha Ha... Anyway, just laugh first!' Soon, the other pigs started laughing along, too. 'Yes, yes, yes! Real or fake, it doesn't matter. Just laugh first!' a female pig said."

Kiki and Fifi felt a bit awkward. If the laugh was fake, where was the fun? Besides, how was this any different from lying? Wasn't this just another form of cheating?

The skinny pig smiled and patted their shoulders. "In the science of Laughter Yoga, this is called the two-way link between body and mind. Whatever action your body performs, it generates a corresponding emotion in your mind. This is not cheating; it is a gentle rebellion of the body against the brain. When the brain stops judging whether life is funny or not, it bypasses the cognitive braking system that blocks our joy..." The skinny pig went on and on.

Fifi scratched her forehead and said, "That sounds way too complicated. You talk like you're speaking to humans. But I am a pig."

The skinny pig laughed and said, "Before you eat, do you stop and think, 'I am about to eat, but am I really hungry?' No, you don't! You just eat first! Laughter works the same way. Just laugh, and your brain will follow. It’s just like rolling around in the mud. Do you stop and ask yourself, 'Am I rolling the right way?' No! You just roll! Laughter is exactly the same." The skinny pig shrugged.

Kiki and Fifi looked at each other. They decided to drop all logic, let go of their doubts, and just give this "Ho Ho Ha Ha" a try!

Two pigs laughed very shyly.

Ten pigs laughed quite easily.

A hundred pigs laughed beautifully and brightly.

Eventually, Kiki and Fifi got used to laughing for no reason. Laughter itself became the reason. And the wonderful thing was, laughing this way still brought them pure, true joy.

End

Date：31 August 2026

Illustration: Ai-Bean

Written by: Tonkabean

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audiobooks. I hope we can get to know each other.

Do you like my stories? I hope to have your support, likes, or shares. Let me know that you are with me on this creative journey.

About me ：https://tonkabean.me/

Story Collection

https://tonkabean2016.blogspot.com/

https://matters.town/@tonkabean/collections

微故事: 我跟阿媽去班加羅爾 (東加豆) Micro-story: My Bangalore Trip with Mom (by Tonkabean)

微故事: 我跟阿媽去班加羅爾 (東加豆)

 

我阿媽話要去班加羅爾參加大笑瑜伽導師課程。

佢六十七歲，退休後學過太多嘢：氣功、畫畫、種花、上網賣嘢。次次都話「今次真係搵到人生意義」，三個月後就放棄。今次輪到大笑瑜伽。

「你同我去。」佢話。

「我唔去。」

「機票買咗。」

「我份工……」

「你請假。」

「我冇錢。」

「我用你啲積蓄買嘅。」

我阿媽就係咁。佢永遠唔會同你講「我想你去」，佢只會令你冇得揀。

班加羅爾好熱。工作坊喺一個冇冷氣嘅禮堂，三百人坐地下，拍手喊「Ho Ho Ha Ha」。我坐最後排，諗緊公司嗰份報告星期一要交，但我仲未開始寫。

導師話：「身體分唔清真笑假笑，只要願意……」

我內心話：「我身體分得清乜嘢叫做攰。」

旁邊一個外國人笑到成個彈弓咁，啲眼淚飛咗落我隻手。我望住佢，心想：佢究竟經歷過啲咩？

課程進入「Laughter Meditation」。導師叫我哋瞓低、合埋眼，讓笑聲從身體入面自己流出來。我瞓低。腦入面開始盤點：今個月卡數、阿媽嘅血壓藥、老細上星期黑面嗰下眼神……

然後後面一個阿叔發出一下好似放屁嘅笑聲。真係好似放屁。

我忍唔住。唔係笑，係「哧」一聲，一啖氣從我個鼻噴咗出嚟。

然後我隔離嗰個外國人聽到，又笑多咗。

然後前面個阿姨聽到後面笑，又轉頭望。

然後成個禮堂好似傳染病咁，一個傳一個。

我笑到眼淚出晒嚟，笑到個肚好痛。唔係因為好笑，係因為我發現自己喺印度、喺一個冇冷氣嘅禮堂、同三百個陌生人一齊笑，而我阿媽喺我前面，笑到成個細路女咁。

我上一次見佢笑得咁開心，係我七歲嗰年。

課程完咗。我返到香港，繼續返工、繼續交卡數、繼續面對老細黑面。

但有一樣嘢唔同咗。

我而家每個禮拜六，會同阿媽去公園，同十幾個阿叔阿嬸一齊「Ho Ho Ha Ha」。

我唔知呢樣嘢有冇意義。

我只係知，每次我笑完，夜晚都瞓得好啲。

完

Micro-story:  My Bangalore Trip with Mom (by Tonkabean)

 

My mom announced that she was going to Bangalore to take the Laughter Yoga Teacher Training course.

She is sixty-seven years old. Since retiring, she has tried everything: Qigong, painting, gardening, and online selling. Every single time, she would say, "This time, I’ve truly found the meaning of life." Three months later, she would give up. This time, it was Laughter Yoga.

"You are coming with me," she said.

"I’m not going."

"The flight tickets are bought."

"But my job..."

"Take leave."

"I don't have the money."

"I bought them using your savings."

That’s my mom. She never says "I want you to come." She just leaves you with no choice.

Bangalore was boiling hot. The workshop was held in a hall with no air conditioning. Three hundred people sat on the floor, clapping and chanting "Ho Ho Ha Ha." I sat in the very last row, thinking about a company report due on Monday that I hadn't even started writing.

The teacher said, "The body cannot tell the difference between real and fake laughter. As long as you are willing..."

In my heart, I thought, *My body can definitely tell what exhaustion feels like.*

Next to me, a foreigner was laughing so hard he was bouncing like a spring, and a few tears splashed onto my hand. I looked at him and wondered, *What on earth has this guy been through?*

Then, we entered the "Laughter Meditation." The teacher asked us to lie down, close our eyes, and let the laughter flow naturally from inside our bodies. I lay down. My mind started listing my worries: this month's credit card bill, my mom's blood pressure medicine, the dark look my boss gave me last week...

Suddenly, a middle-aged man behind me let out a laugh that sounded exactly like a fart. Literally, like a fart.

I couldn't help it. It wasn't a proper laugh, but a "pfft" sound as air burst out of my nose.

The foreigner next to me heard it and started laughing even harder.

Then an auntie in front of us heard the laughter behind her and turned around to look.

Suddenly, like a contagion, the laughter spread from one person to another across the entire hall.

I laughed until tears streamed down my face, and my stomach began to hurt. It wasn't because anything was actually funny. It was because I realized I was in India, in a hall with no air conditioning, laughing with three hundred strangers—and right in front of me was my mom, laughing just like a little girl.

The last time I saw her laugh that happily, I was seven years old.

The course ended. I returned to Hong Kong, continued going to work, paying my credit card bills, and facing my boss’s dark expressions.

But one thing changed.

Now, every Saturday, I go to the park with my mom and join a dozen aunties and uncles to "Ho Ho Ha Ha."

I don't know if this has any grand meaning.

All I know is, every time after I laugh, I sleep much better at night.

End

日期 Date：10 August 2026

圖 Illustration: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)

文 Written by: 東加豆 (Tonkabean)

我除了寫微故事，還製作有聲書，希望我們能互相認識。

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Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audiobooks. I hope we can get to know each other.

Do you like my stories? I hope to have your support, likes, or shares. Let me know that you are with me on this creative journey.

關於我 /About me ：https://tonkabean.me/

故事選集 / Story Collection

https://tonkabean2016.blogspot.com/

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