Micro-story: The Bounce of a Football (by Tonkabean)

Long, long ago, there was a ball named "Ah Ball."

One day, it was rolling around on a green lawn. Later, a boy who was feeling down spotted it. He gently tapped Ah Ball with the tip of his toe, and then gave it a kick. Instantly, the boy felt much lighter.

When Ah Ball was being tapped and kicked, it felt a very strange but pleasant sensation. Since it was strange and pleasant, Ah Ball treated it as a game, and gradually, it grew to love this game.

However, Ah Ball’s friends mocked it, saying, "You get kicked around all day, not just by one person, but by a whole crowd!" Ah Ball even heard the animals outside the lawn laughing at it—the four-legged ones and the ones that could fly were all laughing. Ah Ball began to wonder: Am I doomed to spend the rest of my life on this lawn? It decided to visit a psychologist.

The nurse handed Ah Ball’s initial physical assessment to the doctor. Looking at Ah Ball, who had lost its bounce, the doctor didn't talk about the meaning of life. Instead, he opened a notebook on Laughter Yoga and said, "Where is your mouth? Can you give me a smile?"

So, Ah Ball carved out a mouth on the edge of its leather skin and squeezed out a forced smile.

The doctor told Ah Ball, "The body cannot tell the difference between a real smile and a fake one. As long as you keep practicing, your neural pathways will reshape, and happiness will be carved into your body's memory." Ah Ball was completely confused, but its eyes grew wide and round.

This theory was clearly written for humans, but the doctor didn't care—in his eyes, humans and footballs were pretty much the same.

Listening to this, Ah Ball suddenly remembered the boy’s laughter when kicking it. That sound was like the vibration of a diaphragm, bringing excitement and comfort at the same time.

One day, Ah Ball was kicked far away by a child and suddenly heard a burst of sound. It was a familiar laughter with a familiar rhythm. Ah Ball was sure it was that group of animals again. This time, up close, it felt a bit nervous, but it still rolled its round body forward. This time, it heard it clearly. It wasn't the blurry laughter from before, but a perfectly organized: "Ho Ho Ha Ha... Very Good, Very Good, Yeah!"

Ah Ball suddenly realized the truth: the animals weren't laughing at it. They were doing some kind of practice—Breathing? Exercise? Laughing? A game? It wasn't sure. But Ah Ball rolled a bit too far and was spotted. Everyone stared at each other, and the air suddenly went quiet.

Suddenly, Ah Ball remembered the doctor’s words: Laugh!

Even though its laughter was quite awkward, the animals knew a lot about laughing and welcomed it warmly. The barrier was broken instantly. Laughter doesn't care whether you are an animal, a plant, or a toy.

Laughter injected a new bounce into Ah Ball. From then on, whenever it was kicked far away, it wasn't in a hurry to roll back. Instead, it took the chance to roll over and share a laugh with everyone!

The End

日期 Date：2 June 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 audio books. 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: 大笑癮 vs 愛情癮 (東加豆) Micro-story: Laughter Addiction vs. Love Addiction (by Tonkabean)

九十四歲的爺爺喝了一口茶，忽然看著阿丁說： " 我常懷疑，究竟你嫲嫲是毒品，還是愛情本身就是毒品？ " 爺爺說不知道，因為他一生人就只有嫲嫲這個女人，嫲嫲=女人、女人=嫲嫲，從此，他對覺得女人都是（生人勿近）。

阿丁聽得一愣。他想起自己每天練習的大笑瑜伽，只要兩三天沒有刻意大笑，身體就像戒毒般周身不自然。

曾幾何時，阿丁對大笑瑜伽也充滿熱情，甚至激情，日日期待，天天追練。那時多巴胺瘋狂分泌，期待每次橫膈膜震動帶來的強烈亢奮。

突然，有一天他靜了下來。 

不，不是突然，是逐漸停下來，阿丁有一種莫名其妙的擔心。

爺爺說："激情會過去，友愛才真實。"

阿丁和爺爺說起大笑瑜伽的事情，但爺爺卻把話題回到嫲嫲身上，來來去去都說嫲嫲與他的恩怨情仇! 無錯, 他是用(恩怨情仇)來形容他與嫲嫲的婚姻關係，甚至用武俠片來形容和嫲嫲的相處方式，你一招我一掌，但從來沒有內傷過，心裡各自都有一個武術指導。一個九十四歲的老人，思路卻很清晰。

那天爺爺的毒品論，阿丁翻開大笑筆記，讀到（持續練習能重塑大腦的科學根據）。他忽然覺得：初期的無條件大笑靠的是激情推動，但長久下來，化學反應會退潮，大腦早已建立起穩固的神經迴路，將它刻進了身體記憶。

這不是不愛，而是激情過後，演變成了最踏實的（友愛）。

每天的線上練習，阿丁都為自己打開大笑之門，奇妙的是，每當投入地笑，笑完之後，都有一種豁然開朗。還有一些熟悉的面孔，儘管不常聊天，但看見大家規律地呼吸、做同一種動作、掛著一致的笑容，心裡就踏實。

"其實你知不知道我在說什麼" 阿丁笑著問爺爺。

爺爺也笑了笑："那你又知不知道我在說什麼？如果你知道我在說什麼，我就知道你在說什麼。"

"你曾有過大笑癮，我也有過愛情癮。但如果缺少了這種癮，我們的人生就會很笨。"

完

Micro-story: Laughter Addiction vs. Love Addiction (by Tonkabean)

The ninety-four-year-old grandfather took a sip of tea, suddenly looked at Ah Ding, and said, "I often wonder, was your grandmother a drug, or is love itself the drug?" Grandfather said he didn't know, because she was the only woman he had ever had in his life. To him, Grandmother equaled woman, and woman equaled Grandmother.  After her, he felt all women were "Keep Away."

Ah Ding was stunned. He thought of his daily Laughter Yoga practice. If he went just two or three days without laughing on purpose, his body would feel totally uncomfortable, just like going through withdrawal.

Once upon a time, Ah Ding was full of passion—even obsession—for Laughter Yoga. He looked forward to it every day and practiced relentlessly. Back then, dopamine was pumping wildly, and he craved the intense excitement brought by every vibration of his diaphragm.

Then, one day, he quieted down.

No, it wasn't sudden. It stopped gradually, leaving Ah Ding with a strange kind of worry.

Grandfather said, "Passion will pass; companionate love is what’s real."

Ah Ding tried to talk to Grandfather about Laughter Yoga, but Grandfather always brought the conversation back to Grandmother. He kept talking about his love-hate relationship with her! That’s right, he used the words "love and hate" to describe his marriage. He even used martial arts movies to describe how they got along—you throw a punch, I return a palm, but neither ever got hurt inside, because each had their own martial arts director in their heart. For a ninety-four-year-old man, his mind was incredibly sharp.

Hearing Grandfather’s drug theory that day, Ah Ding opened his Laughter Yoga notes and read about the scientific proof that consistent practice can reshape the brain. He suddenly realized: in the beginning, unconditional laughter is driven by passion. But over time, the chemical reaction fades. The brain has already built stable neural pathways, carving it into the body's memory.

This wasn't a loss of love. It was passion evolving into the most grounded kind of companionate love.

During the online sessions every day, Ah Ding opened the door to laughter for himself. The magical thing was, whenever he laughed wholeheartedly, he felt completely enlightened afterward. Seeing those familiar faces—even though they didn't chat often—breathing regularly, making the same movements, and wearing the same smiles made his heart feel grounded, comfortable, and at peace.

"Do you actually know what I’m talking about?" Ah Ding asked Grandfather with a smile.

Grandfather smiled too. "Then do you know what I’m talking about? If you know what I’m talking about, then I know what you’re talking about."

He added, "You once had a laughter addiction, and I had a love addiction. But if we lacked this kind of addiction, our lives would be pretty foolish.

End.

寫作日期：2026年5月26日 

完成時間 : 16:36pm

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 audio books. 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: Overtime and Ho Ho Ha  (by Tonkabean)

Ah Bing has a Laughter Yoga class every evening. It’s the only time she can give her body an "internal jogging." Scientists say laughter massages internal organs, improves blood circulation, and activates the diaphragm—which in turn stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (the part of us responsible for relaxation).

At 5:30 PM, Ah Bing stands up to leave. Supervisor Ah Nga stares at her again. In this office, leaving on time feels like breaking a school rule. Ah Bing tried staying until 7:00 PM;  Supervisor stopped staring and even chatted with her. But Ah Bing felt exhausted—her chest was tight, her shoulders were stiff, and she couldn't laugh.  She remembered the 40 Foundation Exercises manual: *Practice laughter for 40 days, and your brain will create new neural pathways, making laughter an automatic response.* But with all this overtime, she didn't even have the chance to start her 40 days.

One day, she left on time and waited at the elevator. Sister Nga ran over and demanded, "Have you finished your work?" There were other people around. Ah Bing felt extremely embarrassed and could only say, "My 'finished' might be different from your 'finished'." Someone nearby laughed. From that day on, life at work became hard for her.

One day, her boss sent her to the warehouse for an inventory check. She pushed open a door she had never noticed and walked into a dark corridor. The people inside had lifeless eyes and dark circles so deep they looked like smoky eye makeup. She remembered her notes: *Stress makes breathing shallow, causing carbon dioxide to build up and trigger anxiety.* She began to take deep breaths from her diaphragm—the very first thing she learned in Laughter Yoga.

She pushed open another door. An old man sat there with deep, soulful eyes. "Another poor soul," he said.

"How many minutes do you laugh every day?" the old man asked.

Ah Bing was shocked. Someone here was actually talking about *laughing*! In this office culture, even one second of joy was considered wasteful. People worked like machines, every minute producing, every face serious.

Ah Bing didn't know how to answer at first.

"People here wait until they 'finish everything' before they laugh," the old man said. "Are you the same?"

Finish...? "My 'finished,' your 'finished,' and her 'finished' might all be different!" This was the first thing Ah Bing said to him.

Then, Ah Bing turned to face the wall and did a "Silent Laughter."

Suddenly, the old man raised both hands, palms to palms, fingers to fingers, and started: "Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha... Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha!"

Ah Bing was stunned. Someone here actually knew "Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha"! Who was this man? Before she could ask, the old man vanished. It was a long corridor; even walking fast would take five minutes, so how could an old man disappear so quickly?

She felt a moment of panic, but the "Ho Ho Ha Ha" echoed in her mind, calming her down. She remembered the rule of "Fake it until you make it"—the body cannot tell the difference between real and fake laughter. As long as she laughed, she would release endorphins. She didn't need to wait until the work was "finished" to be happy.

She closed her eyes and suddenly did the "Lion Laughter." Like a little girl, she clawed her hands, stuck out her tongue, and let out a roar! Then, "Ho Ho Ha Ha!" The sound echoed through the warehouse. When she opened her eyes, the mysterious, dim light in the corridor seemed to fade away, washed out by the sound of her laughter.

She turned and ran, pushing through door after door. When she got back to the office, her watch said 10:00 PM. She had clearly only been gone for fifteen minutes.

Ah Bing felt a bit flustered, but she smiled as she packed her things and left the pitch-black office. Although she missed her Laughter Yoga class today, she had learned a lesson: even if you have to work overtime, you can still laugh it off.

Date：15 May 2026

Time: 14:34pm

Picture: Ai-Bean

Write: Tonkabean

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audio books. 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: 人際探測眼鏡（東加豆）
Micro-story: Ding's Magic Glasses (by Tonkabean)

（阿丁）是大笑瑜伽導師。他的班上只有六點五個人，為什麼是六點五？因為一個女學員每次對鏡頭都是一半臉、半邊肩膀、一隻手，而且她只會參與一半課堂。阿丁告訴自己，一種麵包有一百個不同的人喜歡吃，一句 Ho Ho Ha Ha 也有不同的聲調吧！總之大家一起 Ho Ho Ha Ha 就開心了。

阿丁試過派傳單、免費試堂，甚至在地鐵站 Ho Ho Ha Ha，但人數從未超過七個人。他想起手冊上寫着："笑不需要理由，選擇相信就可以。" 

不過，六點五個人，收入那麼少，難道又只能兼職大笑瑜伽導師，做回老本行？但他開始懷疑，是不是自己笑得不夠好。

某日，他在網上看見一副（人際探測眼鏡）。評價只有三顆星，但阿丁買了。

眼鏡送到。他戴上，走進課室。

——兩個紅色。兩個灰色。兩點五個黑色。

紅色的人笑得燦爛，想必安多酚大豐收。黑色的那兩點五個人，大概皮質醇超標，不只面無表情，還散發出一種 "我隨時會走"的氣場。灰色的人，沒有表情，沒有意見。

阿丁整堂課都盯着那道黑色閃燈的人。

他想討好他。他走到黑色的人面前，刻意對他笑。黑色的人沒有笑。他又走過去，問他感覺如何。黑色的人說："還行。" 另一個向他苦笑一下。

阿丁愈來愈焦慮。他發覺那兩個紅色的人開始變灰，他慌了。

他脫下眼鏡。深呼吸。他想起筆記中的一句："鏡像神經元會讓笑聲傳染，但你無法傳染給一個不想被傳染的人，只看笑而不做的人，這已經證明他是（易於感染物），不然，這些人會消失得無影無蹤的。

阿丁決定專注於那兩個紅色的人。他跟他們一起笑，一起 Ho Ho Ha Ha...YGYG Yeah！一起做（簽名式大笑）——吸氣、握拳、憋氣三秒，然後爆發出笑聲。他不再看黑色的人。

下星期，兩個紅色變成四個。

再下星期，四個紅色變成八個。

灰色的人開始轉紅。

有個灰色的人課後對他說："其實我一直覺得大笑瑜伽很傻，但你笑起來好像真的很開心。"

阿丁笑了笑，沒有解釋，望著他，笑容更燦爛，拍掌更大力。他想起手冊上的另一句話："研究證明，身體分不清真笑還是假笑，只要笑，就會釋放安多酚，降低皮質醇。"

最近，他常常忘了戴那副眼鏡。

不是故意的，就是忘了。

原來忙起來的時候，黑色的人會變成一種背景。

黑色的人？他沒再想了，也就忘了那副眼鏡。

完

Micro-story: Ding's Magic Glasses (by Tonkabean)

Ah Ding is a Laughter Yoga teacher. He has exactly 6.5 students in his class. Why 6.5? Because one student only shows half her face, half a shoulder, and one hand on camera—and she only stays for half the lesson. Ding tells himself: "A hundred people like a hundred different kinds of bread; surely one 'Ho Ho Ha Ha' can have different tones." As long as everyone laughs together, that’s happiness.

Ding tried handing out flyers, offering free trials, and even laughing in subway stations. But his class size never grew past seven. He remembered the manual: "Laughter needs no reason; you just have to choose to believe."

However, with only 6.5 students and a tiny income, he wondered if he had to go back to his old job and keep Laughter Yoga as a part-time hobby. He started to doubt himself: "Maybe my laugh isn't good enough?"

One day, he saw a pair of "Interpersonal Detection Glasses" online. They only had a three-star rating, but Ding bought them anyway.

The glasses arrived. He put them on and walked into the classroom.

—Two Reds. Two Grays. And 2.5 Blacks.

The Red people laughed brightly; their endorphins must be overflowing. The 2.5 Black people looked like their cortisol levels were off the charts—not only were they expressionless, but they radiated an "I’m leaving any second" vibe. The Gray people had no expressions and no opinions.

Throughout the whole class, Ding’s eyes were glued to those flashing Black lights.

He wanted to please them. He walked up to a Black person and laughed right at him. The man didn't smile. Ding tried again, asking how he felt. The man simply said, "Fine." The other one just gave a bitter smirk.

Ding grew more anxious. He noticed the two Red people were starting to turn Gray. He panicked.

He took off the glasses and took a deep breath. He remembered a line from his notes: "Mirror neurons make laughter contagious, but you can’t infect someone who doesn't want to be. Even those who just watch without laughing are still 'vulnerable to infection'—otherwise, they would have disappeared long ago."

Ding decided to focus on the two Red people. He laughed with them, "Ho Ho Ha Ha... Very Good, Very Good, Yeah!" Together, they did a "Signature Laughter"—inhale, clench fists, hold breath for three seconds, and then let out a burst of laughter. He stopped looking at the Black people.

The next week, two Reds became four.

The week after, four Reds became eight.

The Gray people started turning Red.

After class, a Gray person said to him, "I used to think Laughter Yoga was silly, but you look truly happy when you laugh."

Ding smiled and said nothing. He just looked at the student, laughed even brighter, and clapped even harder. He recalled another line from the manual: "Research proves the body cannot tell the difference between real and fake laughter. As long as you laugh, you release endorphins and lower cortisol."

Lately, he often forgets to wear those glasses.

Not on purpose—he just forgets.

It turns out that when you are busy, the Black people just become the background.

Black people? He doesn't think about them anymore, so he has forgotten about the glasses too.

日期 Date：11 May 2026

時間 Time: 14:27pm

圖 Picture: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)

文 Write. 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 audio books. 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/

關於我 /About me ：https://tonkabean.me/

故事選集 / Story Collection

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

微故事: 妖怪的自助餐（東加豆）
Micro-story: The Monster's Buffet (by Tonkabean)

城市裡有一隻（壓力妖怪），不喝血不吃肉，專門吸食（假笑）維生。

它像個挑剔的美食家，盤旋在空曠的大自然，或者大花園，因為（愛大笑）的人最喜歡到這裡，水泥森林的城市，大笑都遭人投訴。

不管是哪種笑容，在壓力妖怪眼中都是米其林三星，滋潤又甜美。它知道，人類越是在乎（看起來很好），那抹笑容就越發甘甜，越能滋養它的妖力。

於是，它盯上了一群練習（大笑瑜伽）的人。

一日，那些人站在公園角落，有人分享，有人聆聽。

心煩時，記住大笑三聲：

有時候，真的好想大喊一聲。

有時候，真的好想大哭一場。

心煩時，記住大笑三聲：

一切都會過去的

我就是我

一切都是最好的安排

然後人們笑起來，雙手打開，整個環境飄蕩著不同的聲調。

妖怪聽到（哈哈哈...呵呵呵...）牠就興奮極了！這簡直是自助餐的海洋。它大口吸氣，準備將這滿滿的自欺欺人能量的笑聲納入腹中。

妖怪嚐了一口，差點嗆到。

這不是它熟悉的客套笑，這笑聲乾澀、僵硬，像奉命行事。它再吸一口，發現這群人臉上寫滿疲憊，眼神帶著無奈與掙扎。

壓力妖怪是知道這種現象的，牠一直都知道，卻從來未嚐過這種味道，對妖怪來說這不是一種討好的味道。

明明是吃盡苦頭，這些人依然在笑。

明明生活是千瘡百孔，還繼續在笑。

這不是自欺欺人是什麼？

壓力妖怪感到一陣暈眩，牠的修為，建立在人類的虛偽之上。如今，幾聲乾澀的笑聲，竟動搖了牠的根基。

牠的身體開始扭曲，在牠化成一縷煙之前，牠終於明白。這群笑人沒有欺騙自己，也沒有欺騙別人，他們只是在告訴世界，即使我受傷了，此刻我仍選擇（笑！）

這份味道，壓力妖怪消化不來。

完

Micro-story: The Monster's Buffet. (by Tonkabean)

In the city, there lived a *Stress Monster*. It didn’t drink blood or eat meat; it survived solely by feeding on *fake smiles*.

The monster was like a picky gourmet. It often hovered over open parks and gardens, because people who love to laugh gather there. In the concrete jungle of the city, laughing too loudly usually brings complaints.

To the Stress Monster, every smile was like a three-star Michelin meal—sweet and nourishing. It knew that the more humans pretended to be "okay," the sweeter their smiles became, and the stronger its demonic power grew.

One day, it set its sights on a group of people practicing *Laughter Yoga*.

They stood in a corner of the park. Some were sharing stories, others were listening. 

They spoke of three things to remember when the heart is heavy:

* Sometimes, I just want to scream.

* Sometimes, I just want to cry.

Three things to remember when the heart is heavy

* Everything passes. 

* I am who I am.

* And everything is the best arrangement.

Then, the people began to laugh. They opened their arms wide, and the air filled with different sounds. The monster heard the "Ha-ha-ha... Ho-ho-ho..." and became ecstatic! It was an ocean of a buffet. It took a deep breath, ready to swallow all that energy.

But as the monster took its first bite, it nearly choked.

This wasn't the polite, "social" laughter it was used to. This laughter was dry and stiff, like someone following an order. It took another breath and saw the truth: these people’s faces were full of exhaustion; their eyes were filled with struggle.

The Stress Monster knew about suffering, but it had never tasted it like this. To the monster, this was not a pleasant flavor.

*These people have tasted so much bitterness, yet they are still laughing?

*Their lives are full of holes, yet they continue to laugh?

*Is this not just self-deception?

The monster felt dizzy. Its power was built on human hypocrisy. Now, these few dry laughs were shaking its very foundation.

Its body began to twist and distort. Before it turned into a wisp of smoke, it finally understood: these laughing people were not lying to themselves, nor were they lying to the world. They were simply telling the universe: "Even if I am hurt, right now, I still choose to *laugh!*"

This was a flavor the Stress Monster simply could not digest.

日期 Date：4 May 2026

時間 Time: 15:40pm

圖 Picture: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)

文 Write. 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。

https://tonkabean.me/支持與鼓勵/

關於我：https://tonkabean.me/

故事選集

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

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audio books. 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://matters.town/@tonkabean/collections

微故事: 一念．兩笑 (東加豆)
Micro-story: One Thought, Two Laughs (by Tonkabean)

都市人總會有些鬱結。（阿凡）每個週末準時去上（大笑瑜珈）課堂，深信刻意大笑能解開心事，這是（模擬笑聲）的原理——身體分不出真假，笑多了，心也會跟著走。

這天他換上輕便衣服，調整呼吸，預備走入課室。街頭天色微沉，風有點涼，一切如常。他步伐緩緩，心境平靜，只等一場集體大笑，撫平皺褶。

一.

推開課室門，導師示意全體即刻開始練習。他牽動嘴角，硬擠出笑聲——肌肉僵硬，心神游離。所有人沉浸在集體歡愉中，唯獨他的情緒依舊封閉。外在的笑觸不到裡面，儀式過後，空虛加倍蔓延。他站在角落，滿室歡笑，格格不入。

二.

推開課室門，導師示意全體即刻開始練習。他放下念頭，順著身體走——緩緩放開眉頭，笑聲從喉嚨深處慢慢滲出來，不勉強，不做作。周圍的笑氣包裹住他，壓抑的情緒悄然鬆開。他混在人群之中，安靜地笑，內心平緩。

同樣的課堂，同樣的時刻，推門兩次，兩種風景。

導演大喊:停!

然後跟大明星說：你喜歡哪一個版本?

阿凡不知道大明星怎樣回答，因為他根本沒有機會接觸這位大明星。他只知道這五分鐘的劇場，花了十個小時完成，以及剛才接過來的那四百二十一港元，然後他 Ho Ho ha ha ha…哼著（沉默的笑聲）。

完

Micro-story: One Thought, Two Laughs (by Tonkabean)

People in the city always carry some emotional knots. (Ah Fan) goes to Laughter Yoga class every weekend, believing that laughing on purpose can untie those knots. This is the principle of "simulated laughter" — the body cannot tell the difference between real and fake. Laugh more, and the heart will follow.

One day, he puts on comfortable clothes, adjusts his breathing, and gets ready to enter the classroom. The sky is a little grey, the wind is cool, everything feels normal. He walks slowly, feeling calm, waiting for a group laugh to smooth out the wrinkles inside.

One.

He opens the door. The teacher signals everyone to start laughing right away. He pulls his mouth corners, forcing out a laugh — muscles stiff, mind wandering. Everyone is lost in the group joy, but his emotions stay closed. The outside laughter cannot reach inside. After the ritual, emptiness spreads even more. He stands in the corner, surrounded by laughter, feeling out of place.

Two.

He opens the door. The teacher signals everyone to start laughing right away. He lets go of his thoughts and follows his body — slowly relaxing his forehead, laughter seeps out from deep in his throat, gentle, not forced, not pretending. The laughing energy around him wraps him up. The heavy feelings quietly loosen. He blends in with the crowd, laughing quietly, feeling peaceful inside.

Same class, same moment. Opening the door twice, two different scenes.

The director yells: Cut!

Then turns to the movie star and says: Which version do you prefer?

Ah Fan never knew how the movie star answered, because he never had a chance to meet that star. All he knew was that this five-minute scene took ten hours to finish, and the four hundred and twenty-one Hong Kong dollars he had just received, Then he hummed softly, "Ho Ho ha ha ha…" — the silent laughter.

日期 Date：27 April 2026

時間 Time: 14:35pm

圖 Picture: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)

文 Write. 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。

https://tonkabean.me/支持與鼓勵/

關於我 / About me:：https://tonkabean.me/

故事選集 / Story Collection

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

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audio books. 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.

Micro-story: My Wife‘s Dress Is Inside Out

 Micro-story:  My Wife‘s Dress Is Inside Out

My name is Bob. One evening, my wife came home from work. I noticed her whole dress was inside out. I froze for a second. Before I could react, she turned on the TV, ran into the kitchen to stir-fry, then we ate, cleared the table, washed the dishes, cleaned the kitchen, mopped the floor, and took out the trash — all within thirty minutes.

That’s the rhythm of this city. My city rhythm. Ho Ho ha ha ha…!

Ever since my wife became a Laughter Yoga student, she laughs about it, cries about it, then laughs again.

Ho Ho ha ha ha… Ho Ho ha ha ha… VGVG Yeah!

At night, we went to bed. I noticed her pajamas were inside out again. I froze again. I said, “It‘s inside out… I know you love Laughter Yoga and do Ho Ho Ha Ha every day, but you don’t have to wear your clothes backwards to make me laugh...”

My wife said, “I’m not trying to make you laugh... Laughter needs no reason. Laughter is the reason.” She yawned, rolled over, and fell asleep. Half an hour ago she was still doing Ho Ho Ha Ha. Within ten minutes of hitting the bed, she was out cold... Her back faced me. I stared at the washing label on her pajamas.

Over the next few days, I started noticing more. The little buttons on her blouse were on the inside. The seams were on the outside with tiny threads poking out. Her T-shirts were reversed. Her socks were reversed. Even the duvet cover had its zipper on the inside — the pale side showed without embarrassment, while the bright side hid against the quilt.

I asked her, “Have you been... too tired lately?” She was cooking with her apron tied on backwards, not turning her head. “The whole world is upside down and messy. What‘s wrong with me turning one or two clothes around?”

At first I thought she was in a bad mood, or making some silent protest. But no. I still heard her laughing loudly in the bathroom and in the kitchen. Her mood was perfectly stable.

I found myself answering her with Ho Ho Ha Ha without thinking, even though I wasn’t sure if my laugh was real or fake. I’m not even a Laughter Yoga student. My wife said, “Scientific studies prove that the body can’t tell the difference between real laughter and fake laughter. As long as you laugh, your body releases endorphins and lowers cortisol.” That’s pretty interesting.

One weekend morning, I saw her pick a stiff, sun-dried hoodie from the laundry basket — twisted inside out and knotted. Instead of shaking it out and flipping it back like she used to, she just followed the tangled mess, found the collar, and pulled it over her head. The sleeves were twisted. The hood sat behind her neck. She gave it a little tug and went to water the plants. Smooth as if she was putting on a freshly ironed shirt.

Then I understood.

She wasn’t “reversing” things. She was just accepting things as they came. If the washing machine turned it inside out, she wore it inside out. If the duvet cover was reversed, she used it reversed. If it got flipped back to normal, she wore it normal.

The world gave her a crooked logic. She just went along with it. Saving the energy of fixing the world to nurture her own life.

This attitude quietly seeped into her daily life. She no longer got upset by the twisted, distorted, bizarre things on the screen — as if people and beasts were all the same. Yet the world kept running as usual. Her words and smile remained gentle.

I looked at her calm profile. I remembered how she used to argue until her face turned red. I put my socks on inside out. I said, “Hey, my socks match your apron today!” I’m not fighting anything. I’m not going along with anything either. I just want to make my wife laugh. We haven’t worried about world events for six months now.

End

Laughter Yoga Song:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWeR7IEFtxlqH0w17yuHRJS0fReuxZ3-5

Laughter Yoga-Comic

https://laugh-yoga-hk.blogspot.com/

Laughter Yoga-Knowledge (Chinese)

https://laughter-yoga-knowledge.blogspot.com/

Online shop for Laughter Yoga! 

https://www.redbubble.com/people/tonkabean/shop?artistUserName=tonkabean&asc=u&collections=4352674&iaCode=all-departments&sortOrder=top%20selling

Laughter Yoga India

https://www.laughteryoga.org/

Tonkabean

https://www.tonkabean.me/

2026 April 20,

time: 15:18pm 

tonkabean  ^_^!!

微故事: 誰在聽螞蟻唱歌 (東加豆) Micro-story:Who Hears the Ants Sing? (by Tonkabean)

 微故事: 誰在聽螞蟻唱歌 (東加豆)

Micro-story:Who Hears the Ants Sing? (by Tonkabean)

我叫（阿凡），是一名（大笑瑜伽）導師。在成年人的邏輯裡，螞蟻唱歌這種事，跟老闆會自動加人工一樣，不會有人相信的。但我能證明，起碼有一個人聽得見，而且常聽得如癡如醉。那個人就是舊鄰居的女兒，（芝麻）。

芝麻才七歲，調皮得像個野孩子，身上永遠髒兮兮的。街坊鄰居不喜歡她，說她（無厘頭）、（亂講嘢）。他們總拿別的女孩（杏仁）比較：杏仁文靜聽話、清晨起床背千字英語單詞、傍晚練習小提琴、斯斯文文，不肯坐到泥地上。

幾天前回到老家，芝麻走過來跟我吃飯。她神秘地說："昨晚，我生了一個天藍色的蛋。" 

我故作驚訝問："是？蛋在哪？" 

她把我拉到雞窩旁，指著空地說："在這。" 

我在想，這是亂講嘢，還是將幻想揉進現實？

我順著她追問蛋的去向，她歪著頭想了想："讓螞蟻搬走了。"

我忙接話："我昨晚也生了一個紅色的蛋，有燈籠那麼大。" 芝麻一怔，隨即大笑起來。她為找到同類而心滿意足，整個下午都黏著我。

午睡醒來，我見她蹲在牆角。她說："我在聽螞蟻唱歌。"

我蹲下來，想起大笑瑜伽的核心理念——笑不需要理由，選擇相信就可以。我側耳靜聽，說："我也聽見了。蟻王像豬叫，小細腰的聲音尖脆，來回跑的那隻聲音沙啞。"芝麻興奮地直點頭，笑得燦爛。

這一刻，我真的聽見了。不是想像，不是配合。當你選擇相信，假笑會變成真笑，假裝聽見會變成真的聽見。

我聽見芝麻的笑聲比螞蟻還大。

我羨慕芝麻的快樂。這份快樂，她未來做什麼並不重要，重要的是她擁有一個浪漫主義的童年。一個會生藍蛋、能聽見螞蟻唱歌的童年，是多麼幸福。

完

Micro-story: (by Tonkabean)

My name is Fan, and I am a Laughter Yoga teacher. In the world of adults, believing that ants can sing is like believing a boss will give you a raise voluntarily—no one believes it. But I can prove that at least one person hears it, and she listens with pure delight. That person is my neighbor’s daughter, Sesame.

Sesame is seven. She's a wild child, always covered in dirt. The neighbors don’t like her; they say she’s "nonsense" and "talks crazy." They always compare her to another girl, Almond. Almond is quiet and obedient. She wakes up early to memorize a thousand English words and spends her evenings practicing the violin. She is so "proper" that she refuses to even sit on the grass.

A few days ago, I went back to my old neighborhood. Sesame came over to eat with me. She whispered mysteriously, "Last night, I laid a sky-blue egg."

I played along and asked, "Really? Where is it?"

She pulled me to the chicken coop and pointed at the empty ground. "Right here."

I wondered: Is this just "nonsense," or is she weaving her dreams into reality?

I followed her logic and asked where the egg went. She tilted her head and thought for a moment. "The ants carried it away."

I quickly added, "I laid a red egg last night, too. It was as big as a lantern!" Sesame froze for a second, then burst into laughter. She was so satisfied to have found a "soulmate" that she stuck by my side all afternoon.

After a nap, I found her crouching in the corner. She said, "I’m listening to the ants sing."

I knelt down beside her. I remembered the core of Laughter Yoga: Laughter needs no reason; you just have to choose to believe. I tilted my ear and said, "I hear it too. The King Ant sounds like a pig grunting, the thin-waisted one has a sharp, high voice, and the one running back and forth sounds a bit raspy." Sesame nodded excitedly, her smile radiant.

In that moment, I really did hear it. It wasn’t my imagination, and I wasn't just playing along. When you choose to believe, a fake laugh becomes a real one, and "pretending to hear" becomes "actually hearing."

I heard Sesame’s laughter, and it was louder than any ant.

I envy Sesame’s joy. It doesn't matter what she becomes in the future. What matters is that she has a romantic childhood. To have a childhood where you lay blue eggs and hear ants sing—that is true happiness.

日期 Date：30 March 2026

時間 Time: 14:11pm

圖 Picture: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)

文 Write. 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。

https://tonkabean.me/支持與鼓勵/

關於我：https://tonkabean.me/

故事選集

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

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audio books. 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://matters.town/@tonkabean/collections

微故事: 第十四分鐘的笑 (東加豆) Micro-story: The 14th Minute Laugh (by Tonkabean)

 微故事: 第十四分鐘的笑 (東加豆)

Micro-story: The 14th Minute Laugh (by Tonkabean)

我叫（阿凡），在香港，東區，筲箕灣道一棟商業大廈做會計員。日子像游水——不停撥水，卻看不見岸。

某日午飯後，我走進七樓社區中心，聽見裡面傳來 "哈...哈...哈..." 的怪聲。我以為是邪教，卻因為冷氣吸引而推門進去。原來是（大笑瑜伽班）。

導師是一位戴著大圓框眼鏡的中年女人，不美麗。 

她遞給我一個紅鼻子，說："不用等笑話，不用等好笑的事。現在就笑。來，跟我做（攪拌牛奶笑）。"

我問："免費？"

她說："是免費的。"

我有點猶豫，我還未開口再問，她再說："是呀..是免費呀！"

我覺得自己像個白痴。

第一分鐘，我覺得自己像個白痴。

第五分鐘，尷尬。

第十一分鐘，懷疑人生。

就在第十四分鐘，導師突然停了下來，對我說："你還在等什麼？笑吧! "

接著，大腦竟真的順從著，它告訴我:"笑吧! 阿凡!" 

既然是我的大腦在呼喚，我還在等什麼？笑吧! 

然後，（不美麗導師）她忽然跌了一跤，全場靜了，沒有人笑，學生跑上前扶起她，導師爬起來，拍拍膝頭說："這叫跌倒笑。" 然後她自己先 "呵呵...哈哈哈！呵呵...哈哈哈！真好、真好...耶！"

我也笑了，但不是因為她跌倒，而是因為我忽然想笑。而這裡與門外的世界不一樣，踏出門外這樣笑、無緣無故地笑、忽然地笑，別人會避開我，那麼，我應該趁現在好好大笑!

那一刻，我像老鼠在水桶裡，突然相信自己能再多游一會。

第二天，我又去了。

第三天，我帶了同事阿強去笑。

阿強很快就笑，他沒有我那麼多疑問，別人笑他跟著笑，別人靜他跟著靜。

阿強在公司都一樣，叫他拍照便拍照，說缺佈景板他便定格不動，所以我喜歡阿強。

笑聲沒有拯救我的困境——老闆依然刻薄，租金依然昂貴，我依然買不起香港的磚頭。但我開始在茶水間練習（倒奶笑），在電車上做（無聲笑）。這些荒誕無稽的片刻，竟成了我繼續游下去的方式。

六十天過去了，水桶依舊在。但我已經習慣了在絕望裡自製笑聲。至於能游多久，我自己也不知道。或許，只要下一個（呵呵哈哈）響起，我就能再撐一段時間。

慶幸，我在第十四分鐘放棄之前，選擇了大笑。

完

Micro-story: The 14th Minute Laugh (by Tonkabean)

My name is Fan. I work as an accounting clerk in a commercial building on Shau Kei Wan Road, in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. Life feels like swimming — constantly paddling, but never seeing the shore.

One day after lunch, I walked into the community center on the seventh floor. I heard strange sounds coming from inside: "Ha... ha... ha..." I thought it was a cult, but the air conditioning was tempting, so I pushed the door open. It turned out to be a Laughter Yoga class.

The instructor was a middle-aged woman with big round glasses. She wasn’t pretty. She handed me a red nose and said, "You don’t need to wait for a joke. You don’t need to wait for something funny. Laugh now. Come, follow me and do the Milk-Churning Laugh."

I asked, "Is it free?"

She said, "Yes, it’s free."

I hesitated. Before I could ask again, she added, "Yes… it’s really free!"

I felt like an idiot.

The first minute, I felt like an idiot.

The fifth minute, I felt awkward.

The eleventh minute, I started to doubt my life.

Right at the fourteenth minute, the instructor suddenly stopped and said to me, "What are you still waiting for? Laugh!"

Then, my brain actually obeyed. It told me, "Laugh! Fan!"

Since my own brain was calling me, what was I waiting for? Laugh!

Then, she — the not-so-pretty instructor — suddenly tripped and fell. The whole room went silent. No one laughed. The students rushed to help her up. She got up, dusted her knees, and said, "This is called the Fall-Down Laugh." Then she herself started laughing, "Hehe… hahaha! Hehe… hahaha! Good, good… yes!"

I laughed too. Not because she fell, but because I suddenly felt like laughing. And this place was different from the world outside. If I laughed like this outside — for no reason, suddenly — people would avoid me. So I should laugh well while I had the chance!

At that moment, I felt like the mouse in the bucket, suddenly believing I could swim a little longer.

The next day, I went again.

The third day, I brought my colleague ( Ah Keung) along to laugh.

Ah Keung laughed easily. He didn’t have as many questions as I did. When others laughed, he laughed along. When others were quiet, he was quiet too.

Keung was the same at work. If you asked him to take a photo, he took one. If you said you needed a backdrop, he would stand still. That’s why I liked Keung.

Laughter did not save me from my problems — my boss was still harsh, the rent was still high, and I still couldn’t afford a house in Hong Kong. But I started practicing the Milk-Pouring Laugh in the pantry and doing the Silent Laugh on the tram. These silly, meaningless moments became my way of keeping myself afloat.

Sixty days passed. The bucket was still there. But I had gotten used to making my own laughter in the midst of despair. How much longer I could swim, I didn’t know. Maybe, whenever the next "Hehe Haha" sounded, I could last a little while longer.

I was glad that, before giving up at the fourteenth minute, I chose to laugh.

日期 Date：23 March 2026

時間 Time: 11:36am

圖 Picture: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)

文 Write. 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。

https://tonkabean.me/支持與鼓勵/

關於我：https://tonkabean.me/

故事選集

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

Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audio books. 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://matters.town/@tonkabean/collections