Cheen???

This morning after going to church, I made my way back home. Since the beginning of the week, I've started buying 'The Star' newspaper for inspiration.

I picked up the paper and was on my way home when I saw this van selling soya pudding, bean curd and soya milk. Pudding!!! I had to stop.

I asked in Cantonese..
"Chang mun puddin gay daw cheen?"
(Cantonese:How much is the pudding)

She was like what????
I said it again...
She was still puzzled.

Then she said...
"Gay daw looi hai mai"
(Cantonese:How much money is it...)

Then... I realized...
I am not in Hong Kong but in Malaysia.

Gosh....
Hongkies use 'cheen' for money.
But Malaysians use 'looi'.
'Looi' is more slanted towards Hokkien, while 'cheen' is more Mandarin like.

We started a little small talk.
She said that usually people don't come till sunrise. That people come mostly in the afternoons.

At first, she told me to wait.
That she can't sell anything to me just yet at 7. She needs time to prepare. She doesn't sell pudding this early in the morning though. But she can sell me bean curd.

I told her I went to church and was on my way home.

"Cantonese: I wake up earlier than you at 5."
I laughed and nodded.

Yeah auntie!! You don't know I've been working the whole night and didn't sleep at all! Beat that!!!

Finally, I got my bean curd and went home with a smile.