by Alexa Kang
Most of all, she was disappointed with herself. How could she have been so thoughtless? She’d been so enthralled by all the fun and excitement of this city, she wasn’t even aware of the inequities among the different races of people. So eager to believe that she was now in a place free of prejudice, she hadn’t looked deeper into how the Chinese were socially subjugated in their own country.
“I have a surprise for you,” Clark said.
“What?”
“Look.” He gazed up. A maid brought out a tray of glass cups. Each cup had a little orb of dry tea leaves at the bottom. She put one cup in front of Eden and one cup in front of Clark before going around the table and giving one to everybody else.
“It’s jasmine tea,” Clark said. “The tea ball is woven together by tea masters in the Fujian province.” He leaned closer to her. The maid returned to pour hot water into Eden’s cup. In the hot water, the tea ball unfurled and blossomed into a gorgeous arrangement of orange flowers with white petals and stems on a swaying base of green tea leaves. She’d never seen anything like it. She held her hands to her heart.
“What do you think?” Clark asked.
“It’s like magic!”
“Just so you know, even though we have to serve it to the entire table, this is a special treat meant for you.”
For her? She didn’t know if he really meant it. Either way, she felt flattered.
“Go ahead. Taste it.”
She took a sip, savoring the fragrance of the tea. “Thank you. It’s absolutely wonderful.”
His eyes gleamed. By now, she had to admit, he truly was a handsome man. Too bad she wasn’t Chinese. If she were, he might see her as more than a foreigner. Or, if he weren’t Chinese and he pursued her, she might even fall in love with him. Such a shame that the barrier of race and culture stood between them. She envied the Chinese girl who would one day capture his heart.
The uncomfortable feeling of a heavy gaze bore down on her. Disturbed, she looked up. Across the table, Isaac was watching her. The glum look on his face shaved away some of the joy she’d felt from Clark’s delightful treat. She lowered her eyes while Clark explained to the other guests at the table where the tea was grown and how the tea balls were made.
No. Isaac’s feelings could not be the reason for her to decide whom she would or would not socialize with. He had to get over this. How he felt about her was beyond her control. She should not have to feel guilty for enjoying the company of other men. She took a deep breath and stared back at him.
Yes. She intended to befriend other men. She wanted to live her life. He had to understand that.
Taken aback by her gaze, Isaac looked away. No one noticed the wordless exchange between them. The conversation at the table had moved on. “Eden, have you been to a dance hall yet?” Mei Mei asked.
“Dance hall?” Eden dropped her gaze at Isaac. “No. Not yet. My friends have told me about them though.”
“Oh, you must go. They’re a lot of fun. The Paramount dance hall is the best. A lot of top bands and singers from around the world perform there. We should take you. Shouldn’t we, Ge? Jie?” She looked over at Clark and Estella.
“Yes,” Clark said. A wide grin spread across his face. “If you like, my sisters and I would be happy to show you the fun parts of Shanghai.” He paused. “Actually, I don’t know much about the dance hall scene. I was only sixteen when I went to America. It’ll be an eye-opening experience for me too.”
“They do put on fantastic shows at the Paramount,” Wen-Ying said. “There’s a mix of music depending on the night. Mei Mei likes the Western jazz bands. I personally prefer the Chinese singers.”
“Well?” Clark asked Eden. The hopeful tone of his voice could’ve made her believe that her answer was the most important thing to him in the world.
How could she say no if he asked like that? “I’d love to go.”
“Isaac.” He smiled at Isaac across the table. “Would you like to come too?”
Isaac could barely feign appreciation for being included. “No. Thank you. I’m not much interested in music or dancing.” He shifted his eyes away from both Clark and Eden.
Eden knew that was only an excuse. Even if he liked dance clubs and bars, he wouldn’t have said yes. He wouldn’t want to see her enjoy herself more with other men.
Of course she felt bad. She cared for him. A lot. Only not in that way. The sooner he gave up on her, the easier it would be for both of them.
Long after the Levines had left, Clark stood in front of his home, looking down the street into which the cars they rode had disappeared after he saw them off. He couldn’t be more pleased with how everything had gone tonight. His parents always liked guests, and they took a certain pride in having foreigners visit their home. The Levines seemed to have enjoyed themselves, although their family friend, Isaac, was somewhat aloof.
Best of all, of course, was seeing Eden again. How could someone be this beautiful? That brown hair. He’d never seen a shade of brown so deep and rich. Every time he looked at her, he wanted to run his hand through her locks.
Not only was she stunning in looks, she had fire too. The way she talked back to Zi-Hong! He couldn’t have done it better himself.
Zi-Hong. That little upstart. The smell of baby milk hadn’t even dried on him yet, and already he was spouting grand talk and theories. How did sweet, adorable Mei Mei get mixed up with a boy like him? What did she see in him?
Mei Mei. Thanks to her, he’d get to see Eden again. Going to a dance hall was a splendid idea, and he couldn’t have invited Eden himself. A white woman would never accept an invitation like that from a Chinese man. Not the proper kind of white woman anyway.
He kicked a stone away from the moonlight shining on the ground. What was he expecting? Nothing would come out of this. Still, if he could gaze at her soulful eyes one more time, he would still consider it a gift. A fairy rarely graced the earth. He was only mortal. If he turned away from the chance of being in her presence, he’d be committing a crime against heaven.
He could remain here for hours thinking about her, but his sense of duty interfered and forced him to return to his house. Foremost in his thoughts now should be his youngest sister, not a woman he could never have.
His father had retreated into the study, and his sisters had gone to rest in their rooms. Only his mother remained in the living room with her maid massaging her shoulders.
Good. His mother was the one he wanted to see.
“There, right there.” Madam Yuan stretched her neck to the left. “Ah! Not so hard. A little lighter.”
The maid loosened her fingers.
“A little lower,” Madam Yuan said. The maid slid her hands further down her back. “Lower. There, that’s it.”
Clark sat down on the couch next to them. “Ma, you all right?”
“What’s all right? I’m getting old. When people get old, problems show up on their bodies.” She bent her elbow to and forth. “Whenever it rains now, I get arthritis.”
Clark smiled. His mother hardly qualified as old. Like all rich tai tai, she had too much time on her hand and occasionally liked to moan about illnesses that didn’t exist.
“Enough.” She waved her hand at the maid. “You can bring me my swallow’s nest.” The maid left for the kitchen. Swallow’s nest was the sweet, soupy dessert ladies ate to keep their skin youthful and smooth.
“Ma, I want to discuss something with you,” Clark said. “It’s about Mei Mei.”
“What about Mei Mei?”
“She’s been with Zi-Hong for almost a year?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe he’s not such a good influence on her.”
“Why do you say that?” Madam Yuan asked.
“I think he’s a little arrogant. A bit like no one is good enough in his eyes. Also, I don’t like the way he thinks. He talks about wealthy people taking advantage of the poor. What does he know? He’s never come out to work or make money. He doesn’t know how hard p
eople have to work to get to where they are. What the world is like, he doesn’t know yet, but already he has so many theories. I don’t think it’s such a good thing to have this kind of person by Mei Mei’s side.”
Madam Yuan drew back her head, her face exhibiting doubt. “Zi-Hong comes from a family of scholars. It’s common for people who are learned to have an air of superiority. Besides, he’s still really a child. Children always talk nonsense. It’ll all be fine as long as you don’t view things on his level.”
Clark shook his head. “There are better boys out there. Mei Mei should meet more people. Give herself more choices. She doesn’t need to tie herself to one boy so soon.”
Madam Yuan sighed. “I know you care about your sister. But you don’t have to worry. Zi-Hong’s a proper young man. He’s respectful toward her. He always brings her home on time. I’d be more worried if she was running around with delinquents or boys from disreputable backgrounds.”
No. He frowned. His mother didn’t understand.
“Actually, young people’s feelings often aren’t set. She’s with Zi-Hong now. After a few years pass, who knows which person will be the true one of her destiny. She’s only seventeen. I intend to keep her by my side to keep me company for several more years yet.”
Clark frowned. He hoped his mother was right. He would thank heaven and earth if his sister ended up with someone else.
“You worry about Mei Mei. I say, the one we need to worry about is you.”
“Me? Why?”
“You’re home now. You got your diploma. You’ve got a new job. When do you plan to get married?”
“Get married?”
“Yes. You’re our Yuan family’s only son. The whole family’s eighteen generations of ancestors are depending on you.”
“I can’t get married yet. I just started my career.”
“A man no doubt has to have a career. But our Yuan family can support a daughter-in-law anytime. We don’t need to wait for your career to get on track before you marry. I want to hold my baby grandchildren.”
Clark fell speechless. This conversation had taken an absolute wrong turn.
“Shen Yi waited six years for you.” Madam Yuan patted his hands.
“I don’t even know her.” Clark bolted up from his seat. “She doesn’t really know me. We’ve never been close. How do I marry someone I don’t even know?”
“Nonsense. What do you mean you don’t know her? You’ve known her all your life. She’s been your fiancée since before you were born. I know six years is a long time. I can understand your years apart created a distance, but feelings can be cultivated. Look at your father and me. A matchmaker introduced us. I barely knew him when I married him. Look at us now. We even got three great children.”
Clark turned away from his mother. At the moment, he honestly couldn’t tell what was worse. A Japanese invasion, or being forced to marry a girl he didn’t love.
A Japanese invasion might relieve him from his ridiculous engagement.
Unfortunately for him, his mother’s enthusiasm didn’t wane. “Shen Yi’s a good girl. She has a docile nature. I like the way she always bows her head when she walks. That’s a mark of a wife who won’t challenge you. When Mei Mei eventually does get married, Shen Yi could be here to keep me company.”
Heaven save me, Clark thought. A headache began to brew between his temples.
“You need to spend some time with her. She’s coming to visit me this weekend. When she comes by, why don’t you take her out instead?”
Take her out? He thought of Shen Yi and her poor attempt to appear Westernized the last time his mother forced him to take her out. No. Shen Yi didn’t come close to Eden.
Wait. That wasn’t fair. He shouldn’t compare Shen Yi to Eden. Shen Yi was her own person. If she didn’t have Eden’s beauty or spark, it wasn’t her fault.
She waited six years for him. Why?
Did she feel a light of love for him in her heart?
Would he be wrong if he didn’t at least give her a chance?
What else could he do? He couldn’t disobey his mother.
Eden was a beautiful fantasy. He was a mere mortal. Mortals had never succeeded when they tried to unite with the fairies they loved. Not Niulang, who fell in love with the seventh daughter of the Queen Mother of Heaven, and not Hou Yi when his wife took the potion of immortality and ascended to the moon.
Back in his room, he gazed out the window at the dark night sky. Heaven looked so far beyond his reach.
10
Guanxi
Monday morning. The start to another week that was settling into a routine. Clark finished the last bit of his congee breakfast, said goodbye to his mother and youngest sister, and followed the houseboy who had come to tell him the chauffeur had arrived to take him to work.
Nearly two months had passed since he’d returned home. Life had settled into a routine. As usual, the car was waiting outside, a servant was standing by the door with his briefcase, and the morning newspapers lay on the console by the doorway should he wish to bring them along. He picked up a copy of Shen Bao and a copy of the China Press, all set and ready to go when he saw his wrist.
Where was his watch? Must’ve forgotten to put it on.
He turned around and headed back upstairs. In a hurry, he pushed open the bedroom door. The sight of another person in his room caught him by surprise. Xiaochun, the maidservant whom he’d pardoned from stealing, was startled to see him too. She turned around, pulling with her the blanket she’d been straightening across the bed.
“Excuse me,” Clark apologized. “Did I scare you?” he asked before realizing she was in tears. He came closer to her. “What happened? Are you okay?”
She wiped her sleeves across her face. “Sorry, Young Master. I’m here to make the bed.”
“That’s not important. Are you okay? Did Peng Amah yell at you again?”
“No.” Xiaochun shook her head. “She didn’t yell at me.”
“Then why are you crying?”
When she heard those words, her eyes welled up again.
“All right, here, take this.” He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and gave it to her. She took it and used it to pat her eyes dry. “Tell me why you’re crying,” he said. “Are you in trouble? If you tell me, maybe I can help.”
Holding back her tears, Xiaochun tried to speak. “It’s my husband. He’s completely changed. Ever since he started going to the opium den six months ago, he no longer cares for our family. He no longer goes to work. Many nights, he doesn’t even come home. I begged him to stop but he wouldn’t listen. I can’t pay for my son to go to school anymore. Whatever money I have left each month, I need it to pay for my father’s medicine. I can barely make ends meet. Then yesterday, when I was at work, he came back and took all the money I’ve saved for rent and electricity. I have no money left. I don’t know what I’m going to do. He’s addicted to that poison.” She covered her face and started crying again.
Poison. Opium indeed was poison. Ever since the opium trade began, it had poisoned the bodies of millions. It had poisoned the soul of the country, leaving its people with no will or determination to lift themselves up.
He took out his wallet and pulled out several bills. “Here.” He offered her the money. “This should tide you over for today. When I come home from work, I’ll have a talk with Uncle Six and see what arrangements we can make to help. You son’s tuition, we can handle.” Uncle Six would surely grumble. He was more proud than miffed that the servants called him a skinflint behind his back.
Xiaochun looked at the money, then back at Clark.
“Go ahead. Take it.”
She pressed her lips and accepted the cash. “Thank you, Young Master. You’ve been so kind. I don’t know how to repay you.” She put the money into her pocket. “Young Master, what should I do about my husband? I’m at my wit’s end. In Shanghai, your family has reputation and influence. Can you do anything to help me?”
Cla
rk dropped his hand. People often thought the well-to-dos could work wonders. They didn’t realize that even his family had limitations. The Yuans upheld their name by running a straight and honest business. Their ties did not extend to Shanghai’s shady underworld.
Still, he couldn’t ignore the pleas of this poor little woman. “I’ll see what I can do. What’s your husband’s name? Do you know which opium den he frequents?”
“His name is Ah-Jin. Liang Ah-Jin. He goes to an opium den called Blue Lotus near the Small Southern Gate in the Old City.”
Liang Ah-Jin. Blue Lotus. What a tricky situation he’d just picked up. “I understand. Let me assess the situation and then we’ll decide what can be done.”
“Thank you. I don’t know how to ever repay you.”
“Don’t say that.” He picked up his watch on top of the dresser. “I have to leave. Don’t worry for now.” He left his room with a much heavier heart than when the morning began.
On his way to work, Clark stared out the car window. For as long as he could remember, opium dens had always existed in Shanghai. Yet they were never part of his life. Good people didn’t set foot in those places. For people like him, opium dens marred the streets like eye-sores. Something grimy to hurry past. What one did not see was as good as clean.
Today, he wanted to face the truth. For the first time, he took a good look at the opium dens hidden in the open among the buildings and shops. Why did it seem like an opium den occupied every block and every alley?
A hundred years ago, a war had been fought and lives were sacrificed to rid the country of this venom. All were for naught. A new morning had begun, but those who had entered the dens when dusk last fell still remained in the night of their minds. There they stayed, grown men reduced to wretched infants suckling on poisonous milk from the breasts of the devil. The ones who somehow managed to tear themselves away from their euphoric dreamland to rejoin the world could only emerge feebly onto the streets like shadows of wraiths.