Ms. Golden Branch (02)

Edited by Adela Karliner(2020-02-16)

(02)-1968

      Mr. Lis apartment was in a new five-story building on the second floor. The building had no elevator or parking space. It worked like this: the car they were using was the banks property, it was one of the benefits for the executive level bank employee. They could call for Lao Yang’s service when they were ready. Driver Lao Yang who was also working for the same bank, would drive the car away and return to his bank assigned dormitory home where he had an assigned space to park the bank’s car.

    "Bella! Little Four and his wife are here,” the newly married Mr. Li gently pressed the doorbell, and lower his voice down very carefully, “come out to see what great gifts they have brought for you!"

    "Ah-gi, Ah-gi, fetch three pairs of slippers! This dead Ah-gi somehow has died.” They heard the voice of the new hostess before seeing her in person.

    "I am here." A waxy-skinned, thin young girl was standing next to the shoe cabinet and whispering as she gave Mr. Li, Weng and Lily, each a pair of slippers.

    "Bella, look at this pair of pure gold earrings, isn’t it exactly what you want?" It was very obvious that Mr. Li was very gentle and cautious with his new young wife. “In addition to this pair of pure gold earrings, there are also face cream and face powder. To be sure they are real imports, not faked imitations, Lily and Weng personally brought them back from the United States."

     "Yes, its a pair of pure gold earrings which matches the gold necklace I have! Let me take them in to compare them, see whether they really are a set!" The new mother-in-law wearing the new cheongsam looked at most forty years old, walked into the living room.  One glance at the earrings, and immediately took the velvet box back to the bedroom. She completely forgot that Lily and Weng were still in the living room. It was clear that the gifts were the perfect choice.

      "Little Four Weng and Lily, this is your bedroom. Ah-gi, go to the kitchen, boil some hot water and make a pot of hot tea for everybody to drink." In 1968, there was no Taoyuan airport yet.  although fifty-five-year-old Mr. Li went with Lao Yang to pick up number-four Weng and daughter-in-law Lily at Matsuyama Airport and went through the jewelry shopping before coming back home, he showed no trace of fatigued.

    Weng and Lily put their luggage away, washed up, then, came back to the living room where the little girl who had just given them slippers was pouring hot tea for them.

    "It really matches perfectly, even the gold is glittering yellow. with one look, I can tell that it is a Hong Kong import, unlike our Taiwanese local products, which have a red tint in them." Aunt Tang came out wearing the whole set of jewelry and looked left and right in the big mirror in the living room, very satisfied.

    "Your broad and profound knowledge of gold, is it not learned from Manager Chen?" Mr. Li smiled contentedly and teased good-naturedly at his young new wife.

    "Fourth brother, my number fourth brother,”  the young new mother-in-law looked in the mirror and gently touched the glittering novice ornament with fingers of her right hand, saying with a smile, “you have been around, you have seen the wide world, dont laugh at my poor taste. Don’t you believe that I only love gold, I actually love diamonds and pearls more, but your father is not very knowledgeable about those gemstones, he is not a broad traveler like you, he doesn’t know many jewelers. So for fear of buying fake goods, I temporarily have to settle for gold jewelry.”

    "Well, in the eyes of us bankers, the financial standard of todays world is the gold standard, therefore, it is more reasonable to acquire gold, buying and selling gold is more convenient too.” Mr. Li explained.

    "American diamonds are not only better in quality than Taiwanese, but the price is fairer too, I heard that there is a street behind New Yorks Chinatown dedicated to the sale of diamonds; one can go there to bargain, can kill the stuff’s price down to the wholesalers’ half price," Aunt Tang bare her heart to the young couple, “Next time when you come back to Taiwan, be sure to bring me one back…” What she said made Weng and Lily very frightened, they were in the library and out the laboratory every day, how did they know that there was a diamond street behind New Yorks Chinatown? Whats more, whats the right price to kill or bargain?

    "Well, well, lets not talk about vulgar things like gold and silver jewelry for the time being. Lets talk about how to celebrate my number-four Weng and his wife’s home coming.” Mr. Li coughed and changed the subject.

    "Today, I have reserved two tables at the clubhouse, to celebrate our number- four young master and his wife’s home coming.”  Aunt Tang said with a smile.

    "The club house? Wheres the club house? How to invite two tables full of guests, I do not have a clue.” The old gentleman asked with surprise.

    “At the Hangzhou South Road,” The new mother-in-law, Bella, replied very thoughtfully, “I have two tables full of close girl-friends, and the club house, which is owned by my best friends, is willing to do more expensive rare dishes. Why bother yourself, my dear, youre only responsible for paying the bills.”      

    "My number four Weng and daughter-in-law Lily went through a lot of trouble to come back home, I thought you want Ah-gi to cook some home-made food for them to enjoy." The old gentleman seemed a little disappointed.

    "The boss of the clubhouse was one of my bosom sisters. When she started her business, I promised to find some guests for her. Now, number four young master and his wife’s homecoming shall be the best chance!" It seemed that Bella had made up her mind a long time ago.

    "Dont look down on Ah-gis cooking skill. Ten years ago, when she was only thirteen years old, she worked in the kitchen of our Ambassador Ye Gong Chao as the chef’s helper!" The young yellowish, thin girl they just met was already twenty-three years old, but she really didn’t look her age.

    "What did she do when she was thirteen? Just sleep with a minor assistant!" It was obvious that Aunt Tang didnt like Ah-gi.

    "Ah-gi was married to Ye’s deputy. Her husband was tragically killed in a car accident, she is a poor little girl."

    "How can there be a pair of four-year-old twins unless she slept with a man? Im telling you, that poor little girl is not as simple as you think." It was amazing that the humble little girl was already a mother of two four-year-olds. What you saw was not what it was! Lily wished that she had looked at Ah-gi more carefully, but when Ah-gi came out to pour tea for them, Lily did not pay too much attention to her, and now that she was no longer in the living room.

(To be continued)