Family With Six  Treasures (06)

     When the professor saw that Betty was again getting into the car with Bill, he said, "You don't have to go along with him, let him go by himself. You change into nice clothes and get yourself ready."

     Obediently, Betty got out of the car.

     Professor Li added, "and since you will not need your glasses to read tonight, leaves them in your room."

     It took Bill two roundtrips, Glen Cove to New York, to pick up all of the guests, during which time Betty got ready. She was usually too busy studying to pay attention to her natural good looks. Tonight, our number two treasure dressed very simply in an apple green dress, with matching flats and a matching silk ribbon to tie her ponytail. She wore no makeup, but without glasses, her pretty eyes were all the adornment she needed.

     "How is it without your glasses?" Mrs. Li asked Betty with concern.

     "Without glasses, everyone looks friendlier and sweeter," the Number Two Miss Li answered. She was only slightly near-sighted, and not wearing glasses didn't affect her too much.

     While Betty and her mother talked, the professor watched his fourth daughter, Diana, come into the room, decked out in a brand new Kung Fu outfit and without her glasses.

     "And you are doing what here?" Professor Li questioned Diana.

     Diana has read that long ago in China. Eligible daughters participated in a Kung Fu contest with any eligible male guests who could best the daughter would be the son-in-law. Not realizing that finding a husband for Betty was the object of tonight's mission, Diana thought that one of the Chinese males visiting their house might be an expert at Kung Fu. So she told her father, "I just learned a brand new set of Kung Fu move that I saw in Dean Deng's latest video tape. We can have a contest tonight, to see if any of the guests are as good as I am."

     "How come you are not wearing glasses?'

     "I am a good and obedient daughter." Diana blinked her eyes. "Didn't you say we shouldn't wear our glasses?"

     Observing Diana further, Professor Li asked with great concern, "Is something wrong with the food? Why do you smell each dish as it is brought to the buffet table?"

Mrs. Li clarified, "Diana isn’t smelling the food. She is just a near-sighted young lady, not wearing her glasses, who wants to know what we’re serving.”

     There is a Chinese saying that no one knows a daughter as well as her mother. It certainly is true in this case.

     "Oh," said the professor. He would like to explain to Diana why she should wear her glasses tonight, but he has to take care of his guests now and can't take the time.  As Professor Li looked around the room at all of these promising young men, one of whom could be an essential part of Betty's future, he felt much happiness in his heart. Then he noticed Betty, and his joy momentarily ceased.

     "Betty. That Caucasian worker should be able to take care of himself. You don't have to keep on feeding him. Come here and I'll introduce you to Mr. Sung. His father is a Professor at the college of Science and has a reputation for being one of the best teachers at the school."

Betty moved gracefully, her steps as light as the wind blowing the willow as she walked over to shake Mr. Sung's hand.

      Professor Li continued, "and here is Mr. Fong, Betty, He comes to us from the Peoples University in Fu Chow. Bring him a glass of wine."

      Promptly Betty obeyed, getting the glass of wine from Bill.

      As Betty did that, the professor said to his Number Four Daughter, "What is wrong with Diana? Why are you sniffing the guests' faces?" Immediately, he answered his question, "Of course, she is not wearing her glasses."

     Oh well. Everyone has already observed Diana's peculiar behavior. Nothing anyone says will change that.

     He turned away from Diana to look for Betty. Again she was feeding Bill. He hurried to Betty and said, "Look, Bill is the hired hand. You already brought him soap from the kitchen. You do not have to keep bringing him food," the father steered Betty towards another young Chinese man who was standing in the corner at the opposite end of the room and said "Here is Mr. Chang. He is from Qingdao."

(To Be Continued)