Page 72 of He Is My Bride
“Li Ying keeps proving her many talents,” she said.
Wu Yiheng, who hadn’t even touched the Dan Dan noodles, spoke next, breaking his silence abruptly, “Cooking is a convenient skill to have, for one who can spare the time but not the expense.”
“‘Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship,’” Li Ying spoke and smiled coyly at Wu Yiheng.
“How profound. Is that Confucius?” asked Madam Wang.
“No. Benjamin Franklin, I think,” Li Ying said.
“Uncle, is that not more or less what you’ve taught us about prudence?” Hanrong looked at Wu Yiheng.
“And what, I wonder, does Missy Li understand as ‘small’ expenses and ‘big’ expenses?” Wu Yiheng now looked directly at Li Ying.
“Everything is relative, of course,” Li Ying said. “As for myself, I believe that to attain one’s true desire, no expense is too great, but also that the most valuable things in life can’t be bought with money,” Li Ying continued in an equally light tone while a charged silence loomed over the table. “Like this meal that we are sharing here. Money can buy the finest ingredients and dinnerware, but it’s the love that the aunties and I put into making the food, not the expenses spent or spared, that makes sharing it with family special. What more could we do for our loved ones than spare them our time to put effort into something we make for them?”
Sweet little Madam Wu spoke from the heart, “Wisely said.”
“Indeed, Miss Li seems to have a wise and kind heart,” Hanrong said, and Grandmother Linming smiled at Li Ying along with him.
A vein in Wu Yiheng’s temple throbbed and he sipped his tea in silence.
Hanjun’s and Li Ying’s eyes met, and they shared a smile.
Well done, Li Ying,Hanjun thought, proud of him. He knew his uncle wasn’t easy to get along with, but Li Ying was doing so well.
After dinner Hanjun, Li Ying, and other guests were making their leave, saying goodbyes to each other and their hosts, when Hanrong told his cousin:
“By the way, Hanjun, there’s a party tomorrow with the Antai college alumni. I know you don’t care about parties, but as you can take a plus one, I wondered if you would like to come with Miss Li?”
Li Ying looked at Hanjun with eyes that seemed to say it all:‘Can we please please go?’
“Do you want to go?” Hanjun asked him, even if he could read those eyes.
“I think it would be nice to meet your old schoolmates.”Par-ty! Woo!
“Then we will go.”
“Yay! I’m going ahead, I need to call Anne.” Li Ying thought he would want to design his own outfit for this one, with Anne’s guidance, of course. Now he could really leave an impression on the younger Shanghai socialite generation. “Goodbye for now, aunties, thank you for your guidance!”
“Goodbye, Li Ying!”
Once Li Ying was gone, Wu Yiheng sighed, shook his head, and left the hall after saying brief goodbyes to his family members. Grandmother Linming looked after him as he disappeared up the stairs. She then turned to her grandson.
“Hanjun, did you notice your stuffed rabbit was still in your room?”
“Mm. I would like to keep it,” Hanjun muttered.
“I thought so. That’s why I told Yiheng not to throw it away while you were gone.”
“Thank you.”
“He can be harsh,” Grandmother Linming said. “But I believe my A-Jun deserves to have something that makes him happy.”
Hanjun understood. He bowed from the waist, but his grandmother put her hand on his shoulder.
“No need to bow to me so formally, I’m not as old-fashioned as the Wus.” She fixed a hair behind Hanjun’s ear, or pretended to, as Hanjun was impeccable as always. “Your uncle will see it too, he just needs time. Go now, and have fun at the party tomorrow.”
“I’ll see you there, Hanjun,” said Hanrong, and they nodded at each other.
