Beijing Comrades by Scott E. Myers

Author:Scott E. Myers
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781558619081
Publisher: The Feminist Press at CUNY

Eighteen

It took some mental preparation, but I eventually sat my mother down and told her about my new fiancée. At first, she took issue with Lin Ping’s family background, saying it was too humble for a family like ours. She said she wanted me to find someone whose family was better matched in socioeconomic status, or perhaps someone from a family of intellectuals. When I heard this I clenched my fists and ground my teeth. If she really wanted me to find a mate from a family of intellectuals, Lan Yu would have more than fit the bill.

I was increasingly worried about my mother’s ability to find endless fault with my choice of bride, but the moment Lin Ping stepped over the threshold and into the house, I knew everything was going to be fine. Her warm, charming demeanor and impeccable manners won my mother over instantly; even my sisters pulled me aside to whisper, “Wow, not bad!” Standing in the kitchen doorway, I peered into the living room where I saw my fiancée pour her future mother-in-law a cup of tea. Ma beamed with happiness. Nothing made me happier than seeing her smile.

In the early stages of my relationship with Lin Ping, I thought that Lan Yu and I would be able to go on just as peacefully and contentedly as before, at least for a while. But I was wrong. Arguments became the central feature of our daily life. Our fights weren’t even over matters of principle or about substantive issues like my impending marriage or the future of our relationship. We fought over petty trifles: who came home at what hour, who had forgotten to do this or that household chore. We always patched things up quickly, though, and each time it was Lan Yu who initiated the ceasefire.

One afternoon as Lan Yu and I were in his white Lexus on our way to lunch, we made our way past the gates of Tianda University, where a long line of students had formed. “What are all these people waiting for?” I asked.

“They’re registering for the TOEFL exam,” he replied. “They’re trying to study abroad.”

“Wow,” I laughed. “That’s dedication!”

“That’s nothing!” he said, turning the car southward in the direction of Houhai Lake. “When I first started at Huada, I heard that an entire section of the biology department’s graduating class of 86 left the country after graduation.”

“Is that what you want to do?” I asked.

“I can’t,” he said wistfully. “If you want to go to the United States, you have to prove you have a relative who’s a US citizen. Besides, it’s tough with architecture. Even if you get into a program, you’re not going to get funding unless you know someone who’ll go to bat for you.”

“Well, if you really do want to go, I can help you arrange it. All we have to do is get you a business visa and you can go with a group. When you get there just switch to a student visa.

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