PRISONER OF LOVE LOVE THE WIDOWER
SEASON 2 Part 43. Chinese New Year in Shanghai
Visiting Shanghai during the Lunar New Year is really pampering the eyes, streets filled with lanterns and lantern decorations, thematic lights that are red to golden and green. Especially in Yuan Yu Garden as the center of feeling until the 15th lantern festival.
Whether in the city or in the houses, it feels like the aura of the new year is with you all the time. This time Oliver accompanied me to Shanghai. Although he is used to the festive new year celebrations in Hong Kong, it seems that he also enjoys it here.
"My eyes and heart seem to be filled with red and gold, what a joy." The cold air of Shanghai that can touch only 2°C at night seems to be heating up tonight because the crowd here is too much.
We went for a walk in Yuan Yu, celebrating the turn of the year with fireworks at Yuan Yu Garden.
"Tomorrow we wish you a happy year just not to your mother?"
"Ohh no, to Mother and Uncle's extended family, we gather at the Oldest Great Uncle's house now, so my envelopes are many. I should be prepared to share it with all the kids..."
"Ohh it turned out so...Big family, have Asian family seems to be festive." I laughed, he will now know how to define in an Asian family now. "Do I have to divide the angpau as well."
"Actually no, because you and I are counted as one, but because we're not married so you can be considered loyal you can share it too."
"Ohh of course I have to be loyal, not to be labeled stingy, I want to share it with the children as well." You showman, I'm sure he would have said something like that earlier.
"Well kind Uncle, I'll give you your own baby later."
The next day Oliver and I had put on Zhongshan and Cheongsam matching clothes in matching colors. He looks very handsome with his Zhongshan.
"Handsome, you fit this color."
"Today I'm wearing this." He saw her appearance in the mirror of our room.
"Who are we waiting for? Your sister?"
"Yes, my sister and my mother's husband."
"Your mother who said she had another family? Ohh so he only comes once a year or if there's a family event?"
"It can be said that." I grimaced with the kind of family I had. Yeah but that's what I got. Just accept.
"It is very unique ..." Oliver laughs.
"The right word is not unique you know it. Come on, we'll go see Mom first." We wish Mother a happy new year, wishing her a healthy, long life and plenty of fortune this year. Oliver learned to say it according to me.
"Thank you Oliver, Auntie wishes you well and plenty of windfall too. This is your angpao as a sign of good luck." Mom gave him a big red envelope now. He was a little shocked because he got angpao as well. He thinks only the kids get it.
"I got? Ohh this isn't just for kids? It's the first time I've got this."
"No, as long as you're not married you can still take it. But if you're married in exchange you should give it to your parents. I gave it to you as a lucky sign because you never got it. You're old to be given angpao." I explained it to him now.
"Ahhh it is so. I understand now, thank you Aunt, I hope all my projects pass this year. I take this as a sign of luck." Mom patted his shoulder.
"Of course, may the windfall of both of you be abundant this year."
"What time did Cheng Xin come Mama? Your husband will be here too, won't he?"
"Well it should be at hours like this I guess. They used to eat breakfast here."
"You didn't fight with them, did you, Mama?"
"I had a fight with his father, but like I said yesterday I just let him get angry and didn't respond to him on the phone. Maybe he decided not to come, I think it's better." Mom shrugged her shoulders no matter what.
"The uncle said he was taking his son from his other wife. She brought him here too Mama?"
"of course. I don't mind, it's up to him. I'm the first wife. His wife was never rude, never stirred up enmity with me, so I was a little unconcerned. What matters is that I don't spend my energy fighting." Oliver kept silent to hear Mama's story. Well, my Mama's family's situation is very difficult indeed.
"Oh yeah, we don't have to fight on a good day." I decided to make peace, even though I had a feeling that somehow this would be a boom sometime.
The doorbell rang, I'm the one who's going to open the door now. Maybe Cheng Xin and his wife. Turns right.
"Sister Sandra, happy new year." He gave a brief greeting to me while making Gong Xi's mark with his hand.
"Happy new year Cheng Xin."
"Sister-in-law, happy new year." Now his wife whom I had been angry with greeted me with a big fake smile. Besides her 7-year-old son gave me a greeting and another beautiful daughter might be around 4 years old.
"Cheng Zhan Aunt."
"How old are you?"
"7 years old Auntie."
"If this one calls Yi Yi." He introduced his daughter now.
"Hallo Yi Yi, you're beautiful." Now this little girl is greeting me.
"Sister-in-law, quickly find a husband, you are still beautiful, someone must like you. If I don't know a lot of handsome widower guys, I can introduce them to you. I hope you have a funny kid like this too soon." I smiled at her, this sister-in-law really likes to sneer subtly. He must have deliberately wanted to repay me by insinuating me a spinster. A very impudent sister-in-law.
"Thank you sister-in-law. May your prayers be answered soon." I just say those words.
I brought them inside. Oliver stood with the one in the red shirt Zhongshan stunned them, they thought there were tourists who were targeting our house. Why can this Caucasian be at their mother's house.
"Hello, Happy New Year. It's good to see you guys." When Oliver said hello to them in mixed Mandarin and Cantonese, they heard it.
"Ohh this is my lover Oliver Russell, he's a USA citizen but working in Hong Kong he's more fluent Cantonese, only knows one or two Mandarin words. You can talk to him English if you don't know Cantonese." I now introduce her while embracing her arms, this introduction is specifically for my dear sister-in-law.
"Ohhh Brother-in-law's lover." He looked at me with a shy expression now. Feel what you got after insinuating me.
"Handsome isn't sister-in-law? How does it compare to the widower you know?" I laughed to myself. "I'm just kidding sister-in-law, thank you for your concern." I'm content to turn his words around now, while Oliver doesn't know I'm talking about it in Mandarin.
"Hey there's a kid, you don't say hello to Uncle, Uncle will give you an angpao. You're the first person I've given you angpao." While Oliver shows off the envelope. "What's your name?" Oliver asked in English.
"My name is Uncle Cheng Zhan?" He can answer Oliver with England. "Good new year Uncle." This little boy knew what he had to do to get his angpao.
"Happy new year, this is for you." He smiled broadly at receiving the angpao as well as Oliver who had given his first angpao. Her beautiful sister got a turn later.
Today I will let him be the only angpao divider, it seems that he will enjoy the task of giving red envelopes to children.
"Ahh sister happy new year. It's good to see you guys." Oliver didn't mind greeting them first, and it seemed that my sister-in-law was still fascinated by my lover's good looks as she couldn't answer Oliver's greetings.
"Ahh, yes Brother. Happy new year." She finally answered Oliver's greeting following her husband. I just smiled a little to see it stammering like that.
While Cheng Xin didn't seem to want to talk too much to me, I handed her over to Oliver instead.
Mom came out shortly afterwards. Cheng Xin and my sister-in-law, gave her greetings, and her grandchildren seemed to like her grandmother. My mom prepared a lot of food today. But we're still waiting for Mama's husband.
"Your love to work as a model?" Cheng Xin nosily asked. He uses Mandarin so Oliver can't hear him.
"He's a famous architect of AECOM, try to click on the Google search engine and see his name sister, see his works. In China there is also a project that lists his name as an architect." It's you who can only borrow money from Mama to buy your wife Birkin.
"You guys talk about me?" Oliver suddenly asked because I called AECOM.
"Ohh she asked if you work as a model." I replied with Cantonese. Oliver laughs.
"You can ask me directly Cheng Xin, do you understand English?"
"I went to college in LA. Of course I understand English." Show off, he went to college in the USA.
"so apparently. What college did you go to?" Oliver's the one who's scraping it. I only noticed Cheng Xin bragging about her right now.
Well different from me, I taught myself English without formal education, became fluent because often sharpening it often faced with VVIP quests and club managers who at that time quite a lot of dealing with outside guests. Unlike the rich children who study in LA with formal education.
Shortly the doorbell rang. Mama got up from her seat now.
"Let's just Mama, ..." All the housekeepers are coming back to their homes right now, so I'm the only one helping Mama at home. I thought about how Mama felt every year having to deal with her husband's other wife.
A group of people walked in. This year, my husband brought his family. I stood up, approaching, however older they were, Oliver followed me.
"This is Sandra my son and his lover." An old man who seemed to have above average arrogance was standing in front of me right now. His posture is firm, Mama said he had a previous military career.
"Good new year Uncle. Happy new year, Aunt." Oliver followed. I say it sincerely, it's a new year, everyone needs a peaceful atmosphere for the new year.
"Happy New Year..." His wife answered me while her husband only gave a short nod. The pride of my husband is clearly visible in my eyes. Like my sister, she doesn't like me.
connect tomorrow
