The Scavenger's Daughters (Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters, Book One) (28 page)

Jet ignored her question and led her to the elaborate wooden door. He opened it and immediately a small white dog charged—or more accurately, pranced—toward them. The dog stopped and stood on two legs as he pawed Jet, begging for attention.

“This is Pang Pang.” Jet reached down and picked up the dog. He held him up for Linnea to see.

The dog’s tongue darted out and before Linnea could react, he had licked her across her face. She gasped and stepped back, wiping at the moistness he left behind.

Jet dropped his head back and laughed loudly. Linnea didn’t appreciate that she was the source of his amusement, especially since she didn’t see what was so funny.

“You should see your expression! It’s priceless—haven’t you ever been licked by a dog, Linnea?”

Linnea blushed crimson.

“Well… no, I can’t say that I have. Um, he is… um… cute.”

Linnea did indeed think the dog was cute but she’d never before been around a dog that was a house pet. The only ones she had encountered were strays on the street. With it being hard enough just to feed their own family, the thoughts of having a dog as a pet had never even been discussed in her home. It just wasn’t even a thought. And actually, her Ye Ye had read them an article from the
People’s Daily
recently that talked about the latest fashion accessory in China being small dogs and they had all laughed. It was a hard thing for them to imagine.

Jet put the dog down and crouched beside the animal. He began scratching him behind the ears as the dog’s hind foot shook with rapture. Linnea had to admit, the furry bundle was really adorable.

“Pang Pang’s harmless. He’s almost as old as I am, Linnea.”

The introduction was interrupted when a petite woman came around the corner and joined them in the hall. Jet stood quickly and draped his arm around Linnea. She felt a moment of relief that quickly reverted back to barely hidden panic.

“Jet, you two are five minutes late and that is unlike you. Why didn’t you call?” She turned her attention to Linnea. “
Ni hao,
Linnea, I’ve heard quite a bit about you. I’m glad Jet has finally brought you around so I can see if you live up to all he has told us.”

Linnea stopped herself from cringing at her brisk tone. She stood frozen in place as the woman reached for her hand, then looked her over, head to toe. Linnea felt uncomfortable under the intense inspection and could feel her hand begin to dampen.

The dog hopped around their legs, begging to be included in the attention until Jet’s mother snapped a command at him to sit. She didn’t look old enough to be Jet’s mother. Her bobbed black hair hung straight and glossy, the strands cut diagonally to end right below her jawline in a fashionable city style. Her eyes were perfectly lined in kohl and her lips were stained a deep red. She was beautiful.

Linnea could see that beneath the apron she wore some sort of silk pantsuit in a pale ivory color. Peeking out from the top of the apron was an exquisite porcelain lily pinned to her blouse. Linnea took a deep breath and after the woman let go of her hand, she discreetly reached up and pulled the fabric flower from her hair, then tucked it into her back pocket. She felt like a peasant standing in front of the woman.

“Linnea? This is my mother. And yes, Mother, this is the girl I’ve told you so much about and she definitely can live up to all I’ve said.”

Linnea laughed nervously. “So very nice to meet you, Sur Tai Tai.”

Jet’s mother turned to him and beckoned toward the room behind her. From what Linnea could see, she didn’t look impressed with her son’s choice of a dinner date.

“Jet, bring your little friend in here so I can get a better look at her.” She swatted at him with the small dish towel in her hand. “Hurry up, I’ve got to get back to the kitchen.”

Linnea felt overwhelmed as Jet led her behind his mother to the living room. She looked around, amazed at the décor of the apartment. A combination of Western and Asian, the room looked like the pages of an interior design magazine. Her attention was immediately drawn to an elaborately carved wooden screen. She thought she recognized it as mahogany and could pick out the curves of a dragon and phoenix in each of the four panels. It was the most beautiful piece of furniture Linnea had ever seen. In front of it they had artfully placed a Western-sized sofa and chair, and she looked at the lush yellow soft-looking leather and visualized her Nai Nai’s rocking chair, the only piece in her home that she could be proud of. On every wall there were paintings of old Chinese scenery, flowers, and other subjects. The paintings were so stunning they took Linnea’s breath away. One particular piece with a sun setting behind a pagoda was especially mesmerizing.

“Please, sit down and make yourself at home. I see you are interested in art? That is only some of my collection.” Li Jing gestured toward the couch. “Have a seat. I have to check on dinner. I’ll be back.”

Jet led Linnea to the couch as his mother hurried out of the room. “She’s not really cooking dinner,” he whispered. “She’s just making sure the
ayi
does it like she wants it. Right now she’s in there hovering over poor Xiao Fei, probably making her a nervous wreck.”

Linnea looked at him, embarrassed that she found herself unable to think of anything to say even though she had a million questions swirling in her mind. She couldn’t help but feel as if Jet’s mother disapproved of her. She’d known that would most likely be the case, but the tense atmosphere
when she approached was something Linnea hadn’t prepared for. She hoped the woman stayed in the kitchen.

She looked over Jet’s shoulder to a door that was obviously a bedroom. She marveled at the piles of pillows and luxurious-looking silk covers on the bed. For just a moment she felt a touch of envy as she thought of the simple bamboo pallet she used each night. Then she pushed back a flash of guilt when she remembered the quilt sewn with love especially for her by her Nai Nai.

“My father will be here shortly. That will be a different experience. He is the total opposite of my mother.”

Linnea’s fascination with the bed quickly evaporated.

“What do you mean?”

Jet shook his head. “You’ll see. Don’t worry about it. Hey—you want to see some of our family photos?”

Linnea started to nod but her attention was interrupted with the opening of the front door. She turned to see a tall, handsome man enter the room. He set his keys in a dish on the side table and immediately zoned in on her and Jet. His face darkened in a scowl.

“Baba. Hello—please come and meet Linnea,” Jet said. Linnea looked at him, surprised at the uneasy sound of his voice. She had never heard him speak with a lack of confidence before. He quickly shut the drawer to the coffee table he was opening for the photo books. Instead he stood and beckoned for her to join him as they faced his father.

Linnea felt a shiver of foreboding as the man stomped his way through the foyer and headed toward them. She thought she was going to be in for a long, uncomfortable night.

Linnea leaned back in her chair and sighed in relief when she spotted the
ayi
approaching the table with a heaping dish of rice. Ironic that in her home the rice was usually the meal but in this home, the steaming
mifan
signaled the
end
of the meal. It couldn’t have come any sooner. Along with her desire to get the evening over with, she didn’t think she could eat one more morsel. Amusingly, the dog had decided he liked her and was asleep right on top of her feet under the table, adding to the warmth she already felt from a full belly.

“Sur Tai Tai, once again, I’d like to say how amazing this meal was,” Linnea complimented Jet’s mother. Across from her Lao Sur nodded in agreement, his mouth still full of the sliced watermelon from the last entrée served.

Jet’s mother put her nose higher into the air and folded her hands on the table in front of her. “I suppose you don’t eat food like this too often? It’s quite a culinary treat that most hired help can’t pull off. But we like to employ the best in this household.”

Linnea didn’t know how to answer what was so obviously a cut against her. Thankfully, Jet swooped in and added to the conversation.

“So what was your favorite dish, Linnea?” he asked.

Though she was happy for a diversion, Linnea could have strangled him for asking that—as she didn’t know which one would be the most proper to compliment. Everything in China was based on tradition, but unfortunately she was severely lacking in remembering most of the lessons her Nai Nai and Ye Ye had tried to teach her about the many symbolisms of each dish.

“Um, I really liked the
Gong Bao Jiding,
” Linnea answered, feeling her cheeks get hot.

Lao Sur looked up from his bowl with his serious expression. “That’s my favorite, too. Nothing beats spicy chicken with peanuts, except maybe Mandarin squirrel fish.”

Linnea smiled. She couldn’t believe she’d been so intimidated by him. The man who’d caused her ripples of apprehension had turned out to be a big teddy bear of a father. He was just a quiet man, more thoughtful than most Linnea had known. She still noticed that Jet was more reserved around him, but now she realized it was because he wanted to show his respect. It was obvious that he valued his father’s opinion much more so than his mother’s.

“It’s a shame that we’re going to lose one of the best cooks we’ve ever had,” Jet’s mother said, tsking her disappointment into her napkin.

The maid blushed as Jet explained to Linnea that in a few months Xiao Fei was leaving to join her children in her home province. They’d been living with their grandparents for years while she sent money for their care, but finally she’d saved enough to be reunited with them.

After going around and dropping a serving of rice in each bowl, the maid began to gather dishes and take them to the kitchen.

Linnea stood. “Let me help clean this up.” She reached for a half-empty platter of celery and shrimp from the middle of the table.

Jet’s mother stood and put her cold hand on Linnea’s wrist.

“Absolutely not. Xiao Fei would be completely offended. Let’s move out to the balcony and talk. You all go on and I’ll bring the tea.” Without waiting for an answer she was gone in a flurry of energy, barking orders to the
ayi
about setting up the tea set on her way into the kitchen.

Jet’s father slowly rose from the table and headed for the door leading outside. Jet and Linnea followed—the little dog right on their heels. Even before they joined his father, she could smell the rich aroma of the cigar he lit.

On the balcony, Linnea was once again stunned by the beauty of their home. They stood on a cedar-lined terrace overlooking the river and a small park below. The edges of the terrace were lined with clay pots of various flowers, small bushes, and a few miniature Bonsai trees. In the distance, the twinkling strings of lights draped on bridges and buildings gave off quite a show against the moonlit night. To Linnea’s right, a line of terra-cotta soldiers stood guard against the wall to the apartment. To the other side, a small tropical garden and waterfall added the final touch of sophistication to the outside area. Linnea sighed. To live in a place of such beauty was something she couldn’t imagine. She leaned over the railing of the balcony and watched a couple on the sidewalk at the park, holding the hands of a little boy between them. The boy toddled along in his split pants, a glimpse of his pale backside flashing with every step.

“Here, Linnea. Sit down.” Jet pointed to a love seat and plopped down, patting the cushion next to him. He left her only a tiny square of seat.

Linnea was embarrassed to sit so close to him in front of his parents but did so anyway.

Lao Sur cleared his throat just as his wife bustled in and set the tea tray on the table in front of them. She sat down and began pouring tea. The aroma of sweet jasmine wafted under Linnea’s nose as she waited for the man to speak, and she looked down at her watch. She wondered if her little sister was already asleep or still waiting up for her. She needed to go and hoped they’d understand that she was responsible for getting her sisters to bed at a decent hour.

“Linnea, so tell us a bit about your family.” He leaned in and picked up his cup, taking a deep drink from it.

Linnea took a deep breath. Here was the conversation she had dreaded. Now there was nowhere to run and no way to avoid it. What would Jet do if she really told his parents a more-polished version of her life than he knew to be true? Would he rat her out? Or would his ingrained eagerness to please his parents allow for her to embellish the truth? But more importantly, would it be an insult to her Ye Ye and Nai Nai to claim she was anyone but her true self?

She looked down as Jet reached over and patted her leg. She brushed his hand away, embarrassed to see his mom looking their way. “Well, I was raised by a man who found me years ago wandering around a market. He and his wife became my Ye Ye and Nai Nai.”

Linnea stopped talking and looked down into the amber swirls of tea. She didn’t know what else to say.

Jet’s mother made what she must have thought was a sympathetic clucking in her throat. Jet glanced quickly at Linnea, then began speaking. She was glad he jumped in again, as she wasn’t sure she could hide the dismay in her voice if she heard pity coming from his mother.