Secret Love Nest

Weird Family Lunch

After reading this story you, my dear readers, can feel free to tell me that what happened was just a weird dream.

I know...I don't make a lot of sense so let me tell it to you from the start.

It all started with me and Qing spending time with Qing's family in their ancestral home. Qing has a funny name for it, he calls it "the mauseleom". No kidding.

I can't totally blame him for calling it that name. The place is huge, made of stone pillars and marble floorings. Honestly, I'm having a hard time picturing a young lively Qing playing around the big mauseleom, I mean mansion. (I am adapting Qing's bad habits now)

Anyway, we were invited to have lunch there and since Qing misses his dogs, he accepted the invite as soon as we both have a light work day.

What's supposed to be a simple family lunch turn into the weirdest conversation I had the misfortune to participate in.

Bad news for me, we were not the only people invited to the family lunch. Qing's sister and husband were there too and so are Qing's uncle, Wang Zhu and my most favorite person in Qing's family, his aunt.

(I think in our past lives, Qing's aunt and I have a serious grudge against each other. Maybe on that lifetime I ruined her life so now, in present time, she is determine to make my life as uncomfortable as possible.)

So there we were, all sitting on the dinner table, with Qing's dad on the head of the table. Qing's uncle on his right and Qing's mom on his left. I was sitting between Qing and his mom, across from us is Qing's aunt and Wang Zhu while on the other side of Qing sits her sister and her husband.

The main topic is business. Qing's dad, uncle and cousin are managing their many businesses, still unable to coax Qing to join the family firm. Qing's brother in law has business of his own. Qing and his sister, as we all know are typical Wangs, they have the blood and flair for business. Which means, me, Qing's mom and aunt are outnumbered. We are surrounded with business sharks.

Qing's aunt got bored with talks of stocks, suppliers and profitable ventures so she turned the conversation to another topic.

Auntie: (turning to Qing's mom) I love what you did to the music room. Did you bought a new piano?

Qing's mom: No, I just took the old one to an expert to be repaired, tuned and repolished. He did a good job right, it looks new again.

We all agreed. Indeed the piano looks brand new again.

Auntie: And you also renovated the kitchen?

Qing's mom: Yes, I replaced the cabinets and the floor tilings. The last time the place was fitted with new tiles, Qing hasn't been born yet. So I think it is time for some change. At first I just worry about it being too costly...

Qing's dad: You shouldn't have worried about that. The house was passed on to us by my parents, my late mother would have been happy to see that you are taking good care of her legacy.

Qing: (smiling at his mother) I think the changes look beautiful Ma. Now the house has your touch and Grandma's love.

Qing's mom nodded and smiled. I smiled too, happy for her that her effort was being appreciated by her husband and son.

Then the weirdness starts...

Auntie: I wonder if Dayu will do a good job at maintaining this beautiful home when you passed it to him and Qing.

I think everyone stopped at that. I started blinking rapidly as my mind processed those words.

Who is passing what to whom now? Did Qing's aunt really said that Qing and I will get the mauseleom, I mean the mansion?