Meeting You Was My Blessing

Chapter 2

In Which Two Old Ladies Sold Their Grandsons To Each Other

What is the most painful thing?

Having lots to brag about but no-one to listen, ah!

What is the most uncomfortable thing?

Wanting to brag about lots of things but don't have the opportunity, ah!

What is the best thing?

Bragging to all and sundry about how wonderful you have it!!!

~§~§~§~

Old Murong Furen knew from the earliest days that her marriage would be arranged for her.

That's just how it is, in the old days.

You listen to your parents, follow their guidelines, and hoped for the best.

She was self-aware enough to know that she wasn't exactly the brightest of flowers, or the shiniest of jade.

But with loving parents and an uncomplicated background, she knew that her match would be as good as her parents could ever arranged for.

And serenely went through life without much fuss. A good, dutiful, obedient daughter, who didn't create unnecessary drama.

That changed when she was enrolled at Miss Gu's Academy For Accomplished Young Ladies. The moment could be pinned down on the instance that she was made acquainted with Old Madame Huang.

Old Huang Madame was a spitfire from the get-go. It was said that she was born with a smile on her face and mischief in her eyes.

And she was trouble. Seeking trouble. Finding them and unrepentantly being in them. 'In trouble' became her default setting. Her parents would often wail in their hearts "what deity did we offended?!!"

Her family praised all the ancestors and lighted catties of incense the day she made acquaintances with Old Murong Furen.

Thank goodness for the mercy of this wonderful, sensible, well behaved child!!!

Life goes on and their friendship became one of those life changing experience, turning the both of them into the best future versions of themselves.

Their influence over each other shaped their potential to become a better person than they could imagine to be, had the ladies matured alone without the presence of the other.

And now, after such a long separation, they've found each other again!!!

~§~§~§~

When you're an old woman who had made peace with age and wrinkles, stopped trying to defy gravity, and wise enough to know treating yourself well is the key to happiness, not much actually impresses you.

What Louboutin heels? Asking for a hip replacement surgery, ah!
What brocade cheongsam made from a Shanghai atelier? Cakes and dimsums are worth more!
What priceless jewelry and Hermes bags? Offering your neck for a robbery!

Flashy cars? Fancy clothes?

In these days of traffic congestion and economy?

You got an extra hole in your head, ah???

Any old person worth the salt they had consumed knows, the real chips worth anything to bring to the (bragging) tables are your grandchildren!

Your children? Managing to bring them up well?

That isn't really a challenge. You have backups, your own parents, elders, the community.

But if your grandchildren turned out great as well?

Or even better?

None of those 'third generation' nonsense?

That means you are Awesome.

And that Awesomeness must be propagated. (Bragging rights, FTW)

~§~§~§~

After a furious exchange of factual news on common topics, grapevine gossips of mutual (old) acquaintances, progress updates on various bodily malfunctions –on a speed that would dazzle and confuse anyone else– the topic of conversation moved to the best part of the discussion.

Grandchildren!

These two savvy ladies brought out the heavy artillery.

No silly tiny booklets or purse albums for these two, no.

Pffttt. This is the age of social media and Internet! Out came the latest smartphone and tablet.

Never disdain an old lady's purse, for therein contains much mysterious treasures. ...And hot ointments.

One side tapping on Instagram, the other opening up a family Cloud Drive.

The explosion of cooing over baby pictures and gushing on beautiful progeny captured during moments of their triumph or happiness was potent enough for any bystanders with capable eyes to see floating hearts and clouds of pink sugarfloss.

But no one really have everything.

There's always something missing, lacking, incomplete.

And for Old Huang Madame?

It's that rascal Jing Xing and his perpetual state of bachelorhood!

Her old laotong listened with much sympathy.

It seemed like such a petty 1st World problem to a casual listener.  But any grandparents could understand why it's weighing so much on her mind. A marriage is a lifetime matter. What if, one day, she slipped away to meet her old lamented husband before knowing who shall be invited into that boy's home?

And his orientation certainly wasn't making it easy for her to play matchmaker!

After all, 'virtue is one foot tall, but the devil is ten'! When you have a treasure in your home, who can foresee if a smiling mouth hid a knife? All the good boys were usually snatched up already by the time their information reached her. And those people who were still single, around her grandson's age?

There's usually a good reason for that. Of the dark, unreliable variety. She's not going to allow any scoundrel to waltz into the family bringing nothing but a pretty face.

Old Murong Furen sighed in agreement. Her sweet Run Yu was also giving her this similar heartache.

But in his case, it's his refusal to contemplate anyone until the poor sods lost all hope and wandered off. If the man was fortunate enough to be noticed by her eternally oblivious grandson.

The two ladies showed each other the faces of their troublemakers.

One admiringly praised the handsomeness of a young tycoon while the other gushed over the appropriateness of that grandson's name. 'Gentleman fair as jade' indeed!

Suddenly, they were both struck by the same idea.

Like a salesperson trying to score a goal, the bragging about how wonderful a candidate their own 'sweet Run Yu' and 'successful Jing Xing' was to a prospective groom's family, flew fast and furious.

The deal was set. They're getting married.

~§§§§§~