Me: (smiling at Qing) Are you sure you don't want some?
Qing: (sneering) No. But do enjoy them, why not? Even if they come from my enemy. (to his mother) Both of you.
Mama: (smiling) Is Dayu's GrandBaba BanLu really your enemy?
Qing: He called me a grandiose, depraved homosexual.
Mama: Well, did he lie? You are a grandiose, depraved homosexual.
I laughed at that.
Qing: Mama!
Mama: (smiling at me) Remember to thank your GrandBaba BanLu for the dried persimmons he sent for us.
Yes. You read that right. My GrandBaba BanLu, who hates my relationship with Qing, sent two boxes of dried persimmons for me and for Qing's mother. They are so good. Heilongjiang persimmons are among the best kind there is. And every year, GrandBaba BanLu and GrandMa make dried persimmons to be given away to family members. GrandBaba BanLu sent some to me and to Qing's mother with some barley tea to drink.
Why my GrandBaba sent Mama some dried persimmons too when she is the mother of the man GrandBaba referred to as "grandiose depraved homosexual"?
Me: (to Mama) Its because you are a devoted Buddhist and he is one too. He said having you as his mother is Qing's only redeemable quality.
Mama: What do you think about that? Am I an asset to Qing?
Me: (all smiles) All I know is that I loved him more after knowing you, Mama.
Mama: Oh Dayu ah...
Qing: (looking disgusted) Mama, don't fall for that. He is just buttering you up so he can cajole someone to agree with him and take his side.
Mama: (frowning) Are you two fighting again?
Me: (nodding) The bathroom renovation project is on the way.
Mama: Oh, is it starting already? Good. It is really ridiculous for the two of you to sleep on a condo with a bathroom missing a door.
Qing: Yes. The designer we employed and t he workers we got has a whole month to give Dayu his dream bathroom.
Mama: Workers are invading your space...where are you two staying? Surely, Dayu will not be comfortable with such a set up of strangers walking around his personal space.
I love it that Qing's mother gets all my peculiarities. This is one of them. I have never been comfortable with strangers moving around the space I deemed as mine. That's why every home constructions or renovations that requires workers/strangers spending hours in our home to fix it makes me feel...well, not that relax.
It might be weird for many but thats just me being me. I am not good with seeing people walking around the spaces that I deemed should be private to me. Thats why whenever there is a renovation going in the condo, I relocate myself somewhere else. This time, a bathroom renovation in the condo needed two designers and about five workers to make it all beautiful and fit our taste. A renovation that will take about three weeks to be fully done.
Qing and I agreed we will not stay in the condo until the bathroom renovation is finished. My nerves and OCD won't be able to withstand the constant activity around.
Qing: We will travel around while the bathroom is being renovated. For now, we are living in the apartment complex I own downtown.
Mama: The apartment complex you stole under your Baba's nose? He was interested in that piece of property too, if I remembered it correctly.
Qing: Yes, you remembered it correctly. But I didn't steal it. So I moved faster than your husband in acquiring it. Don't put the blame entirely on my door, Madam Wang. You should have pushed your husband to get it faster and not dilly dally on his ass.
Mama: Language. Fine, half of the blame for losing the chance to get that property on his hand is on your Baba's head. But tell me, is it worth it? Has that property brought you profits already?
Qing: (nodding) It does. Its empty now but next year, it will be on lease again. Someone already paid a downpayment to live there for at least six months. Its a strategic location for anyone working downtown. Its quite a profitable property.
Mama: Good. At least you are getting your money's worth on it. And so...you two are living there in the moment?
Me: Yes, Mama. I employed cleaners to clean the place before we started living there three days ago. Its all good.
Qing: Its all good because Dayu literally packed three of our bedsheets and comforters to use on a newly bought mattress. Soon, he will decorate the whole place to resemble the look of our condo.
Me: Are you complaining?
Qing: (kissing my cheek) No.
Mama: There is nothing wrong with using the things you are comfortable using, especially when you use them to get good sleep. (smiling at me) I hope the bed in that apartment is to your liking, Dayu ah. Getting good rest every night is important for someone working hard like you.
Qing snorted and I want to kick his leg. I smiled at Mama.
Me: I am getting good rests every night in that apartment, Mama. Don't worry.
Qing: (smiling as well) Me too. I am getting some good hours on that bed.
I sighed and pray to the heavens Mama won't notice the innuendo on Qing's words. Oh, of course he is getting good hours on that bed. It was always a "good hours" for us when we are in bed and naked together. Being in a new place with a new bed didn't stop me and Qing from being amorous on each other.
I can say my rump can still feel those "good hours" we had in bed last night.
Mama: But you say you will be traveling around until the renovation is over. What do you mean by that?
Qing: You and Baba are traveling to a remote private place this Christmas season. Dayu and I will do the same.
Mama: (snorting) We will stay in a farm owned by one of my cousins. Its not a remote private place, although getting there is indeed a trial. But there is phone there and a cell signal. Its not remote, Wang Qing.
Qing: Whatever. You and Baba decided to go MIA this Christmas.
Mama: I need some time alone with my husband. I won't apologize for that. The city is noisy and busy, we need some peace, too. This is the only time I will have your father all for myself without him thinking about the next business deal. This is also the only time I will stop worrying about you and JiJi. Your sister will be spending the holiday season with her in laws.
Qing: And Dayu and I will visit his parents for Christmas. And then we will board a yacht to do some fishing after the New Year. We are still on the New Year, right?
Mama: Yes, I will be preparing a New Year's dinner. You all have to attend.
Me: I'll be there.
Mama: (smiling at me) You will be my most important guests. You absolutely have to be there to make the start of my year right.
I preened under Mama's love for me.
Qing: (rolling his eyes) This is the reason why Dayu has such an inflated ego. You always makes it sound like you will totally perish without him.
Mama: I will. I will truly collapse if Dayu will not join our family. You better make sure you will marry him well.
Me: Oh Mama, I will never leave you. I may leave Qing but not you.
Mama: And I love you so much too, Dayu ah.
Qing let out a tired sigh like we exasperate the living daylight out of him. But what can we do. Aside from Qing, his Mama is my favorite person here in Beijing. And I am Mama's favorite son in law.
Its alright to claim that because Gege is not even competing for the title.
Gege: Take it, Dayu ah. Do me a great favor and take that favorite son in law title. That'll be such a blessing.
Gege doesn't like that much attention on him.
Anyways, I'm happy to report that I've completed the gifts on all of Qing's five socks. Sexy, sexy AND kinky, personalized coupons, naughty and a wish.
Gosh, those were hard asks to fill, I'm telling you all. But I persevered and now, all socks has gifts on them.
How about y'all? Are you preparing for Christmas? Don't feel pressure, its okay to have a simple Christmas. Or maybe thats just me wanting company. Qing and I will have a simple Christmas this year. No large crowd parties, no traveling back and forth to too many places, avoiding people, avoiding the spread of virus. Just...celebrating sincerely.
See you all next time.