Loving You: A Blessing or a Curse?

Su Lian's thoughts get interrupted by her ringing phone.

Checking the caller ID, she sees it's from Lili, the girl that she and Bella met at the hair salon.

"Hello."

"Lian, I'm so glad you picked up." Han Lili's excited voice blares from the other end of the line.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No-nothing... I'm just so happy. The most amazing thing happened to me today. Would you believe that I just launched a new clothing line."

"That's great. Good for you." Although Su Lian was puzzled about why Han Lili decided to call her, she still felt happy for her. It's empowering to see young women thriving in business. She didn't do any activism, but she is a proud liberal feminist. Or at least claims to be a liberal feminist.

"I'm so excited and so I want to celebrate." Han Lili's pauses for a brief moment. "I was wondering if-if you could come out- if you're not busy with anything."

"I don't have any friends so it's just me and my parents going out for dinner. You don't have to come if you don't want to. I-I understand if you don't want to hang with me, we don't really know each other."

"Lili I would love to but-"

Su Lian pauses to look at her son playing with Lego bricks in front of the t.v. and before she can continue her sentence, she sees Stephanie gesturing towards her from the corner of her eye.

"Could you hold on for a moment please." Su Lian mutes the call and turns to face Stephanie. "What is it, grandma?"

"You should go out with your friend. It's a Saturday night, go have fun. I'll watch Michael for you."

Su Lian does not have many friends. Most of the people she spends her time with are from work.

Even though she's a mother with a lot of responsibilities, she is still a young woman nonetheless.

A normal twenty-three-year old should be carefree and still undecided about what they want to do with their life.

Su Lian smiles at her grandmother. "I can have fun at home with you guys."

"You are with us every day. Aren't you getting tired of seeing this old face?" Stephanie folds her now completed sweater up and walks over to Su Lian. She places the sweater on her lap and pats her shoulder lightly.

"You shouldn't feel guilty, you're doing an amazing job as a mother. In fact, you are one of the best I have ever met."

After getting the brief pep talk from Stephanie, Su Lian unmutes the call and replies to Han Lili.

"So what time does your celebration dinner start?"

"Seven O'clock at Giovanni's." Han Lil's voice becomes even more enthusiastic. "You're really coming. This is so awesome, should I pick you up?"

"No, I can get there on my own."

"Well then, I'll see you there." Hanging up the phone, Han Lili turns to look at her mother.

"She is going to come so we should get ready. Tell dad to get dressed too. It's time to meet your future daughter-in-law"

Liu Yumei nods her head and leaves to get her husband and go change her clothes.

Watching her receding figure, Han Lili's lips curl into a proud smirk.

Launching a new clothing line?

What a joke.

She did launch a new clothing line today but that is only one of the minor projects under her name.

It's hardly worth celebrating and can't be compared to the new collection she will drop in a few months with a famous Italian designer. But it's a good enough excuse and technically, it isn't a lie.