When I was little, I went to buy a soda and picked out a $3 bottle of Coke. My mom said, "A $1 bottle of water quenches your thirst just the same. Why spend the extra two dollars?" When we went out to eat, given the choice between a $25 Happy Meal or a $16 bowl of beef noodle soup, it was always the noodle soup. My clothes were always picked from the discount stalls at the market—the cheapest ones available. Then I grew up, and I brought home a boyfriend with bleached blond hair. My mom had a meltdown. 1 Staring at the man in front of her—sporting a mop of bright yellow hair, a studded leather jacket, skin-tight black leather pants, and a smile that was way too enthusiastic—my mom's mouth hung slightly open. She couldn't seem to close it. Finally, I had to snap her soul back into her body. "Mom, this is my boyfriend," I introduced him. She had been on her way out to her dance class, but she immediately pulled her foot back inside. Hearing my introduction, Chad looked for a place to wipe his hands. But between the studs on his jacket and the leather of his pants, he couldn't find a spot. He ended up shoving his hands inside his vest, rubbing them quickly against the lining. Then he grabbed my mom's hand, shaking it vigorously. "Hello, Mom! I'm Chad! I'll take good care of Emily." Seeing my mom's face turn whiter by the second, I quickly pulled him away. "You should go now. I'm home." Chad realized he might have been a bit too intense. He let go immediately, but with enough force that my mom's hand kept shaking for a few seconds. I hurried him out. As the elevator doors closed, he was still shouting, "Mom! I'm leaving now! I'll come visit you again soon!" The moment the doors shut, my mom dragged me inside. She slammed the door hard, like she was afraid someone would break in. Her brow furrowed, her tone unkind. "How could you find a boyfriend like that?" I put down my bag and sat on the sofa. "Mom, he treats me really well." "Don't let his clothes fool you. He's very responsible. He's working hard to save up for a ring. He plans to marry me." "His salary is really high!" Hearing this, my mom's expression softened slightly. "What does he do?" she asked, fishing for details. "He's a security guard at an apartment complex. He makes $3,500 a month, six days a week." "What! $3,500 is considered a high salary?" Her voice rose an octave. "He's still on probation. Once he's permanent, it'll be higher!" "How much higher?" "Another $500! That's $4,000 a month!" "After rent of $1,000, food for $1,000, $500 for our dates, and $500 for living expenses, he can save $1,000 every month. That's $12,000 a year for the wedding fund!" My mom sank onto the sofa, rubbing her temples. She looked at me with bewilderment. "What is good about a man like that?" 2 I poured her a glass of water from the coffee table. "Mom, when I was little, you always made me choose the $1 water." "But the first time I met him, he bought me a $7 boba tea. Seven dollars! That's so expensive!" "When we ate, he took me to McDonald's. Not only did he order a $20 combo, he paid extra to get me the toy!" "In that moment, I thought, he treats me so well!" My mom slammed the glass down on the table, her voice thick with anger. "Just for a cup of tea? A Happy Meal? You think that's treating you well?" "Do you have no brain?" I felt wronged but kept my voice small. "But when I was little, you bought the $1 water." "When we had a choice for food, you picked the $16 noodles." "I know, you haven't really met Chad, so you're worried. I'll call him right now and ask him to come over for dinner tomorrow. Once you talk to him, you'll know how good he is." Before my mom could stop me, I dialed the number. "Hello~ Chad. My mom wants you to come over for dinner tomorrow." "Bring something? No, it's just a simple meal. No need for gifts." "Yes, tomorrow night. Remember to dress nicely." By the time I hung up, my mom was frozen in place. I smiled at her. "Mom, Chad says he's not picky. You don't have to work too hard, just make something simple." "See? He's so considerate! He was worried you'd be tired and told me to help you!" "I'm going to take a shower and sleep early. Gotta look my best to welcome him tomorrow." With that, I got up and left. Before entering my room, I saw my mom still sitting there in a daze. Suddenly, she snapped out of it like she'd been electrocuted. She frantically grabbed the landline, her fingers fumbling before finally dialing. "Hello~ Husband, come home as soon as you get off work tomorrow." "What's important? I'm telling you, nothing is more important than tomorrow!" "If you dare not come back tomorrow, I'm divorcing you!" See? Mom is so happy! She even threatened Dad to make sure he comes home. 3 Sure enough, Dad came home early the next afternoon. He was carrying half a watermelon. Mom scolded him for wasting money while putting the melon in the fridge. "Just because you like it!" Dad replied casually, kicking off his shoes and flopping onto the sofa. Mom didn't respond, but the corners of her mouth turned up, and her spatula moved more cheerfully in the wok. Dad was a factory worker. He lived at the factory dorms during the week and only came home on weekends. When there were lots of orders and overtime, he'd be gone for ten days or two weeks at a time. Mom handled everything at home—the household, the relatives, and me—single-handedly. Chad was punctual, knocking on the door just before dinner. Seeing my dad, he shouted with full lung capacity, "Hello, Dad!" Dad nearly fell off the sofa. Chad was carrying gifts: a large watermelon and a case of milk. He had dressed up today. His blond hair was slicked back, shiny and bright. He wore a normal white t-shirt, but paired it with a wild leopard-print vest and ripped jeans. Very trendy. I whispered to Chad, "My dad is introverted." He patted his chest, reassuring me. "We're family now. We'll warm up." Then he chased after my dad, chatting away. "Dad, I heard you're a senior technician at the factory. What kind of senior?" "Are the dorm beds big? Is the food good?" Dad wasn't much of a talker, but he responded with grunts and nods. "Well—" "Uh—" "Mm—" Seeing them chatting so happily, I snuck into the kitchen to check on dinner. "Mom, Chad is really too good." "He bought us a whole huge watermelon! And a whole case of milk!" I chattered in Mom's ear. Suddenly, she slammed the spatula down with a clang and said deeply, "Have I ever starved you?" I pouted. "Usually we only buy half or a quarter of a melon. Milk is bought one bottle at a time." "Compared to that, he's really generous!" Mom's face was dark as she quickly plated the food. "Dinner's ready." I helped carry the dishes out. Chad is the best. Always smiling. On the table, Mom had made four dishes: braised fish, chicken wings, vegetables, and seaweed egg drop soup. "Wow, a feast!" I exclaimed, picking up my chopsticks. Usually, when it was just Mom and me, it was one meat and one veggie. Seeing my excitement, Chad immediately postured. "Next time I'll take the family out to a restaurant. We can order five dishes and a soup." I was moved. "Chad, you're so good." I glanced at Mom, wanting her to see how great Chad was. 4 Mom couldn't hold it in anymore. She put down her chopsticks. "Emily told me your income. Do you think $4,000 a month is enough to support a future?" Chad put down his chopsticks too, confident. "Mom, don't worry. Dad makes $2,800 and gives the family $2,500, and that supports the house. My income is higher than Dad's!" "Plus, I can do food delivery on weekends. I can easily make $4,500 a month." Mom was speechless, her face looking strange. She raised another issue. "Emily is a college graduate. You didn't even finish high school. It might not be a good match." Chad laughed out loud. "Mom, I used to think there was a big difference between college kids and uneducated guys like us. But Emily doesn't even know how to order at a boba shop." "Don't worry, I won't dislike her for it. I think she's cute like that!" Dad reached his limit. "You dare dislike my daughter?" "Look at yourself! What kind of trash are you!" Hearing this, Chad's face turned cold. "What kind of trash? At least I can buy Emily boba, take her to McDonald's, and buy her clothes at the mall—even if they're from the discount rack!" "And I can let her buy whatever drink she wants at the convenience store." "Do you really think $4,000 can support her?" Dad raised his voice. "It's $4,500!" Chad retorted, unbothered. "Dad, you support the family on $2,800. I make more than you. It's definitely enough!" Finally, Dad turned red with anger. "Don't call me Dad! I'm not your Dad!" He slammed his chopsticks on the table. They bounced into a dish, splashing sauce. To dodge the sauce, Chad stood up, knocking his chair over with a loud crash. I gasped. "Dad, what are you doing!" Mom looked furious, staring at me with disappointment. "What do you see in him! Are you possessed?" "What spell are you under?" I quickly handed Chad a tissue. Then I looked up at her with deep, dark eyes, saying nothing. Mom seemed to sense something. Disbelief filled her eyes, followed by panic.
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