by Liu, Cynthea
“Let’s just say that I didn’t work too hard at passing. My parents will have to live with the fact that I’m not a budding anthropologist.”
The phone rang. Jessica glanced over but she made no move to pick it up. “Don’t get that. It has to be my father. Anyway, Cece, don’t worry about me. Chris and I are going to a movie tonight with Lisa and Dreyfuss. My midterms will be all but forgotten.”
“But don’t you think—”
Jessica cut her off. “Don’t worry about it.”
“All right ... ” Cece bit her lip as she watched Jess go.
Cece met up with Will, Kallyn, and Peter, but she couldn’t put Jess out of her mind. On the cab ride to the theater, Cece filled them in on everything that had happened.
“And her failing midterms surprises you?” Will said. “Jess’s idea of studying is figuring out which club to hit next.”
“I know, but something doesn’t make sense. Have you seen the costumes she’s making for our project? They’re amazing. Why would she go to all that trouble if she’s just going to fail her classes?”
“She’s probably just trying to prove something to her parents,” Will replied. “She talked about her father all the time, how he had all these hopes for her, and how she felt like such a failure because of it.”
“Whatever it is, don’t get pulled into this, Cece,” Kallyn added. “Let Lisa and Chris cheer her up.”
“I agree,” Peter said. “It sounds like this is not your problem.”
“All right, guys.” Cece supposed her friends were right. But she had a feeling that if something didn’t change, Jess’s situation would only get worse.
When the cab arrived at the theater, Will helped her out of the car and onto the red-carpeted walkway. Cece took in the glamour of the Tang Dynasty Theater. Hostesses opened a pair of giant doors and welcomed them.
“The Tang Theater is Xi’an’s premiere cultural show,” Peter explained as they waited for an usher to seat them. “It only performs music and dance according to the traditions of the Tang dynasty.”
“So what’s the big deal about the Tang dynasty?” Will asked.
“It was China’s Golden Age. During that time, China was prosperous and culture and music flourished.”
“Sorta like the Italian Renaissance?” Kallyn said.
Peter nodded.
An usher led them to their seats in the opulent theater. He directed them to a table toward the front, and Cece could feel the excitement build within her as she took a seat. Not long after, the audience settled down and the lights dimmed.
For the next couple of hours, Cece watched an impressive display of color, sound, and movement. Powerful warriors stomped across the stage wearing frightful masks. Beautiful women with sleeves a mile long created whimsical shapes in the air as they moved to the music. Cece glanced over at Will, who seemed as intrigued as she was. Neither of them said a word. As the show continued, Cece could only think that it was nice to be here. With her friends. Next to Will. It was great to feel good again.
The next day, at the end of culture class, Kallyn and Cece handed in their topics to Professor Hu. The professor peered over her glasses and reviewed Kallyn’s first.
“Ah,” she said to Kallyn. “I look forward to hear more about uh ... Chinese wedding ceremonies.”
Kallyn smiled.
Next Professor Hu read Cece’s. “Yes,” she said, nodding. “This is interesting topic.... I ask you something.”
“Okay.” Cece said.
“Why you choose this one?”
“Well ...” Cece averted her gaze. “It’s highly relevant to my circumstances.”
“I see.” The professor turned the paper over and laid it on her desk. “I give you some advice: Make certain it is not too close to you.”
“What do you mean?” Cece said.
“An anthropologist must be...how you say ... objective?”
Cece nodded. “Of course.” She could be objective.
“Very well.” Professor Hu waved her away. “You may go.”
Kallyn and Cece left the classroom. “What was that all about?” Kallyn said.
Cece shrugged. “Beats the heck out of me.”
The next two weeks, Cece had to work overtime to keep up with her classes, her team project, and Peter’s film-school essays, which she had nearly forgotten about. She also spent more time with Will, Alex, and Chris in the theater, planning and rehearsing shots for their documentary. Jessica was notably missing from most of their meetings, and Chris had to make excuses for her. “Don’t worry, guys,” he said when Jess hadn’t shown up for the fourth time. “She’s almost done with the costumes, I swear.”
“That’s not the problem,” Alex replied. “She has to participate in this part, too, or we all get penalized.”
“Who’s going to know?” Chris replied.
Alex raised his eyebrows. “If Jess isn’t in any of the shots, won’t it be obvious?”
“I’m sure she plans to play her role in the film, too. She’s just the concubine.”
Cece could tell by the way Chris was acting, he wasn’t sure at all. She frowned. She was getting irritated with Jess. It was one thing to do the program her way, it was another to affect everyone else.
“We can’t mess around anymore,” Will said. “We have only a couple of weeks left, and we need to start filming. Someone should talk to her .... ”
“Or, ” Alex said, “we could let Mark and Jenny know. I’m not going to lose a college rec because Jess has a hair appointment or something.”
“I’ll talk to her,” Cece said, thinking of what Jess’s parents might do to her if she got in serious trouble. “Maybe she’ll listen to me.”
Will looked at Cece. “You sure?”
“Yeah. I mean, she’s my roommate, right? I’ll talk to her the next time I see her.”
But before she could find Jessica, she had planned to meet up with Peter over lunch. They were going to put the final touches on Peter’s film-school essays at the noodle shop. When Cece sat down, though, Peter seemed to have other things on his mind.
He pushed a large manila envelope across the table. “It’s from the director at the orphanage.”
Cece paused, feeling her throat dry up.
“Open it, Cece.”
She shook her head. “No, you, Peter. It’s probably all in Chinese anyway.”
“Are you sure?” Peter said.
She nodded.
Peter slowly opened the envelope and pulled out a couple of documents. He scanned the first sheet. “The director writes that she is including your finding record. She has also identified your care worker. If you would like to meet Wang Mei Ling, that can be arranged. She says she hopes the information finds you well. ...”
Peter flipped the page. “Here is the finding record. ...”
He scanned the text. “You were found at seven thirty in the morning. You were placed in a cardboard box, and the box was set in front of the orphanage. You were only two weeks old. An envelope was pinned to your blanket. It contained ten yuan and a note stating your birth date. Also in the box were a bottle, a pacifier, and a small toy.”
Cece couldn’t say anything. Hearing the details of how she had been abandoned felt like someone was poking holes in her heart. What had it been like for her parents to leave her behind at the orphanage? Were they sad? Remorseful? Did they even look back?
Peter glanced up. “Are you okay, Cece?”
Cece swallowed. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She took the documents from Peter and returned them to the envelope. “That was great. Now why don’t we finish your application?”
Peter frowned. “You did not think that was good?”
“What was good?”
“The information about what your parents had given you.”
“What about it, Peter? So my parents left me with a few things when they dropped me off. Clearly they didn’t need them anymore.”
“So you don’t think that shows their concern for
you?”
Cece sighed. “Well, maybe, but they certainly weren’t concerned enough to keep me.”
“Cece, your parents left you with only ten yuan. If they lived in the house in Beijing, don’t you think they would leave you more?”
She stopped for a second to consider Peter’s question. “That doesn’t mean anything. They could have been poor when they had me. Or maybe they wanted people to think that whoever left me was poor so they wouldn’t be suspected of anything.”
“I don’t think so,” Peter said. “You need to go back to Beijing. Someone in the house must know something. Maybe they can tell you what really happened.”
“Go back?” Cece repeated. She grasped for excuses. “But the program is nearly over.”
Peter raised an eyebrow. “There is still one free weekend left.”
“But what if I don’t learn anything new?”
“Then you are no worse off than you were before.”
Cece sighed. “I’ll think about it.”
As night fell, Cece walked back to the dorm, thoughts of Beijing spinning in her mind. A part of her dreaded the idea of returning to that house—and another part of her thought Peter might be right. Then she pictured that boy she had seen at the house, and all of the girls she’d seen in the orphanage. Parents giving up their daughters to have sons. Cece kicked at a rock in her path. It was all too much to deal with. By the time she got to her dorm, she was settled on forgetting Beijing. She’d pretend like she’d never gotten the director’s envelope. Erase her conversation with Peter. It was simple. She’d just have to get through the next two weeks, then she could go home and be half a world away.
When Cece got to her room, she dropped her things and glanced at her watch. It was almost eight. She wondered if she should find Jess to talk about their team project, but after a day like this, Jess could certainly wait until tomorrow.
Cece left her room and met Kallyn in the student lounge for a movie.
Kallyn popped a DVD into the player. “I hope you don’t mind a romantic comedy.”
Cece sat on the couch, sinking into the cushions. “Sounds great to me.”
“So ...” Kallyn reached into a bag of shrimp chips on the table. “Peter called and told me about the package from the director.”
Cece put her feet up. “Well, that boy moves fast.”
“You want to know what I think?”
“I have a feeling you’re going to tell me anyway.”
“Peter is right. You should go back, Cece. I think you’re so close to finding out something amazing.” She popped a chip into her mouth.
Cece stared at Kallyn. “The last time you said that, my orphanage was torn down and my care worker led me to a house where my rich birth parents live happily ever after with their precious son. Um, thanks, but no thanks.”
“You’re unbelievable,” Kallyn said. “That’s not what happened. You think that’s what happened. You still want to focus on some preconceived notion in your head?”
“Well, that preconceived notion keeps me sane.”
“No, it keeps you from going to that house. You’re scared, Cece.”
“Scared?” No, it was more like terrified.
“But you can’t let that fear keep you from finding out the answers to your questions.”
“Look, I’m doing fine not knowing, okay? In fact, I just realized how pointless it was to start this whole thing to begin with.”
Kallyn sighed. “That’s what you’ve been telling yourself?”
“Can we please stop talking about it?”
“All right,” Kallyn said. “Have it your way.” She turned her attention to the TV and hit play on the remote control.
Cece didn’t like arguing with Kallyn about Beijing. But the more her friends pressed her about it, the more she doubted she was making the right move.
Chapter Fourteen
The next morning, as Cece left her dorm to go to class, she spotted Will sitting on a bench nearby as if he’d been waiting for her.
“Hey, Cece. I want to talk to you.”
“Don’t tell me,” Cece said as she went up to him. “Peter’s gotten to you, too.”
“Peter?” Will said. “Gotten to me about what?”
“Oh, uh, nothing,” Cece said.
Will stood up. “Let me walk you to class. I’d like to ask you something.”
“Okay,” Cece said.
They started in the direction to the academic building.
“So,” Will began, “a confidential source tells me your birthday is coming up next Wednesday.”
Cece rolled her eyes. “By confidential, do you mean Kallyn?” Cece had mentioned it to her last week in passing.
“Maybe. I was thinking since next week will be crazy with finals, we could celebrate this weekend instead. Are you free?”
Cece thought about her last chance to go to Beijing. “Yeah, I’m free.”
“Great. I was thinking we could bike around the City Walls? Mark said it’s supposed to look awesome from up there at dusk.”
“That sounds terrific. I’ll ask Peter and Kallyn.”
“Actually, I was hoping it could be just the two of us.”
Cece stared at him. “You mean ... um ... like a date?”
“Yeah.” Will looked away. “But if you don’t want to—”
“No,” Cece blurted, “I’d love to go.” She could forget about Beijing and bike the City Walls with Will. Perfect.
“Really?” Will said.
“Yeah,” Cece replied. “I can’t imagine anything better.” And she meant it.
Later that day, as Professor Hu wrapped up culture class, Cece gazed off into space, her mind preoccupied with the idea of an evening out with Will.
“So ...” Professor Hu said as she walked around the room. “I take time to look at your drafts”—she handed back papers—“I am very, very pleased with progress. Except for one or two of you.”
She dropped Cece’s paper onto her desk, snapping Cece out of her daze.
Cece glanced down.
It looked like Professor Hu had bled all over her essay. A note in the corner read, See me after class.
Great.
“Everyone, consider comments before you write final draft.” The professor returned to the front of the room. “Class over.”
Everyone got up, except for Cece.
“Come on,” Kallyn said.
Cece shook her head. “Don’t wait for me.”
“You sure?”
She held up her paper for Kallyn to see.
Kallyn winced. “Right. We’ll talk later.”
Once everyone left the room, Cece grabbed her backpack and went up to Professor Hu.
“So, you didn’t like my paper,” Cece said.
Professor Hu frowned. “Topic I like. What’s in paper, I not so like.”
“Why not?” Cece said. “Everything in there is the truth.”
“Really?” She took the paper from Cece and read from it. “The government’s idiocy in instituting a one-child policy is a hallmark of its fascist politics.” She looked up. “This is truth?”
“Well, isn’t it?”
“You tell me, Cece.” Professor Hu stared intently at her.
“Okay, okay,” Cece admitted. “So I was a little angry when I wrote it.”
“That is what I am thinking, too. What I say about anthropology? Tell me.”
“I must be objective.”
“And is this objective?”
Cece took the paper back. “No.”
“You try again. Show me what truth is. Then we talk.”
“All right,” Cece said, defeat in her voice. She put the paper into her bag, even though what she really wanted to do was toss it in the trash.
When Cece got back to her room, Jessica was there, hanging up something in her closet.
Jess turned around. “Just the person I wanted to see.”
“Me, too,” Cece replied, thinking of the talk she needed to have with her
roommate. But before she could say anything, Jess said, “Here, try this on.” She pulled out a costume from the closet.
Wow. Cece studied the outfit. It was the one for the role of the emperor’s adviser—a mandarin-collared, longsleeved top in royal blue, an embroidered gold sash that went around the neck, and matching pants with an intri cate pattern sewn into the cuffs.
“Jess, this is incredible.”
“Come on, Cece, I want to see how it fits.”
Cece quickly changed into the costume and noticed that even the inside was lined with satin. Then Jess had her stand in front of the mirror.
The clothing fit perfectly.
“Yes!” Jess smiled. “I was worried I hadn’t set in the sleeves right. I hope the stuff for the rest of the team fits this well.”
Cece began to relax. It was clear Jessica had no intentions of ditching the team. “Jess, I have to apologize.”
“For what?”
“I was worried you were going to flake out on us. Now that these are done, we can start filming. Have you memorized your lines yet?”
The expression on Jess’s face changed. “Actually ... I won’t be part of the film.”
“What? Why not?”
Jess pulled the concubine outfit from the closet. “I’m not finishing the program.” She laid the dress on her bed.
Cece stared at her. “Excuse me?”
“Come on, Cece. Don’t be surprised. You know I failed my midterms. There’s no way I’ll pass now.”
“But I don’t understand. ...” Cece looked at her costume, then the dress on the bed. “Why did you make these if you knew you weren’t completing the program?”
“Cece,” Jess said, “would you give me some credit? You’d think I’d let you guys film in street clothes? Or worse, in some nasty used thing from the theater?”
“Well ...”
“Okay, don’t answer that.” Jess smoothed out the wrinkles in the concubine dress. “There is a little bit more to this.”
“What do you mean?”
“These outfits will be excellent additions for my portfolio.”
“Portfolio?”
“Yeah, for design school. They’ll show off my range.”
