5. Jimmy #2
Neither of them grew up like this. They’re the children of Chinese immigrants.
They didn’t know wealth and opulence. They knew hardship as they tried to adjust to an entirely new culture and make ends meet in a world miles away from the only one they’d ever known.
But then my grandfather got into real estate.
I’ve heard the story a million times before.
He started small, buying a house and doing it up before making a quick sale.
He made some sweet cash and quickly got addicted.
He worked his way up, and by the time my father graduated from college, my grandfather was running a multimillion-dollar company.
My father gleefully jumped on board. He met my mother at Li & Son Global Enterprises.
She was a PA, and apparently it was love at first sight.
I still don’t believe you can love someone the first time you see them, but they swear it’s how it happened. Whatever. He put a ring on her finger, and when my grandfather died, they grew the company even bigger.
“I disagree,” Mā says calmly as I hover by the doorway, testing out the mood of the room. “I think salmon pink on a man can be quite fetching if it matches the tone of his skin. You, my love, would not look good in salmon, so no, you may not try something new tomorrow night.”
Bàba lets out a patient sigh, and I edge into the room.
“Ah, Jun Hie. Good morning.”
“Bàba.” I nod, and he smiles at me. The guy never shows his teeth. It’s always a closed-mouth grin… just like mine. We look so much alike. Mā loves it. She’s spent her life calling me her mini-Li.
“Come. Have some tea.” My father points at the table, and I walk toward it but don’t sit down, resting my hands lightly on the back of the chair closest to me.
“Actually, uh…” I swallow and force the words out. “I need to get going.”
“Where?” Mā sits up straight, her laser eyes trying to burn a hole through my skull so she can see my every thought.
I clench my jaw for a second, trying to keep my voice calm and unaffected. “I have a basketball thing. It’s in Aspen. A team-building exercise.”
Bàba’s eyebrows wrinkle. “But you’re returning to Nolan the week after next. You can do team building then.”
“This is an extra thing.” I shrug. “Just something the players are organizing for themselves.”
Mā’s eyebrow arches as she rises from her chair and moves to stand beside Bàba. “So it’s unsupervised?”
“We’re grown men,” I gently argue. “We don’t need supervision.”
Mā rolls her eyes, crossing her arms with a huff. “It’s a party weekend. You’re not going.”
“I—”
“I already told you you’ve committed to the Abbot function, and you will not miss it just so you can go and get drunk with a bunch of unruly men. Who knows what trouble you’ll get into. I don’t even understand why you want to go. It’s beneath you, Jun Hie.”
My stomach coils into a ball that physically hurts as I lightly grip the back of the chair.
I really hate the way she bosses me around like I’m a child.
But she makes me feel like I can’t defy her.
Mac always tells me that’s bullshit.
“You’re a grown-ass man! You don’t have to do what Mommy tells you anymore.”
That’s exactly what he’ll say to me if I tell him I can’t come. He’ll say, “Why?” and I’ll come up with some excuse about a prior engagement when the truth is as simple as “My parents won’t let me.”
“Stop letting them control you and do what you want. You’re twenty now. Start acting like it. It’s your summer. Don’t you fucking let them steal it from you.”
I know that’s what he’ll say.
And he’s right.
“I’m going.” My voice is so soft I can barely hear myself, but my mother’s eagle eyes read my lips.
“You’re not going.”
My insides shrivel—an automatic response. That familiar disappointment builds, and I can sense my body wanting to turn and shuffle back to my room, slump onto my bed, and resign myself to what is. What has always been.
But…
Gripping the chair a little tighter, I inhale a sharp breath before doing something I’ve never really done.
“I am going.”
Mā blinks at me like I’ve lost my mind. I dare to contradict her?
My heart starts to pound so loud I can barely hear the words coming out of my mouth as I desperately try to sell this, to soften her reaction to my defiance.
“It’ll be good for my mental health. A final break before summer school begins. A chance to clear my head so that I’ll be more energized for studying.” I keep gripping the chair until my knuckles turn white.
Will my argument stand up to their scrutiny?
They’re not saying anything, so I take my chance, throwing a quick glance at my father before turning and stalking out of the room.
I need to get out of here.
Their disapproval is like a sledgehammer, and they always go straight for the kneecaps.
Mā’s going to follow me and keep on arguing, but I’ve come this far, so I have to win this fight. I’ll just throw a few things into a bag and act like she’s not yelling my name and storming after me.
As soon as I get to my room, I text Mac.
On my way.
“Jun Hie, you listen to me!” Mā is barking, but I ignore her as I throw my things together.
“You will not come back refreshed for studying. You’ll be exhausted.
I know what college boys are like. They will make you do dangerous things.
You’re not old enough to drink. You’ll get high and hurt yourself! ”
I throw her a look. She always makes me sip wine at her stupid parties, and why the hell would I get high? I hate the smell of pot. Every time Mac smokes it, I want to throw up and have to move away from him.
“You’re being selfish! You can’t do this to your father. He is expecting you to be here this weekend. Foolish boy,” she snaps, then starts ranting in Mandarin.
My skin is crawling as she fires caustic words at me that I’m desperately trying to tune out. I’ve spent my entire life working overtime to please this woman, and nothing helps, so I’m going.
I’ll pay for it. She’ll definitely make me pay.
But if I can just get behind the wheel and start driving, then maybe I can take a full breath. Even if it’s just for the weekend.
“You can’t ignore me!” she shouts as I walk past her and out the door. “Xiao Dan!” she calls for backup, and my father wanders into the entrance just as I reach the door.
“Son.” He deepens his voice, his look of disapproval hitting me right between the eyes.
“Sorry,” I murmur before slipping outside, my heart pounding furiously. I feel sick doing this, but something is driving me to go. I have to get out of here. I just have to.
“Why didn’t you stop him!” Mā’s still yelling as I run to my car. I left it out last night, and now I know why. Instinct was telling me I’d need a quick getaway.
Firing up the engine, I drive away from the house as my parents stand at the top of the steps glaring down at me.
Mā is fuming, but it’s Bàba’s quiet disapproval that’s more brutal.
Oh man, this better be worth it.
I’m going to get hell when I return.
But—
My phone beeps, and I glance at the screen.
Mac: About fucking time. See you soon!
I snicker and that coil in my chest starts to unravel the farther I get from home.
I just turned twenty last week. I shouldn’t let my parents’ displeasure affect me so much. They can’t tell me where I can and can’t go. I’m an adult, after all.
And maybe this weekend will remind me of that.
I’m not just Jun Hie Li, son of Xiao Dan and Ming. I’m my own person. And going away with my teammates is the kind of thing a young man should be doing.
“It’s the right thing,” I mutter under my breath, desperate to believe myself as I head to Aspen and worry that I’m making the biggest mistake of my life.