In the Orient Read Free Page B

join us for some tea while Ah-lam, our maid, prepares your room. I promise we won’t keep you long.”
    Jade Place
    Ah-lam and Kuang Jianquo
    Although Archibald’s eyes were beginning to burn from lack of sleep, he knew from his briefing materials that if his host family upon arrival offered him tea, he needed to accept. Hoping that he would be in bed soon, he fought back a yawn and replied, “A cup of tea would be just fine, thank you.”
    Mrs. Chen was true to her word, and fifteen minutes later Archibald was shown to his second-floor bedroom by Ah-lam. When she opened the bedroom door and asked if there was anything else he required, he was surprised to find that his suitcase had been unpacked. Best of all, however, his bed had already been turned down.
    Ten minutes after saying, “No, thank you, Ah-lam, I’m all set,” the young American was fast asleep.
Saturday Morning in Hong Kong
    Archibald had indeed been exhausted from his long journey, and he slept until almost ten o’clock the next morning. After a quick shower and shave, he put on a white polo shirt, khaki shorts, and a new pair of low-cut Converse tennis shoes. While tying his laces, he realized just how hungry he was, and as he left the bedroom in search of his host family, he wondered what type of breakfast he’d be served.
    “Good morning, Archibald. Did you sleep well?” May asked as she stood at the bottom of the staircase that led to the main level where the living room, library, dining room, and kitchen were located.
    “Like a log,” he answered, quickly covering the last few stairs between him and the five-foot-four-inch, dark-haired young woman who was smiling up at him. May had just returned from an hour-long lesson with Wu Feng, and she was still wearing her traditional Chinese martial arts uniform, or gi, as she called it.
    “And just how does a log sleep?” she asked, not familiar with the colloquialism he’d just used.
    “Let’s put it this way, ten minutes after I said good night to you, I was out like a light!” he laughed.
    “Well, it seems that your light is back on, and you’re wide awake now,” she replied as she led Archibald into the kitchen. “Since you didn’t eat anything last night, you must be very hungry. We’ve already eaten, but Kuang Jianquo will fix you breakfast. You may have either a traditional Chinese or English breakfast. Mother and Father prefer Chinese, but William and I are partial to fried eggs, bacon, roasted tomato, and toast. The choice is yours.”
    Archibald was surprised at the size of the kitchen. About thirty feet square, its walls were covered in gleaming white tiles. Kuang Jianquo was standing between the large stainless steel stove that stood against one wall and the butcher block island that was in the middle of the room. The portly Chinese cook dressed all in white looked up expectantly, waiting for the young houseguest to place his order.
    “Alright, Archibald, what will it be for you this morning—Chinese or English?” May asked.
    Archibald had no idea what a Chinese breakfast included. However, remembering that one of his father’s favorite sayings was, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” he decided to chance it, answering, “Chinese, please.”
    Ah-lam, who’d just walked in, smiled and asked Archibald whether he’d like to be served at the table in the corner of the kitchen or in the formal dining room. Before he could answer, May replied, “Let’s eat in here, if you don’t mind. I’ll have some tea and a sesame cake with you.”
    Minutes later, Archibald was having his first taste of hot yum cha, which literally translated to “drink tea.” The traditional morning tea was followed by successive small bowls of sweet and savory soymilk porridge and spinach dumplings, all of which were accompanied by Chinese crullers and sesame cakes.
    Halfway through the meal, Mrs. Chen arrived and apologized to Archibald for not having been there to greet him when he came