Find Love in London

Chapter2

“I’ve been to Springfield hall many times, so I’m familiar with the route.”

It takes me a moment to realize Mr. Chen has ended his call and is now talking to me. I straighten up and meet Mr. Chen’s eyes briefly in the rear-view mirror. “Oh, that’s good.” Well, I’m not good at making small talks with others, especially with a stranger.

Despite that, Mr. Chen seems determined to keep the conversation going. “Do you come here to study or work?”

“Study. For my master’s degree.” It’s impolite to look out of the window when Mr. Chen tries to have a conversation with me, so I shift my gaze from the window to the headrest of Mr. Chen’s seat to show my respect.

“Which university?”

“King’s.”

“It’s a good university! You must be a great student! Could you tell me how your parents raised you? Tiger parenting? My wife and I are really worried about our son.” An affectionate smile flits across Mr. Chen’s face when he mentions his son. “The naughty kid just hates studying. His transcript almost gave me a heart attack!”

I smile at the way Mr. Chen exaggerates. Actually, my parents are nothing like tiger parents, who push their kids to study hard and shine academically. For my parents, they want a kind and honest kid more than a smart kid, so they’re pretty laid-back about my studies. Every time I took an exam, my mama always said, “Don’t be nervous. It’s okay if you don’t get a good grade.” They showered praise on me when I got a good grade, but they never showed any disappointment when I didn’t. But, you know, when they’re so nice, you just want to work harder for them. That’s why I become an overachiever, who always tries her best to win the first prize and suffers from severe exam anxiety.

“My patents aren’t strict at all.” I fiddle with the bracelet on my wrist that my mama bought from the temple. According to my mama, it can help ward off evil spirit and bring me good luck. “Maybe you can talk to your son and find out what he really likes. College isn’t the only path to success, after all.”

“He likes playing football. My son is the best player in the school team.” Mr. Chen smiles with fatherly pride. “Perhaps my son will be the next David Beckham or Messi.”

“That’ll be so nice.” Being the father of a famous football player is much cooler.

While waiting at a red light, Mr. Chen taps his fingers on the wheel and exhales a deep sigh. “You’re so lucky to have the opportunity to go aboard to see the world. When I was at your age, I toiled from dawn to dusk. The world is changing for the better. Your generation are lucky.”

I’m indeed lucky.

Actually, I hadn’t expected my parents would support me to apply for King’s postgraduate program at first, because sending a kid to study in London requires a staggering amount of money and my family isn’t affluent. But…when all my classmates were talking about studying abroad, I brought up the topic tentatively over dinner. To my great surprise, my mama put a shrimp into my bowl before saying in a casual tone, “Your papa and I have discussed this. If you want to try, we’ll set aside 400,000 CNY for you.” And my papa nodded his agreement, chewing quietly. Seeing my jaw dropped, my mama winked at me playfully. “Don’t be so surprised. You’re our only child. We want you to be happy.” And my papa nodded again.

So I’m indeed a lucky kid. I’m lucky that I wasn’t born into a family that prefers boys over girls. I’m lucky that I’m the only child in the Shen family. I’m lucky that my parents know the importance of education. Most importantly, I’m lucky that my parents dote on me and are willing to give me everything I want.

“I’m grateful to my parents.” I say as I shoot another message to the group chat, reassuring my papa that we’re still on the right road.

“Parents are the only people who will give you unconditional love.” Mr. Chen concludes as the car weaves in the traffic again.

For the next thirty minutes, we drive in silence, both lost in thoughts.

When the car drives into London, what I see becomes less dreary and more enthralling. The roads are lined with beautiful buildings. Different architectural styles blend together in an attractive way. I can’t help but give a shriek of delight when a double-decker bus whizzes past us. As London’s beauty unfurls before me, the dismay ebbs away and I’m bubbling over with excitement. I press my face against the car window, taking London in with awe. That’s the London in my mind, a city full of elegance, diversity and romance.