Grace Li hadn’t expected Joseph Li’s wedding to involve her in any way.
The next afternoon, her uncle, Baoheng Li, invited Grace and her family over for lunch. After the meal, Grace was ready to head home. Even though it was the holidays, she still had some work reports to finish.
As she was about to leave, Baoheng called out, “Grace, don’t rush off. Come have a cup of tea with your uncle.”
He pulled out a traditional Chinese tea set he had brought over from back home and began preparing to brew tea. Grace sensed there might be more to this invitation and decided to stay, curious about what might unfold.
The two families gathered around the coffee table. Baoheng brewed the tea with deliberate care, while her father, Shichen Li, sat on the couch smoking a cigarette. The atmosphere grew
