A friend, one soul, two bodies.
- A Chinese Proverb
C H A P T E R O N E - T h e P r o m i s e
It was during the Chinese New Year Celebration at Ma Fenghuang's huge mansion in Nanjing Xi Road, Shanghai, China when the promise between two gentlemen with completely different background and hometown were made. Although judging from the fact that there was an expensive Rolex watch on each of the gentleman's wrists, one could say that they were not that different after all. Many would simply regard them as rich businessmen but if anyone dared to say this to their faces, both of them would surely argue for they both had been born without any penny to their names. They had worked through their youth and for that reason, their shared understanding of each sweat, blood, and tears, were one of the foundations of their friendship and of course, their trust in one another to help each other's business. Together they had built their very own empire in China and the United States of America.
"I think having my children speak Chinese and yours speak English are not enough to be a family," said Cedric Summers after swallowing the sweet tangyuan. His hand reached for the teacup before he realized that they were given three cups in which each served a different tea. The first cup was sweet, Fenghuang had explained previously that it had symbolized the hope for sweetness in the near year. The second cup was a smoked bean tea, a blend of tea leaves, shredded carrots, orange peels, perilla seeds, and sesame seeds. This second cup was to wish for harmony. The third and final cup was green tea which offered after a meal to conclude the entire gathering. Having a fit of cough over the second tea and the first teacup being empty, Cedric reached for the third cup and sighed when the bitterness mixed with the sweetness of tangyuan brought him both warmth and peace.
When Ma Fenghuang did not immediately provide a reply, Cedric glanced at his friend thoughtfully. There was a small knot on Ma Fenghuang's forehead, it seemed that he was busy dealing with whatever he had in mind thus Cedric did not pester and simply finishing his dessert. Fenghuang had been truly generous to have Cedric and his family invited to his mansion and despite Fenghuang himself informing him that this was only right especially since Cedric had invited Fenghuang and his family to celebrate Christmas in Washington D. C. merely two months ago, Cedric was aware how grandiose everything here compared to the little Christmas party he had thrown for them. Perhaps it was Chinese custom to repay back twice or better than what they had received. They were, after all, generous people through and through.
"Marriage!" exclaimed Fenghuang suddenly.
Cedric frowned, unsure what his friend was trying to imply. "Pardon?"
"The answer to your question, my friend," Fenghuang smiled, showing off his two dimples. "I think we should have my kid married one of yours."
For a moment, Cedric gave it a thought. Truth be told, it was not such an uncommon thing. There were arranged marriages between powerful families before. Marriage was indeed stronger than the bond of friendship as it would bound two families into one for eternity. He rather liked the idea. Except that his youngest son had already engaged to his five years girlfriend and it would break his heart to separate them.
"I must agree with you. Marriage might be the right solution," he replied with a nod and Fenghuang's smile turned into a full-fledge grin. "However, my son is already engaged. I do not think that it would be wise nor fair to break such engagement and risk having my son heartbroken and disappointed."
"Hmm," Fenghuang rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He let his gaze move away from his friend's face and wander around until it landed on his granddaughter who was bickering with one of Cedric's grandsons. "Then perhaps we should not marry our children but our grandchildren instead." He shifted his gaze back to his friend who was drinking his third cup of green tea. "What do you think?"
Cedric placed the teacup slowly and carefully on the marbled table and smiled. "I think that is a brilliant idea."
Fenghuang's grin returned to his face, happiness shone in his dark eyes. "We will become a family, my friend! A family!"
"It is a promise!" Cedric nodded in agreement.
One of the housemaids came with two glasses of Chinese white wine or what they would call baijiu. It had a clear color and was made of fermented sorghum thus sometimes referred to as white sorghum wine. Both gentlemen took the glasses off the tray before the maid had a chance to place them on the table and clinked their glasses.
"Gānbēi!"
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