Dearest Sister,

Things have taken a turn for the worse in terms of Father’s opinion of you and Tak-Wing since your wedding at the cricket club, as I suspected they would. Didn’t I tell you it was a bad idea? Father blames Old Cheung and accuses him of the deepest disrespect. I tried to make him see that it was driven by the young cricketers, their romance with Edward, Duke of Windsor, and Mrs Wallis Simpson, as well as their care for Tak-Wing. I promise you that whatever personal misgivings I might have, I did cast the wedding in the best possible light in my conversation with Father. Dearest Emily, he would not be moved. He is furious. He takes it personally, and wants recompense.

The recompense he desires, however, you may find somewhat interesting. He is willing to sanction your marriage to Tak-Wing if you will consent to a traditional Chinese wedding on Father’s terms. I know you are at least somewhat familiar with the old traditions because I’ve heard you talking to Amah about them. The first is the choosing of an auspicious wedding date. We know your birthdate, obviously, but not Tak-Wing’s. When you write back, please give us his precious date of birth. By the lunar calendar, if he knows it. Otherwise, Auntie Lim can calculate it from his Western birthday.

Father says he expects the correct betrothal gifts from the groom. If Tak-Wing cannot afford these, I have some personal savings and will lend you the money. Please do not inform Father of this, however, if you decide to take me up on it. I suspect he would not be pleased. These are the items he expects:

• Lai see. (The money from the sale of the Tai Hang house, in the traditional red packet. I understand Old Cheung has already sent this? Custom says you can expect half back. However, I do not know what Father intends. I’m sorry he’s being so mean. What a bore.)
• One pair of dragon candles and one pair of phoenix candles. (You’ll get one of each back. Have you ever heard the rumour that when the bride’s family burns their pair, whichever one burns down first will predict whether the bride [phoenix] or the groom [dragon] dies first? Isn’t that morbid? Ha ha. Sorry! You know I’m not superstitious. This is all about Father.)
• Roast pork. (One platter, or two cans of pig’s trotters, but I think everyone likes roast pork better. Or a roast suckling pig, but those are expensive. This represents your virginity. Double ha ha! It’s supposed to be for the mother-in-law or her proxy, which, I suppose, is me. I’ll take the roast pork.)
• Two bottles of wine. (Note that Father wants Yellow Crane Tower rice wine, not European grape wine.)
• Wife cakes. (Those ones with winter melon and sesame paste in flaky pastry with the little red stamp. You know the ones I mean. Mama used to like them before she died.)
• Eight kinds of dried seafood. (Sea cucumber, abalone, shark fin, cuttlefish, dried prawn, dried oyster, dried mushroom, and dried fish maw. I know mushrooms are not seafood, but I guess they were to the ancients?)
• Fruits. (Oranges are traditional. You know that. You probably know all of this already, better than me. You’re the one into weddings. I really couldn’t care less, except that I love you and I don’t want you and Father to be on bad terms.)
• Jewellery. (This is a gift from the groom’s family to the bride’s, so you will get it back, don’t worry. And also, be sure to pick jewellery you like because you’ll end up wearing it for the rest of your life.)

I hope you’re not offended by this request, dearest Emily. I think that doing the Chinese wedding could be a good thing, if it will reconcile you with father, and perhaps even reconcile the Cheungs and the Mahs. Old Cheung has already had to sell his house, so the worst is already done. What’s a couple of bottles of wine, a few shellfish, and a dozen oranges? Since in the eyes of the law, we are family with the Cheungs now, wouldn’t it be better if we all made an effort to get along? I think so, and I really hope that you will agree. You know I love you and I only want what is best for you.

Your affectionate sister,

Violet Mah Wai-Man