woman wearing irish linen shirt

"My dad was the first businessman in the whole family. Of course, his original intention was very dishonorable. My dad wanted to earn money because he wanted to live independently in England, and the reason why he had this desire was because he wanted to eat. Steak." Miss Pender laughed so that her shoulders were shaking, "You know, my grandpa told him repeatedly before he went abroad, 'Ritish, try meat on the sly, it's okay, but you must not drink alcohol, eat beef or have sex with foreigners relationship, you know?’ My dad offended all these orders.”

Amused by her tone, I asked, "But if it's an Indian of another caste, it doesn't matter?"

Miss Pan De nodded: "Yes, because he is a male, this aspect is more relaxed."

These words gave me some sense of déjà vu.I changed the topic: "Are all your relatives vegetarian at that time?"

"It's the same now. My brother doesn't eat meat or any egg or dairy products. He's a strict vegetarian." She paused, "Remember that cousin just now? His father is our uncle. He raised him up."

I frowned: "Where are your parents?"

"That's why I said this story is very long." Miss Pande looked at the corner of the sofa and spoke slowly, "We are half brothers and sisters. My brother's mother and my father have no relationship. Later, when my father was in England After a long time, they separated. Divorce was a very late event, because it was difficult for our family, and the reputation of the woman would be greatly affected. They agreed that Rajiv—that is, my brother— — was taken back to the Pande family to be raised, and my dad was a bad example, so my brother had to stay in India. He wasn’t allowed to go abroad until college.”

I took a breath: "Well, Rajiv."

"Ok?"

I recalled the name of the textile group, and said, "That's the industry your father founded, isn't it?"

Miss Pender covered her mouth: "Are we so famous?"

"Uh." I looked at her and confessed my accidental discovery before, "I really didn't mean it, it's just the first time I saw a shop logo with the customer's name on it, so I searched it on the photo wall."

There was no irritation in her eyes, she just said cryptically, "You're really good at capturing the point."

I sincerely apologize again.

Miss Pande rubbed the top of my hair: "No one is blaming you. But woven labels are not as expensive as you imagined. My tailor ordered them in Huzhou. There are my brother's, mine and two relatives'. One thousand per person. Do you know Huzhou?"

I nodded: "It's across from Suzhou. I haven't been there before."

She squinted her eyes: "Suzhou is in Zhejiang Province?"

"In Jiangsu Province." I gestured.

Miss Pender shrugged.

"Have you run out of woven labels?" I asked.

"It's still very early." Miss Pender laughed, "I only use it on suits. Rajiv asked for it to be sewn on shirts as well. They ran out and ordered a second batch."

I followed with a smile: "Maybe it's for the corporate image?"

"That's what he said. But who's going to read the inside mark on your shirt?"

"You're right." I nodded. "By the way, you mentioned earlier that your tailor is a family friend? What is a 'family friend'?"

Miss Pender said in a low voice, "They are people who have lived with us for generations and provided some services."

oh.servant.

Curious and afraid of offending her, I asked anyway, "Do you even have a caste that means 'those who make clothes for the Pendors'?"

She shook her head, "No. Traditionally, she couldn't do anything other than clean up, and making suits was her aspiration. My dad just happened to be happy to do everything against the family, so he funded a couple of people." study abroad."

I listened carefully: "I think he must have tried to win. About you and your brother..."

Miss Pender was silent for a long time.

After a while, she said: "My dad is 13 years older than my mom. When he first became a successful businessman, my mom was still running Edgney Park all day—well, it's the home stadium of a local football club in Manchester. Besides To dance is to watch football."

"How did they meet?"

"I don't know." She blinked, and her tone became brisk again, "My mother claimed that he looked too swaggering in the Manchester City uniform, so she asked him to stand far away without being polite, while my father Said that his first impression of my mother was, I quote, 'a beautiful mad woman who is a Manchester United fan'. They met on the scene of Manchester City's [-]-[-] victory over Manchester United, and I think it was love at first sight."

"I know Manchester City," I said.Sun Jihai played in Manchester City. At that time, the men's football was not completely lonely, and he could occasionally hear about the Premier League from his classmates.

Miss Pande explained with a smile: "These two teams are old enemies. My dad didn't watch the game at the time. He went with his business partner that day. It was less than half a year before the Hillsborough tragedy. Liverpool played against Nottingham Forest. The stands unfortunately collapsed and some fans lost their lives in the tragedy... Anyway, I'm thankful they got the tickets. Otherwise I wouldn't be here."

"Wow," I exclaimed, "sounds like you're an expert on football history."

"I'm not. But my mum is. You won't believe it, until Maine Road was demolished. My mum took me to the gate every summer for a photoshoot - in a Manchester United shirt. The game that brought them together happened. On Maine Road." She laughed, "but I have to thank her anyway, that's why I didn't spend my birthday in India: then I went to America."

I did the math: "So the game happened in... '90?"

"One year before that." Miss Pan De supported her face, "I know, it's a bit surprising. They were indeed a flash marriage, and they got me right away."

"Your parents are so romantic," I said.

"Pregnancy and childbirth have had a great impact on my mother, I mean physically." Miss Pan De's smile gradually faded, "She retired as a referee before I was in elementary school, and we don't see each other every day My dad is also very busy. He has thought about taking me to the UK. He has part of his business there, and my grandparents and one of my aunts are also in Manchester. They can take care of me and even expressed their willingness to take care of Rajiv. . But the plan never came to fruition.”

I nodded, didn't ask much, just held her in my arms.

"Later, my mother usually lives in Mumbai or Manchester, plus Ahmedabad, and my dad travels back and forth because of business; my brother and I live in Ahmedabad on weekends and go to school in Mumbai."

I frowned: "Mumbai and Ahmedabad are not in the same state, right? You have to take at least one daytime bus?"

Miss Pan De looked at me: "It's about an hour by plane, not bad."

By plane?

I think back to my life in the 90s.

"Which part are you shocked?" Miss Pender's expression changed. "'Wow, a small city in India has an airport', or me and my brother flying back and forth?"

I shrank my neck guiltily: "Can I say 'all of them'? Frankly speaking, considering the age, it was still a thing for my family to take pictures as a souvenir at that time."

"First, Ahmedabad is not a small city. As far as I know, the local airport has been built before the 40s; second, not everyone has this condition, whether it is more than 20 years ago or now. I don't want to You underestimate or overestimate India." Miss Pender lowered her eyelashes, "And I also know that I have been privileged since I was a child. I am not proud of it."

She looked a little sad when she said those last words.

"Thank you, Sonia," I said immediately, "thank you for not blaming me for being ridiculously stereotyped."

Miss Pender shook her head lightly: "I also want to thank you."

I hesitated: "Thank you for sharing my stupid conjectures?"

"Thank you for believing in me." She rubbed my face with the back of her hand, "You are much braver than I imagined, as long as I point out a problem, you will immediately make corresponding improvements. I am really happy You can say it directly and take my explanation to heart. You make me feel very warm, Yao."

"It's nothing." I was a little embarrassed, like a child who received the credit by mistake, "Maybe it's because I'm still relatively smart."

She shook her head again: "I think it's because you have courage."

"Okay." I pursed my lips, "I think you and Rajiv must also be very brave children. The other side of running all year round is that you can stay with your parents from Monday to Friday."

"I don't know what Rajiv thinks. He and my mother hit it off, but it's always hard to associate them as a mother and son. Rajiv was most likely to worry about this kind of problem when I was still in elementary school. Even if he wanted to confide , and won’t pick me.” She shrugged, “But I’m happy. Because I’m not enough—” She felt a little guilty, met my gaze, and immediately changed her words, “In order to enhance my ‘purity’ ’, I was forced to recite a lot of verses. The Vedas are almost all poetry and have a very high tone. You can imagine what kind of life I would have lived if I had stayed in Ahmadaba.”

I nodded.

"From a more positive point of view, this at least shows that uncle treats everyone equally." Miss Pan De looked away, "Other than that, he is still a respectable elder. And he is really good to us, and he is also very good in education. Bother—albeit in his way."

I put up my hand: "Do you want me to correct the word 'asshole' to 'part of his asshole'?"

Miss Pande laughed: "That's not necessary. I also cursed him to his face, and swore that I would never learn Sanskrit or Hindi, and I would never write even a single Devanagari in my life."

She was silent for a moment, then said, "He had a heart attack and died a few years ago."

That rebellion seemed to be fleeting in the wind of time, and at this moment, the sadness in her eyes began to condense again.

"Oh." I looked at her. "I'm sorry."

Miss Pender shook her head: "I was just thinking, what a wonderful ending to this birthday. I barely talked about it, not even to Rajiv or Peter, and then tonight was like a popped balloon I told you all about it.”

"I'm glad to hear you say this."

She glanced at me, hid her smile, and said, "I'm going to hope that's what you mean."

"and also."

"Ok?"

I blinked: "Your birthday hasn't come yet."