Free And the Bride Wore Red by Lucy Gordon Page A

of years. A plentiful water supply had dictated the location, and the hutongs had always flourished, colourful places full of life and industry. Shops sprung up, especially butchers, bakers, fishmongers and anything selling domestic necessities. Change came and went. Other parts of the city had become wealthier, more fashionable, but the hutongs ’ vibrant character had ensured their survival.
    Olivia had sometimes shopped there. Now for the firsttime she would see the personal life that lay behind the little stores. A hutong was a street formed by lines of quadrangles, called siheyuans , each siheyuan consisting of four houses placed at right angles to each other. Here large families could live with the privacy of their own home, yet with their relatives always within calling distance.
    As they drove there, Lang described his family’s siheyuan .
    â€˜The north house belongs to Grandfather Tao. He’s the centre of the family. Meihui was his kid sister and he remembers her as if it were yesterday. He says I remind him of her, but that’s just affection, because I don’t really look like her at all. Uncle Jing and his wife also live there, with their four children.
    â€˜One of the side houses is occupied by Uncle Hai, his wife and their two younger children. The one opposite is the home of their two elder sons and their wives. And the south house has been taken over by Wei. He’s Jing’s son, and he’s living in the south house in preparation for his marriage.’
    â€˜He’s the one I saw the other night? Married? He looks far too young.’
    â€˜He’s twenty, but he’s madly in love with Suyin, the girl who sang in the restaurant, and she seems to feel she can put up with him. Apart from him there are several other children, ranging from five to twelve. They’re wonderful kids. Villains, mind you.’
    â€˜As the best youngsters always are.’
    â€˜Right,’ he said, gratified.
    â€˜But how many people am I meeting?’ she asked, beginning to be nervous.
    â€˜About eighteen.’
    â€˜Wow! I’m getting scared.’
    â€˜Not you. You’re a dragon lady, remember? Brave, adventurous, ready for anything.’
    â€˜Thank you. But that big a family still makes me a bit nervous.’
    â€˜Eighteen isn’t so many. There are at least another dozen in other parts of the country, and probably plenty more I have yet to meet.’
    â€˜Is that where you’re going? You said something about travelling soon.’
    â€˜Something like that. Let’s talk later. I must warn you that you’re about to walk into the middle of a feud. Uncle Jing is furious with Uncle Hai because Hai’s wife Biyu is cooking you dumplings. Jing thinks the privilege of cooking for you should have been his. He’s a fishmonger, and also a wedding planner.’
    â€˜I’ve heard of that before,’ Olivia said, much struck. ‘It’s because the words for fish and prosperity are so alike that fish gets served at weddings as a way of wishing the couple good luck. So fishmongers often plan weddings as well.’
    â€˜That’s right. Hai does very well as an arranger of weddings, where of course he sells tons of his own fish. The trouble is he thinks he’s entitled to arrange everything for everyone, and he’s very put out about the dumplings.’
    His solemn tone made Olivia burst out laughing.
    â€˜I promise to be tactful,’ she said.
    â€˜Have I told you you’re looking beautiful tonight?’
    â€˜Not a word.’
    â€˜Well, I’m being careful. If I said that deep blue does wonderful things for your eyes you’d find me very boring.’
    â€˜I might,’ she said in a pensive voice. ‘Or I might decide to forgive you.’
    â€˜Thank you, ma’am, but I feel sure you’d censure me for insulting you with that old-fashioned romantic talk. Heavens, this is the twenty-first