20 The Change (1/2)
Mrs. Xiu's arrival at the Lin family was received with a mixture of resentment, sadness, resignation and gladness.
Each member of the Lin family welcomed her with a different emotion, we already knew what Mrs. Lin and Xiu Ling thought of her decision to take up Auntie Sun's former position so we shall now focus on the remaining members of the family.
One of the crucial members that deserved a closer look was the future head of the Lin family, Lin Kang.
Many things could be and had been said against the man but he had at least one redeeming quality that was featured prominently during the period Mrs. Xiu stayed under the Lin family's employment.
While being raised in a large and traditional family did not instil in Lin Kang the need to respect women, it did teach him the virtue of filial piety. After all, in Chinese culture, of all virtues filial piety is the most important. While it was not uncommon, or even considered a rite of passage in western countries for the child to move out of the family home after they were of working age, it was normal or even sometimes encouraged that the younger generation of eastern heritage, even after they were married and had their own family, stay with their parents. It is the children's responsibility to look after their elders. This is a major way in which the two cultures differ.
This meant that unlike his mother, Lin Kang showed more than a great deal of deference towards his mother-in-law. Regardless of the nature of his marriage to Xiu Ling, it was already written in his bones to be respectful towards his elder.
Even though his marriage to Xiu Ling was not heavily broadcasted, since it was only natural that Lin family would want to keep this affair as silent as possible, and Lin Kang only had a passing glance with Mrs. Xiu once or twice, it was undeniable that she was his elder and thus deserved the appropriate respect.
Instead of calling Mrs. Xiu, ”Auntie Xiu” like his mother did, Lin Kang referred to Mrs. Xiu with a more respectful, ”Madame Xiu.”
Initially, Mrs. Xiu was greatly unsettled by this show of deference, thinking it was a trick played by the young man. Even if he was completely innocent, Mrs. Xiu knew how much this would anger the man's mother should she find out.
”Young Master, you should not call me Madame Xiu but use Auntie Xiu like everyone else does. I am your employee so you should not have used term of reference towards me, it is quite uncomfortable,” advised Mrs. Xiu.
Lin Kang flashed a bright smile and brushed her off, ”Madame Xiu, if we are really splitting hairs, I should be calling you mother so Madame Xiu is already a huge compromise. If anything, you calling me young master is the real source of discomfort. Madame Xiu, you should just call me by my name.”
”But young master…”
”Madame Xiu, there you go again,” Lin Kang tutted to interrupt her, ”But I understand your concern. How about this? A compromise.
”Madame Xiu will stop referring to me as the young master, but since you're hesitant to call me by my name, use Mr. Lin Kang instead and I will refrain from referring to Madame Xiu when my mother is around, deal?”
”But…”