The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

Li-yan realizes that she is in love with Jin, but she is not sure if he feels the same way about her. She no longer wants to keep her heart shielded, she and dreams of a full Akha wedding, “the kind [she] should have had all those years ago” (216). While Jin is away in Los Angeles for a business trip, Li-yan busies herself with work. On Saturday, the day he is supposed to return, they are set to see each other in the evening at one of their favorite cafes. Li-yan is eager to see Jin, but she has many customers in her shop, so she preoccupies herself with work while waiting for their date later in the evening.

When two new customers enter the shop, Li-yan’s heart sinks: She recognizes Mr. Huang and his son, Xian-rong, who is now a teenager. They act like they don’t recognize her, making small talk and acting like regular customers, even though Mr. Huang behaves arrogantly, saying that he “started a new era—to make private-label tea again” (218). But as soon as other customers leave, Xian-rong, embarrassed for his father, apologizes and explains that the man can’t forgive himself for failing to re-create one particular tea that he tried many years ago.