Until the latter part of it, it was a very uneventful day. I went to the library under the assumption that it was open. Well, the website said it would be, from nine to twelve. It turned out I hadn't read the fine print. The meaning was that two study areas were open, but none of the books. And were those two study areas ever crowded! Instead of squeezing in at one of the already-full tables, I opted for outside seating in the shade under one of the trellises. Aside from getting various insect bites, I did reasonably well there, plowing through the dissertation YHz had lent me. I read the first section, taking notes, before the bugs chased me away. Then I had a rather unappetizing lunch (somehow, the combination of ham and garlic shoots turned out to be rather weird) at a cafeteria I hadn't been to before. Then got some photocopying done and headed home.
This was the day I had resolved to call my classmate BV's host-family. Her host-mother, ZWx, had earlier called me and said I should call them "when I wanted to come over" with a one-day warning. This was extra nerve-wracking for me because it felt somehow like inviting myself over. But I knew I would have to do it. I had to just sit and tell myself--do it! All the same, it took me several hours at home of messing around and listening to audio books and reading online news before I could make myself do it. By then it was about 4:30. When I got her on the phone she said, "How about coming over now?" Then it all seemed very easy. She said they had two American girls staying with them, and we could all celebrate the holiday together. Putting it that way made it sound more fun than scary.
I had been agonizing about what sort of present to bring them, and all kinds of things like that. But when she just said, hop on your bicycle and come now, my options were relaxingly limited. I just stopped at the bakery on the corner and grabbed a little gift-box of mooncakes. Cliché, but 'tis the season: unremarkable, natural, easy. I surprised myself by having no trouble finding their little apartment. It's right behind the All Sages bookstore that I like so much. I told them that's why it was so easy to find, and they were pleased. Their house is absolutely lined with books. I gazed enviously.
Before and after dinner, I had really nice chat with BV's host-father, Professor LGs. He is a retired Qing intellectual historian from the next door university, three years short of 80, and really active and vigorous. He was prepared to be politely bored discussing my research topic, as I was prepared to be discussing his, but by wild coincidence we had a huge lot in common. He was highly gratified that I was studying the history of historiography (it sounds a lot more natural and less clunky in Chinese) and had lovely and inspiring advice.
Meanwhile, ZWx was putting food on the table, six dishes plus baozi and soup! Where were the American girls? In their room, just like kids rather than like guests. Well, they do live there! It was cute and comfortable. They came out for dinner. One was petite and spoke very well (better than I), had been in China before, and was obviously very comfortable. The other was built more like me (but younger and more athletic), had a cold, was revolted by the soup, and wasn't too comfortable speaking Chinese. I enjoyed talking to the one, and felt very sympathetic toward the other. The soup was made with dried squid strips, just like the ones dad used to snack on (still does?). I actually thought it made a rather nice-tasting soup, but that may have just been nostalgia talking. The dinner conversation was fun and comfortable. We talked about a lot of words for things, usually food things, a real Chinese-learning experience. I found myself feeling sorry I didn't live with them, which if you know me and my ardent need for privacy, is really something.
Then after dinner the girl with the cold went out to the store, and the girl without the cold did the dishes with ZWx (I wasn't allowed to help because I was the guest). I wasn't sure whether I should leave or whether I should try to pick up the conversation with Professor LGs again. I waffled by asking about used bookstores. Then there was a hesitation moment. He asked if I wanted some tea. I said I would love some, if it wasn't a bother. Then over tea we picked back up the conversation and got really into it. In fact, he suggested we might work together on at least some small part of this project, if I were interested. The work he suggested was something I could do easily in a week or two, given the background I already had, and I felt quite excited about it. He also had comments about YHz's advisor (who also lives in the same apartment complex!) and had YHz's book on his shelf, although he hadn't read it yet. We discussed the pros and cons of the field. He was very critical. He showed me an abstract for his proposed book, and the English translation, which he asked me if I would correct. English abstracts are notoriously bad, but they're a great idea. I was happy to correct it (I think he was partly interested in whether I had a sense of what he had been talking about all along, and seemed pleased). I overheard him explaining to ZWx that my background was really fantastic--first time I'd ever heard that--I made modest noises, but I was really flattered.
ZWx, a retired physician, insisted that Professor LGs needed to rest his brain and not get too overexcited. But LGs insisted on me carefully writing down my contact information before I left, so I hope that I can keep in touch with them. What an unexpectedly good outcome. It only remained to do the work.
I'm really sorry there are no photos in this post, but there just wasn't much chance to take photos, first because things were too uninteresting, and then because they were too interesting!
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