Juliette visits James’ family for Chinese New Year, and there are some traditions she must follow.
She is about to be introduced to James’ family traditions, one that includes active participation by all his uncles & male cousins.
Juliette’s heart fluttered with nervous excitement as she stood outside James’ family home, the sounds of laughter and chatter escaping through the slightly ajar door. She straightened her knee-length cheongsam dress, the vibrant scarlet fabric adorned with delicate golden embroidery that traced the contours of blooming cherry blossoms. The intricate patterns seemed to mirror Juliette’s own journey, her roots in Singapore intertwining with her Australian upbringing.
It had been quite some time since she had returned to Singapore. If not for James, she most likely would not have come back, especially considering that her extended family were the only ones still living there.
She pulled out her phone and activated the camera, capturing a video of her outfit for the day, including her matching heels. She then shared it on TikTok, where all her friends were flaunting their figures and traditional cheongsams. She didn’t want to be the only one not participating in this social media trend.
Juliette smoothed down the hem of her cheongsam and instinctively checked the fit around her buttocks. The tightness of the traditional Chinese dress left little to the imagination, even showing the outline of her smallest underwear. A thong was her only option. When she walked, the slit on the right side revealed a tantalizing glimpse of her thigh, causing her to worry about accidentally exposing her undergarments if she crossed her legs later on.
Juliette : don’t cross your legs…don’t cross your legs…
Juliette muttered to herself as she removed her high heels and set it by the side of the large door. She straightened her posture and glanced behind her, relieved that nobody was standing there to witness the potential wardrobe malfunction caused by her short and snug cheongsam.
With a deep breath, Juliette pushed open the door to reveal a lively scene that unfolded before her. A wave of warmth enveloped her, not just from the cozy ambiance, but also from the smiles that greeted her.
“hey…look who’s here…James’ girlfriend!”
As Juliette entered the spacious family home, all eyes turned to her, and she smiled bashfully as she scanned the crowd for James amidst a sea of faces.
She stepped inside, and fragrant wafts of steamed dumplings and stir-fried delicacies mingled delightfully in the air. The kids are getting red packets and she could hear the usual greetings being used, ‘gong xi fa cai’ , Shen ti jian kang’, ‘kuai gao zhang da’ by James’ family.
Amidst the joyful chaos, Juliette’s eyes searched for James. She found him by the long dining table, his eyes alight with anticipation as hecame over and introduced her to his family.
James : Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Juliette.
James took her hand and led her through the crowd, introducing her to each family member with pride. What puzzled her was that everyone lined up around the living area and she was introduced to all the women first before the men.
Thinking it’s some chinese traditions, she did not question it at all. After the ladies were introduced, they excused themselves and went up to level 2.
Juliette : ermmm…dear…what are we waiting for?
James : family traditions. We wait for the ladies to excuse themselves before i introduce a new family member to the uncles and cousins, the male members of the family.
Juliette : oh…ok…
When the last female member of the family walked up the stairs, Juliette realised she is the only female left in the living area.
James : This is Uncle Tong…my dad’s older brother.
Juliette smiled and shook Tong’s hand.
Looking into Uncle Tong’s eyes, Juliette noticed the twinkle of mischief hidden behind his worn-out features. Uncle Tong stood before her, a man of substantial girth and balding head, the last remnants of hair clinging desperately to his scalp. His eyes were small and beady, darting around with an unsettling intensity that made Juliette uncomfortable. His leery smile stretched across his face, revealing yellowed teeth that seemed to match the unflattering light in the room.
His face bore the resemblence of a textbook ‘tiko pek’ (Perverted uncle) complete with a mole that had hair sticking out the end of it under his chin. Tong is the kind of man that you will feel uncomfortable with if he were behind you on an escalator and you were wearing a skirt.
Juliette was then introduced to Uncle Beng, a thin and scrawny man. Beng stood a few inches taller than Juliette, his lanky frame emphasized by the loose-fitting clothes he wore. His skin was a deep golden tan, as if he had spent endless hours basking under the hot Singaporean sun. His physique appeared almost fragile, his limbs slender and lacking in muscle. Beng’s thin lips stretched into a smile as he extended his hand towards Juliette. The dark skin, the loose clothes, it painted a picture of a rag and bone man pushing a trolley of cardboards in Singapore for Juliette.
As their hands met, an uncomfortable shiver traveled up Juliette’s spine. Beng’s eyes lingered on her for an uncomfortable moment, their gaze almost invasive. It was as if he possessed an ability to undress her with just a single glance, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable. She quickly withdrew her hand, tucking it safely at her side.
If there were any awkwardness, Juliette was the only one that felt it.
Moving down the line, Juliette could barely remember the names of all the aunties and nieces introduced to her earlier but somehow the names of the uncles were etched into her brain.
James : This is my cousin, Vincent.
Juliette was a little taken aback when she saw Vincent licked his lips as he out rightly ogled at her breast. He even stuck out his tongue and panted like a puppy while shaking her hand. It’s struck her that Vincent must have some developmental issues.
She felt so weird and uncomfortable but her boyfriend was oblivious to it and he continued with the introductions.
James : And finally, my youngest cousin, Ravi
Juliette’s eyes widened as she never figured James to have an Indian cousin.
James saw the question in her eyes and promptly answered the question she never asked.
James : Distant cousin, but we are very close. My aunt married and relocated to India.
Juliette : I see.
Ravi looks like the typical Indian of average build. He had curly hair and wears too many accessories on his fingers. Juliette immediately had this mental image of Ravi making Prata in a hawker stall, she always associated Indian men with making Pratas and she wondered how is Ravi going to knead those dough with his fingers full of rings.
After the introductions was completed, Juliette was led to the kitchen.
James : dear, my family is very particular with traditions, and there are some things we need to do.
Juliette : I know. I came prepared.
Juliette brought out two mandarin oranges from her bag, she knew she had to greet and wish all the elders as a form of respect. Some families even expect the younger generation to kneel down for the gesture.
James : My family traditions is a bit different though.
James gently lifted a delicate porcelain cup from the tray and extended it towards Juliette. The fragrant steam rising from the cup carried the sweet scent of flowers, enticing her senses. She carefully cradled the warm cup in her hands, taking in its elegant design before bringing it to her lips. The first sip of tea was like a burst of flavor on her tongue, a delightful mix of floral notes and subtle sweetness. She couldn’t resist finishing the entire cup in one swift gulp, savoring every last drop of the delicious brew.
Juliette : oh my, what tea is this?
James topped up her cup and Juliette finished it again.
James : It’s a family brew.
James said with a wide smile.
Juliette : Family brew?
As Juliette finished her third cup of tea, she felt a strange sensation wash over her. The room seemed to spin around her, and the walls appeared to ripple like a mirage in the desert. Her limbs suddenly felt heavy, as if weighted down by invisible chains. She reached out to steady herself on the counter, but her hand trembled uncontrollably.
Juliette felt a surge of panic rising within her. She desperately tried to vocalize her distress, but her words came out gurgling and incoherent.
Juliette tried to look into James’s eyes, pleading for help, but all she saw was a distant, unreadable expression.
Then she heard James announce to his family that they are ready for the family traditions before he stroked her arms and whispered by her ears.
James : Relax…everything is going to be fine. Just relax.
James helped Juliette up and brought her to the living area where his uncles and cousins are gathered.
She was put on a chair and two oranges were put onto her hand. James went behind her and held onto her wrist, manipulating them together as if she was doing a new year greeting. She felt weird, her hands were too weak to make that greeting gestured on their own without help.
James : Happy new year…
Juliette could not speak, her eyes started to focus on Uncle Tong. She’s wide awake but she could not move.
Tong came closer to Juliette and just when she thought Tong will accept the oranges and give her a red packet, Tong’s hands went to her breast.
Juliette: gasp..ernghhh…
Tong squeezed onto Juliette’s breast with both hands and he shook them twice.
Tong : Happy new year Juliette.
Juliette felt so helpless but there was nothing she could do. She didn’t understand what is happening. All she knew was all the men in the family were lining up and she could see the eagerness in Vincent and Ravi’s eyes.
As if that were not worrying enough, Juliette saw Vincent rubbing his own crotch while staring at her eagerly from the back of the line.
11300 words
This title has 2 ending written, decided to put them both up.