Homeseeking

Haiwen, age 28, wakes up on New Year’s Day in Keelung, Taiwan, where he is stationed with the Nationalist Army. His friend Lau Fu is at his door to tell him that their friend Li Tsin is dead after attempting to steal a rowboat. Li Tsin, who could not swim, jumped into the water when the fisherman threatened him with a knife, and their friend Zenpo was unable to find Li Tsin in the water to save him.

Haiwen falls back asleep; later in the day, Zenpo wakes him up. They go to a brothel, but Haiwen does not enjoy having sex with sex workers. Instead, he gambles with some Taiwanese men outside. Although they are initially wary of him because Haiwen is a “waishengren, someone who came from the across the strait” (400), the men eventually build a rapport despite not speaking the same language. Zenpo comes out of the brothel and overhears one of the men teasing Haiwen that he is an “A’shanti” (a slur meaning “pig”). Zenpo punches the man, and a brawl ensues. As they walk away, Zenpo complains about the Taiwanese people. Then, he cries angrily about Li Tsin’s death and tells Haiwen that “the army will never take [them] home” (408).

Later, Haiwen goes to a food stand. He is almost turned away by the owner, but the owner’s daughter, who speaks Mandarin, treats him kindly and serves him, and they talk about Shanghai. The woman’s name is Tsai Linyee. After his meal, Haiwen realizes that he has “forgotten his grief” while he talks to Linyee (418), and he resolves not to return to the food stand.

Soukei’s son, Samson, is now 19 years old. He will be leaving soon for the University of Southern California. Soukei offers him some food and asks if he would like to go to Ocean Park together. He tells her that he is going camping instead, even though Saikeung disapproves. When Soukei expresses concerns about this plan, he storms off and says that she is not on his side or “even on [her] own side” (424).

Later, Soukei calls Sulan, who is living in New York with her partner, a Japanese woman named Momo. Sulan urges Soukei to move to New York now that Samson is leaving home. Soukei says that she will think about it.

In September, Soukei, Saikeung, and Samson go to the university to help him move into his dorm. Even though Soukei and Samson think that his roommate seems nice, Saikeung insists that Samson change roommates because the roommate is Indian American; Saikeung is racist. The family argues about this over lunch.

The next day, Saikeung leaves. Soukei stays in California to help Samson settle in, and she has a wonderful time. She tells Samson that he should do whatever he wants regardless of his father’s desires. He tells Soukei not to be “a fucking martyr” and to leave Saikeung (433). That night, Soukei resolves not to return to Hong Kong. Instead, she flies to New York to be with her sister.

Haiwen, age 16, is practicing a piece for his music conservatory audition. His instructor, Mr. Reyes, encourages him to try a violin without a chin rest so that he can see the piece from a different point of view. On Haiwen’s way home after practice, a recruiter for the Nationalist Army stops him. When he tells the recruiter that he is not yet 18, the recruiter says it doesn’t matter. When Haiwen gets home, his mother gently chides him for not paying more attention to Suchi and gives him a ring to give to her to make up for his absence.

At dinner, the family talks about how Haiwen’s older brother, whom they call Dage, is going to have to enlist even though he is married and has a child on the way. After dinner, Haiwen overhears his parents talking about how money is tight since the family has come under scrutiny for being friends with a man who turned out to be a communist spy. Haiwen feels guilty about how much money his family has spent on his violin lessons.

Haiwen resolves to enlist in his brother’s stead. First, he goes to the pawnshop and buys an airplane pin to give to Suchi. He goes to her house, intending to give it to her and apologize for his absence. He overhears Suchi telling her mother that Haiwen has been absent because he “puts his family before everything else” (451). Haiwen, who has only been focusing on his violin playing, leaves in shame.

Later, Haiwen plays for his mother, and she cries because of how beautiful it is. Haiwen reflects on how much he loves his mother, and it strengthens his resolve to enlist to spare her the pain of losing her eldest son, who only recently returned from boarding school in Britain.

Suchi, age 77, is washing dishes after dinner when her son, Samson, tells her that Haiwen called to say that he had information about her parents. Suchi insists that her parents are dead. Later, Suchi arrives at choir practice. Winston and Annie tell her that Haiwen got lost driving home from the store and had to have the police help him. Suchi worries that he might be getting dementia.

Suchi calls Haiwen. He tells her that he has located her mother: She is alive and living in a nursing home in Shanghai. At dinner, Samson and his wife encourage Suchi to reconnect with Haiwen. After dinner, Suchi calls Momo, Sulan’s former partner, and relays what Haiwen told her about her mother. Momo says that Sulan would want Suchi to go see their mother. Suchi does not say anything to her family.

A few weeks later, Samson tells Suchi that he talked to Haiwen himself and that he learned that his grandmother, Suchi’s mother, might still be alive. He is frustrated that his mother won’t go see her. Suchi explains that she is unsure about it because she feels ashamed for not having done more with her life. Samson tells her that she did what she had to do to survive and take care of others.

Later, Suchi and Haiwen get lunch. Haiwen tells her about how much Shanghai had changed when he last visited. They reminisce about their courtship. Suchi tells Haiwen that she knew she loved him when he brought her an umbrella at school.

Sometime later, Suchi, Samson, and Haiwen fly to Shanghai to see Suchi’s mother. She hopes that her mother will recognize her.

Li Yuping, Haiwen’s mother, is sick in bed. Sen Sieu’in, Suchi’s mother, is caring for her. She is somewhat delirious from the illness and pain medications. She thinks about what her children were like when they were younger. Sieu’in chastises Yuping for not telling her children that she is sick. Yuping thinks about what Sieu’in went through at a labor camp where her husband, Suchi’s father, presumably died. She gives Sieu’in a gold ring that Haiwen had sent her. Sieu’in comments that it looks like a gold ring she had once given Suchi.

Later, Sieu’in tells Yuping that she lit a lantern for their children, including Haiwen, for years in the hope that it would help guide them home. Yuping imagines herself sending Haiwen a letter. Sometime later, Junjun and Haiming are by her bedside with the families. They are crying. Yuping wishes that Haiwen were there. She imagines that she can hear him playing the violin.