On Mother's Day, Lulu gives her mother a gift that she thinks is valuable and considerate: she sets her up on a date. Lulu's neighbour, Uncle Liu, is a quiet, caring widower of eight years who lives alone. Since Lulu's mother started visiting Lulu, he has made a point of knocking on her door more often, on one pretext or another. Always - and after much feigned resistance - he stays for tea and chats with Lulu's mother. Lulu senses that Uncle Liu is fond of her mother. Lulu's father died five years ago, and her mother has seemed lonely lately. This, to Lulu's chagrin, has resulted in more frequent visits to Lulu's house. To encourage her mother to remarry, Lulu sets her up with Uncle Liu on an outing to Fragrant Hills. Lulu's mother is visibly upset when she returns home. 'How could you do such a thing to your own mother?' 'Didn't you have a nice time?' Lulu asks. 'Of course not.' 'But you agreed to go with him,' she says. 'I couldn't say no when he asked me to go out with him. It would have been impolite. Just think of what the neighbours thought of us when they saw us together. I don't want people to think I'm so shameless that I still want men even in my 50s.' 'You don't think about men any more?' 'Of course not,' Lulu's mother says proudly. 'When did you stop thinking about men?' Lulu asks. 'What do you mean?' Her mother's face turns red. ' At what age did you begin to lose your sex drive?' Lulu asks. 'How dare you ask such a dirty question. What kind of a daughter treats her mother this way? And on Mother's Day no less.' Lulu's mother's eyes widen with anger. 'Yes, today is Mother's Day,' says Lulu. 'So, I thought we might be able to have a sincere discussion between mother and daughter just this once. This isn't a dirty question. It's a question I've been meaning to ask you for a long time.' There is a long silence. Then, in a low voice, almost a whisper, the older woman says: 'Ever since I gave birth to your little brother.' It's impossible for Lulu to imagine this is the true answer. It is a frightening prospect. Lulu's mother was Lulu's age when she gave birth to her brother. And Lulu can't go a single night without thinking about men. 'But why?' Lulu asks. 'What changed for you?' 'What do you mean why? The whole family lived in a one-bedroom flat. There was no privacy between a man and a woman. And, we couldn't have any more babies since we had reached our quota. I couldn't bear the thought of others sneering at me for getting pregnant again. It was all just too inconvenient. 'So I cut your father off. And gradually, I forgot about such things.' 'What about father? Didn't he have any interest?' 'I don't know. We never had discussions like this.' Just then, Uncle Liu knocks on the door. He's carrying some flowers. 'From my garden,' he tells them. Lulu's mother is flattered. And begins to fawn over him as if they're the best of friends, telling him he shouldn't have gone to the trouble, that it's a shame to waste such beauty for her sake. How she only wishes her Lulu would be as polite and sensible as Uncle Liu. 'And, if it wouldn't be any trouble, madam,' says Uncle Liu, 'I would like to ask you to have tea with me tomorrow afternoon. I know a great little shop with live performances of erhu and guzheng.' 'I'd be delighted, Mr Liu,' says Lulu's mother. 'It's such a pleasure to talk with some- one from my own generation. Someone who ... who understands me.' Lulu shakes her head in disbelief. Is this the same mother who just came in complaining about being set up on a date? On Mother's Day, she suddenly realises she has never really understood her mother or what she really wants. Her generation is not used to speaking their minds. But still, Lulu is certain: her mother has enjoyed her day.