Rich People Problems

Astrid pulled up to a “long driveway lined with Italian cypresses” on Nassim Road—“one of the few long, picturesque streets in Singapore” that still retained an aura of the Old World, largely because of the “stately Black and White houses left over from the colonial era” (35). Her family’s home was an impressive example of this Black and White architecture. The house was purchased by S.K. Leong in 1918 and preserved by three generations of his family. When entering the house, Astrid encountered her sister-in-law, Cathleen, who asked if Astrid was certain she wanted to see her parents that day. Astrid assumed that Cathleen was alluding to the incident with Isabel Wu. Astrid, unfazed by the gossip, entered the glassed-in summer porch where her parents ate breakfast. Her brother, Henry, gave her a dirty look and left the table. Her mother then presented her with an item in a gossip column about the Isabel Wu incident.

Astrid brushed off the article and reminds her mother that she and Charlie had only been dating for a year and a half, after she left Michael and Charlie filed for divorce from Isabel. Felicity was unmoved in her disapproval, reminding Astrid that she and Charlie are both still married. Astrid insisted that, after her and Charlie’s divorces are finalized, they will live together in Hong Kong, despite whatever her parents think about Charlie and his family. Her father, on the other hand, was furious with how the scandal exposed the family wealth. Thankfully, he continued, Michael arranged for the article to be taken down by buying the company that owns the gossip website. Astrid wondered if Michael might not have been responsible for the piece. 

Rachel was in her office suite at New York University when she got a phone call from her mother, Kerry, who was on a Chu family cruise, sailing through the Panama Canal. Rachel revealed that Nick’s grandmother had a heart attack the week before. Kerry encouraged them to go to Singapore, considering that it might have been their last chance to see Su Yi. Suspiciously, Rachel asked if her mother was talking to Eleanor Young. Kerry denied this, but Rachel didn’t believe her—tipped off by Kerry’s mention of the “old lady,” Eleanor’s nickname for her mother-in-law. Kerry admitted that Eleanor had called a few times, believing that only Rachel could convince Nick to go home. Kerry noted that, if Nick received the house, it would be a huge windfall.

Several hours later, while at lunch, Rachel told Nick that their mothers were talking. Nick didn’t believe Eleanor cared about Su Yi dying and only wanted to secure Tyersall Park. Rachel admitted that she couldn’t understand how Nick would inherit the house. Nick explained that his father’s decision to move to Australia so angered Su Yi that she changed her will to disinherit him of Tyersall Park. As the only son to a traditional mother, Philip Young was to inherit the property. Now, no one really knew what his grandmother’s plans were, and Nick didn’t care.

Rachel considered this but still believed that Nick needed to see his grandmother. While looking down at his cup of tea, and the saucer, “emblazoned with an image of Queen Elizabeth II,” he was reminded of the porcelain at Tyersall Park, and the “French pavilion overlooking the lotus pond” where his grandmother taught him how to pour tea for a lady (47). Looking at his wife, he asked her again if she believed it was worth going back to Singapore to reopen Pandora’s Box. Rachel insisted that it was time to return and repair the box before it was too late. 

Su Yi dreamed of herself as a young girl in Mount Mary Church with James. Watching the flame of a votive candle, she thought of Singapore and how she had recently been forced to leave. Japanese soldiers had overwhelmed the island and might have entered Tyersall Park. She closed her eyes and chanted a prayer for those whom she left behind. When she woke up from the dream, she realized that she was in the hospital with Professor Oon, in the hospital’s Royal Suite, built for Brunei royals. Astrid entered, and Su Yi smiled at her favorite granddaughter. Astrid was wearing one of Su Yi’s old Poiret dresses from the 1920s. She told her grandmother that Alfred would be arriving on Thursday and that her aunts, Catherine and Alix, would also soon be arriving.

Su Yi wondered why everyone was coming. Did they think she was dying? Astrid assured her that they merely wanted to see her. Su Yi decided that, if people wanted to visit, they should do so at her house. She told Professor Oon that she wanted to return home that day. Astrid asked if it would be possible to set everything up at Tyersall Park, but Professor Oon was uncertain. He asked Astrid to speak with him privately. Though stunned by her beauty, he found the words to tell Astrid that her grandmother would probably only live for a few more weeks. He also said that it would be difficult to set up a mobile intensive care unit in someone’s home—not to mention the cost. Astrid gave Professor Oon “a subtly eviscerating look” when he mentioned money (55). She then told him to make all of the necessary arrangements.  

Su Yi’s housekeeper Ah Ling left her small village near Ying Tak when she was 16. Her father died when she was 12, and her mother never seemed to love her. In Singapore, she was assigned to work for a wealthy family called the Tays. Mrs. Tay then sent Ah Ling to the Youngs. Ah Ling realized that the Tay home was merely a training ground. Ah Ling would always remember the day that she and the Tays entered Tyersall Park. Mrs. Tay explained that Su Yi owned the house, which once belonged to Su Yi’s grandfather. It was also Su Yi who ruled over everything. As long as Ah Ling worked well and did nothing to insult the mistress of this kingdom, she would be fine. Ah Ling went on to serve Su Yi and the Youngs for 63 years.

Back in the present, Ah Ling greets Ah Tock—a cousin of the Youngs on Su Yi’s side who had not inherited a substantial fortune but had leveraged his connections into forming a concierge service that his privileged cousins often used. Ah Tock couldn’t believe that he was related to people like Victoria. He couldn’t understand why Catherine and her family needed water from Switzerland when Singapore’s tap water was rated the world’s best. He freed himself from the gnawing thought and went on to tell Victoria that he rented two mobile-home units where the doctors and nurses would be based. Victoria insisted that it wasn’t that she didn’t want them in the house, but that there wouldn’t be any room. Ah Tock was more stunned. Tyersall Park had countless bedrooms, and the Youngs couldn’t find space for the team working to save Su Yi’s life? Victoria also insisted that Su Yi would insist on sleeping in her own bedroom, despite the difficulty of setting up a cardiac unit there.

Just then, one of the maids arrived and interrupted the logistics conversation to announce the arrival of Alexandra Cheng and her family, though they weren’t supposed to arrive until Thursday. When Ah Ling looked out the window, she saw that it wasn’t just Alix and Malcolm—the entire Cheng clan had come, including Eddie and his family.