MOM: Wei, no-la! The sun is coming down! LING: Mom, I'­m 16 years old. I think I can handle five blocks of dicey residential sidewalk.

(CANTONESE: At night, there are a lot of bad people!)LING: It'­s fine I'­ll see you at home.

(CANTONESE: And pull up your tank top!)

So,what do you wanna do today?

Hey, come on. Not yet.

I have to, Wes. WES: You really gonna make me go stag to Jeff's party tonight?

What does that look like to you?

Your Mom's car? LING: Exactly. WES: Fuck, man. She'­s always home.

Yah, because she lives here. Well, you could ask.

Now there'­s an idea. Hey, Mom! Is it okay if I go hang out with Wes, my 19 year-old boyfriend you don'­t know about?

We'­re just gonna get sloppy-drunk and make-out a lot.

Why don't you just tell her you'­re sleeping over at some chick's house or something?

I'm not allowed to sleepover anywhere. Really?

And besides, I've got a huge paper to bullshit since I didn'­t do any of it at the library earlier.

WES: Dude, fuck your paper. Go inside and tell your mom you'­re going to bed. I'­ll wait by your window and help you sneak out.

You can write your paper in the morning.

(SINGING)In the morning, it's the best time for writing papers on boring shit.

Come on, pretty girl. It's not gonna be a party without you.

I don't know. WES: I'­m gonna play a few songs.

For a few hours then. WES: That'a girl.

Now which one's your bedroom window?

Why didn't you call me? LING: Like I said, I was walking. MOM: What if something happen to you? Look! So dark!

LING: Believe it or not, there were street lamps.

Is Dad home? No, Daddy has to work late tonight.

LING: Mm, well listen, I am all library-ed out, so I'm gonna hit the sack early.

MOM: Wait a minute, meow. Come here. I have something to show you.

Did something happen? MOM: What do you mean?

Mom, are you dying? MOM: No, Mommy is alive. LING: Well then what do you

have all your jade out for. MOM: Yes, yes, when Mommy is gone, you can have all my jewelry.

But for now, I think you'd like to have something of your own? LING: Really? Why? I mean, thanks,but-

MOM: I know your birthday is not until about three months time, but daddy is going to the city this weekend to buy some restaurant things.

So, I thought we would go? Do some shopping.

Oh my God, yes. Let's go! Yah? Okay, good. Here.

I'­ve always liked your bracelet a lot? MOM: Really? LING: Yah.

Do you know who bought this for me? LING: Who? MOM: Myself. You know, meow, when Mommy was young,

I was very poor. So, I had to work in this paper-bag factory for like 10 cents US dollar a day.

I had to use my thumb and rice to seal the paper bag together. It was hard work,

but I save and I save and I save to come to the US. I always tell myself, someday I will have nice things.

This jade is the very first nice thing I bought for myself when I got here.

You must've been so proud of yourself.

Well, hmm, let'­s see. Is there something that you like? Oh, that's pretty.

LING: These are all so expensive. MOM: You'­re my only daughter.

You have to promise me though, you have to wear it and not just leave it one side.

Otherwise, it will turn white. LING: Okay. Wait, what? MOM: Yah, jade is a living thing. If you wear it everyday,

it will start to like you. If you just leave it in a drawer and not take it out,

it's gonna turn white and die. LING: Depressing. MOM: Jade can keep you out of trouble. You know

let's say if you fall down, the jade breaks instead of you get hurt. LING: What?

MOM: Yah, all Chinese women know this about jade. Huh.

(PHONE BUZZ)Someone calling you? LING: Uh, no it's­ nothing. So we'll go this weekend then?

MOM: Mm. LING: I think maybe a bracelet like your's would be nice. Something simple?

Well, you think about it. Just take your time. Thanks, Mommy.

(PHONE BUZZ) Uh, so I'­ve got a paper to write.

I'll be in my room. MOM: Didn't you finish it at the library. LING: Uh, I meant I was gonna

do some research for a paper. It's not due or anything. Oh, alright then. Goodnight.

Goodnight!

Hey wait, did you eat anything?

Hey, what took you so long? LING: Were you just smoking those cancer sticks.

No. LING: Right, listen, I'm sorry but I'm not coming out tonight.

What? I've standing out here for like 15 minutes. LING: Shhh! Do you want my Mom to hear you?

WES: Dude, fuck your mom. LING: There will be nothing of the sort. Look, I'm sorry okay?

I just don'­t feel like going. Can we rain check? WES: Only if you let me in for a little bit.

LING: What? No! What are you -

(THUMP)

What the- ? Are you mental? WES: Relax my little wonton!

Ew, you taste like an ashtray. Gross! You're just so cute when you'­re pissy.

LING: Wes, go home! Or go to the party, I don'­t care. Today was fun, but now I've got a three page

paper to write - not double-spaced - and you'­re really starting to stress me out.

I can fix that. LING: No, Wes! WES: Jesus, fine. Goodnight or whatever. LING: Wes, don't make it out to be

worse than it is. I just need some me-time okay? I'll see you tomorrow? WES: Okay.

WES: Oh shit. Mrs. Ling'­s Mom. Hey. Cool house. MOM: Get out.

MOM: Hey! Front door!

(CANTONESE: Right.)

Hello.(CANTONESE: I'­m talking to you.)

(CANTONESE: What do you think you're doing?)

LING: What are you talking about?

What am I talking about? (CANTONESE: I want to throw up.)

I was just helping him with something for school.

You think I'm stupid huh? I have all your secrets in my pocket okay, Weng Ai-Ling.

I didn't know I couldn'­t have friends over in my room.

Your room? You pay for this house? Huh? That u3bed, did you? LING: No, but - MOM: No! And he is a boy

you know, Ai-Ling? (CANTONESE: You don'­t know the meaning of shame do you?) LING: Mom, you think it'­s a big

deal, but it's not. Everyone I know is allowed to have boys over in their room. It'­s not

China okay. MOM: This is not China, but you are Chinese. No Chinese man want a girl like you - so cheap!

Have sex and get pregnant, is that what you want? LING: No, that's ridiculous!

You ridiculous! Baba is coming back okay? You better think about what you're going to say to him later!

LING: Yah, whatever.

(CANTONESE: You have more to say?) Huh? (CANTONESE: You want to get slapped?)

You think you're too old now? (CANTONESE: You have wings now? Think you can fly?)

LING: This is so fucking stupid. MOM: Yah, right. Everything "F" here and "F" there.

Who teach you how to talk to your Mother like that? So damn American. Look at you, look

at the way that you dress. Embarrass your mother and embarrass your father.

(CANTONESE) Now you want to hit me? Is that it? Go ahead, hit me then. Come on. Hit me!)

What the hell are you doing?

Stop! Mom, stop!

Go! Go and look for your American friend.

See if anyone of them want to take you. I don'­t want you anymore.

Fine! I'­ll go. I'll go and you'll be sorry.

you'll be sorry. MOM: (CANTONESE: You'­re worse than a dog!) LING: Then get a dog! MOM: Shutup!

(CRYING)

WES ON PHONE: You hit her? LING: I didn'­t hit her, I just - I don't know. I was so mad, I don'­t

know why I was so mad. (WES: Well, she called you a slut basically.) LING: And that'­s grounds for what I did to her?

(WES: But, you didn't do anything to her.) LING: You really, really don'­t get it.

(CRYING)