Great Call of China (S.A.S.S.) Read online

  After her parents had finished, Cece had only one question, and it was big. “Why do you think my birth parents let me go?”

  Her parents had looked uncomfortable, and an awkward silence fell over the room. Finally, her father spoke. “Cece, I can’t speak for your birth parents, but I can make some guesses. . . . ” He said her mother could have gotten pregnant out of wedlock and been unable to raise her alone. Or maybe her parents were poor and couldn’t afford to keep her. Or... “China also has something called a one-child policy,” her father had said. He went on to explain that the policy was created to prevent overpopulation—a law that allowed each couple to have only one child. As a result, many families wanted a boy so he could carry on the family name. So if a couple had a girl first, sometimes that girl would be abandoned, allowing the couple to try again for a son.

  It took a few seconds for the information to soak in. What was her dad saying? My parents left me because I’m a girl?

  “Mom,” Cece had said, “do you believe that’s what happened?”

  She nodded reluctantly. “It’s certainly possible.”

  That night, Cece went to bed a different person. Older, somehow, completely wrapped up in a tangled ball of The Great Call of China emotions. A part of her was confused, disappointed, even angry. And a very small part, from deep within her heart, refused to believe it. Could her birth parents leave her sim ply because she was a girl? She didn’t think so. Or at least she didn’t want to think so. It was this part of her that got her to sleep that night as she held the picture of herself in China. And it was this part of her that had gotten her to sleep every night for a long time.

  After her father had handed Cece the note, he leaned back in the booth. It was as though he wasn’t sure of what he’d just done. At last, he said, “If you contact the orphanage, have no expectations, all right?”

  Cece nodded, and her father looked satisfied.

  Now Cece stared at the address on the back of the photo, as if it held the answer to all her questions. “No expectations,” she whispered.

  But as she slipped the photo into her wallet, she couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit of hope.

  Chapter Two

  The next morning, Cece’s journey to China began on a plane from Dallas to Chicago, where it would connect to Shanghai. From there, she would take a flight to Xi’an—her final destination. Her first flight went well. Cece spent some of her time rereading her information packet about the S.A.S.S. anthropology program. A brochure touted the program as one of a kind. Few opportunities allowed high school students to study at the college level in a field like anthropology. In fact, most teens she knew didn’t even understand what anthro was, but having Ed Charles—a paleontologist and professor at SMU—as a father had had The Great Call of China some influence on her. Whenever he could, he made plans to take her to the most prominent natural history museums in the country. But while her dad loved to talk dinosaurs, Cece found herself more interested in the displays of the various tribes of Native Americans, the models of early hominids, and the artifacts used by ancient civilizations. Sure T. rex was cool in its own way, but it was the notion that the world contained so many cultures that intrigued her most.

  A program guide offered more information about Cece’s curriculum. Her classes would cover the four major fields within anthropology: language, biological evolution, culture, and archaeology. And all of her classes would focus on China specifically. To Cece, this was an added bonus. She’d be learning something about her own ethnicity—something that was about as foreign to her as Mars.

  When Cece wasn’t in classes during the week, she’d spend many of the weekends visiting significant points of interest in China, including the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the world. Then, during the middle of the program, there was the trip to Beijing, home of the Forbidden City and parts of the Great Wall... and also the home of her orphanage. When Cece finished reviewing her itinerary, she felt full of possibilities. At last, she’d learn more about her home country, even if she didn’t find her birth parents. Cece bit her lip. Even if.

  After the long fourteen-hour flight from Chicago to Shanghai, Cece got off the plane to make her connection to Xi’an. As she walked to the next gate, she took in her surroundings. The Shanghai airport was more modern than Cece had expected. The ceiling rose like a giant metallic sail overhead, and the floors gleamed like no one had ever set foot on them. Yet all around her locals and foreigners rushed past. A lady’s voice echoed over the loudspeakers, not a single word intelligible to her until another voice spoke in accented English, translating gates and times of various flights. A burst of excitement rushed through Cece as she walked past dozens of signs written in Chinese script. Restaurants advertised noodles, instead of burgers. Duty-free shops displayed images of Asian faces wearing Revlon and Estée Lauder. Every sight seemed unique and interesting. She wished she could have more time to explore.

  She checked in at her gate and boarded her flight to Xi’an, saying good-bye to her brief glimpse of Shanghai. On the plane, Cece found her seat, put her things in the overhead compartment, and settled in by the window for the ninety-minute flight. She yawned; all the travel was catching up with her. She glanced at the empty seat beside her and closed her eyes.

  After a while, Cece stirred, nestling her head deeper against something warm and very comfortable. Wait a second. Cece sat straight up and stared at a guy sitting next to her who was about her age. “I’m sorry!” She put a hand The Great Call of China to her mouth and quickly glanced at his shoulder, hoping she hadn’t drooled. Thank goodness—nothing!

  “That’s okay,” the guy said. “You can use me as a pillow anytime. I needed an aisle seat, but they stuck me in the middle. Is this all right? I can go back—”

  “No, no,” Cece said as she studied him longer. His hair was dark and wavy, his skin tan, his eyes exotic. In a word, hot. “You can stay. It’s fine.” Was he Chinese? She wasn’t certain.

  “Are you sure?”

  Cece nodded.

  “Thanks.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Will.”

  “Cece.” As they shook, Cece’s fingers tingled from his touch.

  She quickly let go. “So. . . ” She tried to sound casual as she peeked out the window. “Are we almost there yet?” She could see only clouds.

  “Almost,” Will said. “It’s nearly six Xi’an time.”

  “Great.” Cece turned toward him and smoothed her hair. “Um. . . so where are you from?”

  “A small town in Connecticut called Westland. You?”

  “Dallas.”

  “So do you have relatives in Xi’an?” Will said. “Is that why you’re here?”

  Cece almost laughed. Is that a loaded question. “Yeah, something like that. But I’m here doing an anthropology program.”

  “Anthropology? Me, too.”

  “S.A.S.S.?”

  “Yeah.” Will grinned. His smile was cute. Kind of crooked, with just one dimple in his right cheek. “But I have to admit, it wasn’t my idea to apply,” he said. “I sorta needed a place to go this summer, and my friend Alex convinced me to do it. By some miracle, I got accepted.”

  “So you’re not into anthropology?” Cece asked.

  “I’m not sure. I mean, it sounds cool. Researching fossils and stuff.”

  “Artif—” Cece started, then stopped. Don’t sound like a know-it-all. “Yeah, fossils. Cool stuff.”

  Just then, the captain made an announcement in Chinese over the speakers.

  Cece glanced at Will. Say something else, she told herself. She looked up. “Do you understand what the captain’s saying?”

  Will listened for a moment. “I get most of it. We’re landing fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. Nothing earth-shattering.”

  The captain spoke some more, and a flight attendant came on. She made her announcement in Chinese, too, but afterward, translated it into English. “Please turn off all electronic de
vices. Stow your tray tables. . . ”

  “So, your parents didn’t teach you the language?” Will said as he raised his seat.

  Cece hesitated. She didn’t like to advertise she was adopted. “No, not really.”

  Will rested a hand on his knee. “Yeah, hardly any of my Chinese friends back home speak the language fluently. I guess because a lot of them are second generation.”

  “Right,” Cece said, though she wondered which generation she belonged to. Was she even considered first? Or did she count because her adoptive parents were American? She shifted in her seat. She felt stupid. Shouldn’t she know this?

  “Is this your first time to China?” Will asked.

  Cece shook her head, becoming even more uncomfortable. “No, I was. . . um. . . born here.”

  “Really? So how did you end up in the States? You seem totally Americanized.”

  Now Cece wished she hadn’t said that. She fiddled with the edge of her shirt. “Actually, I’m adopted.”

  “Oh,” Will said.

  Thankfully, the captain came on once more, giving Cece an excuse to stare out the window again. She wished she could talk about her past without feeling so weird. Why couldn’t she just be normal about it?

  She heard the landing gear come down.

  Will must have sensed her discomfort because he changed the subject. “Well, maybe we’ll be in some classes together.”

  Cece looked over at Will and smiled. “Yeah, maybe.”

  When the plane finally landed, Will let her into the aisle and helped bring down her carry-on. “Do you know anyone else in the program?” he said. They moved down the aisle.

  Cece smiled. “Just you.”

  “Well, I only came with Alex. I sorta left him in the back when I changed seats. Do you want to meet him?”

  “Actually, I. . . um. . . have to go to the bathroom.” She cringed at her own words.

  “No problem,” Will said. “Maybe you can meet him later.”

  Cece nodded. “That sounds great.”

  Will slowed to a stop in the jetway and let other passengers by. “It was nice meeting you, Cece.”

  “Same here.” Cece smiled, then walked out to the main terminal. You have to go to the bathroom?! Ugh. She looked for a sign for the ladies. A lot of them were written in Chinese, but it didn’t take long to spot the letters WC. She headed in the right direction and pushed open the door. Passing a couple of women waiting for a stall, Cece stood by a mirror and pretended to check her makeup. She tried to shake off her embarrassment. Why couldn’t she mention her adoption without getting upset? Cece turned on the faucet and ran her hands through the water. Maybe there was so much she didn’t know that talking about it reminded her of that. She yanked a paper towel from The Great Call of China the dispenser. But think about why you came here, Cece. You’re trying to fix that. Don’t be so hard on yourself. She dried her hands, took a few calming breaths, and tucked her hair behind her ears. She felt better.

  After one last look in the mirror, Cece left the restroom, got through customs, and picked up her larger suitcase at baggage claim. Then she walked out the doors into a muggy waiting area where hordes of people waited for passengers. It took only a second to spot the large S.A.S.S. sign held up by a young Asian woman wearing an Adidas shirt. Cece, with her baggage in tow, headed toward the sign. This was easier said than done. Everyone between her and the counselor was in a bigger hurry than she was. Or in no hurry at all. She knew Xi’an had a lot of people, but this was ridiculous! Crossing the fifty feet was like venturing through an obstacle course.

  At last, Cece joined the Adidas woman, who checked off her name, then directed her toward a bus parked outside the terminal. Interestingly enough, it was cooler outside than it was inside, but still it didn’t feel much different from Texas at the start of summer. No, what was different was the way the air smelled—really smoggy. She tried not to inhale too deeply, then boarded the bus. She went straight for the back. She was exhausted, and looking at the other students, she could tell she wasn’t the only one feeling that way.

  Cece sank into her seat and watched a man in a blazer come aboard, followed by Will and another guy, maybe his friend Alex, all of whom took seats toward the front. The last to board was the woman who had checked Cece in. The bus pulled out of the terminal, and Cece watched Blazer Guy stand up and grab the bus’s microphone. “Hello. I am Mark Crawford, S.A.S.S. anthropology program director, acting-liaison-in-charge for Xi’an University, and counselor for the male half of the group.” He gestured at the woman standing beside him. “And this is Shu Wen Shan, or you can call her Jenny. We will work together to make sure you get the most out of your experience here. But first, I’ll let Jenny tell you more about herself, and then she’ll give you an overview of Xi’an as the bus heads into the city.” Mark handed the mike to his colleague.

  “Hello, students,” Jenny said. “Like Mark said, my name is Jenny Shu. I am a graduate student with Xi’an University, your host school for the program. I am also the counselor for the women’s dorm. . . . ”

  As Jenny spoke, Cece noticed that her English was good for someone who wasn’t from the States. She even looked somewhat American in the logo’d shirt and the jeans. But something about the simple way she did her hair or the makeup-less face made her look more Chinese than not. She seemed reserved, practical.

  “Right now,” Jenny continued, “we are fifty kilometers northwest of central Xi’an. . . . ”

  Cece turned her attention toward the window. Run-The Great Call of China down shacks marked with rusted signs went by. Some had English words on them that made sense, like CHINA TELECOM. And some didn’t make any sense at all—HAPPY FISH—for a fish market? Though the buildings weren’t architectural prize winners, the road itself was better paved than any at home. Overall, the outskirts of Xi’an seemed to be a mix of old buildings and new superhighways.

  None of it seemed familiar to Cece. Of course, she hadn’t really expected to remember anything about China, but she had hoped she would connect even just a little with her surroundings. She sighed as she leaned her head against her seat. Maybe in Beijing something would feel right to her.

  “Xi’an itself,” Jenny went on, “is located in the center of Shaanxi Province. For perspective, I will tell you that Shanghai, China’s largest city, is fifteen hundred kilometers due east. And Beijing, China’s second-largest city, is twelve hundred kilometers to the northeast. To give you an idea of Xi’an’s size, Shanghai has a population of eighteen million. Xi’an has about ten million. So to us, Xi’an is not that big.”

  Not that big? As far as Cece knew, Dallas had only a million people, and she thought that was huge.

  “Xi’an’s primary industry is manufacturing,” Jenny continued. “But what is most distinctive about the city is its rich history. While Beijing is the political capital of China, Xi’an is the historical capital. It is home to thirteen dynasties. . . . ”

  It wasn’t long before the bus entered the city, and the scenery changed into a sprawling urban metropolis. Though Xi’an wasn’t completely modern, there was still an odd contrast between past and present here, too. Brand-new cars and motorcycles shared the streets with bicycles so ancient they’d be antiques in the United States. High-rises made neighbors with older, squatter concrete buildings. Even the people seemed to come from different times: teens with spiked hair shared sidewalks with older people who looked like they just came from a hard day’s work in the fields. Most striking of all was a huge stone wall rising above the city, surrounding the center of town like a fort. Cece sat up in her seat to get a better look.

  “We are outside Xi’an’s city walls,” Jenny said. “They were built during the Ming dynasty in the late thirteen hundreds to defend the city, and they are considered to be one of the most complete ancient military systems still standing today. Long ago, the walls encircled all of Xi’an, but as you can see now, the city has expanded and the walls enclose only the center. Take a moment to admire
them while we head farther south to the university. This weekend, we will come back and you will learn more about this significant landmark. ”

  Cece gazed at the walls. It was hard not to look at them without thinking about the time it must have taken to make something that big—so ominous and powerful against the The Great Call of China city backdrop. She knew instantly the walls would be one of her favorite sights here.

  The bus meandered through crowded streets, and a half hour later, it finally came to a stop at Xi’an University. Once Cece got off the bus and walked through a stone gate, she was amazed to see the campus didn’t look that different from any community college back in Dallas. It was somewhat spread out, dotted with institutional buildings, a few lawns, and the occasional tree. At this, Cece was somewhat relieved. Given Xi’an’s population, she had a feeling space was a commodity here, and XU was probably a lucky school to have something like grass.

  The men’s and women’s dorms were in separate buildings. Cece and the rest of the girls followed Jenny while the guys went with Mark. She caught a glimpse of Will as he was walking away, and he happened to look back at the same time. He smiled and waved, and Cece waved back.

  In the lobby of the women’s dorm, the girls gathered around Jenny for some logistics info: there would be room assignments first, then a welcome dinner at eight thirty, and official orientation tomorrow.

  While Cece waited for her assignment, she perched on a bench with her belongings and stole glances at the girls around her. The fact that they were all in an anthropology program didn’t really show, though a few of them did look a shade on the geeky side. Some of the students seemed to know one another, too, but the majority appeared to be as solo as she was, including the tall blonde standing next to her. She wondered why she hadn’t put more thought into who her roommate might be, and now she found herself worried about how she looked, how she smelled—she breathed into her hand. Had she brought any gum?