The Jade Pendant Essay Example

Mrs. Khoo shared that her mother had once revealed that the wife of a sultan who had seen it had actually expressed interest in purchasing the jade pendant, regardless of the cost. The sultan's wife even sent representatives to negotiate and acquire it. Although challenging, the persistent royal lady was ultimately rejected. The pressing question was whether Mrs. Khoo would leave the jewel to her daughter-in-law or her daughter upon her death. However, Mrs. Khoo had already made up her mind in favor of her daughter, Lian Kim. She would do anything for her beloved child and decided to give the jade pendant to her before her passing. The pendant would be worn by Lian Kim on her wedding day, prominently displayed for all guests to see during the reception dinner. When Lian Kim visited home with her fiance during the holidays, she insisted that her mother take the jewel out of the bank so he could admire it.

He was an Art student whom she had met in London. The wonder on his face and the long whistle of admiration and incredulity as he looked at the Jade Pendant that Lian Kim had playfully placed on his artist’s begrimed sweater was a small but definite step towards mollifying his future mother-in-law. Her chagrin, when her daughter wrote to her of being engaged to a foreigner, was great indeed. How vexing, she had thought to herself and later said to her husband (although she would not have dared to say the same to her daughter), to have a daughter married to a foreigner, and a poor one at that.

However, there was nothing that could be done

when the determined young people of today made up their minds. Her frustration was compounded by a humiliating incident that occurred that day. After showing the jade Pendant to Lian Kim and Ron, she was preparing to return it to its red velvet case when she heard Ah Soh sweeping outside the room. On a whim, she invited Ah Soh into the room to see the jewel, later realizing, in her generous heart, that even a lowly widowed relative who sold cakes and puddings on the streets could appreciate the pleasure of viewing the jewel.

Ah Soh was extremely grateful. She eagerly left the broom outside and quietly entered the room with a mixture of respect and awe. Even before the box was opened to reveal its precious contents, she enthusiastically expressed her surprise and admiration. Her excitement was overwhelming as she made every effort to please a wealthy relative who generously provided her and her daughter with a living space at the rear of their luxurious home, and allowed them to partake in the leftover meals on the grand dining table as well as benefit from the sale of used clothing, beer bottles, and newspapers.

Unfortunately, Ah Soh's daughter, who was a simple-minded girl of the same age as Lian Kim, entered the room at that moment. She was looking for her mother and upon seeing the jewel, she became ecstatic. She actually grabbed it and started dancing around the room, proudly displaying it on her chest. This frightened her mother, who quickly glanced up and saw Mrs. Khoo's face filled with intense disgust and displeasure. Witnessing her mother's terror was itself a terrifying sight. Her

mother screamed at her, took the jewel back, carefully placed it back in its case, and fiercely scolded her daughter for her behavior.

The lady's wounded pride, evident in her haughty expression, could only be appeased by a harsh thrashing, fueled by her intense anger towards her wealthy relative. Despite being in her twenties, the girl appeared childlike and whimpered, narrowly escaping a severe beating. Mrs. Khoo intervened, speaking sternly, "That's enough, Ah Soh. Do you want to harm the child?" Sobbing, Ah Soh insisted, "It's better for her to be harmed than to insult you like this!" Mrs. Khoo, finding the incident too repulsive to mention to her husband or daughter, quickly pushed it out of her mind.

During her daughter's vacation, the mother dedicated herself to pleasing the young couple. She requested the servants to prepare various delicacies, and Ah Soh, attempting to further appease her, assisted tirelessly. Mrs. Khoo entertained them whenever she had a break from her mah-jong game, not hesitating to spend money. Mr. Khoo, who adored his youngest daughter, was even willing to pause his gambling and horse racing activities to proudly introduce the couple to his extensive network of friends. Lian Kim and Ron were set to marry before the year's end.

Mr. Khoo would often laugh heartily and make jokes about the mother's sadness on a particular occasion. He found it amusing that the Jade Pendant would be passed down from mother to daughter, emphasizing women's fascination with jewelry. Mr. Khoo believed that the locket held significant value, even going as far as whispering its worth confidentially to his friend. The idea of selling the Jade Pendant was never brought

up by their friends, as it would have been considered highly disrespectful.

However, Mrs. Khoo eventually acknowledged the possibility and concluded that selling it was inevitable. This realization filled her with fear as she anxiously wandered around her room. The desperate financial situation of her family weighed heavily on her mind. The wealth and properties passed down from their forefathers had nearly vanished entirely. Mr. Khoo's gambling habits, his passion for horses, and his extravagant social activities, coupled with the costly education of their two sons and daughter overseas, continuously forced them to seek additional funds.

Mrs. Khoo's immediate concern was the cost of Lian Kim's wedding, which had to match or surpass the scale of her elder brother's wedding two years ago and her nephew's wedding. The worry was that a smaller budget would result in a loss of family reputation. Mrs. Khoo quickly calculated the expenses, including the wedding dress and trousseau from a French fashion house, furnishings for the couple's new London flat, and a wedding dinner for at least five hundred guests at the Imperial Hotel. She wondered where she would find the money. In her room, she walked around anxiously, making distressed sounds and wringing her hands. Although she had once shared her concerns with her husband, he had dismissed them with laughter and reassured her that they were financially stable. Mrs. Khoo couldn't bring herself to discuss her worries with Lian Kim, as she didn't want to spoil her beloved child's happiness.

Once, she considered asking Ah Soh for a loan. Rumors had spread of the significant amount of money that Ah Soh had carefully gathered over four decades. This

money was accumulated from the profits of selling cakes and puddings, as well as Ah Soh's extreme frugality. To save money, Ah Soh rolled her own cigarettes using tobacco salvaged from discarded cigarette ends. Additionally, her mentally challenged daughter wore clothing passed down from Lian Kim and other family members. However, she swiftly dismissed the thought.

Why would Mrs. Khoo stoop so low as to ask for help from a relative who was basically a servant? Mrs. Khoo's already existing dislike for Ah Soh was intensified by her belief that beneath all the false humility and deference, Ah Soh was actually cunning and observant, fully aware of everything happening around her. Mrs. Khoo even imagined that Ah Soh's small, frightened eyes in her pale face sometimes mocked her. Mrs. Khoo harbored the resentful thought that she would not allow Ah Soh to remain in the house after Lian Kim's wedding.

She and her beloved daughter, whom she dotes on so much, can collect their things and depart. The idea of the wedding, which should have brought joy to her worried mother's heart, instead only caused her distress because she kept wondering where the money would come from. Both of their houses were already under mortgage, and selling the shares would only bring in a small amount. No matter how much she tried to avoid it, the inevitable conclusion she arrived at was that they had to sell the Jade Pendant. The weight of making such an immense decision gave Mrs. Khoo a severe headache.

In the midst of a grim situation, her only comfort was knowing that the sale of the Jade Pendant would remain undisclosed. She could

contrive a reason for its absence during the wedding ceremony. However, downsizing the wedding celebration would tarnish their reputation greatly. Consequently, she organized a private and urgent family meeting where her spouse concurred with selling it. He stressed the significance of obtaining the highest possible price for this precious gem.

It was difficult to convince her daughter, Lian Kim, to agree to sell the Jade Pendant. Lian Kim complained excessively about losing something she had been promised and only after sulking for a long time did she finally agree. She found the idea of a small wedding celebration even more terrible than not having the Jade Pendant. After considering various excuses for its absence, she finally settled on the excuse that the large old-fashioned jewel would not go well with her Dior gown. Keeping the sale of the Jade Pendant a secret became a top priority.

After discreet inquiries were made about potential buyers, a very wealthy lady expressed interest in purchasing the item. Mrs. Khoo was pleased with the conditions of the offer, as the interested party resided in another country and desired absolute secrecy throughout the transaction. The buyer planned to send a third person to collect the item. Additionally, the offer made by the buyer was generous. Mr. Khoo insisted on receiving cash, skeptical of the reliability of wealthy foreigners. Therefore, cash was agreed upon, and the Jade Pendant was permanently removed from the bank vaults. With this settlement, Mrs. Khoo considered the matter resolved.

Khoo's daughter's decision not to wear the Jade Pendant caused Khoo to become happy once again. She expressed her disappointment in young people who fail to appreciate the beautiful heirlooms

passed down by their ancestors and are not accepting of traditional customs. Despite being caught up in the chaos of organizing the wedding, Mrs. Khoo remembered to inform Ah Soh in a kind manner that many guests would be dressing grandly and wearing jewelry, so it would be best for Ah Soh to dress appropriately as well.

I hope you have purchased new clothes for the occasion?

'Ah Soh, humbly and gratefully, assured her that she had.

The wedding dinner and celebration was grand enough to be talked about for the next three days.

A few Members of Parliament, along with many business tycoons, were also present alongside the Minister.

Mrs. Khoo, in her happiness and maternal anxiety, managed to move quickly among the guests.

She even found time to hope that Ah Soh's simple-minded daughter would not do anything to spoil the grandeur of the occasion.

She had considered, tactfully, expressing to Ah Soh the desire for her not to attend, but ultimately chose to be kind and benevolent, especially for such a significant event as the wedding of her beloved and youngest child. She briefly scanned the individuals in the large, extravagant room with chandeliers and focused on a particular area in the distant corner. In that spot, she easily spotted Ah Soh, who was dressed appropriately for once, sitting alongside her daughter and several other relatives. Mrs. Khoo pondered why the individuals, not just those near the foolish child but everyone present, were incessantly gazing at her and engaging in loud and urgent whispers amongst themselves.

As the whispering and staring increased, the atmosphere became more charged with excitement and tension. Mrs. Khoo joined the crowd, her gaze

fixed not on the child-like face but on the jewel placed uneasily on the flat, child-like chest - The Jade Pendant! The girl with a mental disability expressed her joy, and her mother, sitting close and affectionately holding her hand, nodded approvingly to the surrounding people, her eyes no longer filled with fear.