Read this dialog from Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue":
"Du Yusong having business like fruit stand. Like off the street kind. He is Du
like Du Zong- but not Tsung-ming Island people. The local people call putong,
the river east side, he belong to that side local people. That man want to ask
Du Zong father take him in like become own family. Du Zong father wasn't
look down on him, but didn't take seriously, until that man big like become a
mafia. Now important person, very hard to inviting him. Chinese way, came
only to show respect, don't stay for dinner. Respect for making big
celebration, he shows up. Mean gives lots of respect. Chinese custom.
Chinese social life that way. If too important won't have to stay too long. He
come to my wedding. I didn't see. I heard it. I gone to boy's side, they have
YMCA dinner. Chinese age I was nineteen."