May 09 2008
Xiao Yi
Misha 
Xiaoyi, Xiaoyifu and I, 1966
Xiaoyi - Lü Youtang (1936 Beijing -) is my Mom’s younger sister. An OB/GY by training, but she loves doing house chords. Even working at the hospital, she preferred to dish out aspirin than deliver babies.
Misha and Xiaoyi dated briefly, parted way after she went to medical school. A naval engineer boy friend who’s father died during the Long March - considered a privileged class - ensued. They applied for marriage nine times, all got denied due to her family background. After graduation, she was sent to Hohhot where she met Zhang Kai 张凯, the man I know as Xiaoyifu, a handsome Muslin heart surgeon. Yeye would often joke on his son-in-laws and daughter-in-laws, that a warlord, a Muslin and a cabbie..
For some reason, Xiaoyi doesn’t like children. I could feel it when I was little, and was confirmed last time we were in Beijing. However my kids loved Xiaoyifu. They couldn’t really communicate but he got low and played with them, on his butt and on his knees. It’s rather unfortunate that they don’t have children. Don’s dad was a great father too, often played piggy baggie with us, among other things.