307: Dragon-elephant mixed-race girl

In places with many Indians, the strong smell of curry is unavoidable.

But if you smell it for a while, well, you get used to it; people are very adaptable.

Li Qinghe slowly strolled through the streets of Little India, occasionally taking out his phone to snap a few pictures, looking so relaxed he didn't seem like an outsider.

“Hi! Are you alone?” an English greeting came from beside him.

Li Qinghe turned his head. Oh, it was a girl with quite a lot on her mind.

Beside him was an Indian-descended girl in a white T-shirt and denim shorts, looking at him with eyes much larger than average.

Lillia

“Yes, I am alone,” Li Qinghe responded with a smile in English.

“My name is Lillia, and I’m also out for a stroll alone. Want to join me?”

“I am Li Qinghe. Why not?”

After some friendly conversation, the two became temporary travel companions.

Lillia was very talkative. She told Li Qinghe that she was a native-born citizen of Singapore.

Her father was Dragon Country People, and her mother was Indian.

Her father worked in sales for a Singaporean company, and her mother was a middle manager at a foreign firm.

Her mother's generation was the fourth generation of Indian descent in Singapore.

Her skin tone was much lighter than that of typical Indians, partly due to her father's genes, and also because her mother's family in India used to belong to the Kshatriya caste, which was considered white within the Indian ethnic groups.

Lillia also had a Dragon Country People name, Li Lillia.

She was currently a third-year student at Singapore University of Social Sciences. She had no classes today, so she came out alone to relax.

She approached Li Qinghe primarily because he was tall and handsome.

From Lillia's words, Li Qinghe felt like he was a succubus-like presence in her eyes.

Li Qinghe thoroughly enjoyed the benefits that came with his appearance.

Since Lillia was so open, Li Qinghe wouldn't be too reserved either.

After walking on the street for a while, the two began holding hands, but after a short while, they let go.

Because the weather was too hot, their hands were full of sweat after holding them for only a short time. Indeed, it's best not to be too intimate outdoors in Southeast Asia.

The travel companions they picked up along the way got along quite well.

First, they went for a cup of coffee together.

Then, the two walked along the street and arrived outside a vibrantly colored house.

Interestingly, this house was originally built by a famous Dragon Country People merchant specifically for his wife, but now it has become a very famous Instagram-worthy spot in Little India.

Many people take very photogenic pictures here.

“Li, come help me take some photos.”

Lillia was very happy and asked Li Qinghe to help her take pictures.

With Li Qinghe's skill, it was naturally easy to satisfy her.

And Lillia was also very surprised by Li Qinghe's photography skills.

With beautiful photos as a foundation, their relationship became even more harmonious.

Lillia was happy the whole way that she had struck up a conversation with Li Qinghe.

Because he was not only handsome but also took surprisingly good photos.

As their relationship grew better and better.

“Lillia, deep down, do you consider yourself Dragon Country People or Indian?”

Li Qinghe took the opportunity to ask Lillia about her sense of identity.

“Actually, ever since I was little, my answer to identity has always been very flexible…”

Lillia recounted her understanding of identity from childhood to adulthood.

Her parents were very open-minded about it, constantly emphasizing to her that before race, she was first and foremost a Singaporean.

Then, she would receive red envelopes for Dragon Country People New Year, eat mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Festival, and zongzi for Dragon Boat Festival.

She would also follow her mother to Indian temples, where her mother would explain why priests didn't wear shirts and tell her stories of the Hindu gods.

But at the same time, her mother didn't force her to convert to any religion, only brought her to understand the relevant culture.

So, Lillia felt from a young age that culture was diverse, and she wouldn't be confined to a single cultural identity.

Similarly, in her eyes, there wasn't much difference between Dragon Country People and Indian.

But aesthetics helped her make a choice from within.

“Overall, I still think Dragon Country People people look much better than Indians. Although I also like to eat curry rice, Bak Kut Teh and Nasi Lemak are also part of my diet.”

Lillia concluded: “I think I am the connecting point of two cultures. Who I am isn't important; what's important is that my life as Lillia or Li Lillia is free.”

“I like the feeling of being with you.”

Indeed, she was a new generation of Singaporeans influenced by Western culture. Although her identity blended Dragon Country People and Indian cultures.

But Lillia leaned more towards being like a young European or American, focusing on her own feelings and preferring her independent choices.

Seeing Lillia's sincerity, Li Qinghe also frankly expressed his liking for her.

“Lillia, your figure and looks are exactly my type.”

“Me too.”

Honest communication led to increased trust in each other.

When Lillia learned that Li Qinghe was Dragon Country People, she quickly accepted this fact.

“Li, I think I can feel that you are very different from the Dragon Country People in Singapore.”

“In Singapore, China is viewed more from a Western perspective, so news reports about China are mostly negative.”

“But I've seen a lot of news about China on TT and know that it's not entirely as reported.”

Lillia gave a very fair assessment of Singaporean news coverage of China.

From Lillia, Li Qinghe profoundly realized that in the future, when referring to Singapore, one should never directly label it as Dragon Country People.

Firstly, most Dragon Country People Singaporeans here never consider themselves Dragon Country People; they only identify as Singaporeans.

Secondly, since Singapore's first Prime Minister completely abolished Dragon Language education in the 1970s, 70% of Dragon Country People youth under 40 here no longer speak Dragon Country People.

Thirdly, as Singapore gradually transforms into an Indian-majority nation, more and more Malays and Indians are stepping onto Singapore's stage, and they are also supporters of the Singaporean identity.

So, enjoy yourself, have fun, and don't emphasize an identity that can't be reclaimed.

The two walked and chatted, and soon another distinctive Indian temple appeared before them.

Lillia introduced to Li Qinghe that this was the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple.

It enshrines the goddess Veeramakaliamman (also known as Kali), a fierce deity who presides over destruction.

With Lillia by his side, Li Qinghe felt like he had a tour guide, understanding much more than when he looked by himself.

Lillia told Li Qinghe that during World War II, when Japanese planes bombed this area.

Many people hid inside the temple to escape the bombing.

As it happened, the temple and the idols remained miraculously unharmed during the air raids.

Consequently, many Indians unanimously believed that this was the goddess Kali protecting the area, and the followers of goddess Kali flourished.

Li Qinghe followed Lillia, took off his shoes, and toured the temple. All along, Lillia explained some of the myths and legends of goddess Kali to him.

Hmm, Hindu mythology, just listen to it; Li Qinghe didn't remember any of it.

But both of them greatly enjoyed the atmosphere of walking and chatting.

So, after leaving the temple, they continued in this state.

“Li, are you used to eating Indian specialty foods?” Lillia’s big eyes suddenly appeared beside Li Qinghe.