In 2018 Fionn graduated from high school, and she went back to China Shanghai to visit her grandparents. Her grandmother prepared a graduation gift for her. The pearl necklace she always wears with Qipao on special occasions.

“The pearl necklace is a token of love between my grandparents. In China Changzhou, A rich men’s daughter falls in love with a poor mail boy. My grandma is the only girl in the family she is the apple of her parent’s eyes. But in Chinese, we used Pearl ‘Zhenzhu’ as a name to represent she is the beloved child. One day when my grandfather delivered the mail, she greeted him at the door. I know it sounds corny but it really was love at first sight. Day by day they start secretly dating under a magnolia tree. However, arranged marriages were the norm back in the 60s in China. My grandma makes the bravest decision to revolt against her parents, she elopes with my grandfather. They want to try their luck in Shanghai and fight for their future. Answering probably an adage: the day fails the person’s wishes, famine hits Shanghai in 1961. They even have to eat wild plants and bark to keep them alive. My grandma took her last pearl necklace to the pawnshop for a little money. This little money strives for them to survive the famine. My grandfather finds an apprenticed job in a machinery factory. In order to give her a better life, my grandfather went out to do business for two years. He made his promise to be successful in Shanghai and give grandma the wealthy life she deserves. They had a big wedding in 1968 after their little girl was born. My grandfather bought back the pearl necklace from the pawnshop and surprised my grandma on their wedding day. Since then every year of their wedding anniversary my grandfather will surprise my grandma with pearl jewellery. Since I know this story, the pearl is always the most romantic gemstone in the world, because it represents the eternal love of life.”