Meili ’ [name_f]Mei[/name_f] ’ Hualing Newforth, nee Wu (37) is Jovian’s sister-in-law and mother to his niece. Being just 21 at the time of her pregnancy meant [name_f]Mei[/name_f] went through a steep learning curve, one of which she’s grateful for now, however she’s always been open about the struggles this caused at the time. A trainee cosmetologist when she fell pregnant, [name_f]Mei[/name_f] opted to put her career on hold in favour of focusing on raising her daughter and ensuring the relationship with her then-boyfriend was strong enough to ensure they could at least parent properly.
Their subsequent happiness was a surprise - [name_f]Mei[/name_f] admits she has a pessimistic streak to her, attributed to her father, an insurance lawyer who’s seen a lot of the worst of people’s natures - but one she’s wholeheartedly embraced. The fact [name_m]Jovian[/name_m] himself is a lawyer leads to a lot of jokes between [name_f]Mei[/name_f] and her brother-in-law, who’ve always gotten along (and daresay she’s certain he was hoping things would work out between her and his brother). Singaporean-American, Mei’s ensured their daughter has as much connection to her cultural history as possible, including choosing a middle name for her to honour this, and she’s also introduced their foreign exchange student to this, to ensure she doesn’t feel excluded from the family dynamics.
Now working as a hairstylist who specialises in unique coloured dye, Mei’s done the hair of her daughters’ friends, although they have an agreement she won’t tell any embarassing childhood stories while dying and styling. While she’d love to have another child, [name_f]Mei[/name_f] is realistic and isn’t basing all her happiness around a conception - especially as she and her husband have only just got a rescue kitten for their daughters’ 16th birthday present, and fawning over their newest family member has gotten everyone joyous.