[Scene: A cozy teahouse in Suzhou. The air is filled with the aroma of jasmine tea. Chen Yu walks in wearing all white. Li Wei raises an eyebrow, sipping tea in a black hoodie.]
Li Wei:
Hey Chen Yu, why are you dressed like a dumpling wrapper today? Did your closet forget what color is?
Chen Yu:
(sits down, lowering voice)
You’re wearing black again?! On a Tuesday?
Li Wei:
And you’re avoiding it like it’s radioactive. What’s the big deal with black anyway?
Chen Yu:
Wei… you know what Grandma says. Black absorbs negative energy. It hides secrets. In our culture, it’s unlucky — especially before something important.
Li Wei:
That’s cultural symbolism, not a law of physics. My hoodie didn’t summon a thunderstorm or curse the teahouse. It just keeps me warm and makes me look cool.
Chen Yu:
Pffft, cool until it curses your job interview. Remember my cousin Feng? He wore black socks to his driving test. Failed twice. Switched to red, passed immediately.
Li Wei:
Or maybe… he practiced more by the third attempt?
Chen Yu:
You laugh now, but my aunt wore a black dress to a wedding once — and guess what? The cake collapsed. Whole family whispered about it for weeks.
Li Wei:
The cake collapsed because of humidity, not her hemline! And I bet the bakery just forgot the stabilizer cream.
Chen Yu:
Fine, explain this. Last week, I wore black to work, and my computer crashed three times. Coincidence?
Li Wei:
Yes! Or maybe your IT guy cursed you for opening forty tabs of Taobao.
Chen Yu:
I was looking for a red wallet! Red wards off bad luck.
Li Wei:
Red stimulates alertness, sure — but there’s no scientific study showing red saves your hard drive. It’s psychological reinforcement, not magic.
Chen Yu:
But it feels real. Like… when I avoid black on exam days, I feel more in control. Less nervous.
Li Wei:
That’s valid. Beliefs can influence confidence. But that’s you influencing you, not the universe obeying a color code. It’s like a placebo — helpful, but not mystical.
Chen Yu:
So you’re saying I’ve been manipulated by… fabric?
Li Wei:
Not fabric — interpretation. Black means mourning in one culture, elegance in another, and rock concerts in mine. My cousin in New York wears black every day. She’s a wedding planner and happily married.
Chen Yu:
(laughs) What, no cake collapses?
Li Wei:
None. Just stable marriages and matching tablecloths.
Chen Yu:
Okay, fine. Maybe black isn’t the villain. But I still say wearing red on Lunar New Year works better than wearing black.
Li Wei:
I won’t argue with that. Color has cultural power. But let’s not confuse tradition with truth. You can respect the meaning without fearing the fabric.
Chen Yu:
Hmm. What if I wear black socks with a red tie? Balance out the energy?
Li Wei:
Now you’re thinking like a physicist! Yin and yang on your outfit.
Chen Yu:
Don’t push it. I’m still not wearing a black shirt on my wedding day.
Li Wei:
That’s fair. But if your future spouse shows up in black, don’t panic. Just double-check the cake’s support structure.
Chen Yu:
(laughing) Deal. But if anything goes wrong, I’m blaming your hoodie.
[End Scene. The two clink tea cups, smiling — one in black, one in white, both friends.]
Science Vs Superstition 
Tell Us What You Think