* Internal Conflict: Mei Mei faces a conflict within herself between her Chinese heritage and her desire to be accepted by her American classmates. She feels torn between the traditional values of her family and the modern, Americanized culture she encounters at school. This internal conflict is reflected in her struggles with language, her reluctance to participate in Chinese traditions, and her yearning to be cool and popular like her friends.
* Conflict with Peers: Mei Mei also faces conflict with her peers, who often tease and exclude her because of her cultural differences. They mock her Chinese language skills, her traditional clothing, and her family's customs. This conflict highlights the prejudice and lack of understanding Mei Mei experiences in a predominantly American environment.
* Conflict with Family: While Mei Mei feels alienated from her American peers, she also experiences conflict with her family, particularly her mother. Her mother represents the traditional Chinese values she tries to reject. Mei Mei feels trapped between the expectations of her family and her desire for independence and self-expression.
* Conflict with Language: Language becomes a symbol of Mei Mei's internal conflict and her struggle to find her place. She struggles to balance her Chinese and English language skills, reflecting her difficulty reconciling her two cultures.
The central conflict in "Lafff" is Mei Mei's journey to reconcile her cultural identities and find a sense of belonging. She eventually realizes that she cannot simply abandon her heritage to fit in, and she must learn to embrace both her Chinese and American sides. The story emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance and the understanding that one can hold multiple identities without having to choose one over the other.