“Of course we’d handle it fairly,” Madam Yao says, in such a dismissive way she might as well outright state she’s lying. “But even if we didn’t, do you really expect a single unpublished article to sway our opinion?”

Chanel snorts.

Madam Yao’s eyes flicker up to her. “Is there something funny, Ms. Cao?”

All things considered, I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that Madam Yao has no problem identifying Chanel right away, but it still makes my fingers curl.

“Oh, nothing, really,” Chanel replies, her voice breezy. “But I wouldn’t underestimate the power of a single article if I were you. Don’t you know how easy it is for things to go viral these days? Especially when they’re posted onto a platform with twenty million active followers?”

At last, a small crack in Madam Yao’s stony mask. “I’m afraid you will have to be more specific. What is this...platform you are speaking of?”

Henry steps in, his arm resting deliberately on the back of my chair: a casual reminder to everyone that he’s on my side. “Well, as you may know, Madam Yao, my father runs the biggest tech start-up in all of China.” For once, I don’t correct him with second biggest. “We have a mass following across our many apps, as well as various social media accounts. Connections to the media. Resources we could access in an instant...”

“And not to brag, but we’re both kind of popular in our social circles,” Chanel chimes in, smiling sweetly. “I know like, forty international kids from my school in Australia who are thinking of coming back to Beijing to study. I was planning on recommending Airington to them and their families, but now, seeing the way you’re treating my dear friend Alice... I’m not so sure.”

“I’m not so sure, either,” Henry says, all solemn, and I have to swallow back a bubble of hysterical laughter at the look on Madam Yao’s face. Her lips are almost invisible. “My father and I may be forced to reconsider whether Airington even deserves all those donated buildings. In fact, I don’t know if I want to stay at a school that favors some students over others.”

“I’m also not sure,” Andrew offers. Everyone turns to stare at him. “What?” he says defensively, sliding lower in his seat. “I thought we were doing a thing.”

“Yeah, and you just ruined the thing, Andrew.” Chanel rolls her eyes. “You’re not part of this.”

Andrew scowls. “I’m never part of anything.”

“Well, maybe if you stopped hiring people to kidnap your classmates...” Chanel mutters.

“I obviously wouldn’t have had to hire anyone if I were in like, a squad,” Andrew protests. “I bet the members of BTS could just call each other to help out with that kind of stuff.”

“Andrew,” Henry says on an exasperated sigh. “You have grossly misunderstood the point Chanel was trying to make.”

“As well as like, the general situation,” Chanel adds.

Madam Yao clears her throat loudly.

“Right. So sorry, Madame Yao,” Chanel says, applying just enough sarcasm to her voice to get away with it. “Back to what we were saying—”