I can sense Cyrus’s surprise, feel the way his muscles bunch and his body stiffens. But he doesn’t pull away until I’ve finished crossing over onto the ferry and both my feet are firmly planted to the deck.

“A lukewarm warning to you,” Cyrus says, jumping aboard easily after me, “that as flattering as the dress is, you should consider bringing a jacket next time. It’s going to be windy.”

It’s already windy, the dark waters rippling below us. I have to keep patting my bangs to keep them in place. “If you can survive an entire plane ride without a blanket, I think I can survive a cruise without a jacket. But thanks,” I add, flashing him a quick, subdued smile that makes my insides turn, but—my nausea aside—has the effect I’m going for.

Cyrus stares at me for an extra beat, like he’s not entirely sure what’s happening.

The beginning of the path to perfect, crushing humiliation, I vow in my head. Enjoy.

While the outside of the ferry is designed with neon signs and the carved head of a dragon, its scales glowing yellow, fangs closing around a pearl, the ferry’s interior is laid out like a restaurant. Rows of round tables stretch from one end to the other, with just enough chairs to be filled by our group. The only two remaining empty chairs are by the open windows in the back.

Which is how I find myself sitting next to Cyrus once again.

I glance over at the papers already set in front of us. I’m really hoping it’s a menu—I haven’t eaten anything today except the stale bread rolls handed out on the plane—but then I realize it’s actually—

“A test?” Oliver demands from the table next to ours. “We’re on this cruise to take a test?”

Not just any test. It’s written entirely in Chinese, most of its meaning obscured by all the lessons I skipped over the years. And here I thought I had found a way to escape anything academic-related.

Wang Laoshi claps his hands. “Listen up,” he says, raising his voice over the whispered complaints. Well, most are complaints. One of the girls—Lydia—looks genuinely excited by the prospect of schoolwork on a ferry. She’s already whipped out a sharpened pencil and eraser and has her curly hair scraped into a bun, as if she’s been training her whole life for this. I’ve never related to anyone less. “The test is to help gauge the extent of your Chinese abilities, including your reading and writing proficiency. I’ll give you half an hour to finish. And if you have any questions,” Wang Laoshi adds, “please do hesitate to ask me. It’s best you work it out yourself.”

* * *

I end up stuck on the first question.