Kuo Ayi has been fighting off the other Bible study mothers. Remember Penny? Her two permanent front teeth came in first out of all you kids? Well Penny’s mother tried to talk up Penny to Kuo Ayi today and Kuo Ayi shut her down immediately! Because of you! Don’t you feel honored?

December 11

Oh and don’t worry. Hongbo’s parents do not know about Andrew. That’s why we were sure to tell Hongbo Andrew is just a friend. You know me. I’m always thinking five steps ahead!

December 12

Jing-Jing. Please.

December 13

Can you please say something back so I don’t feel like I’m talking to the Great Wall? Or a duck. A golden duck heehee. And so I know you’re alive? And so I know if you’re considering Hongbo like I asked you to?

I’d been in brainstorming mode, trying to find an alternative solution for Christmas—some magical hidden option—but with these texts, I knew I had no choice but to hire Andrew again and keep up the lies, no matter the cost. Because if my mother was this bad now, thousands of miles away, what would it be like under the same roof with the impending proposal deadline and no Andrew? So I would have to scrounge up money I didn’t have, all of which should have been going toward tuition. My parents were dentists, but they lived and worked in Palo Alto, where the cost of living was not for the faint of heart. They were only able to contribute a small amount of tuition money each year, so I was on track to be paying back student loans for a long time—now even longer, thanks to Andrew’s exorbitant but necessary fee.

I opened the Rent for Your ’Rents app and rebooked Andrew—quickly, so I couldn’t second-guess my decision. And as soon as the booking fee went through, the anger at my parents for putting me in this position consumed me as much as the guilt over what I’d let this become.

I had successfully ignored Andrew’s texts up until now, but… he was the only one who knew what was going on. And, after lying awake night after night, spiraling into the abyss, I needed a lifeline like Hongbo needed manners.

December 14, 2:31 a.m. CST

<Chloe>

Is there something wrong with me?

How is my relationship with my parents so messed up that I’m renting a fake boyfriend AGAIN?

<Drew>

There’s more than one person in a relationship

I didn’t expect you to be up

Sorry if I woke you

I don’t even know why I texted in the first place

Because I’ve seen it firsthand

Yeah

I’m here. You’re not alone, in that sense, but also in the sense that our company has no shortage of clients. I’ve already had 2 jobs since Thanksgiving

What are the other clients like?