Thank goodness, because I didn’t want to split a pear because of the other reason. But I respected her wishes and kept that to myself.

Drew CHAPTER 29 GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

Jing-Jing and I ate our own eggs and own pears, no splitting. The latter was super delish, with so much juice and that unique crunchy texture my parents always raved about (yes, the pear gift was something my real parents did). Mr. and Mrs. Wang hovered silently (and awkwardly) as Jing-Jing and I ate the traitorous fruit, only a pinched look from him and a forced nasal exhale from her. I considered conjuring up an apology email from my parents (which would’ve been almost no work on my part and expertly done by the company—they already had email addresses set up for my “parents”), but I followed my well-trained gut and gave them room to breathe.

When I’d first sat down, Jing-Jing had tilted her head at me, then at her parents, but I gave her a trust me nod even though I didn’t feel as confident as usual. She’d nodded back at me, but the worry didn’t leave her eyes.

Not ten minutes later, her parents stood and excused themselves.

“Make sure you clean up before the party this afternoon,” Mrs. Wang said sternly, mostly to her daughter.

“We’re going to that?” Jing-Jing asked, completely surprised, and her mother answered, “Of course,” with a wave of her hand.

When it was just us, Jing-Jing said, “So, uh, apparently we’re going to the annual Christmas Eve party for our little community. The entire congregation usually shows up, even the not-so-religious ones, for the food, of course.” She paused. “And it’s at Hongbo’s parents’ house.”

“Oh,” I said, the shape of my mouth and eyes matching the sound that had just come out.

“Yeah.”

“Is this a good or bad thing?”

Jing-Jing tapped her fingers on the table. “I just assumed we wouldn’t be going since my parents wouldn’t want everyone to see us together, but maybe this is their tactic to get me and Hongbo together for a longer stretch of time, where it’s harder for me to run? Except,” she said with emphasis, raising her right index finger, “we’ll use it to our advantage.”

“My thoughts exactly. Get ready for your entire community to know how in love we are.”

She grasped her cup and tilted her head toward me. “Do you have any specific tactics in mind? I just… I feel like this is it. The golden opportunity, you know? We have to reach out and”—she grabbed at the air and formed a fist—“clinch this whole thing.”

“Why don’t we take a walk?” I suggested, ticking my chin up toward her parents’ bedroom.

She nodded.