“Is your father at the party?” I asked as casually as I could.

She gave me a sidelong glance. “No. He’s on business abroad. California, in fact.”

I let her lead me to her small group of friends. They were selecting various delicacies being offered by two servers on silver trays.

“Finally, you’re back to introduce him.” A plump girl with silver waved hair winked at me. She wore a long, pink dress that accentuated her every curve and a thick diamond choker that must have been worth millions. Extending an ivory gloved hand, she said, “I’m Meiwen.”

I grasped her fingertips. “Hi, I’m Jason.”

She smiled up at me, expectant. Her eyes had been carefully lined in black, ending in a thick sweep. Meiwen reminded me of a young, Asian Marilyn Monroe. The yous who had celebrated with wild abandon at the New Year’s party with their angel wings and dragon-scaled skin were gone. Instead, everyone had opted for old-fashioned affluence and glamour tonight.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I said, and let go of her hand, but she held on for just a moment longer. Was I supposed to have given her a kiss on her hand, or leaned in to kiss her cheek? Too late. I could explain away any missteps by saying I was from abroad.

Daiyu introduced me to the other four yous, and I shook each of their hands.

One friend, Joseph Chen, clasped my palm tightly, as if in some contest of strength, and held it even longer than Meiwen had. “Whereabouts from California are you from?” he asked, staring me in the eyes.

“Los Angeles, but I studied in the Bay Area,” I replied.

“Nice city,” he said. “So you went to boarding school?”

I pulled my hand back; I was in no mood to play his alpha-male game.

“No, Cal,” I said in English. “I went to Berkeley.”

His eyes widened a touch behind his black Cartier frames, an accessory to match his tuxedo, I was certain, as all yous had perfect vision.

“Your family is friends with the Jins?”

Daiyu was standing beside me, talking to Angela, who had returned to the group after grabbing a tray with more champagne-filled glasses, which were quickly distributed. The other three yous sipped their drinks, pretending to follow Angela’s chatter, when they were really eavesdropping on me and Joseph. The orchestra was playing loud enough that we had to speak in raised voices.

“I’m friends with Daiyu.” I gave him a friendly smile. “What about you?” I could tell by the way he was acting that he and Daiyu had probably known each other since they were young, and he’d probably harbored a crush for her since he’d hit puberty.

Daiyu passed a glass to me. “Are you conducting a job interview, Joe?” She leaned into me, touching my sleeve casually with her fingertips. No one missed the gesture.