An Unanswered Question

"Wait, which book are you talking about?" Sun Mei asked him curiously.

"It was a story one of her sons had written in school about a pair of frogs. I can't remember the title." Parker shrugged apologetically.

"The Frog Party?" Sun Mei asked in shock.

"Yes, that was it!"

"We read that book every night."

"Seriously? She told me she wouldn't pay me because her sons hadn't liked it!"

"They loved it!" Sun Mei exclaimed. "We read it so many times that I could recite the whole thing by heart. The boys even tried to make drawings of the frogs that resembled yours!"

"That… She… That witch!" Parker shouted.

"Damn right she is!" Yu Zan echoed. "She held my friend prisoner in her house for two months and made her read her sons a book she hadn't paid for?"

"Yes, that's exactly what we said," said Sun Mei.

"It was a rhetorical question."

Mr. Wu, who looked kind of guilty, apologized to Parker. "I'm sorry for recommending you when she asked for an illustrator. I had no idea that she hadn't paid you."

Parker looked at his feet. "It's my fault for not saying anything. I need to learn to speak up more."

"You should do that," Yu Zan told him. "You actually have a very nice voice," she added awkwardly.

Sun Mei looked at her in shock.

What was that? Had her friend suddenly lost her natural charm? Did she really like Parker so much that she was nervous around him?

Nah, they had just met. It was probably the champagne Yu Zan had drunk earlier.

"Wait a second…" Sun Mei raised a finger and turned to Mr. Wu. "I never actually asked you this, but how do you know Mrs. Lin? How come you were invited to her party if you don't even like her?"

Mr. Wu looked around him uncomfortably. "I would rather not talk about this here," he told Sun Mei calmly. Although he seemed fine, Sun Mei suddenly sensed a detached vibe coming from him.

"Oh… Okay, sir."

Everyone slowly drifted away from their little group and started drinking and enjoying themselves again.

"Can I get you anything from the buffet?" Yu Zan asked Parker with a shy smile.

"Yes, thank you," he replied politely.

Yu Zan waited for him to elaborate but he didn't. "Will you tell me what exactly?" she asked him.

"Oh! Actually, I'll just come with you to pick."

Yu Zan smiled wide. "That works for me!"

Sun Mei laughed quietly as she watched them walk away. It looked like her friend was back to her usual self.

Unfortunately, Mr. Wu had lost his holiday cheer for good. Sun Mei really regretted asking him that question about Mrs. Lin, even though she'd had no idea that it was a nosy one.

No matter how many times she tried to cheer Mr. Wu up, she always failed. Even when he smiled politely at her, that smile didn't reach his eyes.

He seemed to be thinking about something else that had happened long ago...