A Solid Plan

Mr. Wu and Sun Mei started at each other in silence for a few seconds, as if they could not believe what they had heard.

"I'm sorry… What?" Mr. Wu asked eventually.

"Don't make me repeat it," Vivian said with a sigh.

"I kind of have to. I'm not sure I heard right."

"I told everyone that Lily died so that they would take pity on you and let you come. It works perfectly since Lily won't come this year."

"What about next year?" Mr. Wu asked.

"You decide. You either tell the truth and get banned forever or sacrifice Lily's invitation for yours."

"I…"

"If you think about it, it's not that bad. Lily will get older eventually. No one will recognize her anymore when she's eighteen, so you could bring her again and say she's your date."

Sun Mei raised her hand. "I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"While that is a solid plan…"

"No doubt about that," Mr. Wu said in a low voice.

"If Lily is dead, then who am I supposed to be?" asked Sun Mei.

"Mr. Wu's current girlfriend, of course!" Vivian answered as if she was stating the obvious.

"Oh… So she's the girlfriend I will have until my daughter is old enough to pretend to be my girlfriend?" Mr. Wu asked calmly.

"Yes, doesn't it all work out perfectly?"

Mr. Wu rubbed his temples. "And we'll be doing all this because Linda got offended three years ago?"

"And because you will not apologize," Vivian added.

"I certainly can't now. You've already told them Lily is dead. I might as well keep my dignity."

Mr. Wu paced around the table for a bit. "Let me think about this."

"Be my guest," Vivian said with a smile.

Sun Mei laughed involuntarily. "Good pun."

"I thought so too!"

"Will you make pot roast?" Mr. Wu suddenly asked.

"It's not New Year's without pot roast."

"Okay, I'm coming. Lily is dead and Sun Mei is my girlfriend."

"Well, that was easy."

As Mr. Wu walked out of the kitchen, he turned his head back and yelled, "I'm bringing everyone presents!"

"Not books again!" Vivian warned him.

"Kids love books!" Mr. Wu shot back.

"Your kid loves books. Linda's kids like books as much as she does."

"Why do people with bad genes procreate?" Mr. Wu wondered out loud.

"I think that is a question you should not ask at this gathering," Sun Mei advised him.

Mr. Wu smiled. "You'll make a great fake girlfriend," he told her with an amused expression before he left.

Sun Mei was glad he didn't stay to see her face flush.

As a way to cover up her embarrassment, she turned to Vivian and said, "Why did you pretend you didn't want to invite Mr. Wu when you had already made all these arrangements?"

Vivian shrugged. "It's not fun if I don't make it a little hard for him."

"How long have you known each other?" Sun Mei asked curiously.

"Enough for me to know that he will do anything for pot roast!"