"Vivian told you not to bring books!" Sun Mei whispered to Mr. Wu as he rang the bell and waited in front of Vivian's door. The two of them had driven there in their best clothes and parked right across the street.
"I didn't… They are just an option. You know, for the kids who like them," Mr. Wu tried to explain.
"What did you bring for Linda's kids?"
"Candy." Mr. Wu grimaced in disdain.
"You can't bring some of Vivian's grandkids books and the other half candy. They will have a fight."
"Over who will get the books?"
"Over who will get the candy."
"You are late!" Vivian opened the door wide. She was wearing an apron, and sweat shone on her forehead as she led them in.
"It took Sun Mei ages to get dressed," said Mr. Wu.
"Hey! I was just trying to look like a nice pretend girlfriend," Sun Mei whispered as they entered the living room.
"You look the same as always to me." Vivian shot a quick look at her skirt and sweater.
"Thanks, Vivian. I really appreciate it."
The living room was overflowing with children of all ages in various states of undress and cleanliness. One of Vivian's grandsons had smeared chocolate all over his face, while a little girl was picking her nose shamelessly.
"I'll bet you anything those are Linda's kids. I haven't seen them in years, but I can just tell," Mr. Wu said in Sun Mei's ear.
"Hush!" Vivian chastised him. "Everyone, Mr. Wu is here!"
All the adults in the living room turned simultaneously to look at the newcomers. Meanwhile, the kids did not seem to care at all.
"You remember him, right?" Vivian asked her relatives, who nodded uncomfortably.
"Why are they looking at me like that?" Mr. Wu asked Sun Mei discreetly.
"They think your daughter died."
"Oh!"
"This is his girlfriend, Sun Mei," Vivian added.
When he saw everyone greet Sun Mei awkwardly, Mr. Wu instinctively wanted to do something to diffuse the tension.
Thus, he raised his arm and said loudly, "I brought presents!"
All the kids in the room immediately made a beeline for him, stepping on each other and on their parents' feet along the way.
"Hold up!" Mr. Wu gestured with his hands. "You need to make a line!"
While he tried to maintain some sort of order and hand out the presents, Sun Mei heard a woman sitting in an armchair whisper to the man next to her, "It is so obvious that he is not over his grief. Look at how he's looking at our children. Do you think he could be capable of kidnapping?"
Sun Mei rolled her eyes inwardly before she stepped forward and said, "You must be Linda. Vivian talks about you all the time. You must be her favorite daughter-in-law."
"She is her only daughter-in-law," the man next to Linda said. "I'm Paul, Vivian's only son."
"Oh, I… Hi! I'm Sun Mei!" Sun Mei tried to make up for her blunder by being particularly cheerful.
"How long have you been with the poor man?" Linda asked her with a sympathetic expression.
"Not long… About four months, I guess?" Sun Mei gave them an estimate of the time she had been working for Mr. Wu instead. This way, it would be easier for her to remember the lie.
"Do you…" Linda made a dramatic pause. "Do you know how the girl died?"